Glyn Davies, Montgomeryshire’s Conservative MP has responded to being shown a copy of a press release issued by Mr Colin Nosworthy, a Communications Officer with Cymdeithas yr Iaith which criticises him for voting against amendments to the Public Bodies Bill which had been tabled in the names of Mark Williams MP (Lib Dem), Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru) and Susan Elan Jones (Labour), which called for S4C to be removed from the scope of the Bill. The debate took place at Committee stage of the Bill two weeks ago.
The press release accused Glyn Davies of putting the future of the Welsh Language in danger.
Responding to the press release, Glyn Davies said;
“I have a deep commitment to supporting the Welsh Language, and will do what I can to ensure that the progress it has made in recent years will be sustained. To imply otherwise will have no impact on anyone who has considered my record over the whole of my public life”.
“I voted against the Lib Dem/Labour/Plaid Cymru attempt to remove S4C from the scope of the Public Bodies Bill because I believed it would be great mistake, and would cause serious uncertainty, disruption and problems for the future of the Channel. I anticipate that the new Chair and incoming Chief Executive of S4C would share my opinion – if asked. I received 100s of emails, a few of them from Montgomeryshire, which pressed me to vote differently – but I simply disagreed. I believe it is important for MPs to vote in the way they believe to be right, and not be afraid of criticism”.
“Over the next few years, it’s crucial that S4C has ‘champions’ at Westminster and I will be one of them. There are some who believe that broadcasting (including S4C) should be devolved from the UK Parliament to the National Assembly for Wales, an entirely reasonable opinion – but not the reality. S4C is currently accountable to the Westminster Government. I am not interested in short term headlines but in the long term security and success of both the Welsh Language and S4C“.
