Welsh-language provision on party websites during the 2010 UK General Election

Abstract

The internet is now an important element of most political parties' communication strategies during elections. While online communication might be claimed to enable smaller parties and marginal voices to compete more effectively with major parties, it might also enable minority languages to challenge the existing dominance of majority languages in traditional political communication. This paper explores Welsh-language provision on the websites of the 18 parties which fielded candidates in Wales during the 2010 UK General Election. Three websites making bilingual provision are examined in greater detail, considering the Welsh-language experience in terms of information seeking tasks, the use of web2.0 and resource generation. Overall the provision of regional information relating to Wales and of Welsh-language material has remained remarkably static since the last General Election in 2005. It appears that only parties which regularly contest seats in Wales make regional provision and that Welsh-language provision is limited to those parties who have websites specifically orientated to Wales. The Welsh language does not appear to have been a priority in terms of online political communication for most of the parties campaigning in Wales during the General Election. Even on those sites making a bilingual provision, the quality, timeliness and extent of the Welsh-language experience varied considerably.