Welsh Republican Movement

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The Welsh Republican Movement (Welsh: Mudiad Gweriniaethol Cymru) was a Welsh nationalist political party.

It was founded in 1949 as a split from Plaid Cymru. The group, some of whom had previously been members of the Labour Party aimed to build a base in industrial south east Wales by focusing on socialism and republicanism rather than on rural affairs, pacifism and the Welsh language.

In 1950, the group began publishing a newspaper, The Welsh Republican - Y Gweriniaethwr. It stood Ithel Davies in Ogmore in the 1950 UK general election, but he took only 1.3% of the vote.

Some members of the party were arrested for burning the Union Jack, and it faced accusations of initiating violence. They also conceived a Welsh republican flag, a tricolor with green, white and red bands.

By the mid-1950s, most members of the Movement had either returned to Plaid Cymru or joined the Labour Party, and its newspaper ceased publication in 1957.

[edit] References

• Peter Barberis, John McHugh and Mike Tyldesley, Encyclopedia of British and Irish Political Organizations
• Ymgyrchu! - The Welsh Republican Movement
• Welsh separatist and independentist flags