It's interesting to compare the differences between the various Welsh party-political websites, differences which may indicate just how important or not Wales, Welsh politics and the Welsh language are to our political representatives.

Welsh Labour-Llafur Cymru



1. Despite the bilingual title, the website is monoglot English, with no preparation whatsoever for Welsh speaking visitors.
2. The homepage contents concentrate not on the achievments or aims of the party, but on portraying a rather personal and crude attack on Ieuan Wyn Jones
3. There's a link to "What Labour's done for you", but following the link -and depending on what constituency you pick- you arrive at either the contact details of a Labour MP (yes, MP, not AM) or you're presented with "Six things you can do to help Labour".
4. Apart from an "Elections 2007" logo the Welsh Assembly is almost completely ignored on the website itself. The logo has a link which leads on to some vague assertions about the party's success in the Assembly government, though from there you can download a PDF document with the title "250 Assembly Achievments", with details as to what Labour claims it has done since 1999. It is also from here that you can download a similar PDF file on the future intentions of Labour should they be re-elected. On the whole this is a poorly designed site and the dependence on PDF files makes things even more awkward.

Verdict: 1/4

Plaid Cymru



1. The website is 100% bilingual. What is more, it has a very professional look in terms of its design.
2. The homepage concentrates on Welsh political news, and it has easy-to-follow links to the aims, policies and campaigns of the party.
3. The aims and policies are easy to find, clear and legible. The policies are listed under the titles: A Bilingual Wales; A Free Wales; A Fair Wales; A Healthy Wales; A Learning Wales; A Sporting Wales; A Sustainable Wales; A Working Wales; An Equal Wales; Rural Wales; Wales and the World; Wales at Home; Wales on the Move; Wales in Europe.
4. The aims of the party are stated as:

To promote the constitutional advancement of Wales with a view to attaining Full National Status for Wales within the European Union.
To ensure economic prosperity, social justice and the health of the natural environment, based on decentralist socialism.
To build a national community based on equal citizenship, respect for different traditions and cultures and the equal worth of all individuals, whatever their race, nationality, gender, colour, creed, sexuality, age, ability or social background.
To create a bilingual society by promoting the revival of the Welsh language.
To promote Wales's contribution to the global community and to attain membership of the United Nations.

Without a doubt (and as you can see for yourselves), of all the party websites Plaid Cymru's is the best in both design and bilingualism.

Verdict: 4/4

Ceidwadwyr Cymreig/Welsh Conservatives



1. Apart from its five stated aims (see below), and the PDF policy files (also below), the webpage is monoglot English.
2.The "homepage" concentrates on news from Westminster, not Cardiff Bay.
3. This isn't an individual website, rather a couple of pages from the UK Conservative Party website. As in the case of Labour and the Lib-Dems, the Welsh Assembly is not visible. The link to policy, however, leads to a list of PDF files on Welsh Conservative policies regarding the Welsh Assembly Government, which, unlike the Labour PDF files, ARE bilingual.
4. The party aims (the only bilingual information available on the main webpage):

1. Making our economy more competitive
2. Improving our quality of life
3. Public service improvement
4. Protecting our security
5. Social justice

Verdict: 2/4

Welsh Liberal Democrats/ Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol Cymru



1. The website is mostly bilingual, but with gaps. As a result it has a very amateurish appearance.
2. The homepage contents concentrate on the party's last conference and on the fact that the Lib-Dems have one more seat than Plaid Cymru or the Conservatives in Westminster. As in the case of Labour and the Conservatives the Welsh Assembly has no role on the website.
3. There is no information on the party aims, and the link to party policy leads to a long list of conference speaches, not to any clear statements on policy.


Verdict: 1/4

Original Welsh version