UK Government Ministers are said to be “furious” at the Welsh Government’s refusal to distribute to every school pupil in Wales a book to commemorate the Queen’s Platinum jubilee. Instead, schools in Wales will only receive copies of the book if they decide to opt-in.
A senior political source told us that Westminster Ministers were furious at the Welsh Government’s stance and failed to understand the objections to the book. Some Welsh Labour Cabinet members, including First Minister Mark Drakeford, are republicans.
The political source told us: “The Welsh Government insisted that the book was translated into Welsh, which was done. Perhaps they thought that wouldn’t happen. Then they said they were only prepared to let the book be distributed on an opt-in basis.
“Ministers in Westminster can’t understand what the problem is. The assumption had been that children throughout Wales would get a copy. That’s what was planned for.”
The Department for Education in England has awarded a contract to London-based DK Books to produce 211,000 bilingual copies of the book to be distributed to children at just under 3,000 schools and educational establishments in Wales. The contract, worth almost £12m, sets out a list of requirements about what should be in the book:
- A description of the system of a constitutional monarchy in the UK;
- The role of the monarch: what it means and why it matters, and the Queen’s role as head of the Commonwealth;
- What the Platinum Jubilee is and why it is a significant milestone in the Queen’s reign, including the dates and times of other long-serving British monarchs;
- A narrative of the Queen’s 70-year reign, with key events, achievements and inventions.
Aberconwy Conservative MP Robin Millar raised the issue in the House of Commons, saying: “The UK Government has funded a book for every schoolchild in the UK, commemorating the Platinum Jubilee of the Queen. A bilingual version has been printed for schoolchildren in Wales. What steps is the Minister taking to ensure that schoolchildren in Wales will receive a copy of that book?”
Wales Office Minister David Davies responded: “The Honourable Gentleman is correct. The UK Government wanted to celebrate the enormous achievement, the enormous commitment to public service that has been made by our monarch, and have produced this book bilingually to ensure that schoolchildren across Wales are able to read bilingually about the contribution that has been made by the Queen.
“I am sure they all look forward eagerly to receiving their copy, and the UK Government is working with the Welsh Government to ensure that can happen imminently.”
However, the Welsh Government has a different view. A source told us that after seeing the book, it was decided that it would not be appropriate to distribute it to all pupils, but to leave it to schools to decide whether they wanted it.
It’s thought that the book is seen to be too Anglocentric and not in tune with a devolved UK where Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own governments. The Welsh Government does not go along with Boris Johnson’s post-Brexit “Global Britain” project, which has been criticised as jingoistic and a vehicle for imperial nostalgia.
A Welsh Government spokesman said: “The Department for Education in England is producing the Platinum Jubilee book, which we understand the DfE plan to issue in September. The Welsh Government has no role in the production or distribution of the book.
“Education is a devolved matter. We have been clear that the book should be available in Welsh and English and schools only receive the book on an opt-in basis.”
