With the general election day looming and a slew of unionist politicians vying for your vote, I find myself in a quandary. As a Welsh nationalist, aligning with any British Unionist party is simply not an option. This leaves me with Plaid Cymru as my sole choice at the ballot box, despite my reservations and disagreements with them on various issues, including their approach to the House of Lords, stance on Republicism, and past affiliations.

Some may propose voting for the Greens, a Republican party that professes to support Welsh independence. However, I am sceptical of their sincerity when you consider their refusal to reconstitute themselves as a Welsh Green Party instead of a branch of the Green Party for England. This decision, in my view, casts doubt on their commitment to Welsh independence and hints at potential hidden agendas.

Therefore, on the 4th of July, I will cast my vote for Plaid Cymru, albeit with a heavy heart. I find solace in the fact that I am not endorsing a Unionist Party and in the fervent belief that a future vibrant Welsh Republican nationalist party, one that steadfastly upholds our principles of nationhood, is not a mere figment of imagination but a tangible and promising possibility.

It could be the most interesting General Election for many years in England, with Reform UK threatening to take seats from the Conservatives and the Workers of Britain Party challenging Labour in up to fifty constituencies. If the political pundit's predictions are to be trusted, the voters are tired of the old established parties' antics and are looking for a refreshing change.

Scotland could also have a few shocks when the results come in. With Alba gaining momentum under the old stalwart Alex Salmond, the SNP will be 'on tenterhooks', especially now that some high-profile personalities have defected to Alba.

In the North of Ireland, historical tribal voting is declining, and voters are looking for a fresh change from the old ways, especially among its youth.

However, I fear that the political landscape here in Cymru will remain mostly unchanged. The voting pattern will stay the same, with Labour winning the most seats, Plaid Cymru, and the Tories picking up the scraps. Yes, no doubt, a few protest votes will be scooped up by the Greens and the Liberal Democrats, but it will be the same old tired, depressive result.

Yet, there is a glimmer of hope of breaking up the old guard with the emergence of independent candidates; the recently welcomed shock of the Rochdale byelection result was that a local independent candidate, David Tully, beat all the established parties into second place behind the winner and the new kid on the block The Workers Party of Britain.

A few shock results could be on the horizon, but unfortunately, I fear it won't be in Cymru.