POD:
The decline in Welsh that occurs in the South Wales Coal Field between 1880 and 1914 does not take place while the decline of Welsh in Monmouthshire a few decades earlier also does not take place (see my thread in the pre-1900 discussion).
In the 1890s, Lloyd George's attempts to go further with Cymru Fydd are a success. CF thus becomes a Parnellite style political party which by 1910 has a majority of Welsh seats in Westminster. Its main aims are Disestablishment in Wales, giving Welsh Official Status in Wales and in Education there and Home Rule within the United Kingdom.
How it Happens
Welsh Home Rule is passed in 1912, and due to less opposition in the House of Lords than the controversial Irish Home Rule, Elections to a devolved Welsh Parliament in Cardiff take place in the Spring of 1914 and LLoyd George resigns his seat in Westminster and is elected into the Devolved Legislature. However, due to WW1, the new Parliament's powers are affected during the course of the war. LLoyd George, like in OTL strongly encourages Welsh enlistment, saying that this is a fight for the rights of small nations.
Thus Lloyd George, in ATL is not at Westminster as the minister of Munitions in OTL and thus he doesn't become Prime Minister. Instead, Asquith's ministry collapses and a Tory Ministry is founded. The War is won, somehow without Lloyd George having the important role that he does in OTL in saving Britain from defeat.
In 1918, instead of their being a coalition of Lloyd George Liberals and the Conservative Party, there is instead a Conservative Majority government. This government is more repressive in Ireland than Lloyd George as Prime Minister of the UK is in OTL, and Welsh Nationalists become disillusioned and angry because of it.
In 1919, a new election to the Devolved Welsh Parliament occurs, with Labour winning may seats and becoming the official opposition to Cymru Fydd. Many members of this legislature become increasingly hostile to the Tory government in Westminster over Ireland and, seeing the rise of Nation State Republics on the Continent and supporting Sinn Fein in Ireland, call for a declaration of independence and argue that Wales has the industrialised economy needed to survive alone.
In 1920, a declaration of an independent Welsh Republic is passed in the Welsh Legislature with support of most Cymru Fydd and many Labour members. Lloyd George doesn't originally want this declaration to come about, but votes in favour of it to 'keep in with the tide of opinion'. The Tory government doesn't accept it and a war of independence breaks out.
In 1922, the Anglo-Irish-Welsh Treaty is signed in which both Ireland and Wales achieve Dominion status within the Commonwealth, with Lloyd George signing it on behalf of Wales.
What Next?
What do you think happens next?
The decline in Welsh that occurs in the South Wales Coal Field between 1880 and 1914 does not take place while the decline of Welsh in Monmouthshire a few decades earlier also does not take place (see my thread in the pre-1900 discussion).
In the 1890s, Lloyd George's attempts to go further with Cymru Fydd are a success. CF thus becomes a Parnellite style political party which by 1910 has a majority of Welsh seats in Westminster. Its main aims are Disestablishment in Wales, giving Welsh Official Status in Wales and in Education there and Home Rule within the United Kingdom.
How it Happens
Welsh Home Rule is passed in 1912, and due to less opposition in the House of Lords than the controversial Irish Home Rule, Elections to a devolved Welsh Parliament in Cardiff take place in the Spring of 1914 and LLoyd George resigns his seat in Westminster and is elected into the Devolved Legislature. However, due to WW1, the new Parliament's powers are affected during the course of the war. LLoyd George, like in OTL strongly encourages Welsh enlistment, saying that this is a fight for the rights of small nations.
Thus Lloyd George, in ATL is not at Westminster as the minister of Munitions in OTL and thus he doesn't become Prime Minister. Instead, Asquith's ministry collapses and a Tory Ministry is founded. The War is won, somehow without Lloyd George having the important role that he does in OTL in saving Britain from defeat.
In 1918, instead of their being a coalition of Lloyd George Liberals and the Conservative Party, there is instead a Conservative Majority government. This government is more repressive in Ireland than Lloyd George as Prime Minister of the UK is in OTL, and Welsh Nationalists become disillusioned and angry because of it.
In 1919, a new election to the Devolved Welsh Parliament occurs, with Labour winning may seats and becoming the official opposition to Cymru Fydd. Many members of this legislature become increasingly hostile to the Tory government in Westminster over Ireland and, seeing the rise of Nation State Republics on the Continent and supporting Sinn Fein in Ireland, call for a declaration of independence and argue that Wales has the industrialised economy needed to survive alone.
In 1920, a declaration of an independent Welsh Republic is passed in the Welsh Legislature with support of most Cymru Fydd and many Labour members. Lloyd George doesn't originally want this declaration to come about, but votes in favour of it to 'keep in with the tide of opinion'. The Tory government doesn't accept it and a war of independence breaks out.
In 1922, the Anglo-Irish-Welsh Treaty is signed in which both Ireland and Wales achieve Dominion status within the Commonwealth, with Lloyd George signing it on behalf of Wales.
What Next?
What do you think happens next?