Why the Office for National Statistics should change its racist census in Wales

The Office for National Statistics is based in Casnewydd/Newport. (how should we feel about that!)

This outrage isnt happening in Scotland's census. Once again we see an arm of the british state, the ONS, subjecting people in Wales - in this case Welsh BAME people - to second class treatment.

An interesting examination into the roots of national identification. What makes one 'Welsh'? The author argues that it's not skin colour. That's certainly true, given that the vast majority of White people on this planet are not Welsh. So what entitles us to call ourselves Welsh? The author seems to boil it down to feelings, particularly the feeling of pride. Basing national identity on ones feelings is placing it on very shaky ground. Is a Welshman who feels more pride in Wales than their neighbour more Welsh? I think not. So putting aside feelings, which come and go, what, may we ask, makes one Welsh? Simply put, nationality is based on interconnected families that share a common heritage and culture in a territory they call their own (with some, but few exceptions). Nations can absorb people from other nations through marriage and children. And it is a good thing they can and do. Hence not all members of our nation will have pale skin. And I don't see that as a problem. But you can't just come to Wales and declare yourself Welsh. (Well you can but people would be right not to take you too seriously.) Given that the roots of all nations is families sharing a history, a territory and a common culture, being Welsh must be tied to that fact one way or the other. We seem to be very generous in that regard and will except people as Welsh even if they can only trace their Welsh ancestry to a distant Welsh great grand parent. As for the footballers and other people mentioned in this article, I have no idea of the tone of their skin and I don't think it is important. What gives their claim to being Welsh validity is family connection. To sum up, I agree with the author that this focus on skin tone is narrow-minded. Perhaps we could have 2 tick boxes - 1 to indicate how Welsh you 'feel', and 2 to indicate the degree of Welsh ancestry you have.

Is the census asking for ethnicity or for nationality? The answer for an ethnic minority respondent will obviously be different for the two cases. The majority of such questionnaires (i.e. those that make no distinction between English, Welsh, etc. on the one hand and 'British' on the other) get round the problem by providing optional answers that subsume the two questions: (Black British, White British, etc.) Wales's case is unique among UK member countries in that its recognised national ethnic majority is under threat from population transfer from over the border. Wales's colonial status inevitably means that White British, Asian British, etc. won't do because it begs the question about nationality. In a Wales-specific context, the obvious solution is to have tick boxes for, among others: White Welsh, Black Welsh, Asian Welsh, White English, ........other (specify). In practice, anyone in the White Welsh category will automatically refer to themselves, and be referred to, as Welsh; however, people who are not from Wales but who, having moved here, invest in the culture, outlook, and ideally the language of the country have as much right to call themselves Welsh as a person whose roots in this country go back a lot further. If the questionnaire specifically asks about ethnicity, the categories in Wales would be: Welsh, English, Irish, Scottish, Cornish, White other (specify), Afro-Carribbean, African, Asian, etc.

Totally agree, if you’re born here you’re Welsh regardless of colour or creed. To say otherwise is just plain twp!

Very sweeping statement. I am Welsh and a European. I don't consider that I'm British at all, apart from for passport purposes - which incidentally, doesn't contain a word of Welsh. I think that at least we should have the option of a passport where Welsh is included should we so desire. However, I would much prefer to hold a passport of the Welsh republic!

Are we talking nationality, ethnicity or cultural identity? People are using these terms interchangeably but whether they are interchangeable varies from country to country.

How people self identify is important to them, but why is it interesting to the state?

Totally agree that this is wrong, should have the option to define your background more accurately. But, BAME - black asian minority ethnic? Until there is welsh independence then by definition I belong to BAME despite being White and Welsh - MINORITY ETHNIC - definition 'a group within a community which has different national or cultural traditions from the main population.' tell me I'm not.

According to the draft version reproduced here: www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-50643415 the "national identity" question is Question 16 and "ethnic group" question 17. In the 2011 census, these were asked in this form: wikimiedia commons wikimedia commons In the tickbox of section A of Q17 in the 2021 draft, there is not actually a tickbox for Welsh, there is a tickbox for "Welsh, English, Scottish, Northern Irish or British". In England presumably it is the same but with English preceding Welsh, as it appears in the 2011 links from Wikimedia above. Only those who write it in would be separately counted as Welsh, whatever top-level category (and it is a nonsense for that to be skin colour) they identify with.

In what universe is Welsh an "ethnicity"? Surely Welsh is a "culture" ? (and by all means be proud) Surely the only community with a distinct heritage are those living on Anglesey ? (and are they not descendants of the original Britons ??) So all-in-all, another stupid Census Question.... ...and the one most likely to perpetuate division.