WELSH language campaigners are demanding the Welsh government step up its efforts to expand the use of the language to one million people — almost one third of the population.

Members of Cymdeithas yr Iaith (the Welsh Language Society) left a New Year’s card at Welsh Labour leader Eluned Morgan’s office in Haverfordwest yesterday warning that use of the language was falling even in traditional strongholds — despite the government having set a 2050 deadline to achieve its one million target. 
 

Cymdeithas yr Iaith chair Josef Gnagbo said: “The government is not taking its own target of a million Welsh speakers by 2050 seriously. The results of the 2021 census and the government's response to them show that.

“The government set this target in 2016 but during all that time we have not seen the action needed to reach it. The number and percentage of Welsh speakers fell across Wales, especially in its traditional strongholds.”

The Welsh government was invited to comment.