The people of Wales I believe, expect that the two key political institutions in our country - the National Assembly for Wales and the Welsh Government – would do all it could to protect the interests of its citizens and the assets of the nation. Yet in my opinion, there have not been enough politicians in the former who have been vocal enough about the horrendous damage that is being done to the Mid Wales landscape; and in the latter, the mixed messages that Ministers have given on energy policy has shown that they have a distinct lack of determination and leadership to stop these proposals.
The position the First Minister has taken, as Minister responsible for energy matters in Wales is a prime example. Only in June, he categorically told me on two separate occasions in an answer to a Written Assembly Question and in response to a question on the Plenary floor, that he and his government felt there was no need for the large, visually intrusive, high voltage grid network infrastructure and associated substation of the kind proposed within Mid Wales and that his government would not support it.
However, responding to National Grid’s announcement, neither he nor his government criticised, condemned or expressed any disapproval, rather a spokesman for the Welsh Government said that they ‘welcomed’ the announcement, calling the plans a ‘significant upgrade to the energy infrastructure of Mid-Wales.’ There is absolutely no reason for anyone in mid Wales to trust this First Minister. In backtracking on his previous public statements of opposition, he has betrayed our communities and our landscape. It’s time for Carwyn Jones to come clean and state categorically where he really stands on this issue and explain why he has apparently revised his views.
Someone recently said to me, that the potential damage that National Grid’s plans will have in Mid Wales was akin to what occurred in Capel Celyn in the Tryweryn valley, nearly 50 years ago - and I agree. I thought whatever political party was in government in Cardiff Bay, it would never sell out our environment and preside over the vast destruction of large areas of Wales but it seems like this First Minister is doing exactly that.
While local attention has been focussed on National Grid, we must not forget about the wider Wind Industry. while I have no doubt that the majority who work within the sector carry out their work in a fair manner, I have witnessed myself some of the tactics that some members of the wind power industry attempt to use, paying out what they call "community benefit", using bullying tactics and bulldozing aside local communities.
Only this week a director of one Wind Power company in Wales spoke to me using words that this paper would not be able to print, I can only assume this was because I was not prepared to fall in line with his ideas of protecting our environment.
Some people say to me, "We can’t stop it" and "They will do what they want". I have made my views clear to senior politicians within the Welsh and UK Governments. I will continue with my opposition and my aim being to do all I can to make sure the people I represent have their voices heard. There is a well organised campaign in Montgomeryshire and momentum is building at a national level, I believe that we can succeed in stopping the plans to destroy our countryside.