Anyone on here from Ebbw Vale?

[the other bob wilson]

Perhaps they can explain why it voted as it did

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/...eave-ebbw-vale

[the other bob wilson]

Perhaps they can explain why it voted as it did

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/...eave-ebbw-vale

Oops, sorry - I see this article has already been posted on here.

[Badly Ironed Shirt]

Perhaps they can explain why it voted as it did

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/...eave-ebbw-vale

At the risk of being labelled a fantasist here by someone who is keeping notes on all of my circumstances - I live in Ebbw Vale.

Ebbw Vale lost it's steelworks a long while back. They have been replaced by an Enterprise Zone that, so far, hasn't been particularly enterprising.

The zone includes a state of the art college that all kids from Tredegar, Ebbw Vale and Abertillery (i think) have to go to once they're in the 6th form.

The area has high unemployment - it was hoping to build a new race track but seemingly fell foul of the EU State Aid law. At the recent assembly elections, Labour squeaked through after losing a chunk of support to UKIP, and a chunk of support to Plaid (I voted Plaid).

The Heads of the Vally road is being upgraded to a dual carriageway between Merthyr and Abergavenny - mostly funded by EU money.

You have the new Beaufort Woodlands and Sirhowy woodlands "parks" funded by EU money.

I can see people voting out because of the Circuit of Wales. I have heard people voted out because of immigration too - but Ebbw Vale has low immigration (no jobs here).

Ebbw Vale has been let down by a succession of Labour and Tory governments. I'm amazed they still vote Labour at all - but they do loyally.

I voted to remain because I can see the projects that are happening, and I blame the Labour assembly for the Circuit of Wales. Many of the projects I spoke of, people probably don't realise it was funded by the EU. Left to the UK, the steelworks site would be rubble still.

I think people voted anti establishment too - a stronger Labour leadership and commitment could have got out a Remain vote. The MP was a remainder but I didn't here of him campaigning at all.

[Wales-Bales]

I'm just guessing, but new buildings and roads don't mean much to people who want jobs and some kind of future?

[PontBlue]

The buildings aren't empty and the roads didn't magically appear.

[Wales-Bales]

The buildings aren't empty and the roads didn't magically appear.

Full buildings without jobs aren't going to help people raise families and have a bright future. Expensive restaurants are always full too, but it doesn't mean shit to the people who can't afford to eat in them.

It's not only the people in Ebbw Vale who feel like like this, it is 52% of the population. Something has gone very wrong for a lot of people, and shiny new things don't seem to be the solution for many.

[Barry Shitpeas]

Full buildings without jobs aren't going to help people raise families and have a bright future. Expensive restaurants are always full too, but it doesn't mean shit to the people who can't afford to eat in them.

It's not only the people in Ebbw Vale who feel like like this, it is 52% of the population. Something has gone very wrong for a lot of people, and shiny new things don't seem to be the solution for many.

Something has gone very wrong, six years of Tory austerity. If the people of Blaenau Gwent think that their problems are the result of being in the EU, they are in for an unpleasant surprise.

[Jimmy the Jock]

The way the article is written would suggest Ebbw Vale would have had zero improvement had it not been for the EU . We put more in to the EU coffers than we get out , Ebbw Vale could possibly be even better with UK money rather than EU dosh. No one knows if we will be better in or out . People can surmise, that's all they can do .

[Wales-Bales]

Something has gone very wrong, six years of Tory austerity. If the people of Blaenau Gwent think that their problems are the result of being in the EU, they are in for an unpleasant surprise.

In which case is was a protest vote against the government, but it still tells the same story about what they want.

[lardy]

Something has gone very wrong, six years of Tory austerity. If the people of Blaenau Gwent think that their problems are the result of being in the EU, they are in for an unpleasant surprise.

They made a protest vote. Never mind that it was to the wrong people and they will suffer. They made their unhappiness known and that's all that matters.

[lardy]

The way the article is written would suggest Ebbw Vale would have had zero improvement had it not been for the EU . We put more in to the EU coffers than we get out , Ebbw Vale could possibly be even better with UK money rather than EU dosh. No one knows if we will be better in or out . People can surmise, that's all they can do .

We will find out soon when we count up how much London sends there.

[Jimmy the Jock]

We will find out soon when we count up how much London sends there.

Does it need further investment ?

[lardy]

Does it need further investment ?

40% unemployment, sounds like it's already prospering.

[Barry Shitpeas]

I don't believe it was a protest vote, I think that many people in the South Wales valleys have simply fallen hook, line and sinker for Farages bullshit that immigration is the root cause of it and the UKs problems.

[Jimmy the Jock]

40% unemployment, sounds like it's already prospering.

Perhaps some investment in jobs would have been better ?

[blue sky]

That Guardian article is a gross misrepresentation of the facts. EU convergence funding was £7 million of the £30 million cost of the new college, and coincidentally also £7million of the £32 million cost of the railway


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ebbw_Valley_Railway
http://gov.wales/funding/eu-funds/previous/?lang=en
http://www.bdp.com/en/projects/f-l/t...bw-vale-wales/

Don't forget that EU policies on steel and tariffs helped lead to the demise of the steelworks in the first place.

[az city]

Full buildings without jobs aren't going to help people raise families and have a bright future. Expensive restaurants are always full too, but it doesn't mean shit to the people who can't afford to eat in them.

It's not only the people in Ebbw Vale who feel like like this, it is 52% of the population. Something has gone very wrong for a lot of people, and shiny new things don't seem to be the solution for many.

I'm going to sound like Norman here which I am most definitely not but WTF do the people then want in terms of help then? Millions upon millions poured in for infrastructure. Do they have a huge sense of entitlement without showing any enterprise themselves? Get off yer arses and help yourselves. Rant over.

[lardy]

Perhaps some investment in jobs would have been better ?

Don't think anyone in ebbw vale was stopping Westminster doing that. They could have put some new buildings and roads in to encourage companies to set up there.

[Jimmy the Jock]

That Guardian article is a gross misrepresentation of the facts. EU convergence funding was £7 million of the £30 million cost of the new college, and coincidentally also £7million of the £32 million cost of the railway


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ebbw_Valley_Railway
http://gov.wales/funding/eu-funds/previous/?lang=en
http://www.bdp.com/en/projects/f-l/t...bw-vale-wales/

Don't forget that EU policies on steel and tariffs helped lead to the demise of the steelworks in the first place.

Please don't let facts get in the way of propaganda . Without the EU we are all going to die , unfortunately , for the people of Ebbw Vale they will go first .

[Badly Ironed Shirt]

Does it need further investment ?

Ebbw Vale? Yes. Tredegar? Definitely. Merthyr Tydfil - less so. Abertillery? Brynmawr? These places need jobs and have had very little investment from the UK governments since the early 70s.

[Badly Ironed Shirt]

I don't believe it was a protest vote, I think that many people in the South Wales valleys have simply fallen hook, line and sinker for Farages bullshit that immigration is the root cause of it and the UKs problems.

Well, when the party people vote for out of blind loyalty stops offering hope - people look for things to blame. The blame lies on Blair's regime - after that the people who don't vote out of blind loyalty realised Labour was offering sod all.

[Moomin]

A lot of the people around here really had no idea what they were even voting about (with many not intelligent enough to understand) and the campaigning for remain was absolutely minimal, over the last few months I received one leaflet through the door about Remain and even that wasn't clear

Of the three people from Ebbw Vale interviewed on the news, one said she voted out as the council closed the public toilets last year, one said 'immigrants, they're here taking all our jobs' and another said because the factories are 99% Polish - a blend of misunderstanding, fear, ignorance and scapegoating

and then going by what I've seen on Facebook, people being scared of the unknown, bringing up things like suicide bombers, sharia law and all that nonsense (generally those from the poorest areas in Blaenau Gwent) It's quite depressing how focused people around here are on the likes of immigration where the majority probably see the maximum of 1 or 2 immigrants during their normal week. Most of the ones I know that complain about immigrants taking jobs etc are middle aged, do not work and have no intention of doing so and just use it as an excuse for why they do fook all


As well as all of this, many seem happy just because it's led to Cameron resigning, but what they don't understand is he'll just be replaced by another conservative who'll be just the same and the likes of Blaenau Gwent will become forgotten and further deprived yet again

[Colonel Cærdiffi]

Perhaps they can explain why it voted as it did

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/...eave-ebbw-vale

Could've sworn I saw you bemoaning the lack of football posts on here earlier on.

[Pearcey3]

A lot of the people around here really had no idea what they were even voting about (with many not intelligent enough to understand) and the campaigning for remain was absolutely minimal, over the last few months I received one leaflet through the door about Remain and even that wasn't clear

Of the three people from Ebbw Vale interviewed on the news, one said she voted out as the council closed the public toilets last year, one said 'immigrants, they're here taking all our jobs' and another said because the factories are 99% Polish - a blend of misunderstanding, fear, ignorance and scapegoating

and then going by what I've seen on Facebook, people being scared of the unknown, bringing up things like suicide bombers, sharia law and all that nonsense (generally those from the poorest areas in Blaenau Gwent) It's quite depressing how focused people around here are on the likes of immigration where the majority probably see the maximum of 1 or 2 immigrants during their normal week. Most of the ones I know that complain about immigrants taking jobs etc are middle aged, do not work and have no intention of doing so and just use it as an excuse for why they do fook all


As well as all of this, many seem happy just because it's led to Cameron resigning, but what they don't understand is he'll just be replaced by another conservative who'll be just the same and the likes of Blaenau Gwent will become forgotten and further deprived yet again

Your post says it all. Cameron should not have put such an important decision to the people.

[goslow]

I wonder how many people were interviewed before they found Zak?