Language activists will sleep outside the Assembly tonight (6pm, Monday, 20th September) to highlight the flaws in government plans for a new Welsh language law.Speaking ahead of an Assembly debate on the proposed law tomorrow (Tuesday 21st September) , the Chair of the campaign group Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg said that 'several' Assembly Members are ready to table amendments.In two open letters earlier this year, over a dozen lawyers and fourteen language groups criticised the plans for failing to deliver One Wales government promises. Before the summer, a cross-party committee called for major changes to the Assembly government plans - arguing the law didn't make Welsh an official language, create rights for individuals to use it, nor a Language Commissioner sufficiently independent of government.According to a recent survey, eighty percent of Welsh speakers support the right to receiving all services in Welsh. Menna Machreth, Chair of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg (The Welsh Language Society) said:"[This law] doesn't give individuals rights despite the fact that big companies will be able to challenge any request for services in Welsh - the government is favouring rights for businesses but not people. That's not fair - without establishing rights for people, the language measure is just a complete mess."

"We will be staying outside the Assembly building over night and welcoming Assembly Members as they arrive to remind that that's the least we can expect from the Measure, or they will have failed. This 'Mess-ure' must be cleaned up to make it worth while.""We've argued since the Measure's publication that the plans break the One Wales government's promises. And a group of backbench AMs agree. They're clear that this law, in its present form, doesn't establish rights to Welsh, official status for it, or an independent Commissioner either. And those were the government's key promises in the One Wales document."Cymdeithas yr Iaith are drafting amendments to the law which would deliver rights to the languaeg, a more independent Language Commissioner, establish clear principles, and official status for the Welsh language.Menna Machreth added:"There's a duty on backbench members of the Assembly to react to the government's failure. We're pleased to say that several members are willing to stand up for justice and equality. A law that's just a tick-in-the-box exercise won't be worth anything.""We're still waiting for the government to do something real for the Welsh language. It's time for the politicians to take this opportunity - for rights and official status for the language. That would be a strong foundation for the future of Welsh across the country."