THE London-based media should demonstrate Englandâs âloveâ for Wales and Scotland and properly cover Welsh rugby, Conservative MP Glyn Davies argued yesterday.
The Montgomeryshire MP blasted the way last monthâs high-drama Wales v South Africa match was reported by a Sunday newspaper.
Speaking in a Westminster Hall debate he secured, he said: âTwo weeks ago my Sunday reading was completely ruined when I turned to [the] sports section to read about the two big rugby games that had been played on the previous Saturday. New Zealand had totally smashed England while Wales had come within a whisker of beating South Africa, many peopleâs favourites for the next World Cup…
âI was able to read extensively about the England game â two full pages plus a good chunk of the front page. The Wales game got a few lines on page 14.
âI felt so let down, so disappointed, indeed, so frustrated.â
Mr Davies warned that Scotland and Wales felt a âdisenchantmentâ and âresentmentâ about Englandâs dominance.
He said: â[The] biggest issue weâre facing at the moment is the retention of the unity of the United Kingdom. Now, while I believe and fervently hope the Scottish people will vote to remain part of the United Kingdom when they vote in the independence referendum in September I do think itâs worth asking what it is that has driven so many Scottish people to not value the union.
âPersonally, I sense at the root of disenchantment with the union in Scotland is a resentment against a larger, richer, altogether more powerful neighbour â England.â
The MP acknowledged it was not Englandâs âfault sheâs bigâ but added: âIf the Scottish people do not vote to leave we should continue to tell them afterwards that we love them. The same resentment exists in Wales â nothing like to the same extent but I believe it exists.
âIt matters that England, great nation that it is, loves Wales and makes that clear. Iâd like that every part of English society, including our London-based media, would want to play a part in this.â
Turning to Westminster, he said: âIt just seems to me wrong that the Welsh Affairs committee does not encourage its witnesses to speak in Welsh. Personally, I can see no reason why the Welsh Grand Committee should not allow speeches in Welsh.â
Conservative Culture minister Ed Vaizey praised the pride of Welsh sports stars in Wales and stressed the global impact of premiership football, saying: âOne of the things that will keep our country united is a shared passion for sport and the opportunity for all our nations to participate together in great sporting occasions.â
England needs to show some "love" for Wales and Scotland and give our rugby ...
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