‘Establishment’ is far too dominant

THE “Establishment” consists of the many organisations which dominate England, Wales, and often, Scotland and Northern Ireland, from headquarters, mainly in (unequally wealthy) London/south east England.

These organisations cover a wide spread of activities – the media, professional institutions, unions, charities, etc. Some own huge areas of Britain – the National Trust is Britain’s largest landowner; the large, very wealthy, English royal family own huge estates; the monarch’s £12bn Crown Estate is one of the largest property owners in Britain and also owns large swathes of land, as well as the first 12 miles of seabed from the shore around most of Britain’s coast.

These organisations should call themselves “The English... organisation” and there should be equivalent “The Welsh/Scottish/N. Ireland... Organisation”, but no, the establishment’s arrogant hierarchy want to keep their old colonial control (now limited to being over Britain’s countries), so they call themselves the National …, the Royal …, the British …, with Wales having subservient, subsidiary “branch offices” – eg. The National Farmers Union/NFU Cymru, Arthritis Care/AC Cymru; British Medical Foundation/BMF Cymru; Institute of Directors/IOD Wales; RSPCA/RSPCA Cymru; Womens Institute/WI Wales, etc. etc. We also have the Rugby Football Union and the Football Association, titles which these bodies arrogantly won’t change – all other countries use their own nation’s titles.

Our fledgling Assembly inherited a Wales which had been gradually reduced by the so-called (suppressive) “Act of Union” to being the poorest “region” in Britain. Also, Wales had a dreadfully limited, convoluted, devolution settlement (tortuously being improved), still has an underfunded Barnett deal and the negative effects of Brexit on Wales are yet to come, but our Assembly is getting stronger and more experienced and hopefully will be able to tackle these and the Establishment.

Setting up Natural Resources Wales shows intent, as we must control our natural resources, but it will take courage, patience, grit and determination to correct the Establishment’s continuing widespread dominance.

Gareth Davies Alltwen, Pontardawe