It's time for the Welsh independence movement to present a compelling vision of a brighter future

It is all very well to simply point out other small nations that are prospering as independent states but proponents of independence need to point out how we in Wales could make it a reality here. Every country is different and what has worked in other countries may not necessarily be the answer here. On the other hand if there are lessons from other countries that can be successfully applied here they need to say what they are. Then the independence campaigners would need to explain why a complete break from the UK would be necessary to secure that economic vision. Would it be possible to achieve their vision under a different, less radical constitutional model, e.g enhanced devolution, a Federal UK. And to suggest that Ireland has always prospered as an independent nation is somewhat disingenuous. Prosperity has only really come there in the last 20 or so years, some 80 years after they became president independent. Before that they were the poorest sovereign nation in Western Europe. You won’t get very far in selling the independence cause to the people of Wales by telling them that they, their children and their grandchildren will have to stay in poverty for the rest of their lives so that their great grandchildren and great great grandchildren might reap the benefits!

I can tell you what's going to happen. The same as what's happened for over the last 100 years. At the next general election people in Wales will vote Labour to kick the Tories out of government because their hatred of the Tories is stronger than their belief in Welsh independence. They will vote for a Labour Party that doesn't support independence for Wales because they are a Unionist party just like the Tories. Only yesterday, as reported on Golwg360, Mark Drakeford says only Labour can save the United Kingdom. Has Nation Cymru reported this? Are people really serious about independence or are they just using independence to attack the Tories? History gives us the answer!

A detail: when Dr Ball writes "Nations with the lowest ratio of doctors to population are Austria, Finland, Norway, Finland and Ireland...", I think, from his context, that he must mean the _highest_, not the _lowest_. [The highest number of doctors per 1,000 population.]

Quote: "Whether support for independence in Wales has really declined, as suggested by the recent poll, or is simply a blip, remains to be seen." Does anyone really conduct these mysterious polls or is it just propaganda by people who do not want Wales to succeed and be in charge of itself? I believe that support for independence is stronger now than ever but I do agree that we need a cast iron plan for our future.

Ultimately, if we wait for the perfect economic conditions to become independent - it will never happen. Ireland has been quoted here on a number of occasions - did it stop the fight for independence fearing it was too poor? No. It believed in itself and look where it is today compared to the Welsh economy. With belief, courage and perseverance we too can make Cymru a very successful, prosperous country and we are stronger now than many of those countries listed in the article were when they set out. If we stay in the Union we will remain a poor and under-funded country, we owe our children better.

It would be great to be able to read more articles like this with more detail. Could you look closer at Slovenia, maybe? It's a very close match to Wales in terms of geographical area and the topography isn't too dissimilar either. I was wondering about their economy; it seems to be doing fine and it's a socialist democracy too. Their population is smaller though.

Hear hear John - very well put!

Your nation is your property. Acquiring freedom means taking responsibility for your own property and treating it like you have a duty to keep it.

Too right we should join them, so let's start with a list of all the things about Cymru we should be grateful for...

Thanks John for writing this article. This is possibly one of the most important articles this newspaper has ever published and each case has been made clearly. Now, We have to get Yes Cymru to get this publication to every person in every household in Wales. Nothing will happen until we, in Wales, elect a majority in our Senedd that will put the case for independence. Electing Plaid Cymru will guarantee that independence is total of the agenda. Labour has been a disappointment for Wales. It hasn't solved the poverty problem. It is letting the UK (with their Tory regime) destroy our health and public services. Welsh Labour's leadingship has even said that being in the UK 'is an insurance policy'. What insurance policy can legally change the cover in mid-term? If I had an insurance policy like Labour had with the UK, I wouldn't renew it. Welsh Labour has left itself with no leverage over the UK regime. How worse does it have to get?