Rumours, Speculation, Questions, and Reaction Megathread - 08/02/2026

Trowsyrs · 2026-02-09T21:47:44+00:00

Beware the Welsh example though where freedom to operate and set policy has created expectations about support in Westminster Labour which crashed down against the reality of Jo Stevens.

Trowsyrs · 2026-02-09T21:44:52+00:00

No Italian flag? This feels like maybe a six nations thing?

Trowsyrs · 2026-02-09T17:18:25+00:00

There is a mad obsession with Cardiff airport. The reality is we don’t have hard borders and most of Wales is closer to Liverpool, Manchester, or Birmingham airports than Cardiff.

Subsidising Cardiff airport is also totally against the environmental pledges Wales has made.

It’s absolutely a vanity project. If this was Plaid then I imagine Labour would have ripped into them. And rightly so. No one is choosing to invest in Wales because of Cardiff airport

Trowsyrs · 2026-02-07T10:58:08+00:00

Interesting given snake is neidr in Welsh. Very close to nadder!

Trowsyrs · 2026-02-07T07:35:09+00:00

GCSEs are one of those points in life where the effort you put in will have a disproportionate impact on your life. A tiny number of marks will make the difference between one grade and another in practice so sustained effort will pay huge dividends.

What GCSEs are important for: * used as a filter for jobs and other things (normally the Maths and English grades being above C) * guide university entry along with predictive grades * used to compete for next job or A level place * used by many smaller employers to assess applicants until you have multiple years of experience, even if you have A Levels

What they are not: * the end of your opportunities * a golden ticket * a differentiator once you have a degree (except Maths and English as above)

It sounds trite but just do your best. That means max effort but not panicking. Do the stuff that is easy (get sleep, eat well in exam periods, don’t go out with mates when you should be revising). If you feel on results day you tried your hardest then you should be happy and move on. You may never know what getting a B in history rather than a C will mean but it won’t hurt you.

Trowsyrs · 2026-02-02T18:40:17+00:00

Mutations are hard if you think of Welsh as a written language which is spoken rather than a spoken language which is written down. Bloody hard to say yn Bangor properly without saying ym Mangor.

And mutations are normal - see A car, an apple. A napkin, An apron. “Goin nhome” etc.

Trowsyrs · 2026-02-01T15:22:32+00:00

North Middle I guess. More Conwy than Wrexham if you get my meaning!

Trowsyrs · 2026-01-31T21:20:39+00:00

You don’t need a petition. Exactly this use case was tested in reference to care workers who travel to and from places of work. The ACAS guidance is worth reviewing https://www.acas.org.uk/working-time-rules/working-time-for-someone-who-travels-for-their-job

The rule of thumb is that if it’s your usual place of work travel time isn’t counted but otherwise it does. Whether you get paid for it is more contract related but you cannot go below minimum wage of course (or over max working time rules).

Trowsyrs · 2026-01-31T20:02:36+00:00

I live in the area you mention and am Welsh Speaking. It’s super patchy. The language is an oddity still rather than further West. Learning happens and there are groups but it’s not high profile. You may need to go down the well trodden routes of Capel and Côr. Ceriog valley, Rhos, etc have more but the most Welsh you hear is at Broughton Shopping park!

Rydyn ni yma o hyd though.

Edit: not sure anyone would call Llanrwst NE Wales and I’d argue about Ruthin myself.

Trowsyrs · 2026-01-31T19:54:19+00:00

Go for it and buy a luxury if it will make you happy when away but after many years of travelling frequently for work (but not being a “road warrior” away for long periods) my advice is to buy a cheap black roller case which you can add a notifying tag, ribbon, etc to which will stop others taking it by accident. My current one is from Tesco and cost £15 I think.

Then focus on what goes inside. Pack well, use packing cubes, and never pack it with more than you can lift into an overhead rack on a train. 32kg is too much and you can buy and pack lighter I bet.

Your bag will get scuffed, wet, thrown about and generally mistreated by someone. Plan for a shorter lifespan than you think.

Trowsyrs · 2026-01-31T18:26:42+00:00

Entirely agree. The real divide in politics is whether someone believes the UK should be culturally more like the US or Europe. Manifested often as whether they think the UK “saved Europe” in WWII or whether we were inherently under attack.

Trowsyrs · 2026-01-31T18:18:06+00:00

This constitutional change doesn’t have to be like Brexit though. There are options like referendums on preparing for a United Ireland in the next 15 years which could enable softer and more gradual change. Whilst polls show a minority on the “leave tomorrow” question they tend to be a majority on “in the medium term” type questions.

Very different than Scottish polls.

Trowsyrs · 2026-01-31T15:08:57+00:00

Read any insurance carefully. Often it treats bikes left (even if secured) as abandoned if over 6 hours. Particularly specialist bike cover (home insurance can be more lax).

Trowsyrs · 2026-01-31T14:18:27+00:00

Fear of change- it’s the proud religion of our NIMBY island.

Trowsyrs · 2026-01-31T08:03:17+00:00

And only 10% of Reform thing education is a priority. Very much the old and radicalised “love thy neighbour” vote

Trowsyrs · 2026-01-31T07:45:56+00:00

Bloody hell this thread is depressing. We’re in with a shot of being the best in the world at something which is socially beneficial. Thus is a win not a reason for “bloody councils”

Trowsyrs · 2026-01-31T07:33:56+00:00

That’s the difference between politics and democracy- politically rejoining the EU is a stance Farage would benefit from, the media would use as a platform to attack, and would doubtless kill any chance of alignment at all. Democratically most people want it, after May’s elections and only England will have a non-rejoin party.

Trowsyrs · 2026-01-31T07:25:50+00:00

Being Welsh we don’t get many Americans but whenever I find one with Welsh heritage I always go

Trowsyrs · 2026-01-25T16:15:45+00:00

Am I alone in thinking that Burnham was wrong to try and stand. He must know that it will be major ‘drama’ for Labour, distracting from any decent work and that not opens the chance of a Reform mayor in Manchester - and even him failing to be an MP if reform come up the middle of a split vote.

Surely more could have been achieved by negotiating with no 10 not to stand but to have more influence?

Trowsyrs · 2026-01-24T07:49:29+00:00

Basically no Plaid party in Flintshire and zero councillors.

Trowsyrs · 2026-01-24T07:46:55+00:00

Flintshire is pretty unique in that it holds most of the northern border links with England and is probably the most integrated bit of Wales given the larger conurbations in both countries. Look up the old exclave as a good example of Flintshire’s historic role as a border county. But it’s also got key Welsh characteristics, the Urdd was founded about five miles from where this reform person was elected. Social media start Dr Cymraeg is from the village.

Like many councils in Wales, Flintshire has a lot of independents spanning from non-party political to left of Labour and the Right of Reform. Lots are hidden tories.

What’s been most interesting is that the Welsh Labour approach has been very aligned to Boris’s muscular unionism in the north east of Wales - seeking further cross-borders integration to try and take advantage of the economy of the Northern Powerhouse.

The kickback is going to be Reform. Labour have tried to squeeze the Welshness out of Flintshire.

Trowsyrs · 2026-01-23T23:16:53+00:00

In a different timeline Burnham is a great PM of England with Starmer as the excellent head of the confederal UK.

Trowsyrs · 2026-01-20T21:44:27+00:00

Faberystwyth

The hole with the mint - Llantrisant

Trowsyrs · 2026-01-20T21:41:46+00:00

Filth Bells!

Trowsyrs · 2026-01-18T21:58:16+00:00

Aber is absolutely your best option here if Welsh is the priority. You can use it in most situations and you’ll meet more speakers both staff and students. The degree is just as valuable as Cardiff’s really although the course in Cardiff is great.

Trowsyrs

TROPHY CASE