Commenting on the passing of the Welsh Language Measure in the Assembly today and Plaid Cymru’s failure to vote for the best possible outcome, Eleanor Burnham AM, Welsh Liberal Democrat Shadow Culture Minister said:
“The Welsh Liberal Democrats have consistently argued that this legislation does not go far enough to protect and promote the Welsh language but our protests have fallen on deaf ears.
“The Labour-Plaid Government promised to confer official status on the Welsh language. Instead, what we have ended up with is a dog’s dinner of a measure that falls far short of the clear, unambiguous statement of official status campaigners were looking for.
“Having posed as defenders of the Welsh language for decades, today Plaid Cymru failed to give the Welsh language official status.
“Today could have been a day of historic importance for Wales, but it will be remembered as a betrayal of historic proportions.
“I am extremely disappointed that Welsh Lib Dem amendments were not viewed in a constructive manner. The measure has now become a missed opportunity and risks changing the system from one of promotion of the Welsh Language to a complaints service for those with an axe to grind.
“The Welsh Language is, and always has been at the core of Welsh Liberal Democrat policy and I am proud to say that we are the party of the Welsh Language. It was Welsh Liberal Democrats who originally developed Iaith Pawb – the seeds of this Measure – thanks to Jenny Randerson during her time as Culture Minister.
“For Welsh Liberal Democrats and for thousands of Welsh language campaigners, the battle for official language status will go on.”
