While Vince Cable (of the Glib Phlegms) has announced that higher education fees in England will be increased to £9000, here in Wales we have decided that the social value gained out of higher education is our priority, and will therefore not force our students to pay excessively for their education. Fantastic news, and I’ve welcomed it in the statement here.
However what has shocked me is the reaction of Fleet Street’s right wing press…more especially the Daily Mail.
It’s shocking!
This is a perfect example of British Imperialism surfacing once again.
It isn’t really the fact that English students will have to pay more than Welsh students which has riled them, yes they did grumble a bit when the hike in fees were announced, but nothing much. No, it’s the fact that we have the audacity to make our own decisions which has got under their skin.
This is made clear by their use of the word ‘apartheid’ to describe the situation.
Have they ever claimed that differences in French and British policy is ‘apartheid’? No. Have they ever claimed that differences in how local authorities in England provide services for the elderly is ‘apartheid’? No, of course not. But they just cannot accept that we have the right and the ability to make our own decisions, different to the edicts given by the London barons.
It also shows their true attitude to democracy. Of course they will ‘promote’ democracy when it suits them – a British imperialist democracy allowing the plebs to choose between two (now three) identikit parties. But when true democracy is at work and people start making their own decisions, then this is their response.
The apartheid accusation is contemptible – this coming from the paper that supported fascism and opposed the boycotting of South African goods in the 80s.
Let’s give them a real reason to get their knickers in a twist on March 3rd.
Yes for Wales!
Mabon ap Gwynfor 
Well said. It’s a bit rich because their paper actually DID support Apartheid in South Africa…
Good blogging, keep it up.
I commented on the Mails article, and this was a response I got which is UNBELIEVABLE:
”It is a principality (try looking it up in anything that isn’t from wales), get over the fact that you are a small minority governed and funded by us generous English. You wouldn’t be able to survive without us, we fund your politics, your education, your prescriptions, your roads, even your little hobby language of yours.
– Andrew Foden, Boughton, Norfolk, 02/12/2010 16:28”