| The Welsh Republican
Movement was set up in September 1949 as a result of a difference of opinion
that occurred in the Plaid Cymru Conference of that year. Around fifty
of the Plaid Cymru members decided to walk out of the conference and set
about creating their own party. Gwilym Prys-Davies, W. Huw R. Davies,
Trefor Morgan and Cliff Bere were among them. |
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"They believed that Plaid Cymru's emphasis upon
the Welsh language and upon the interests of the rural areas prevented
it from gaining support in the industrial south-east, they also
argued that the pacificism of Gwynfor Evans, the leader since
1945, hindered the adoption of a militant stance."
John Davies, History of Wales
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A candidate was put forward
to represent the movement in Ogmore during the 1950 General Election.
This candidate was Ithel Davies (1894-1989) and he received 613 votes,
1.3% of all the votes cast. Ithel Davies was a former member of the Labour
Party, and in the 1935 General Election
he was the Labour candidate for the University of Wales seat. |
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There was a patriotic feel to the election
pamphlets and the 'Republican Manifesto'. This is a part of Ithel
Davies' election pamphlet for 1950:
"To me, Wales is what it is because of its
people. It is the people of Wales that have kept the country and
it's nationality and culture alive through many long years of
English oppression. It is those people that I care for, for their
freedom and the long lives that we wish for them and could guarantee
them under our own government. Our lives are at a bigger risk
than ever before because of the selfish demands of the English
government on our land, our resources and our people."
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| The Welsh Republican Movement
published a newspaper under the title Y Gweriniaethwr between 1950 and
1957. Harri Webb (1920-94) was one of the editors and Cliff Bere (1915-1997) was
a major contributor. |
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Cliff Bere published his pamphlet,
The Welsh Republican in October 1947. He was very active within
the movement, and a court case was brought against him after he burnt
the Union Jack on several occasions, as in Aberdare and in the Caerphilly
National Eisteddfod in 1950. The Movement was accused of being violent
and causing damage to property several times. The movement disappeared
soon afterwards, having had very little success in trying to convince
other people of their republican ideals. Many of the members returned
to Plaid Cymru. |
| The Welsh Republican
reappeared in August 1973 after fifteen years. It changed afterwards to
Y Faner Goch, which was seen as a radical but not a republican
paper. The Welsh Socialist Republican Movement was established in 1980. |
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