BEWARE THE views of the majority, writes Clive Betts.

The majority – whether they are at the back of the public bar or answering opinion pollsters – can easily be a dictatorship, as nasty as that once controlled by Mr Schicklgruber.

And when culture is concerned, there should really be no argument.

Put simply, the English language has no place on S4C – except under very close controls. And those controls have to be determined and governed by the culture itself, and most certainly not by the views of the majority.

The issue rises to the fore because of the publication of the opinion poll commissioned by the S4C current affairs programme Y Byd Ar Bedwar.

This poll came to two headline conclusions. First, that S4C should admit English-language programmes onto its schedule. Second, that that channel should be controlled ultimately by the National Assembly,  rather than as at present by the London government.

Now, some people will wonder why the channel is current controlled by London. They may assume this is some sort of hang-over from days gone by, from the time when there was no Assembly.

In one way, that is a correct assumption.

But only partly. Because the issue of where ultimate control should lie was one of the issues which Ron Davies had to tackle when he was Secretary of State and deciding precisely how the constitutional settlement would be written.

London or Cardiff, was the issue.

Ron’s decision was simple and blunt. Not Cardiff, he decided.

Why ? Because if Cardiff held the purse strings, the amount of cash allocated to the channel would be in danger of being altered. Not upwards, you understand. But downwards.

And for what reason ?

Because the elected majority in the Assembly would find themselves under pressure to enable the broadcasting of more English-language programmes. These would be programmes about Wales, of course. But, as the off-air broadcast spectrum is tightly restricted by international treaty, the chances of getting an English-language-only channel founded for Wales would be minimal.

So, there would be one place where additional English-language programmes from  Wales could easily go. That would be S4C.Put simply, the English language has no place on S4C – except under very close controls. And those controls have to be determined and governed by the culture itself, and most certainly not by the views of the majority.

And where on S4C ? In the wee small hours ? That would be hardly acceptable to the “majority”. In the mornings, perhaps, during those hours which used to be filled by Channel 4 material in English.

But that’s the time for Cyw, that enormously valuable series of programmes for young children – which tells them that shows in Welsh are quite as good as those in English, and which provides a crucial lifeline for the future of the language.

In the cultural battle between languages, there can be no retreat by Welsh. That language possesses just one channel. Perhaps someone will tell me how many TV channels are available in English.

And then perhaps someone will tell me what the English language is able to offer to television that anyone really wants to watch. The cheer-leader for putting English programmes on S4C is the honourable Labour member for Rhondda in the imperial parliament.

Perhaps the Rev Chris Bryant – is he still a Rev for the Church of England ? – might tell us what he wants to see in his English-language shows. Stories about Trealaw and Treorci (or it be Treorchy ?). Should go down a bomb.

X Factor from the Welsh portion of the Severn Valley. Karaoke from the Maerdy pubs. Or, God help us, shots of the MP in his underpants (which, you must understand, is his absolute right, should he be so inclined).

The sad thing about the English language in Wales is that it could be asked as to whether it exists as a Welsh culture at all. Can it produce anything of cultural value ? Only if it can does it deserve to have anything provided beyond the radio channel it currently possesses, Radio Wales (the commercial channels don’t count, because they are no more than a music-based copy of what is churned out everywhere else).

Some will point to the English language in Ireland. But that language possesses a strong cultural history – perhaps as an offshoot of the battle for independence a century ago.

Can the same be said of English in Wales ? English is sometimes referred to as bastard German. Which links us quite neatly with Mr Schicklgruber.

My comments on English in Wales are harsh and many will strongly disagree. But, show me what English in Wales can produce to compete with the Welsh language. Does Welsh-English really exist ? Is it any more than an accent and an inflexion ?

The National Assembly is giving Wales at last its own identity. Upon that identity, the English language in Wales will have the basis on which to build. But it will take a long time.

In the meantime, English has no place on S4C.

And Mr Bryant and his friends – they still account for far too much of the Liebour Party – see only one role for the Welsh language. That is should be spoken – but in private.

In the same way that certain acts should take place – but only in private behind closed doors.

Mr Bryant campaigned at one time for the train announcements in Welsh at Cardiff Central to be ended. Perhaps he would spell out how much English he wants on S4C. And how much Welsh he would allow on the channel?