#yescymru

Carneddau ponies on the side of Foel Fras.

This hidden bio is unavailable via the YesCymru website interface. Note, I found it via a Google search. Parkin doesn't speak Cymraeg, yet his bio is only available in that language. All other bios are bilingual. This in itself raises a few questions, but wait until you read the bio, which many members have not. Although a majority of the YesCymru membership speak Welsh, there are those who do not. Am posting this in the interests of transparency, in order to reveal who he really is to a wider audience. The Welsh version will appear at the foot of this English translation along with a link to its website URL.

The rest of the words in this blog post were authored by Barry Parkin. Translation by Google Translate. Key sentences highlighted in bold.

Applicant from outside Wales

SUMMARY: I have business and management experience at Company Director level which, in my opinion, will help YesCymru take the significant and important step of transforming from an Unincorporated Society to a Limited Company. My management experience within a fast growing environment will also help YesCymru to manage the high growth it has experienced, and to build on that growth.

WALES SITUATION: All growing organisations, especially those that grow rapidly, face problems. That has clearly been the case for YesCymru over the last few months and there will be further operational challenges for YesCymru in terms of maintaining that growth while transitioning smoothly from an Unincorporated Association (operating mainly outside Company Law) to Limited Companies (operating in accordance with Company Law). This is a crucial step in the growth of YesCymru.

As well as strong leaders who focus on planning, managing and promoting the campaign for independence for Wales, we need people with solid experience at Limited Company Board of Directors level to ensure that YesCymru is governed in accordance with Company Law, the Articles of Association and the Bylaws. Ideally, the background should be combined with practical management experience in a changing, high growth environment.

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: I have held positions at board of directors level with Anritsu Ltd (European subsidiary of Anritsu Corporation, Japan), Anritsu AB (Swedish subsidiary of Anritsu Ltd, operating across Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland), and Byre Projects Ltd (my own business consulting company).

With Anritsu, I was the head of a €250,000,000 business in telecommunications equipment, and led a sales, marketing and remote service and software development team, a team of around 200 people in 11 countries across Europe. This was during a period of extremely high growth and I developed new management systems to cope with that growth. Working within a Japanese organisation and with Scandinavian customers, I learned the concept of continuous improvement; that is, despite the success of an organisation, a cell, and should, always improve in its operation. My role required me to deal face to face with government ministers (British and foreign) as well.

By running my own company, I gained practical experience of all aspects of the details of compliance with Company Law.

I joined the army aged 16 and trained initially as a technician, and later as a telecommunications engineer, serving in the Royal Signals for 11 years, including 4 years teaching electronics at a military college.

Following 3 years as a TV broadcast engineer at ATV Networks studios in Birmingham I spent 30 years in global sales, marketing and general management with British, American, French, German and Japanese companies.

In my first technology sales job, I received formal training in Contract Law, which was extremely useful to me when negotiating multi-million pound contracts, and which could be useful to YesCymru in future acquisitions.

In my management roles, I have always believed in fairness and justice when dealing with people, and in valuing the input of all team members. I believe that teams work best in a bottom-up organisational structure, where the contribution of each team member is valued.

MY COMMITMENT: If elected, I will endeavor to:

Ensure that YesCymru continues to focus on its one unconditional objective: Independence for Wales

Ensure that directors and members with different views work together harmoniously

Ensure good two-way communication between the National Governing Body and the local groups and members, so that the voices of local members and groups are heard and listened to.

Ensuring financial transparency by reporting regularly to the membership • Ensuring good governance and compliance with Company Law, the Articles of Association and the Bylaws.

Transferring my experience of governing a Limited Company to other directors, who may have their main strengths in other key areas. I also have knowledge and experience that the National Governing Body could use in the areas of corporate structure; budgeting and monitoring performance against budgets; acquisition; lobbying and advocacy; and training, as well as governance. The coming year will bring change to YesCymru as it comes of age. I believe that I can make a significant contribution to that change.

PERSONAL BACKGROUND: I am retired, I was born in England, but my mother's side of the family comes from Pembrokeshire (St. James and Newport); her father's family comes from the Valleys (Aberdâr/Mountain Ash). My mother was born in Merthyr Tydfil, where I still have family. My grandfather, a miner, moved the family to England to find work during the recession but we spent many family holidays back in Merthyr.

I have always been interested in languages ​​and can do business in French, German and Spanish; while Chairman and Director of Anritsu AB, I learned enough Swedish to be able to read contracts. I can hold simple conversations in Dutch and Japanese.

Having retired, and with a very limited knowledge of the Welsh language for me to teach myself (my mother could only say "ychafi", which was often heard!), I set up a local Welsh self-help group U3A, using video recordings. Later I attended two week-long residential Welsh courses at the University of Wales, Lampeter and also evening classes at the London Welsh Centre. My level is probably “Foundation”, but close to “Intermediate”.

YESCYMRU MEMBERSHIP: I am a fervent believer in the cause of Welsh Independence, but living outside of Wales, I wondered if I could contribute meaningfully. However, since joining YesCymru in January 2020, I have been able to help by working closely with a number of YesCymru local group leaders, including dealing directly with Azets (YesCymru's accountants) and getting expert legal advice on the governance of YesCymru. The 10 supporters who nominate me come from all parts of Wales: from Gwynedd, through Mid and West Wales, to the Valleys.

Political Affiliation: Member of the Labor Party

Ymgeisydd o'r tu Allan i Gymru

CRYNODEB: Mae gennyf brofiad busnes a rheoli ar lefel Cyfarwyddwr Cwmni a fydd, yn fy marn i, yn helpu YesCymru i gymryd y cam arwyddocaol a phwysig o drawsnewid o fod yn Gymdeithas Anghorfforedig i Gwmni Cyfyngedig. Bydd fy mhrofiad rheoli o fewn amgylchedd sy’n tyfu’n gyflym hefyd yn helpu YesCymru i reoli’r twf uchel iddo brofi, ac i adeiladu ar y twf hwnnw.

SEFYLLFA YESCYMRU: Mae pob sefydliad sy’n tyfu, yn enwedig y rhai sy’n tyfu’n gyflym, yn wynebu problemau. Mae hynny’n amlwg yn wir am YesCymru dros y misoedd diwethaf a bydd heriau gweithredol pellach i YesCymru o ran cynnal y twf hwnnw wrth drosglwyddo’n esmwyth o Gymdeithas Anghorfforedig (sy’n gweithredu’n bennaf y tu allan i’r Gyfraith Cwmnïau) i Gwmnïau Cyfyngedig (gan weithredu yn unol â Chyfraith Cwmnïau). Mae hwn yn gam hollbwysig yn nhwf YesCymru.

Yn ogystal ag arweinwyr cryf sy’n canolbwyntio ar gynllunio, rheoli a hyrwyddo’r ymgyrch dros annibyniaeth i Gymru, mae angen pobl â phrofiad cadarn ar lefel Bwrdd Cyfarwyddwyr Cwmnïau Cyfyngedig i sicrhau bod YesCymru yn cael ei lywodraethu yn unol â Chyfraith Cwmnïau, yr Erthyglau Cymdeithasu a’r Is-ddeddfau. Yn ddelfrydol, dylai'r cefndir fod ar y cyd â phrofiad rheolaeth ymarferol mewn amgylchedd newidiol, twf uchel.

CEFNDIR PROFFESIYNOL: Rwyf wedi dal swyddi ar lefel bwrdd cyfarwyddwyr gydag Anritsu Ltd (is-gwmni Ewropeaidd Anritsu Corporation, Japan), Anritsu AB (is-gwmni Sweden i Anritsu Ltd, sy’n gweithredu ar draws Sweden, Norwy, Denmarc a’r Ffindir), a Byre Projects Ltd (fy nghwmni ymgynghori busnes fy hun).

Gydad Anritsu, roeddwn yn bennaeth busnes gwerth €250,000,000 ym maes offer telathrebu, ac yn arwain tîm gwerthu, marchnata a datblygu gwasanaeth a meddalwedd o bell, tîm o tua 200 o bobl mewn 11 gwlad ledled Ewrop. Roedd hyn yn ystod cyfnod o dwf eithriadol o uchel a datblygais systemau rheoli newydd i ymdopi â’r twf hwnnw. Gan weithio o fewn sefydliad Japaneaidd a gyda chwsmeriaid o Sgandinafia, dysgais y cysyniad o welliant parhaus; hynny yw, er gwaetha llwyddiant sefydliad, gell, a dylai, wella yn ei weithrediad bob amser. Roedd yn ofynnol yn fy rôl i mi ymwneud wyneb yn wyneb â gweinidogion y llywodraeth (Prydeinig a thramor) hefyd.

Trwy redeg fy nghwmni fy hun, cefais brofiad ymarferol o bob agwedd ar fanylion cydymffurfio â Chyfraith Cwmnïau.

Ymunais â'r fyddin yn 16 oed a hyfforddi i ddechrau fel technegydd, ac yn ddiweddarach fel peiriannydd telathrebu, gan wasanaethu'r Signalau Brenhinol am 11 mlynedd, gan gynnwys 4 blynedd yn addysgu electroneg mewn coleg milwrol. Yn dilyn 3 blynedd fel peiriannydd darlledu teledu yn stiwdios ATV Networks yn Birmingham treuliais 30 mlynedd ym maes gwerthu byd-eang, marchnata a rheolaeth gyffredinol gyda chwmnïau Prydeinig, Americanaidd, Ffrainc, yr Almaen a Japan.

Yn fy swydd gwerthu technoleg gyntaf, cefais hyfforddiant ffurfiol ar Gyfraith Contractau, a oedd yn hynod ddefnyddiol i mi wrth negodi cytundebau gwerth miliynau o bunnoedd, ac a allai fod yn ddefnyddiol i YesCymru wrth gaffael yn y dyfodol.

Yn fy rolau yn rheoli, rwyf bob amser wedi credu mewn tegwch a chyfiawnder wrth ddelio â phobl, ac mewn gwerthfawrogi mewnbwn holl aelodau'r tîm. Credaf fod timau’n gweithio orau mewn strwythur sefydliadol o’r gwaelod i fyny, lle mae cyfraniad pob aelod o’r tîm yn cael ei werthfawrogi.

FY YMRWYMIAD: O gael fy ethol, byddaf yn ymdrechu i:

• Sicrhau bod YesCymru yn parhau i ganolbwyntio ar ei un amcan diamod: Annibyniaeth i Gymru • Sicrhau bod cyfarwyddwyr ac aelodau â safbwyntiau gwahanol yn cydweithio'n gytûn • Sicrhau cyfathrebu dwy ffordd da rhwng y Corff Rheoli Cenedlaethol a’r grwpiau ac aelodau lleol, fel bod lleisiau aelodau a grwpiau lleol yn cael eu clywed a bod gwrando arnyn nhw. • Sicrhau tryloywder ariannol trwy adrodd yn rheolaidd i'r aelodaeth • Sicrhau llywodraethu da a chydymffurfio â Chyfraith Cwmnïau, yr Erthyglau Cymdeithasu a'r Is-ddeddfau. • Trosglwyddo fy mhrofiad o lywodraethu Cwmni Cyfyngedig i gyfarwyddwyr eraill, sydd â'u prif gryfderau mewn meysydd allweddol eraill o bosibl.

Mae gennyf hefyd wybodaeth a phrofiad y gallai'r Corff Rheoli Cenedlaethol ei ddefnyddio ym meysydd strwythur corfforaethol; cyllidebu a monitro perfformiad yn erbyn cyllidebau; caffael; lobïo ac eiriolaeth; a hyfforddiant, yn ogystal â llywodraethu.

Bydd y flwyddyn a ddaw yn dod â newid i YesCymru wrth iddo dod i oed. Credaf y gallaf wneud cyfraniad sylweddol i'r newid hwnnw.

CEFNDIR PERSONOL: Rydwi i wedi ymddeol, cefais fy ngeni yn Lloegr, ond mae teulu ochr fy mam yn hanu o Sir Benfro (Tyddewi a Threfdraeth); mae teulu ei thad yn hanu o'r Cymoedd (Aberdâr/Mountain Ash). Ganed fy mam ym Merthyr Tudful, lle mae gen i deulu o hyd. Symudodd fy nhad-cu, glöwr, y teulu i Loegr i ddod o hyd i waith yn ystod y dirwasgiad ond treuliasom sawl wyliau teuluol yn ôl ym Merthyr.

Bu gen i ddiddordeb mewn ieithoedd bob amser a gallaf wneud busnes mewn Ffrangeg, Almaeneg a Sbaeneg; tra yn Gadeirydd a Chyfarwyddwr Anritsu AB, dysgais ddigon o Swedeg i allu darllen cytundebau. Gallaf gynnal sgyrsiau syml mewn Iseldireg a Japaneaidd. Wedi ymddeol, a gyda gwybodaeth gyfyngedig iawn o’r Gymraeg i mi ei ddysgu i mi fy hun (dim ond “ychafi” oedd fy mam yn gallu ei dweud, oedd i'w glywed yn aml!), sefydlais grŵp hunangymorth Cymraeg U3A lleol, gan ddefnyddio recordiadau fideo. Yn ddiweddarach mynychais ddau gwrs Cymraeg preswyl wythnos o hyd ym Mhrifysgol Cymru, Llanbedr Pont Steffan a hefyd dosbarthiadau nos yng Nghanolfan Cymry Llundain. Mae'n debyg mai fy lefel i yw “Sylfaen”, ond y agos at “Canolradd”.

AELODAETH YESCYMRU: Rwy’n gredwr brwd yn achos Annibyniaeth Cymru, ond yn byw y tu allan i Gymru, roeddwn i’n meddwl tybed a allwn i gyfrannu’n ystyrlon. Fodd bynnag, ers ymuno â YesCymru ym mis Ionawr 2020, rwyf wedi gallu helpu drwy weithio’n agos gyda nifer o arweinwyr grwpiau lleol YesCymru, gan gynnwys delio’n uniongyrchol ag Azets (cyfrifwyr YesCymru) a chael cyngor cyfreithiol arbenigol ar lywodraethu YesCymru. Mae’r 10 cefnogwr sy’n fy enwebu yn dod o bob rhan o Gymru: o Wynedd, trwy Ganolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru, i’r Cymoedd.

This is the backstory to what happened when Gwern Gwynfil was dismissed in late 2023 and what's happened since (that will be covered in Parts 3 and 4). Part 1 will cover the 2021 coup (which is summarised briefly in this Part) in more detail and was written in late 2021 and edited recently for clarity but never released for public consumption.

The detailed story is intended to act as a historical document in order to inform the membership that restructuring is needed. What happens next is up to the membership. It has become necessary to publish something to stop the paralysis that has overcome the movement and seems entrenched.

Introduction - 2020 to the Gweithgor

I first joined YesCymru in 2020 for a 12 month membership period, as the movement was scaling impressively with the Covid Pandemic bringing more attention to the campaign. Mark Drakeford was perceived to be handling the crisis better than Boris Johnson. A low bar you might think, but it seemed to be drawing attention to how devolved power was allowing us to manage our own affairs and resolve our own problems. 

It was during this period of rapid growth that a group of interlopers with a subversive agenda began to plot and to mount a coup. As the May 2021 AGM approached, the plotters saw their chance to create an opportunity where new members could be voted onto the Central Committee, whilst simultaneously targeting two founder members from retaining their place on that committee. 

All of this might have remained a secret, if it wasn’t for the online bragging by the co-ordinator of the meeting, a Labour Councillor for Prestatyn called Bob Lloyd.

According to a prominent right-wing third-sector blogger named Mr Jones, the plot appears to have been coordinated by Bob Lloyd, Mark Hooper, the dogmatic Colin Nosworthy (Undod), Lab4IndyWales co-founder Ben Gwalchmai, ‘All Under One Banner’ founder Llewelyn ap Gwilym (who was on the Committee at the time) and a final plotter, who was a key person at a now defunct Welsh media outlet. For the purposes of the story, let’s just call him ‘he who does not like to be named’ (HWDNLTBN).

They were assisted by Momentum’s Harriet Protheroe-Soltani and Elin Hywel from radical-left IndyWales campaign group, Undod. Happy to go along with the plot were a collection of artists who seemed to be using #YesCymru as a promotional vehicle. 

I verified Mr Jones’ work back in 2021 and it checked out. It was a shame that the research was inflected with some colourful language in places, which seemed to deter some people from engaging in its content. Rather strangely at the time, Nation Cymru, a major rival to HWDNLTBN’s paper, weren’t able to really call out what was happening. I’ve never really been able to ascertain why, but I suspect someone behind the scenes was sympathetic to the aims of the coup plotters. That person may well have moved on now 3 years later.

Once in power the group prioritised 'trans rights', which they knew could be used as a wedge issue to cause internal tensions within the organisation. Their shift in direction triggered a response, where the wider YesCymru movement made clear their discontent, eventually resulting in the resignation of the Central Committee in August 2021.

It was a turbulent 3 months playing out against the tensions of an ongoing Covid Pandemic and the vast majority of our activism was all online, either via exposed channels like Twitter or in meetings over Zoom where YesCymru and others organised.

While Ben Gwalchmai took to Twitter for some epic rants, the majority in the wider movement breathed a sigh of relief at the counter-coup to wrestle back control, and Mr Jones, who was now rumoured to be in retirement in the Dysynni valley, claimed the credit for being the only journalist, employed or retired, to call what was going on. 

A prominent tweeter who resides somewhere not too far from this author’s location stated on X that “everyone knew what was going on, but no one was able to stop it”.

Well that was because you never got organised enough to do anything about it. Tweets by themselves, are not activism. Actions, not Words.

The Gweithgor (2021/22)

After allowing my membership to lapse for a month, I rejoined for a second year, briefly sitting on the Gweithgor transitional council that attempted to regained control of the organisation. The aim was to put in place a new constitution and legal structure, but it was beset by problems from the start.

At the time, it was clear that YesCymru was going through a period of flux after 18 months, largely dominated by the Covid Pandemic, which had seen the organisation scale beyond what anyone had really expected. The tight timescales meant it was challenging for those who sat on the Gweithgor to attend the meetings, communicate the outcome to their group, obtain feedback, integrate the group’s wishes into the process and be ready in time for the next cycle. 

Some members seemed to expect miracles, many others were simply not engaged with the process. YesCymru wasn’t used to operating effectively and democratically across these two tiers, which was a real indication of the trouble yet to come. It seemed clear to me and others I was in communication with, that there were new troublemakers in the working groups obstructing progress (this included Dyfrig Berry, Morgan Bowler-Brown and a nuclear lobbyist called Rachel Garrick). Of course two of those people found their way into my group due to the nature of the structural issues we were trying to resolve in the Elections sub-group.

Despite the obvious obstacles and the rushed timeline, in December 2021, an Extraordinary General Meeting voted to adopt the recommendations of the Gweithgor. 

The movement looked forward to a new start in 2022, albeit with a reduced membership. Almost 3,000 members voted to change the legal status of the organisation from being an unincorporated association to that of a company limited by guarantee. This gave YesCymru a strong mandate to proceed and nominations opened for positions on the new National Governing Body (NGB).

The majority of members who were nominated to YesCymru’s governing body were elected automatically, due to a lack of candidates, after the movement moved to a new regional structure based on Senedd regions. This of course is problematic and highlights the lack of democracy when there aren't enough actors prepared to come forward to take key roles.

Elfed Williams assumed the Chair and the role of Financial Lead; Nerys Jenkins took the Vice-Chair; Louise Aikman the Legal Lead; Geraint Thomas the Communications Lead; whilst Phyl Griffiths headed up Campaigns and Marches. The organisation issued an update, where it looked to professionalise the movement, increase grassroots participation, drive the Independence agenda in the media and engage key demographics.

Barry Parkin was elected unopposed as Director for ‘Outside Wales’ alongside Louise Aikman, who only lasted until May 2022 as Director, before being removed on a technicality after not attending three consecutive meetings. The solicitor, branded the organisation ‘dysfunctional’, after a clash with Barry Parkin and Elfed Williams, a pairing she referred to as the ‘gerontocracy’.

The removal of Louise Aikman appears to have been the start of a process where Barry Parkin and Elfed Williams began their consolidation of power. Her departure left Parkin as the only ‘Outside Wales’ Director, as she was not replaced until April 2023, when Dafydd Smith was appointed as a new Director for that region.

A month after Louise Aikman’s departure, in June 2022, the organisation took to the streets of Wrecsam, for their first national march in almost three years. It was recognised to be a huge success and there was a general feeling of relief and euphoria, which carried YesCymru through the summer. To most members at this time, the organisation looked to be back on track.

In September 2022, Gwern Gwynfil was announced as the new CEO and he set to work to re-establish YesCymru, stating that the organisation needed to raise its membership in order to be effective. 

A second march of 10,000 people took place in Cardiff in October 2022, at which the new CEO addressed the crowd, alongside former Plaid Cymru leader Dafydd Wigley, actor Julian Lewis Jones, novelist Ffion Dafis and Irish comedian Tadhg Hickey. 

My impression was that Gwen Gwynfil was popular and he seemed to be doing a good job. The reality was the membership were not engaged with the NGB via the regional group structure and many did not realise how the organisation was being governed. This lack of democratic engagement with the grassroots, was to prove a real limiting factor. However, YesCymru did attempt to address this by organising a National Conference in Aberystwyth during the summer of 2023.