It's libel Jim, but not as we know it.
Tuesday, 12 June 2007
A clash of values
In this month's edition of Barn, Dr Richard Wyn Jones, Director of the Institute of Welsh Politics at Aberystwyth University, asks whether the opposition of some in Plaid Cymru to the idea of forming a coalition with the Conservatives -because of a conflict of basic values and principles- is a valid argument.
Summarizing the election results, he writes:
...paradoxically enough, perhaps the worst thing about this result - from Labour's point of view - was that they didn't lose badly enough. If Labour had descended to , say, 21 or 23 seats, then the party wouldn't have been able to avoid a serious post mortem. There would be no way to avoid asking hard questions about the party's whole posture and objections. Why had Labour done worse in Wales than in Scotland or England on the same night? Why were traditional Labour supporters busy turning their backs on them despite Welsh Labour's intentional attempts to charm them? Why was the party's election campaign so dull and so completely shapeless? But by scraping by with 26 seats the party could persuade itself that it could avoid getting to grips with such considerations.
We can see how liitle Labour understands the new situation that face them since May 3. Their senseless slowness in their attempts to reach an agreement with others...their rank amateurness in talks with the other parties, and especially their failure to realise what kind of concessions they would need to make to win their support...
But Labour isn't the only party finding it hard to adapt to the new political landscape. Plaid's ranks can not agree on a rainbow coalition:
The bone of contention for some in Plaid Cymru is the idea of cooperating with the Conservative Party. Five women in the party feel so strongly about the matter that they have raised their banner publicly to oppose any such move. Their position was crystalised by Helen Mary Jones when she said that there is a 'clash of basic values and principles between Plaid and the Tories which means that no agreement between them could remain stable in the long term'. Rather than a rainbow coalition the five prefered a red=green agreement with the Welsh Labour Party. Although they haven't – as far as I know – said it out loud, it's obvious as a conclusion that they believe there is no such basic clash between their values and their objectives and those of Labour.
In a way the animosity towards the Tories is completely understandable and expected. A few years ago now it was shown that such opposition to the Tories which had characterised Welsh politics since the dawn of democracy was rooted so deeply as to consider anti-Toryism as one of the formative characteristics of the Welsh identity.
But the instinctive is not the same as the rational; and neither is an instinctive reply one which should be exhalted and celebrated. Rather, surer grounds than that are necessary. Especially when the consequences are so fateful and far-reaching. Just how sure are the foundations of the five's argument in reality, then? Let's look at their attitude towards the Conservatives first. I We can see at once that there's a world of difference between the Conservative Party of Margaret Thatcher and the Welsh Conservative Party of Nick Bourne and friends. The manifesto that that party tried to promote in May's elections was a very, very moderate document. Indeed, looking at it as objectively as possible, I would argue that it is a document that stands a little to the left on the British left-right spectrum. Even if there are differences in emphasis and priorities, I can not believe there is anything in that document that is fundementally abhorrent from the perspective of the Welsh left (except the its constitutional stance - but that is similar to Labour's). Indeed, shouldn't we interpret the Conservatives' manifesto as a sign of the success of the Welsh left to change the political landscape of our country in the wake of devolution?
As I understand the origins of the five's anti-Toryism, I can't be too heavy handed in condemning their wary attitude towards the Conservatives. Nevertheless, it's a different story when we take hold of the other side of the argument, namely
their claim that it is with the Labour Party that terms need to be discussed, and that because there aren't the same kind of principled obstacles to an agreement with them. From the perspective of the Welsh left this is an abysmally weak argument and completely unsustainable.
Jones asks if HMJ, Leanne Wood, Bethan Jenkins, Nerys Evans and Jill Evans seriously believe in arguing that there is no 'clash of values and principles' between them and the party that gave us (amongst other things):
He concludes:
When it comes to a matter of deciding on the form of our government, conceptual labels like 'left' and 'right' should not be considered sufficient grounds for decisions about coalitions...and the question for the Welsh left is this: which pack of policies are closer to our 'basic values and objectives' we've heard so much about? The policies incorporated in the rainbow document or the policies that Labour offer in order to nensure that Labour can continue in government even after their worst ever result in Wales?
Three cabinet seats for Plaid
From BBC Wales
Plaid Cymru is likely to enter formal talks on forming a coalition Welsh Assembly Government with Labour, BBC Wales has learned. A senior Plaid source told the BBC that the party had received an offer that would be very difficult to refuse.
It is understood Labour has offered Plaid a minimum of three cabinet seats and a guarantee of a referendum on full powers for the assembly.
The Plaid Cymru group will meet on Tuesday night to discuss the offer.
One senior party member told the BBC that it was an "odds-on certainty" that the group would support further discussion.
The deal also includes a language measure and a comission on the Barnett formula.
Labour says "Yes"
Vaughan again:
The Labour group meeting has given "complete freedom" to Rhodri Morgan to hold talks concerning an agreement or formal coalition with Plaid Cymru. This is the first time that the group has been prepared to reach a coalition agreement with the nationalists.
Ieuan vs Rhodri?
Peter Black is still putting his money on a rainbow. Meanwhile in the Siambr Ieuan Wyn Jones is looking very relaxed. What does that portend?
Is anyone else getting bored with all this "will they, won't they" malarchy?
Crossed messages
Yes, yet another translation of a Vaughan Roderick blogpost:
The Liberal Democrats have just published their answer to a letter by Rhodri Morgan offering to cooperate with their party. What will surprise and worry Rhodri is that chunks of the letter are close to being reproductions word for word of Ieuan Wyn Jones' letter yesterday.
To all purposes the letter declares, courteously, that Rhodri's offers don't come close to satisfying what would be necessary to please the party.
Perhaps the key sentence is this: "I would hope that you might seek to get broader agreement on the matters you raise across all the parties who currently sit in opposition". In other words don't try to split the rainbow. If you want to speak to us you'll have to speak to the Conservatives as well.
The government, Plaid Cymru and the Tories are holding news conferences this morning. It will be interesting to hear what they have to say.
The morning briefings:
10.15 Rhodri Morgan; Rhodri says he has held a "constructive" meeting this morning with Ieuan Wyn Jones and Jocelyn Davies. For the first time Rhodri suggested that a red/green coalition was possible. "Everything is on the table- nothing has been left out". He added that a Labour led government could accomplish more of Plaid Cymru's wishes than a "rainbow" government because of its relationship with Westminster and its numbers in the Senedd. He said he was willing to discuss more with the Libera;l Democrats as well unless he sensed that the party had "closed itself out- for the time being."
11.00 Nick Bourne; Rhodri is behaving like "Ceauşescu on the balcony" by threatening that Labour in Westminster could block any "rainbow" measures. The writing is on the wall for Rhodri. Labour has proved that they can't change to cope with being in minority.
Red Pluralist Comment
"Redpluralist" comments on Adam Price's blog:
What a welocme injection of principle and commonsense. This and the 6 June blog set out what most of us would see as reasonable expectations for the formation of a Labour-Plaid coalition. Of course, you’re right about thr social-democratic centre of gravity in Wales and no amount of clap-trap about Wales voting to get Labour out will do. None of the figures suggest that. What they do suggest is that an opportunity - which is likely to be oft-repeated - has been provided for left-of-centre parties in Wales, and I put Plaid in that category alongside Labour - neither claim uncontentious for some, to form a principled and pro-Wales coalition. Good on you Adam Price
Trouble in the family?
Translation of this post by Vaughan Roderick:
On Glyn Davies' blog we find the following reply to the news that he wants to stand against Lembit in Montgomeryshire.
"Hooray! Big Sister would kill me for saying so because, as she has recently made it clear, she thinks Tories are a kind of smallpox virus to be avoided at all costs but I am quite brave so I will say hooray again. No more carpetbaggers for Montgomeryshire, please. Best wishes Myfanwy"
Who is Myfanwy? Myfanwy Alexander would hardly be so disloyal to her sister Helen Mary Jones!
Or would she?
Penfold blogs again
Newbie Labour party-line blogger Clear Red Water concurs with Ernest Penfold Leighton Andrews' astute observation that Labour Nationalists are actually Unionists. And there we were thinking all along that they wanted independence! Thanks for clearing that up Penfold!
NB For readers of a slightly more elevated intelligence but are nonetheless unfamiliar with the Welsh Labour Party, Labour Nats are the ones who actually like being Welsh, whereas the Labour Jihadists are the other ones
Ieuan's reply
Here I present for your parousal IWJ's reply to Rhodders. Hat tip to Hedd.
Annwyl Rhodri,
Thank you for your letter of the 6th June. I fully accept that all parties will need to work together, so far as is possible, during the period of a Labour minority administration. Nevertheless, I do not feel that these sorts of arrangements will in the long term give the people of Wales the stable government they need and deserve.
Given the above, please find my response to the points you raised in your letter.
1. I am surprised that you do not refer to Plaid Cymru's request for a Commission of Inquiry into the Barnett formula. As you will be aware, during the discussions between our two parties in the post-election period, Plaid clearly stated that the Finance committee was not an appropriate forum for such an investigation. You claim that such an investigation should be "arms length" from Government, with which I agree wholeheartedly. However a fully independent commission established by the government which would be independent of Assembly members and therefore any party political posturing, would be a far stronger and more credible mechanism for such an inquiry. I therefore cannot offer our support for this proposal.
2. Co-operation on budget negotiations is vital for its success in the Assembly. I will consider the nomination proposal, but would stress that such an agreement will not bind my party to support the budget if we disagree with its content. Co-operation requires compromised, and if there is no evidence of such compromise then co-operation is not possible.
3. I give a cautious welcome to your decision to institute a moratorium on existing proposals for change at community hospital and your undertaking that already agreed changes in DGJ services will not yet be implemented unless and until relevant associated community services are in place. You will be aware that the method of consultation the government adopted was heavily criticised and future consultation must not only be meaningful but must take the views of local communities fully into account. There are, however, a number of specific proposed service changes particularly at the Llanelli and Llandudno hospitals, and with regard to the future of adult neurosurgery, that fall outside the overall reconfiguration process. We would wish to see these changes included in the moratorium. There are also other matters within the health and social services portfolio, including the issue of nurses pay, the need for the government to fully fund the child and adolescent mental health strategies and the opportunity to seek devolution of legislation relating to mental health in order that a Wales only measure can be made upon which we would wish to seek assurances from your government. I suggest that once I have appointed my Shadow Cabinet, my Shadow Minister and the Minister for Health and Social Services hold a bilateral meeting to explore a potential way forward on all these matters.
4. I note your position on public appointments and will obviously continue to work with you on such issues.
5. Your proposal for a working party to be created between our two parties to advise on what preparations would need to be put in place ahead of a referendum being called seems to be nothing more than a delaying tactic, and fails to commit your party or the Assembly Government to holding such a referendum. During our discussions we required your commitment to holding a referendum during this Assembly term, and your party's support and commitment to campaigning for a Yes vote in such a referendum. The proposal set out in your letter is therefore unacceptable.
6. Regular meetings between us are useful, and I welcome a more formalised approach. However, such meetings are only constructive if the subjects to be discussed are held in good faith and have a real impact on the Government's programme.
Also in your statement to the Assembly on the 6 June, you said "a number of potential legislative items ... including action in the fields of mental health, planning, and transport. I have written to the Leader of the Opposition, Ieuan Wyn Jones, on this and wider issues. I make an offer today of detailed discussions between Plaid Cymru spokespeople and Ministers in relation to these matters". However there was no reference in your letter to any proposals on mental health, planning and transport, and therefore I'd be grateful for further information on your proposals for the basis of further discussions between our two parties on these issues.
I look forward to your further response etc
Monday, 11 June 2007
Protest Pictures
Here are some pics from this evening's Thomas Cook protest by Cymuned and Cymdeithas yr Iaith in Bangor:
Yours truly
From left to right: a girl, Aled, Richard, Aran, Sanddef, Ieuan, Menna, baby in pram
On the far right of the picture: Angharad Tomos
The ITV news team
Dime Goch
A new campaign, DimeGoch.com, has been launched seeking to convince the big mobile phone companies to use Welsh:
One of the biggest problems facing the language is that major companies usually refuse point blank to provide services in Welsh. This makes many people feel that Welsh is somehow a ’second-rate’ language, and it contributes to the deeply sad pattern of parents not passing the language on to their children - maybe that happened at some point in your family?
But if enough of us can join together to be able to say to companies like Orange ‘Look, we’ve got 5000 new customers for you if you’ll provide a proper service in Welsh’, we could make an ENORMOUS difference very, very quickly.
That was the original idea behind DimeGoch.com - build an email list of people willing to switch suppliers in order to put pressure on giant companies to provide services in Welsh.
Just one problem with that - we need to know that a high percentage of the people on the list are serious enough to do what they’ve said, and change suppliers. We need people who ACT, not just people who like to talk about what they’re going to do one day…
And that lead to the second idea for DimeGoch.com - that it should cost £1 a month to be on the email list.
Every penny will go towards promoting DimeGoch.com and lobbying companies to provide services in Welsh.
You can find out more here in English or here in Welsh
"No deal" says Ieuan
So Ieuan has turned down Rhodri's peace offering, surprise surprise. Ieuan's view is that Rhodri's offer is not good enough to deliver a stable government. Bethan Jenkins is still dreaming of a red-green christmas, following an apparently easily goaded Adam Price's example. Though Adam's red-green dream has more to do with saving his lefty street-cred than anything else (he is one of the rainbow's architects after all).
Labour have until Friday to offer Plaid a better deal, which will duly be turned down in all probability. Some are predicting that the Thomas Cook affair will initiate a change in government, but Carwyn Jones is already hinting at a u-turn on the matter of the Welsh language. Whatever the reason, the coup will either have to happen very soon or not at all. Wales may not have a strong government, but it can definately do without an unstable one where ministers are not taken seriously because they are constantly in danger of losing power.
My day with Thomas Cook
The sign on Thomas Cook's door reads: If you want to arrange your holidays in Gwmraeg (whatever that is), we would be hapas (whatever that is) to help you
Last week I volunteered to work once a week at Cymuned's office in Pwllheli. Today was my first day, and what a day it turned out to be, with visits from ITV and the BBC to interview Aran Jones concerning the Thomas Cook Welsh Not fiasco, and ending with a televised protest outside Thomas Cook in Bangor. Inbetween the flood of phonecalls Aran was receiving from just about everyone in the Welsh media, I managed to have a quick sneak at the blogosphere. Lo and behold Thomas Cook and the need for a new Welsh Language act was the subject of the day. It even got covered by Five Live. I must admit to a certain warm smug feeling, having been the first to break the story in English. I even got to say something on ITV, though I'm not sure if my mam was watching.
Thanks to Gwe's updated blogpost I was able to keep abreast of developments amongst our AMs, and I caught S4C's evening newyddion in time to see the Language Minister Carwyn Jones making more positive sounds than usual about the need for new legislation.
The Conservatives released the following statement:
WELSH Conservatives today stepped up demands for a review of the Welsh Language Act in the wake of a row over a ban on travel agency staff speaking Welsh to discuss work.
The ruling by Thomas Cook that staff must hold work-related conversations in English raises serious questions about the rights of Welsh speakers, the party said today.
Welsh Conservatives have proposed using the Assembly's new powers to introduce a Measure to create a bilingual Wales.
It would accord official language status to both Welsh and English and establish the office of an independent language commissioner.
The coalition agreement negotiated between the Welsh Conservatives, Plaid Cymru and the Welsh Liberal Democrats also calls for Welsh language legislation to be reviewed.
The existing Welsh Language Act was introduced by the last Conservative government in the early 1990s.
The Welsh Conservatives' spokesman on the Welsh language Paul Davies AM said today:
"Welsh Conservatives are committed to protecting the rights of both Welsh and English speakers.
"It is absolutely vital that there is no discrimination between either language wherever people live or work.
"We want to increase the use of Welsh in all spheres of life as part of our desire to create a truly bilingual Wales.
"Businesses should be encouraged, though not compelled, to make maximum use of the Welsh language, not erect barriers to it.
"Education, support and encouragement - rather than compulsion - are effective ways forward in promoting greater use of Welsh."
Welsh Conservative Assembly leader Nick Bourne AM, who has secured an urgent question on the issue in tomorrow's plenary session, said today:
"The incident with Thomas Cook highlights the need for an urgent review of existing legislation and its impact on the rights of Welsh speakers.
"I am pleased that we will have the chance to debate this at the earliest opportunity in the Assembly tomorrow.
"The approach of Thomas Cook is unacceptable and regrettable. A large employer such as this should know better.
"The company is sending out all the wrong signals about its attitude towards the Welsh language. I hope they will review their decision as a matter of urgency.
"There are clearly difficult issues about compelling private sector companies to run Welsh language schemes.
"Welsh Conservatives do not believe that forcing firms to do so is the right approach. That would clearly act as a disincentive to potential investors in Wales.
"However, I do believe that firms can be encouraged to show their support for the language."
Plaid Cymru's statement:
PLAID CYMRU President Dafydd Iwan has criticised the Travel Agency Thomas Cook after the staff at the company’s Bangor office were told not to speak Welsh at work.
Dafydd Iwan said:
“This shows an arrogant prejudice towards what is after all the majority language in Gwynedd, and it is unfortunately prevalent in many large companies who have their main base outside Wales. I would urge people in the Bangor area to use the local travel firms who show respect to the Welsh language, and where you can get a service in your own language. Thomas Cook’s attitude is further proof that we need a New Welsh Language Act to eradicate this nonsense for good, giving the Welsh language full parity with English, and giving Welsh speakers full rights in law. We could then go on with our lives, and expand the use of Welsh in business.”
Dafydd Iwan also went on to mention the current situation in the National Assembly:
“We have waited long enough for an updated Welsh Language Act, and now it is within our reach. Any agreement to establish a sustainable government in the Assembly must include a firm commitment to a New Language Act.”
And the Lib Dems:
Eleanor Burnham, Welsh Liberal Democrat spokesperson for the Welsh Language and Assembly Member for North Wales, has today given her reaction to the news that travel agent Thomas Cook has banned the work-related use of Welsh among staff in its Bangor branch.
The travel agent has instructed members of staff at the Bangor branch to hold all work-related conversations in English, a policy applying to all non-English languages.
Ms Burnham said: “It is utterly disgraceful that a company be allowed to dictate to its staff which language they use whilst working, particularly in such a strong Welsh-speaking area as Gwynedd.
“Examples like this make it clear why we need to enshrine the rights of Welsh speakers in law, and give official status to Welsh as a language of Wales equal to English.
“Welsh and English should stand side by side in law and those who wish to use either language in official situations or in the workplace should be allowed to do so.
“Thomas Cook’s actions undermine the bilingual status of our society. In a region with a substantial number of Welsh speakers, why shouldn’t staff be allowed to use either Welsh or English with each other and with customers? It should be a matter of choice, and a new Welsh Language measure would protect this right to choose which language people use on a day to day basis.
“We will soon know if the firm’s actions are actually in breach of the Race Relations Act and I would hope that Thomas Cook will now reconsider their language policy. Using Welsh or English within Wales is a choice, not a rule and this incident flies in the face of our diverse, modern Welsh society. Other businesses and companies should now consider very carefully how they facilitate bilingual workplaces in Wales.”
Isn't it ironic that Thomas Cook used to organise holidays along with a translation service to North Wales -back in 1845 that is.
The subject will be addressed tomorrow in the Senedd.
That's me on the right. Well I wouldn't be on the left now, would I?
Non Socialist Nationalists
If you're a Welsh nationalist, but not of the socialist or lefty persuasion, and you'd like to see the creation of a forum or association for your views, then perhaps you'd like to sign the Non Socialist Nationalist petition. Your signature and comments (but not your email addresses) will only be visible to others who have signed the petition.
Sarkozy set to win (again)
In the French parliamentary elections, projections after the first round of voting shows there will be a landslide for President Sarkozy's conservatives.
Initial exit-polls put his UMP party well in the lead, apparently giving the new President a firm mandate to press ahead with his wide-ranging package of reforms, promised in his presidential campaign, designed to boost economic growth and slash unemployment in France. The voters were choosing their MPs to take up 577 seats in the French Parliament.
If a candidate polls more than 50 per cent in the first round, he or she has won a seat in Parliament. Those who win between 12.5 and 50 per cent go on to the second round next Sunday. But there was a record level of abstentions - put by the polls at 40 per cent - which is seen as the result of voter fatigue after two long campaigns.
The turnout was 60%, the lowest in a long time and in contrast to the high turnout in last month's presidential election.
Thomas Cook face race enquiry
Following up my blogpost on Thomas Cook's ban on Welsh, there have been some interesting developments, with Chris Myant, Director of the CRE in Wales, warning Thomas Cook that they may be breaking the law. Here is Matt Withers' article from Wales On Sunday explaining developments:
TRAVEL agent giant Thomas Cook was last night warned it could face a race probe after banning its staff from speaking Welsh at work.
The Commission for Racial Equality says the high street chain may be in breach of race relation laws after the manageress of its store in Bangor told workers they were no longer to speak the language to each other.
The firm has confirmed the nationwide ban and says it ensures “clear communication” among its staff. But it now faces a possibility of an investigation, as well as protests from pressure groups who have accused the company of “disgraceful” behaviour.
The policy emerged last week when the manageress of the store in Gwynedd, who does not speak Welsh, told staff they must converse in English with each other.
Ironically, staff at the store in the strongly Welsh-speaking city had only recently started wearing badges provided by the Welsh Language Board to show customers they spoke both languages.
Nobody at the store itself was willing to comment yesterday.
But a statement from the company said: “Thomas Cook requests that all staff speak English when discussing work-related matters in the work place. This ensures clear communication at all times and is respectful to team members who do not speak other languages.
“Thomas Cook employs staff from many cultural backgrounds, therefore the company appreciates its staff may want to talk to colleagues in other languages for anything that is non business-related.”
But Chris Myant, Director of the CRE in Wales, warned the move might break the law.
“I think they need to think very, very carefully about this,” he said.
“It’s quite possible it might be in conflict with the Race Relations Act. It is an area where there isn’t a great deal of cases that have gone to the courts, but the courts have said in some cases it’s unreasonable what the employer is asking, because it clearly is possible for a company to function perfectly well where the employees speak to each other in Welsh.
“And where a company functions well there is no reasonable right for an employer to stop them speaking any other language. It sounds as if Thomas Cook could be at risk of one of its employees taking it to an employment tribunal.”
Language campaigners have reacted with fury to the policy.
Hywel Griffiths, chair of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, said the company’s actions were unacceptable.
He said: “It’s absolutely disgraceful. What does come out of this strongly is that this would never have happened had a new Welsh Language Act had been introduced.
“We would imagine, in Bangor, that a lot of their customers are Welsh-speakers and a lot of their employees are Welshspeakers. ”
Aran Jones, chief executive of Cymuned, accused the company of “idiotic hypocrisy”.
He said: “Thomas Cook are lovely people when they’re talking about how their tourism doesn’t destroy the lives of Indonesian tribespeople, but not when they’re telling Welsh people they’re not allowed to speak their own language.”
There would definitely be some form of protest against the company, he said.
Yes indeed.
The story also appeared yesterday afternoon HERE on the BBC website.
Sunday, 10 June 2007
It's war!
I missed the Politics Show today, so hat tip to Iain Dale, who writes: "Collective Cabinet responsibility was shattered today as Peter Hain effectovely declared war on Home Secretary John Reid over Stop & Search. Speaking on the Welsh edition of the BBC's Politics Show, Hain said..."
And here is what he said:
I don't believe in macho posturing on law and order and terrorism. The row that you have seen in the papers that John has fanned up, that's a matter for him. I don't mind. It's water off a duck's back, frankly. [People should not be stopped and searched] arbitrarily on the street as Home Office briefings seemed to suggest a couple of weeks ago. We've got to strike a very careful balance between being strong on security and protective of civil liberties... We've got to get away from big spin and macho posturing because that doesn't actually make people feel safer... What you've seen in the papers is actually not true. That's all I'm going to say about it.
How It Was
Hundreds of people marched in Elgoibar, the hometown of Batasuna leader Arnaldo Otegi, demanding his immediate release. Batasuna's second-in-comand, Joseba Permach, criticised the Spanish government and the PNV (Basque National Party) and repeated the nationalist left's commitment to a democratic process for Euskal Herria (the Basque territories in Spain and France).
An article published today by El Pais reveals the the truth behind negotiations between the Spanish government and ETA. Here are the key points:
One month before the Barajas bombing Josu Jon Imaz, president of the centre-right Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) expressed the opinion that the nationalist left were feeling vertigo at the prospect of doing politics without the existence of an armed group to back them up. After over 40 years of ETA perhaps he's got a point.
Holyrood vs Westminster: First Blood
The BBC have been forced to apologise for Kirsty Wark's overly biased treatment of the Scottish First Minister on Newsnight. The Scotsman writes:
It is not the first time Wark has come in for criticism. The presenter is friends with Jack McConnell and drew flak for going on holiday with the former First Minister during the 2004-5 New Year holiday.
The two families had been close friends for some time but the Newsnight presenter was attacked for becoming too friendly with such a senior Labour figure and Mr McConnell was criticised for taking a holiday in Wark's Majorcan villa.
The "Villagate" scandal erupted in January 2005, and in March that year, the BBC dropped Wark as the anchor of its General Election coverage, ending her 18-year tenure in the role.
The Scotsman goes on to describe Salmond as a "Sultan of Spin":
LIKE a general preparing for war, Alex Salmond knew that when he picked his first real fight with London the battleground had to be perfect.
He had to be able to show underhand and anti-Scottish tactics by the UK government, and it had to be on a subject of great and, if possible, emotional importance to Scotland.
When the first details of Tony Blair's deal with Colonel Gaddafi filtered through to the Scottish Executive on Friday, 1 June, Mr Salmond saw an opportunity.
Over the next six days, he showed how skilful he is at using events to maximum political advantage - and how easy he finds it to manipulate opponents and the media.
Mr Salmond became aware of the Blair-Gaddafi deal on Friday. It is understood a Home Office memo went to somebody in the Scottish Prison Service who notified the Scottish Executive.
Then, all Mr Salmond knew was that a memorandum of understanding had been signed between the two governments on a number of legal issues, including prisoner transfer.
This would have alerted anybody involved in the law or politics in Scotland to just one subject: the Lockerbie bombing.
Libya has never hidden its desire for Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi, the Lockerbie bomber, to be allowed to finish his sentence at home.
The UK government has flirted with the idea, while trying to establish better relations with Libya, but diplomats in London insist the two governments have never been even close to an agreement.
MR SALMOND could have privately made contact with the UK government and asked what was going on, or he could have asked if the deal was linked to Megrahi in any way. But he did not.
He did nothing all weekend. He saw the memorandum on Monday and took the issue to Cabinet on Tuesday, 5 May. The Lord Advocate, Elish Angiolini, no longer sits in Cabinet so Mr Salmond held a separate meeting with her on Wednesday.
By Thursday, Mr Salmond had his ambush planned. He had not contacted the UK government and he had said nothing to parliament.
Early on Thursday afternoon, Mr Salmond told the other party leaders he would make an emergency statement at 4:45pm.
Opposition leaders were told the topic of the statement - "international judicial co-operation" - an hour beforehand. They were given the text 20 minutes before Mr Salmond stood up.
Journalists started to hear whispers about just what would be in the statement, whispers that inevitably distorted and exaggerated the actual message.
The timing of Mr Salmond's gambit was masterful. Mr Blair and his most senior officials were all in Germany at the G8 summit at the time. Normally, the Downing Street team prides itself on political omniscience. But on Thursday, the first Mr Blair's team heard of the growing row was in a telephone call from The Scotsman at 4:01pm. There was an immediate
flurry of phone calls back to the Foreign Office in London.
As one of Mr Blair's team admitted, Mr Salmond's intervention put them under huge pressure. "We've got a G8 deal on climate change, the Russians to deal with, [French president] Nicolas Sarkozy is running round talking about the European Union, and now this - not exactly a peaceful afternoon."
There was a similar sense of shock in Whitehall, not least because of the extreme secrecy that had surrounded the Libyan agreement.
Members of MI6 were aware of the memorandum, but around 4pm on Thursday even senior officials at the Foreign Office contacted by The Scotsman had not been fully briefed about the document. "There was a fairly small distribution list [for the memorandum] until this all blew up," said one intelligence source.
Other diplomats learned of it from Sky shortly before Mr Salmond's statement. Those headlines - citing "sources" saying Megrahi was definitely to go home - were proof of the work of Mr Salmond's spin team.
The line that had been quietly offered to journalists was that Mr Blair had "done a deal" to return Megrahi but had told neither the Scottish Executive nor Scotland's law officers.
THE seed fell on fertile soil inadvertently prepared by Mr Blair's refusal to speak to Mr Salmond since his appointment.
So by the time Mr Salmond got to his feet for his statement, the scene was set exactly as he wanted. The outrage in the chamber was almost palpable. It seemed Mr Salmond had a justified grievance, and almost everybody agreed with him.
"He set a trap, and everyone, the opposition and large parts of the media, all charged straight in," said one Labour source last night, adding: "That includes us - we were all over the place for the first few hours. We started to recover by the evening, but too late for the early-evening bulletins and newspaper deadlines."
Jack McConnell, the former First Minister, complained about the lack of advance notice on the statement, giving the clear impression that he had not had time to ring Downing Street and find out what was going on.
But even he said he would have "demanded no less than proper consideration" if he had been First Minister. And in the most striking statement, Annabel Goldie, the Tory leader, accused Mr Blair of "riding roughshod over devolution".
At this point, Mr Salmond was in total control, with both opposition parties and real-time media outlets like Sky and the Press Association retelling his version of events.
It was only when the text of Mr Salmond's letter to Mr Blair was published that cracks started to appear in the edifice. First, Mr Salmond acknowledged that Mr Blair had not done anything legally or constitutionally wrong; what he had done was discourteous and not in keeping with "good government" - hardly a basis for "riding roughshod over devolution".
Then it emerged the Libyan agreement - actually to hold talks about a final deal - mentioned all three jurisdictions in the United Kingdom which have control over Libyan prisoners.
It was effectively an assurance that the UK government was going to consult the Scottish Executive on the issue.
By this time, it was clear that Mr Salmond's complaint was not that the Lockerbie bomber was going home, but merely that Mr Salmond had not been consulted - still a serious grievance, but nowhere near as grave as had been suggested earlier.
LATER in the evening, No10 finally started to get into the battle, first explaining the memorandum was designed to secure the extradition of potential terrorist suspects to Libya, then stressing there had never been any intention to make Megrahi part of the proposed deal.
And shortly before 8pm, the Foreign Office performed a U-turn, publishing the text of Mr Blair's deal with Libya, which made clear that Scotland would be consulted on any agreement.
That was too late for many newspapers, whose headlines yesterday morning made happy reading for Mr Salmond.
"Insult" screamed one front page. "Outrage at secret deal to free Lockerbie bomber" said another. "Salmond is right to voice anger," said a leader comment.
Only yesterday afternoon, when those headlines had sunk in for many voters, did the UK government finally manage a categorical statement of the key fact in this case: that as a prisoner convicted in a Scots court, held in a Scottish jail, there is no legal or constitutional means by which Megrahi could ever leave Scotland without the explicit permission of Scottish ministers.
Mr Salmond had been aware from the beginning that there was never any prospect of the Lockerbie bomber going home against Scottish wishes.
The First Minister may have had some justification for his indignation about the way Mr Blair handled his Libyan talks. But he used the "deal in the desert" to maximum political effect.
Some government spin doctors were last night ruefully admiring his deft handling of the situation. One said: "You've got to hand it to Alex. This was masterful - completely wrong, but perfectly executed. "
However, according to the Herald, The Libyans say that the negotiations were all about al-Megrahi:
Officials in Tripoli said they had made it clear that moving Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi out of Scotland was the main reason for the discussions, despite repeated Downing Street protestations that his transfer had always been excluded from the memorandum of understanding now signed by the two countries.
"Megrahi was the whole point of the talks as far as the Libyans are concerned. It was made perfectly clear to the British officials involved in the talks that the whole aim for them was to get Megrahi back."
Hat tip to Mr Eugenides
"A proper lob sgows"
I asked economist Dylan Jones-Evans what his views were on the WDA fiasco, and whether VAT should be devolved to Wales. Here is the professor's answer:
It is a total fiasco.
I raised this with the Assembly months ago when a number of businesses complained that their contracts were inclusive of VAT but everyone was in denial.
I think it demonstrates what an ill-thought operation the whole 'bonfire of the quangoes' was, and the bringing in of the WDA was a result of a dispute between egotistical individuals rather than a strategy to better Wales.
I remain to be convinced that this was the right way forward for Wales and history may prove me correct.
Of course, what this also means in a competitive environment, the other regional development agencies now, all things considered, have 17.5% more to spend on business development. Given our recent performance in inward investment against other UK regions, as reported in the WM this week, this could be a major handicap.
Worst still, the Assembly is now asking all organisations who deal with them to absorb the VAT costs in any contract.
Over time, that may be possible but many have already built this into their costs for the coming year, which is why we are seeing big redundancies across the enterprise support sector which, of course, directly affects the competitiveness of Welsh business.
Interestingly of course, Finance Wales - formerly a subsidiary of the WDA - is still operating outside of the Assembly (but with the Assembly Government as the 100% shareholder) and able to claim VAT back.
Perhaps that is the model for the future and bodies such as International Business Wales should be dealt with in the same way.
As my nain would have said, a proper lob sgows.
Deprived areas' funds 'unused'
Millions of pounds of public money aimed at helping the most deprived areas of Wales are being sent back unused, it has emerged.
Research by BBC Wales reveals that over £6m of Communities First funds was returned over the last two years.
The full story
Economist Dylan Jones-Evans offers his views on the subject HERE
Sunday blogging
Matt Withers posts on a small ensemble of subjects today, starting with how our beloved Secretary of State considers that trying to frighten people with the prospect of a Tory minister in Cardiff Bay is fine, but doing the same with the prospect of a Tory PM in Westminster is a no-no.
Ceredig offers his analysis on Price's "Red-Green" declarations:
So why talk up a deal with Labour if you're not serious? The answer is to do with internal Plaid politics rather than reality. Price, in particular, needs to try and salvage some credibility on the Left of the party, and needs to try and create a position where he can say that he doesn't really want a coalition with the Tories, but Labour are forcing his hand. It cannot be helping Price's 'socialist credentials' for Nick Bourne to have described the proposed coalition as "An alternative to Socialism in Wales", or for Mike German to have talked about putting together "A non-socialist alternative to Labour".
David Jones MP posts his thoughts on Bob Geldoff's performance at the G8 summit.
Gwe offers up a vision of a fairer 80 seat Assembly.
Luke Young discovers that Prince Phillip is, in fact, a god.
Normal Mouth agrees with Lembit Opik that Rhodri should stand down (or something like that)
Valleys Mam posts on how wealth should stay local.
Welsh Independence offers Plaid a JFK quote.
Deputy Dawgs
The six contenders for the job of Deputy PM came to Cardiff, and they all praised Rhodri Morgan as First Minister, surprise surprise.
Mr Hain said he thought he and the first minister had been a successful team over the past five years. Yes of course you were, Peter. We can see that from the fact that Labour had its all time lowest vote since 1918. That's some real teamwork you got going there.
He added that Labour should hold on to power at any price. A bit like Peter himself really.
Hazel Blears said the Mr Morgan needed to keep his "nerve" over the recent formation of a coalition government after the Welsh Assembly elections. Hazel has travelled from the future, apparently.
"The rainbow coalition will try to destabilise the Labour administration, we have got to expose the double dealing and the two facedness of Plaid and Tories and this will be revealed in the next few months," said the time traveller. Labour, of course, are themselves perfect and unable to stoop to such levels.
Jon Cruddas said many areas of policy in Wales had been "pioneering" and used education and health as examples. Not so much a time traveller as from a parallel universe then.
Harriet Harman said people recognised the work Labour had done in Wales and used the smoking ban in public places, which came into force in April and eradicating child poverty as examples. Yes, somehow child poverty has been eradicated in Wales when we weren't looking.
Alan Johnson said his advice to Mr Morgan would be to discredit the Tories and expose Plaid Cymru. He obviously didn't pay much attention to the recent elections here.
Hilary Benn -the only one not to have travelled from somewhere else in space and time- said Welsh Labour had a difficult election and that people feel bruised and battered.
His advice was to start campaigning now to win back the seats "politics is not about the past, it's about the future", he added. I hope the others were taking notes.
Saturday, 9 June 2007
Red Green deadline
In his latest blogpost, senior Plaid MP Adam Price writes:
The ball, by definition, is in Labour’s court. In the discussions that will inevitably take place next week, they have to make us an offer we cannot refuse. And Labour has to make its position crystal clear regarding a Coalition by Friday at the latest as Plaid Cymru’s National Executive meets on Saturday.
So hopefully this time next week we will know whether Ieuan Wyn Jones will be a Deputy First Minister or a First Minister in waiting.
Adam Answers
Adam responds to my earlier post today. Fortunately he doesn't attempt any more Spanish comparisons and returns to more lucid arguments. He ends his post thus:
What I have never understood is a tendency among some right-wing nationalists that would almost prefer if people like myself had actually joined the Labour Party instead of joining Plaid. This is a bizarre position for people who are ostensibly seeking to win over Labour voters in the south Wales valleys and elsewhere. All that awaits them from the likes of Ordovicus, it seems, is a bucket of well-stirred vitriol.
Ooooooh! Seriously though, what's vitriol? And is it red, green or both?
And that is where Ordovicius is wrong to say that ”The decision has already been made, Mr Price. Ask Ieuan.” I do speak to Ieuan regularly, at least as often as he does
Er, that would be never then.
Otegi arrested
Arnaldo Otegi, principal spokesman for the illegalised political wing of ETA, Batasuna, was arrested yesterday afternoon in what is being seen as an act of political vengeance on the part of the Spanish State, following the end of ETA's ceasefire a few days ago.
In simplified terms, Otegi is the Basque Gerry Adams. The Spanish government is once more demonstrating its inability to find any realistic constructive solution to the Basque troubles. Within the next seven days we can expect to see a mortar attack on Madrid's chief airport or some other act of violence that may result in deaths. Or ETA will try to make a bigger statement and blow a hotel up. Or shoot somebody of import in the head. ETA kill people, it's what they do, and all attempts to defeat them have failed.
The peace process in Northern Ireland began in 1994 with a ceasefire. That ceasefire was broken with the Canary Wharf bombing, but would we have peace now in Northern Ireland had we subsequently arrested Gerry Adams? Of course not. Yet the Spaniards are unwilling to learn from Britain's example, and the bloody merrygoround continues. Part of the problem is this: contrary to the unquestioning consensus regarding Ulster that existed (and exists) in Westminster, there is no consensus amongst the Spanish political parties in Madrid concerning the Basque troubles. The politicians in Spain are failing their electorate by pandering to popular opinion instead of facing the hard cold reality that in this case popular opinion is wrong and a peace process is necessary. As a result the death toll will continue to rise.
Hain up Shit Creek
Yes indeed, our very own Secretary of State not only looks like a loser in the race to be Deputy PM, he may have just pissed on his chips as a future cabinet minister as well.
Norfolk Blogger offers his view on turncoat Liberal Hain, for whom power comes before principles, and the Telegraph has published an article predicting a swift end to Hain's cabinet career, due to the fact that he's managed to piss everyone off in his own party, with the exception of maverick Paul Flynn.
Holyrood TV
Hat tip to Matt Wardman for the link.
As I have Sky, I've long wandered where on earth the Scottish Parliament is televised, other than on BBC Parliament, where the plenaries are -as far as I know- never broadcasted live.
It turns out they are actually broadcasted live on the internet on the Scottish Parliament's website HERE, and are archived HERE.
So how come we can't watch the Assembly on its own website? Sure, we can watch it on S4C2 live, and maybe catch a repeat on BBC Parliament, but how about some archives on the internet? Go on!
Lembo tells Rhodders to go
Loverboy Lembo in an unusual move has decided to take a sudden interest in Welsh politics. Against all the odds he has managed to keep abreast of events at Cardiff Bay.
The Hwntw Mail reports that Lembo has urged Rhodri Morgan to resign as First Minister, rather than be forced out, in the event of the three opposition parties forming a rainbow alliance.
Commenting on Rhodri's attempts to woo Plaid and the Lib Dems, Lembo said that Mr Morgan was doing “what anybody else would do if they didn’t want to lose their job.” I presume this would include not appearing on TV quiz shows when there's an important party conference going on, not carousing on the beach with cheeky girls during an electoral campaign, and not going out of their way to appear in women's magazines every five minutes.
Lembo urged him to step down with dignity when the “game was up.” Oh the irony.
“I think he’s smart enough to know if and when the game’s up.” Unlike a certain Montgomeryshire MP then, eh?
"Any reasonable person would cut Rhodri the slack to go gracefully.” So how much slack does it take, Lembit?
Adam's still at it
Adam Price has now resorted to Spanish politics in his efforts to undermine the rainbow dreams of his party leader, Ieuan Wyn Jones. In particular he refers to Catalonian and Basque politics. Well, as it happens, I'm quite intimate with these areas. Let's have a look, shall we?
Spain - from the time of the Civil War - has long held a hallowed position in the imagination of the Welsh Left...
Er, yes, the 'Welsh Left' then being Labour. Plaid Cymru was a right wing party at the time, judging from Saunders Lewis' support for Franco's mob during the Civil War.
...And it may provide some inspiration now as we face our own ‘moment of decision’
The decision has already been made, Mr Price. Ask Ieuan.
A red-green coalition of nationalists, socialists and left-wing greens has been running the Generalitat in Catalunya since 2003 first under the charismatic former Socialist mayor of Barcelona Pascal Maragall i Mira and now the more unassuming Jose Montilla.
The (left wing) nationalists and greens in this coalition are minor parties. Neither is the main party of opposition, nor anywhere near reaching even third place in Catalan politics.
Montilla is the first president of the Generalitat - which has existed since the Middle Ages - to be born outside of Catalunya - he’s an Andalusian. This posed no difficulty to our sister party in Catalunya - the republican-left Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya - who are civic nationalists with a proud history of left solidarity dating back to the Popular Front during the Civil War.
Esquerra Republicana may be your personal "sister party", Mr Price, but are hardly the 'broad church' that Plaid is supposed to be! And as I said, they are a minor party in Catalan politics.
Now the Basques in Navarre are getting in on the act following last month’s regional elections, with the Nationalist coalition NaBai - made up of the centrist PNV, our left sister party Eusko Alkartasuna and Aralar (a succesor to the banned ETA-supporting Batasuna) -set to oust the previous administration through a coalition with the PSN (the Navarre Socialists).
PNV is a centre-right (not centrist) nationalist party, and has long been the governing party in the neighbouring Basque autonomous region. Aralar is not a 'succesor' to Batasuna, it is in fact a splinter party created by left wing nationalists who oppose ETA. Batasuna still exists albeit illegally, and has asked its supporters to vote at elections for the Basque Communist Party (EHAK) in its absence.
This is a big move for PSOE’s Prime Minister Zapatero because it means sharing power with supporters of ETA.
Er, no it doesn't Adam, because the one thing that Aralar is famous for is NOT supporting ETA. If it did so, it would be banned from politics under Spanish law. You didn't do your homework, Mr Price.
But the socialists, convinced by the success of the Catalan experiment, look set to sign a historic deal with Basque nationalism.
Indeed, but we're talking about Navarre here, Mr Price, where the Basque nationalist parties are, as in the case of ERC in Catalonia, small parties.
On last Thursday's Dragon's Eye Adam Price rightly ruled out a New Zealand style deal, because that deal is one done between a major party and minor parties, whereas Plaid is the largest party in opposition. Yet here he is using the examples of coalitions between a major party and minor ones to advocate a coalition here in Wales between our two largest parties. It is a blogpost badly thought out from start to finish, which only succeeds in demonstrating his lack of familiarity with nationalism within Spain.
Friday, 8 June 2007
All Wales Accord
Here, for your delight and pleasure, I present the All Wales Accord, which is the agreement that would form the basis of a Rainbow Coalition:
Foreword
A new choice, a new chance for Wales
The people of Wales spoke clearly on 3rd May. It is our duty to act on their
strong and confident judgement. No longer can the course of our national
life be dominated by one political party. While we respect the role the
Labour Party has played in Welsh politics for the past 80 years, devolution
has brought a new and exciting dynamic that demands a fresh choice. This
is what the people of Wales want. And it is what we in this All-Wales
Government are determined to deliver.
Over the last 4 years, Plaid Cymru - the Party of Wales, the Welsh
Conservative Party, and the Welsh Liberal Democrats have worked
constructively together in scrutinising the Labour Welsh Assembly
Government. We accepted the challenge to create a more consensus-based
politics, free from the tribalism of the old Westminster system. On this
common ground an ambitious and enterprising programme for government
has been built.
It takes courage to work together and open up politics to new ideas and
wider participation. But we know that the shared values we draw on will
provide stability. The great and radical traditions of Welsh politics, so
rooted in community life, nurture the hinterlands of our respective parties.
It gives us the confidence to present this programme for government to the
Nation.
We know it is a programme that will be ultimately judged not on its
aspirations but on its achievements for the people of Wales.
Ieuan Wyn Jones AM, Leader, Plaid Cymru
Nick Bourne, Leader, Welsh Conservative Group in the National
Assembly
Michael German, Leader, Welsh Liberal Democrat Group in the National
Assembly
Our Common Ground
The principles at the heart of this programme will guide the All-Wales
Government. Our commitment is to make Wales a fairer, more diverse and
stronger nation than it is today. We know that no individual can flourish where
society is weak – and that society cannot flourish where individuals are excluded.
And so we will work creatively to deliver public services that are innovative,
dependable and able to meet the demands of modern life.
We owe it to the future generations that we will not see, to never lose sight of the
environmental challenges that face us now. Their future quality of life is in our
hands today. On the land from which so much fossil fuel was dug, we want
renewable energy technologies to generate sustainable development that can set a
world-class example.
We celebrate the fact that Welsh has survived as a modern language, but we must
now raise our vision and see how Wales can become a truly bilingual nation. Our
precious language is one of Europe’s oldest and most accomplished literary
languages. It belongs to us all, whether we speak it or not. Indeed, its rhythms
flow so freely through English, that it is embedded in the imagination of the
whole nation.
And of course a healthier and more equal Wales will create greater confidence
and enterprise in all areas of life. Devolution offers us the opportunity to
produce more wealth locally, to invest it responsibly, and so achieve a level of
national economic success that fully harnesses the inborn potential of the people
of Wales.
Just as Wales helped forge the co-operative ideal during the Industrial
Revolution, we now offer Wales a new choice based on shared values and cooperation.
Under our All-Wales Government devolution can become more
democratic, open, ambitious and enterprising.
A new chance.
A new choice for Wales.
The Policy Programme
There are seven thematic pillars to our policy programme for the next Assembly
term:
1. A set of measures to promote that nation’s constitutional
development, the achievement of a bilingual society in a
country that is unified while culturally diverse.
2. A new focus on encouraging an enterprising, innovative
economy and a highly-skilled work-force.
3. Concerted action on climate change, energy efficiency
and sustainable development.
4. A forward-looking programme of investment in healthcare
and well-being.
5. Major commitments on social justice, including
childcare, affordable housing, council tax and student debt.
6. A range of actions to promote Wales in the international
context.
7. A deep commitment to developing a new style of
governing.
Each policy area is divided into high-level commitments which are definite
commitments to deliver a policy or a project within the term of the Assembly.
Supporting actions are policy commitments which will be prioritised according to
available funding each year. A document setting out our investment priorities for
the four year-term will be presented in the Autumn following the publication of
the Comprehensive Spending Review. We will set out the detail of our legislative
programme for the next year following the opening of the Senedd term in June.
Pillar One: Building the Nation
Introduction
The National Assembly for Wales is one of the world’s youngest democratic
institutions. We desire, above all else, to see our new democracy put down
strong and deepening roots at local and national levels. We are also united in our
commitment to achieving our dream of a genuinely bilingual country and will
give our national languages official status for the first time in our history. Our
vision is of a nation proud of its past, confident of its future, with prosperity
flowing to every part of Wales. Our culture, as the fullest expression of our
identity and our rich diversity as a nation, will be given the high priority it
deserves.
High-level commitments
We commit to supporting holding a referendum on the transfer
of full law-making powers as set out in the Government of
Wales Act 2006.
We will seek the transfer of further powers to the Assembly in a
range of areas including energy, transport, youth justice, mental
health, and local government and will lobby for the ban on dual
candidacy to be revoked.
We will establish an independent commission to investigate
issues relating to the funding and financial powers of the Welsh
Assembly Government.
We will secure the power to change the system of elections for
local government and hold a national referendum on the use of
the single-transferable-vote early in the term of the Assembly for
implementation by 2012.
We will introduce a Measure to give the Welsh and English
languages official status, to afford language speakers equal
rights in the provision of services, and to establish the office of
Language Commissioner. As with all legislative measures there
will be full pre-legislative consultation on these proposals.
We will issue a National Investment Bond as a means of
generating the capital investment to create a 21st century
national infrastructure
We will request the power to make St. David’s Day a national
public holiday.
We will establish an English language National Theatre and
ensure the National Gallery is a world class institution with a
distinct identity, a strong emphasis on contemporary art and
links to local galleries across Wales.
We will place the delivery of modern world-class public services
and the development of an enterprising economy at the heart of
nation-building.
We will publish a national strategy to develop and encourage
Welsh-medium education from the nursery sector through to
higher education. Appropriate mechanisms will be developed in
concert with local authorities, and the FE and HE sectors,
including the establishment of a Welsh-medium Federal
College/Coleg Ffederal Cymraeg utilising existing HEI
facilities.
Supporting actions
Governance
i. We will review local government finance, building on the
recommendations of the Lyons Report.
The Welsh Language
ii. We will establish a Welsh for Adults Unit with sufficient funding, giving
priority to tutor education.
iii. We will strengthen the planning guidance TAN 20 to include clear
guidelines on how to draw up a language impact study.
iv. We will create additional Language Action Areas, in conjunction with the
mentrau iaith and Menter a Busnes, to support language recovery and economic
development in target communities.
v. We will support the campaign to establish a daily Welsh language
newspaper and will examine all possible means of ensuring its success.
vi. We will set up a powerful Language Unit in the First Minister’s office to
co-ordinate policy across Government.
Culture
vii. We will implement the key recommendations of the Stephens Report on
the arts in Wales.
viii. We will reaffirm the operational independence of the Arts Council of
Wales.
ix. We will establish a national Arts Development fund to support young
talent and seek additional funds from Westminster to establish a National
Archive.
x. We will strengthen the Creative Industries Fund and ensure cultural
industries benefit fully from the next round of Convergence Fund support.
xi. We will increase support for the National Eisteddfod based on an agreed
modernisation programme and enhance financial support for Wales’ other
leading cultural festivals.
xii. We will expand the role of arts, culture and learning in promoting health
and well-being.
xiii. We will develop a ‘duty of care’ towards cultural provision as a legal
responsibility of local authorities.
Pillar Two: An enterprising, innovative and
high-skill economy
Introduction
We are a small nation with a huge and as yet not fully realised potential. To make
progress over the next four years we will invest in our most precious resource:
the skills, enterprise and creativity of our people. We will create the best
environment possible for learning, innovation, business start-up and growth,
giving our young people the biggest stake possible in our future success as a
nation. We will raise our rate of business start-up, our productivity and research
and development spending and begin to close the wealth gap between Wales and
the rest of the United Kingdom, and help place our nation at the leading-edge of
the world-wide knowledge economy.
High-level commitments
We will enhance and extend the business rate relief scheme
throughout Wales, seek to create Enterprise Zones in
disadvantaged areas and to offer corporation tax rebates in the
Convergence Fund region.
We will make it easier for small local firms in all parts of Wales
to win Government contracts and aim for 60% or more of public
procurement to be local or Welsh-based by 2010.
Year-on-year we will make progress on closing the funding gap
between the HE sector in England and Wales, and ensure that
extra funding is tied to new approaches, including the
establishment of a National Science Academy and a Welsh
Institute of Design which will be international centres of
excellence working alongside existing HE institutions.
We remain opposed to the introduction of top-up fees during
this Assembly term and will do everything possible to mitigate
the effect on Welsh students if the Westminster Government
lifts the cap on fees in 2009.
We will progressively drive down class sizes across Wales so
that first each local authority and then each school has average
class sizes below 25, though with some flexibility for small rural
schools.
We will take steps to widen participation in further and higher
education and recognise and enhance the value of vocational
education and skills development.
We will provide additional resources to upgrade school
buildings above the level provided by the previous Government.
We will work with local authorities to ensure that those schools
in greatest need of additional investment, wherever they are in
Wales, will be given the highest priority. New and refurbished
school buildings will be built to the highest environmental
standards
We will initiate a pilot scheme for laptops for children in
secondary schools at age 11 as part of a national IT strategy.
Supporting actions
The Economy
i. We will designate a Minister to lead on developing an enterprise culture.
ii. We will establish a grant scheme to promote the growth of social
enterprises, co-operatives, intermediate labour markets and credit unions.
iii. We will develop a ‘green jobs’ strategy to develop Wales as a world leader
in environmental technology and services.
iv. We will introduce a voucher scheme to allow businesses to commission
the business advice services they need.
v. We will develop an economic strategy for rural Wales based on the
promotion of regional growth centres.
vi. We will review planning regulations and practice with a view to removing
any unnecessary roadblocks to economic development
vii. We will extend business rate-relief to include self-catering establishments.
viii. We will launch a sea-side towns initiative, where possible linked to the
Convergence Fund, to help improve the infrastructure of our coastal resorts.
Higher education
ix. We will appoint a Chief Scientific Adviser to drive forward the
development of a comprehensive Welsh science policy and work with HE
institutions and the National Science Academy to increase the levels of R&D
activity in Wales to the European average.
x. We will support the development of new University in North-East
Wales.
Further education
xi. We will publish proposals on meeting our Future Skills Needs.
xii. We will develop a system of further education which is responsive to the
needs and priorities of employers and the local and regional economy, building
on the good practice and quality provision that already exists in the sector. We
recognise that this is best delivered through a partnership approach between
employers, FE colleges and other training providers, and government.
xiii. We will introduce three year budgets for FE Colleges to ensure they are
more able to plan effectively for the future
xiv. We will promote adult and community learning opportunities which are
related both to employability and the wider benefits of learning.
xv. We will develop a targeted entitlement for first steps into further
education.
xvi. We will ensure a strong voice for Sector Skills Councils in the
development of local and regional commissioning of learning provision.
xvii. We will protect and enhance the role of the Workers’ Education
Association in further education, recognising its unique role in providing adult
learning in some of the most difficult to reach communities.
Schools
xviii. We will maintain and enhance the Small and Rural Schools fund, and
promote federation as a viable alternative to closure. We will fund all schools
through a formula which will provide long-term sustainability, including the
introduction of three-year budgets.
xix. We will develop an enhanced safe route to school programme, investing
in a modern school transport system based on the use of single deck buses,
appropriate supervision or CCTV and an end to the three seat rule.
xx. We will develop an anti-bullying strategy and create a national advocacy
service focused in the first instance on the needs of looked after children.
xxi. We will support the introduction of 20 or 10 mph zones in school
neighbourhoods.
xxii. We will implement the key recommendations of the previous Assembly’s
Education Committee’s review of special educational needs with a particular
emphasis on the need for regional commissioning.
xxiii. We will introduce Saturday and summer schools for sport, music and the
arts on a pilot basis.
xxiv. We will develop proposals to extend compulsory education and
accredited training provision to all 17 and 18 year olds.
xxv. We will strengthen the Welsh Baccalaureate, creating a vocational as well
as academic variant and promote both throughout Wales, providing further
choice alongside existing A-levels.
xxvi. We will provide support for more specialists and peripatetic teachers to
teach subjects as science, maths and languages in primary schools.
xxvii. We will develop opportunities for schools and colleges to twin with local
sports clubs and invest further in sports coaching. This will create new coaching
opportunities, lifelong learning chances and better use of facilities.
Pillar Three: Living Sustainably
Introduction
Climate change is the single most important challenge we will face for the
duration of this century. We are determined that Wales will play its part in
addressing this vital global issue. Creating a sustainable living environment for
future generations is the biggest responsibility that any Government carries and
we are committed to Wales becoming a beacon of global best practice in
sustainable development. Ensuring a truly modern public transport
infrastructure and a flourishing local food production system will be vital
components in our strategy.
High-level commitments
We will aim to achieve annual carbon-equivalent emissions
reductions of 3% per year by 2011. To achieve this end we will
set out specific targets and action programmes for the
residential, business, public and transport sectors. We will
develop an appropriate strategy to achieve these targets by
consulting with appropriate stakeholders.
We will introduce a Climate Change Measure giving an
independent body, such as Cynnal Cymru, the role of
monitoring progress and advising ministers on the setting of
targets.
We will publish and implement a Renewable Energy Strategy
with the aim of achieving a renewable electricity generation
target of 20% by 2015, with a greater emphasis on the diversity
of technologies available beyond onshore wind. We will set out
plans to end our dependence on oil and gas within a generation.
Our long-term aim is that all of Wales’ electricity needs are met
from renewable sources.
We will ensure by 2015 that all new publicly funded buildings
will be built to carbon-neutral standards and generate a
proportion of their own energy on-site from renewable sources.
Each local authority will be required to draw up a local energy
plan setting out its plans to promote micro-generation and
energy conservation.
We will maintain and strengthen our duty towards sustainable
development through the introduction of a national
sustainability index.
We will review the TAN 8 planning guidance policy to ensure it
promotes the full range of renewable energy sources.
We will promote a National Energy Savings Initiative as a onestop-
shop, providing energy efficiency and micro-generation
grants and free low-energy bulbs to households.
We will draw up a firm programme for upgrading North/South
and West-East road links. North-South rail links will also be
improved as a matter of priority, alongside an extended
community rail strategy to help extend business and tourism
links into smaller communities and more remote areas across
Wales. We will also institute a fast, convenient and integrated
north-south coach service
Supporting actions
Renewable energy
i. We will appoint independent advisers and support research to help
evaluate the economic and environmental implications of tidal and estuarial
energy sources.
ii. We will ensure environmental technology and alternative energy are key
research areas for our National Science Academy.
iii. We will publish strategies to develop biomass, energy crops and wood
energy.
iv. We will lobby the UK Government for a minimum price guarantee for all
householders and businesses selling excess renewable electricity back to the
National Grid.
Energy efficiency
v. In addition to our plans for carbon-neutral buildings we will place a
particular emphasis on greening the public sector through measures such as
improved procurement policy to reduce packaging and the use of low energy
lighting and smart meters.
vi. We will seek the necessary powers to develop a sustainable buildings code
requiring all new-builds to have energy-efficiency measures as standard. We
expect these measures to include proper insulation, smart meters and combined
heat and power units.
Sustainability
vii. We will aim for at least 50% of household waste to be recycled by 2011,
and set targets for the phasing out of landfill disposal. We will engage fully with
local authorities on waste minimisation, innovative work on producing energy
from waste and increasing levels of kerbside recycling collection.
viii. We will reform planning guidance to create a presumption of a minimum
500 metre residential buffer zone on opencast developments.
ix. We will revise the planning policy on out-of-town supermarkets so that
their retail impact on town centres is fully considered.
x. We will create a Welsh National Forest of native trees to act as a carbon
sink and to promote bio-diversity.
xi. We will introduce a Welsh Marine Measure as a means of protecting our
coastal resources and promoting sustainability.
Food and Agriculture
xii. We will ensure that 60% of publicly procured food is sourced from Wales
by 2015
xiii. We will create a young entrants scheme in farming. We will also establish
a consultative forum with the Young Farmers’ Clubs network.
xiv. We will seek the powers to implement a statutory code, if necessary, for
regulating relationships between supermarkets and their suppliers. We will
review the whole sector from farm to fork, looking at supermarkets prices, the
supply chain and the processing sector.
xv. We will restore to the agriculture budget the level of funding available
under the previous Tir Mynydd Budget, establish a new agri-environmental
scheme and ensure the Assembly government plays a leading role in discussions
on CAP reform.
xvi. We will develop a strategy for the Welsh dairy sector in close consultation
with the industry.
xvii. We will seek a derogation from the EU regulations which prohibit the
burying of fallen stock on farmers land.
xviii. We will develop a national strategy, coordinating the agricultural industry,
the veterinary and emergency services to respond to and tackle animal diseases.
We will implement a strategy to eradicate bovine TB.
xix. We will oppose the planting of GM crops.
xx. We will support farmers markets and food fairs in the promotion of
Welsh food and drink, and will examine the potential of reduced-cost use of
public sector facilities for these purposes.
Transport
xxi. We will deliver continuing improvement in public transport, including
rail, bus/coach and community transport, ensuring better integration of services
and promoting measures such as co-ordinated timetables and through-ticketing,
and reduce the barriers and complexities in providing and accessing community
transport.
xxii. We will introduce a Transport Measure setting up a National Transport
Authority together with a Transport Passenger’s Committee for Wales and giving
local authorities and the Assembly Government greater powers to introduce bus
services that are more responsive to local need.
xxiii. We will explore new ways of investing in high quality rolling stock in
Welsh rail services, including a bond issue and the Government becoming a full
or part-owner in a stock-leasing company.
xxiv. We will give new impetus to the flagging programmes to extend cycle
paths and urban bus lanes. We will pilot a sustainable travel demonstration town
with an emphasis on increasing levels of cycling.
xxv. We will explore ways of extending the free bus pass scheme to include
local rail services and community transport.
xxvi. We will examine the funding of un-adopted roads
Pillar Four: Health and Wellbeing
Introduction
Poor health has been the hallmark of our nation for our generations. We are no
longer prepared to tolerate that fact. As a matter of urgency we will have to
address the crises in the ambulance and NHS dentistry services and the collapse
in public confidence following Labour’s badly handled reconfiguration process.
But to create the long-term basis for Welsh health and well-being we will invest
in modern primary care services in the community, investing in prevention, in
breakthrough medical research and in the critical areas of mental health, sexual
health and drug and alcohol rehabilitation.
High-level commitments
We will announce an immediate moratorium on hospital
closures and proposals to downgrade services, excluding
those reconfigurations which have received widespread
support or in the case of contracts agreed by the previous
administration which it would be financially prohibitive
to cancel. We will remain committed to a network of
District General Hospitals providing A&E and maternity
services as close as possible to the patient’s home and to
the importance of community hospitals in providing
diagnostic, recuperative and rehabilitation care. Only
after fully costed plans on community NHS provision
have been presented will consultation on any future
reconfiguration of services occur.
We will produce a Charter of Patient Rights, clearly
setting the standards and levels of service that patients
and families can expect from the NHS, and the
information to which they will be entitled.
We will publish a comprehensive well-being strategy for
children, including more resources for physical
education, guaranteed access for every secondary school
and its associated primary schools to an improved school
nursing service, an increase in resources for the school
dental service, an improvement in the nutrition of school
meals, and stricter control on the marketing of junk food.
We will reform the Out-of-Hours Contract to improve
access to services.
The current dental contract will be reviewed in order to
ensure better access to an NHS dentist and we will
expand the use of mobile and salaried dentists as well as
the use of dental hygienists and therapists, placing
greater emphasis on preventative care.
Nurse-led Walk in centres and multi-purpose well-being
centres will be piloted and then rolled out, with different
models being applied in different parts of Wales.
We will seek the devolution of powers over mental health
so that an Assembly measure will be introduced
enshrining the rights to treatment, admission to hospital
and independent advocacy. Additional resources will be
made available for mental health, particularly child and
adolescent mental health services.
Supporting actions
Acute sector
i. We will take steps to improve integration between the Out-of-Hours
service, A&E and the Ambulance Service.
ii. The current nurses’ pay award will be paid in full.
iii. We will review the number of targets within the NHS in order to focus
effort more clearly on clinical need
iv. We will work with hospitals to improve the nutrition of hospital food and
levels of hygiene.
v. We will improve access to modern medicines and examine the potential
for speeding up the approval process.
vi. A National Institute for Health Research will be established in order to
promote medical research and increase the number of clinical trials in Wales.
vii. Additional resources will be made available for the modernisation of the
ambulance service.
viii. We will adopt a zero-tolerance approach to aggression or violence against
NHS staff, requiring all LHBs and Trusts to have robust procedures in place to
deal with those who intimidate staff and to support staff after such incidents.
ix. We will address the poor provision of stroke and diabetes units in parts
of the country.
x. We will invest in upgrading and extending sexual health services
throughout Wales, and support those preventative initiatives that have a proven
track record of success.
xi. We are committed to implementing the recommendations of the previous
Assembly’s Health Committee’s review of cancer services and publishing a
Cancer Plan for Wales.
xii. We will keep adult neuro-surgery services in Swansea.
xiii. We will ensure full funding for the Children’s Hospital as part of a
strengthened Children’s Health Service throughout Wales.
xiv. We will review hospital charges for services such as parking, telephones
and television.
xv. Extra resources will be made available for palliative care.
Primary and community care
xvi. We will ensure the NHS employs more physiotherapists, occupational
therapists and speech and language therapists and extend prescribing by
appropriately trained nurses and pharmacists.
Prevention
xvii. Every four-to-five year old will be given a free toothbrush and toothpaste
as part of an oral healthcare early-years education initiative.
xviii. We will introduce incentives to employers to improve and extend
occupational health services, including health MOTs at work.
xix. We will increase sporting opportunities for children and young people,
women and people with disabilities.
Social care
xx. There will be a clear statement of statutory responsibilities to looked after
children, including an extension of the full duty of care to the age of 21 for all
looked after young people and to the age of 25 for those who remain in full-time
education.
xxi. We will establish a commission of inquiry into the funding of adult social
care.
xxii. We will introduce legislation on the rights of carers.
xxiii. We will require the greater pooling of budgets between Health and Social
Services in order to reduce delayed transfers of care.
Substance misuse
xxiv. We will increase the numbers of alcohol and drug rehabilitation places.
xxv. Substance misuse education will be delivered in every secondary school in
Wales by trained substance misuse professionals.
xxvi. We will address the causes and consequences of substance dependency by
implementing a substance misuse harm reduction strategy.
Pillar Five: Social Justice and Community
Empowerment
Introduction
Every citizen has a right to expect an equal chance to realise their potential
irrespective of their background or circumstances. The right to a home, to an
education, to basic services, to live in safety, to childcare and to dignity in
retirement define us a decent society. As a Government we cannot guarantee
success in life for our people – but we will protect the vulnerable, give everyone
the opportunities they deserve, and empower communities to sustain and
enhance their quality of life. And we are committed to the elimination of
poverty, from the cradle to the grave.
High-level commitments
We will review the National Homelessness Strategy and ensure
viable local homelessness strategies and a sufficient supply of
suitable temporary accommodation are in place in all parts of
Wales.
We will implement a package of measures to address the
problem of affordable housing including First Time Buyer
Grants and a Wales-wide key-workers housing scheme.
We will invest heavily in social and affordable housing,
developing new and innovative sources of capital investment,
including a bond issue and greater investment freedoms by
Registered Social Landlords to deliver community
improvements.
We will reform the planning system to achieve greater flexibility
in the provision of affordable land to meet local housing
demand.
By 2015 we will aim to achieve universal affordable childcare,
using a range of interventions, targeting early investment in the
areas of greatest need.
We will create a new national citizens’ service as a core part of
the schools curriculum to promote volunteering and civic
responsibility in a new generation of adults.
We will provide a discount to pensioner households in respect
of council tax.
We will involve the voluntary and community sectors more
extensively in the planning and delivery of services and we will
place the funding of the voluntary sector on a more secure
footing by encouraging the use of three-year funding cycles.
Supporting actions
Community
i. We will re-establish and enhance the Post Office Development Fund and
examine ways to increase the numbers of services available.
ii. In the field of community safety, we will provide the necessary funding to
secure up to 500 extra uniformed officers.
iii. We will work with local authorities to ensure free access to ATMs,
especially in deprived communities.
iv. We will strengthen community councils, focusing on their role in the
provision of local service and, where appropriate, the delegated power to deliver
local government services.
v. We will give local authorities and community councils a specific power of
promoting community integration and inclusion.
vi. We will work with local authorities to identify ways to improve youth
services and facilities in all parts of Wales, including an examination of statutory
responsibilities.
Equal opportunity
vii. We will introduce a targeted scheme to reduce the levels of debt
experienced by Welsh-domiciled graduates.
viii. We will invest in social services, through dedicated teams in each local
authority area, to increase the level of benefits take-up among those who are
entitled.
ix. We will create a Minister for Children to oversee our Government’s
contribution towards the elimination of child poverty by 2020.
x. We will appoint a Minister for the Valleys to be responsible for social and
economic regeneration strategy across the former Coalfield.
xi. We will promote Wales-wide efforts to support and integrate migrant
workers and prevent their exploitation by unscrupulous employers.
xii. We will review the experience of Northern Ireland in examining the case
for establishing an autonomous Single Equality Body for Wales.
Housing
xiii. We will promote the development of community land trusts in urban and
rural Wales.
xiv. We will encourage a greater role for community-based housing
associations and tenants cooperatives in the provision and management of
housing services.
xv. We will examine the available powers for maximising access to social
housing and strengthen the use of an enhanced Supporting People Grant in order
to protect the vulnerable.
xvi. We will publish proposals designed to mitigate the effect of second
homes on housing markets in rural areas.
xvii. We will introduce legislation to create a unitary social housing tenancy, to
enshrine a tenants’ charter and to ensure that all sizeable new housing
developments include a proportion of affordable and social housing.
xviii. We will set up an affordable housing task group to advice Ministers on
policy in this area during the next four years.
xix. We will work with planning authorities, developers and housing
associations to ensure that more new housing is built to the lifetime home
standard.
xx. We will take appropriate steps to give local councils the additional powers
to deal with long-term empty preoperties.
Pillar Six: Wales in the World
Introduction
Wales has an important role to play in addressing many key global issues.
We will be active in promoting Welsh interests and Wales’ profile,
culturally and economically, within the United Kingdom, the European
Union and the wider world.
High level commitments
We will seek to widen Wales’ membership and strengthen
our position in appropriate international bodies.
We will work towards strengthening the Welsh presence
in Brussels in order to maximise the representational
impact of the Government, local authorities and other
relevant organisations working in concert.
We will seek to agree a protocol with the UK Government
to ensure we can take full advantage of the opportunity to
be consulted on European Commission proposals and to
participate as fully as possible in UK delegations.
We will pursue an investment agreement with the
European Investment Bank.
We will work with the United Nations and other
key interest groups to improve our compliance with
the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and
seek to produce an official Welsh language version
of the Convention.
Supporting actions
i. We will ensure that arts and culture play a more prominent role in
projecting Wales’ international role and image, securing greater overseas
awareness and greater opportunities for Welsh artists, companies and
producers.
ii. We will exploit the high-profile of the Ryder Cup in 2010 to
promote Wales’ international profile and support the bid by the Football
Association of Wales to host the 2016 European Championships.
iii. We will prepare a bid for Wales to host the 2018 or 2022
Commonwealth Games.
iv. We will support the campaign for Wales to become a Fair Trade
nation.
v. We will strengthen the role of the Assembly’s European
Committee, making it an effective tool for scrutinising European
legislation.
vi. We will establish a National Teams Development Fund to
develop new and existing Welsh national sporting teams.
vii. We will support the dot.cym campaign to designate an internet
Top-Level Domain to Wales.
Pillar Seven: Governing Better
Introduction
We want our Government to be the most open, democratic and
accountable in the world. We will involve all our people in the new
pluralist and participatory culture of decision-making we are
determined to create. Wherever possible this also means involving
children and young people, who are citizens now, not just in the
future.
High-level commitments
We will hold open discussions in Cabinet meetings
on a regular basis.
We will establish an Independent National
Commission on National Governance to produce
proposals on governance structures in the delivery
of public services.
We are resolved that no Assembly-funded services
will be made conditional on the possession of the
UK Government’s proposed ID card.
Supporting actions
i. We will develop a citizens’ index of satisfaction to gauge
public support for policies and service levels.
ii. Ministers will answers the public’s questions live on-line
every month, and the First Minister will give a weekly podcast.
iii. We will develop the use of citizens’ juries in evaluating
Assembly policy.
iv. We will enshrine a right of citizens’ initiative through an
enhanced petitions procedure.
v. We will ensure Assembly Departments, including senior
policy-makers, are located in all parts of Wales.
vi. We will ensure more engagement from business, local
authorites and the voluntary sector in the allocation of
Convergence Funding.
Governance Arrangements
Guiding principles
The parties’ objective is to form and maintain in partnership the
devolved Government of Wales, to be described as the ‘All-Wales
Government’, (AWG) until the dissolution of the Assembly
before the election in 2011 (with its Ministers holding office until
the election of the First Minister after the election).
To work effectively, to deliver their Programme, and to achieve
their shared common goals, the parties will need good will,
mutual trust, and agreed procedures which foster collective
decision-making and responsibility while respecting each party’s
identity.
The principles of good faith and fairness will underpin the three
parties’ approaches to all aspects of the conduct of the
Government’s business, including allocation of responsibilities;
the Government’s policy and legislative programme; the conduct
of business and the resolution of disputes.
Close consultation between the First Minister; the two Deputy
First Ministers; other Ministers; and the AMs of the three parties
will be the foundation of the Government’s success.
Collective responsibility
Collective responsibility is accepted by the parties to mean that all
the business of the Government, including decisions,
announcements, expenditure plans, proposed legislation and
appointments, engages the collective responsibility of the
Government as a whole and must be handled with an appropriate
degree of consultation and discussion so as to ensure the support
of all Ministers on a collegiate basis. Ministers have the
opportunity to express their views frankly as decisions are
reached; opinions expressed and advice offered within the
Government remain private (subject to the provisions of the
Freedom of Information Act); decisions of the Government are
binding on and supported by all Ministers; mechanisms for
sharing information and resolving disputes are followed.
To achieve this, the Government will update and publish the
Welsh Ministerial Code and (the Guide to Collective Decision
Making AND/OR the protocol for the All-Wales Government)
to incorporate the principles of collective decision-making and
the procedures to be followed to promote the good conduct of
business, drawing on good practice elsewhere.
Portfolios
The initial structure of portfolios and their allocation between the
parties will be agreed between the First Minister and the two
Deputy First Ministers. The First Minister will formally appoint
Ministers with the Queen’s approval on this basis, in the case of
the Conservative and Liberal Democrat ministerial appointees, on
the nomination of the appropriate Deputy First Minister.
The portfolios and the names of the Ministers, as well as any later
changes, will be announced to the Assembly in plenary session at
the earliest opportunity.
Any changes to the structure of portfolios or their allocation
between the parties during the lifetime of the Agreement will be
agreed between the First Minister and the two Deputy First
Ministers.
The First Minister will nominate the Counsel General with the
agreement of the two Deputy First Ministers.
The roles of the First Minister and Deputy First
Minister
The parties agree that, subject to the approval of the Assembly,
the Leader of Plaid Cymru in the National Assembly will be
nominated for appointment as First Minister and the Leaders of
the Welsh Conservatives and the Welsh Liberal Democrats will be
appointed as Deputy First Ministers.
The First Minister will be responsible to the Assembly for all
aspects of policies and retains ultimate responsibility for all
policies. However in order to provide consistency across
portfolios and the need to engage all parties of the all-Wales
Government normally the First Minister and the two Deputy
First Ministers will be engaged in policy presentation. These
arrangements will be agreed between them and the Permanent
Secretary. Such arrangements will include deputising for the First
Minister in the Assembly and making public announcements; the
Deputy from the largest party shall take precedence.
It is essential that both the First Minister and the two Deputy
First Ministers are kept fully and promptly informed across the
range of Government business, so that they can engage in any
issue where they consider that appropriate. The procedures to be
established for handling business within the Government will
require officials to copy all relevant material to the offices of the
First Minister and the two Deputy First Ministers.
The First Minister and the two Deputy First Minister will have
appropriate official, political and specialist support to enable them
to discharge their roles effectively.
A Cabinet committee will be formed comprising the First
Minister and the two Deputy First Ministers.
The Committee’s responsibility is to ensure the effectiveness of
the AWG. The committee will:
• Monitor implementation of the Programme
• Agree the participation of the partnership parties in public
appointment made by Government when appropriate
• Co-ordination the presentation of Government within the
National Assembly and externally
• Ensure that procedures are in place for the involvement
of all the partnership parties in major Government
announcements
• Subject to external restraints, agree the representation of
the Government in all dealings with the Secretary of State for
Wales; other UK Government Ministers; other institutions at
UK/EU/International level
The Parties’ support for the Government in the
Assembly
The parties should aim to agree on all matters of Government
policy. All three parties are committed to constructive dialogue
between Ministers and backbenchers to build a strong
partnership.
The three Assembly parties will operate in support of the AWG
on all issues covered by this Agreement. Whilst each will make its
own business management arrangements to ensure effective party
support for the Government, the business managers will consult
and co-operate with each other to ensure the delivery of the
Government’s programme.
Whilst preserving the independence of the committee system,
members of the parties serving on the same committee will cooperate
on the formal business and legislation of the
Government.
Matters of new Government policy outside this Agreement must
be agreed by all three parties. In all portfolios, Ministers will meet
regularly with the nominated spokesperson or lead backbencher
from all three parties to discuss policy. Any disagreement should
be referred through internal party mechanisms until all three
parties agree.
None of the parties will support spending proposals brought
before Assembly other than by the Government or covered by
this Agreement unless considered and agreed by all three party
groups.
The parties will agree and put in place appropriate political
arrangements to facilitate an effective working relationship at all
levels, including AMs of all three parties who are not Ministers.
Matters reserved to the UK Parliament, other than those
mentioned in the Programme, are outside the scope of this
Agreement. Whenever necessary, the parties will decide, through
the cabinet Committee, how to deal with such matters on a caseby-
case basis.
Distinctive identities
All three parties recognise the need for parties to be able to
maintain distinctive political identities in Government and in the
National Assembly. They will therefore develop processes for;
• Ensuring appropriate credit for and recognition of the
policy contribution of each party; and
• The expression of the different views publicly and in the
National Assembly which do not undermine the principles of
collective responsibility and good faith or the bases of partnership
working set out in this Agreement.
Disputes
The parties’ objective is that this Agreement will remain in place
until the dissolution of the Assembly before the election in 2011.
To achieve this, they will make every effort to resolve any
disagreements which may arise, particularly those which threaten
its continued operation.
Where a dispute arises between any of the parties or Ministers of
different partnership parties, the matter will be referred to the
Cabinet Committee for resolution by consensus.
Ratification of this Agreement
The parties will ratify this Agreement according to their own
internal procedures.
The Agreement will come into effect after ratification
immediately on signature by the partnership party leaders.
Hat tip to Rhodri Glyn Thomas AM
Salmond's acceptance speach
For those who are interested you can find Alex Salmond's acceptance speach HERE on Matt Wardman's blog.
Blog pickings
Going through my blogroll, the following posts caught my eye:
Aberavon and Neath Lib Dems notes how Peter Hain supports a replacement nuclear power station on Anglesey.
Amanwy notes some similarities between Rhodri Morgan and George Bush.
Betsan Powys has moved her blog. She also attended the Welsh Local Government Association annual conference at Swansea's Liberty Stadium. Andrew Davies and Leighton Andrews were there, but it seems nobody takes them seriously:
I was told more than once but what's the point of engaging with them now about issues like affordable housing when you might have to go through the whole thing with "some other bugger" in a few weeks' time?
Glyn Davies notes how Ieuan Wyn Jones must be spitting nails after Adam Price's recent blogposts.
Rhodri Glyn Thomas seems to have jumped on Mr Price's bandwagon.
Following last night's Dragon's Eye report on the consequences of merging the WDA with the Assembly Valleys Mam details how Wales is losing out, and Wales World Nation calls for Wales to have its own VAT.
Thomas Cook bans Welsh
Thomas Cook have banned the use of the Welsh language at its Bangor branch -despite the fact that at least half of its customers speak Welsh- because the manageress is a monoglot English speaker.
According to sources at Y Cymro:
The whole thing began when some of the staff started wearing the bilingual badges supplied by Bwrdd yr Iaith (these are to show customers that they have a choice of which language to use). Then, because there are more English than Welsh speakers working at the branch in Bangor the manageress decided to ban workers there speaking to eachother in Welsh. Obviously the manageress is monoglot English.
This is a brilliant example of why the policy of leaving the rights of Welsh speakers in the private sector to the "good will" of the companies themselves just does not work. This is why we need a new Welsh Language Act, so that shortsighted bigots like these can't get away with this kind of idiocy. Thomas Cook responds:
"Thomas Cook requests that all staff speak English when discussing work-related matters in the work place. This ensures clear communication at all times and is respectful to team members who do not speak other languages. Thomas Cook employs staff from many cultural backgrounds, therefore the company appreciates its staff may want to talk to colleagues in other languages for anything that is non business-related."
Due to number of students there people often don't realise that Bangor is a Welsh speaking city. Thomas Cook have no idea what they've let themselves in for.
Cold War averted?
A surprise proposal of a joint US-Russian radar base in Azerbaijan seems to have diffused tensions and caught Washington off guard. The bilateral talks between Vladimir Putin and George W Bush conducted on the sidelines of the G8 summit certainly appeared to go better then expected. Both presidents had gone into the meeting on a wave of cold war rhetoric but emerged talking about co-operation and common interests. Vladimir Putin explained that the radar system was rented by the Russian military and was in Azerbaijan and known as "Gabala."
The base would remove the need for a US radar system in the Czech Republic - one of Moscow's objections to the US planned defense shield. The installation covers precisely the areas of the world where the threat from rogue states is most acute- the Middle east and Indian Ocean basin. Back in the 1990s the Gabala station was once offered by Azerbaijan to NATO for use as a possible base. President Bush's comment after the talks was that the idea was "interesting".
Source
Coalitions akimbo
Rumourmonger extraordinaire Vaughan Roderick is at it again, this time picking up on the fact that Jonathan Morgan AM will not be attempting to take the parliamentary seat of Cardiff North in the next Westminster elections:
"That's an interesting decision if one remembers that he would have had a very good chance of taking Cardiff North for his party.
"What has convinced the young ambitious man to miss out on such a chance? It's unlikely that he'd turn his back on Westminster just to spend time in the Assembly on the opposition benches."
He then goes on to speculate on something Peter Black said on his blog today:
"Judging by the activity going on behind the scenes, some of which is making the news, the rainbow coalition remains the favourite but a number of other runners are catching up fast on its blind side."
Vaughan speculates:
"What are the 'other runners' I wonder? Is Peter suggesting that there's something afoot between Labour and the Liberal Democrats?"
Meanwhile, Adam Price has responded to the responce to his blogpost yesterday, especially a post by Normal Mouth. You can read Normal Mouth's responce to Adam's responce to his responce HERE. Yes, that's a lot of responce.
Adam writes:
Ordovicius says my blog proves why I will never be First Minister - which is fair enough though I suspect I was never his cup of tea to begin with.
Note that he doesn't dismiss the idea of becoming First Minister -and therefore leader of Plaid Cymru in the Senedd- at some future date. As for cups of tea, Mr Price was initially my favourite candidate for the top job in his party, until I noticed he kept going on about socialism. On the matter of socialism he writes:
Plaid’s ’socialism’ is of a very different stripe to that of the British Labour Party - decentralist, anti-statist and libertarian, it is deeply suspicous of the top-down Fabian centralising instincts of Labourism. It belongs to that other tradition of the Left - the Guild Socialists, the Co-operative Movement, and the syndicalists of the Miners’ Next Step.
Decentralist, anti-statist and libertarian is my cup of tea, but it isn't really socialism -not by most people's understanding of the word. Personally I think the 'left-right' spectrum is out of date, and that a 'libertarian-authoritarian' spectrum is of more relevance. However, many of Plaid's policies would result in an over-dependence on the British State, and decentralist libertarian policies need to be applied to economy and business as well. We can be self-governing and dependent on the British state, or we can be self-governing and economically independent. Ive already posted on this HERE.
Thursday, 7 June 2007
Red and Green
Translated from a Vaughan Roderick blogpost:
The future of the Assembly government is back in the balance. For the first time a prominent Labour member has suggested publicly that Labour could form a coalition with Plaid Cymru.
In an interview on the programme Dragon's Eye the Health Minister Edwina Hart said that she would be happy enough to sit at the Cabinet table with Ieuan Wyn Jones.
Edwina was responding to Adam Price's call for a coalition between his party and Labour. Rhodri Morgan's spokesperson was more prudent, saying that he was still waiting for a reply from Ieuan Wyn Jones to his letter inviting him to further discussions.
What are the implications of the latest tricks? Well i suspect that Adam is trying two things. Firstly he wanted to see if Labour's position on a formal coalition had changed. I also suspect that he was expecting the reply to the question to be negative -a reply that would strengthen the argument of Rainbow supporters.
What then was Edwina's motive in giving her affirmative answer? I suspect that it was an attempt that not everyone in Labour is totally opposed to the idea of a red-green coalition. This might tempt Ieuan back to the table and if that doesn't happen the hand of Rainbow opponents within Plaid Cymru will be strengthened.
"Elections in 2009" says Brown
Hat tip to Tartan Hero
The following is taken from the Sunday Herald. It's old news by now, but I thought I'd post it anyway:
GORDON BROWN yesterday let slip that the next general election is likely to be held in 2009. The prime minister-in-waiting made the claim when answering questions from Labour supporters at a leadership hustings event in Glasgow.
He later tried to backtrack by referring to "whenever the general election comes in the future".
Brown's gaffe came as he addressed a 350-strong audience in Glasgow about his plans for becoming Labour leader, a vacancy created by the resignation of Tony Blair.
It was while answering a question about Labour in the 1980s that he gave the 2009 date. He told his questioner: "I became an MP in 1983. We are never going back to the circumstances we had then."
Brown went on to argue that Labour had failed to listen to people's concerns in the 1980s.
"That's what we have tried to do over the last 10 years," he said.
"That is why, when I was asked about what we can do to make it possible for us to win more seats in 2011 the next scheduled Scottish parliament election and win the general election in 2009, we have to be the Labour Party listening and involved with the people of this country."
The meeting was then briefly suspended when a fire alarm went off. Activists returned to the meeting hall and listened as Brown clarified his remarks.
SNP save John Reid's hospital
Iain Dale posted this gem today, coinciding with talk of the NHS here in Wales:
SNP Saves Hospital That Labour Wanted to Close
I wonder if John Reid will be writing Alex Salmond a thank you note. The new SNP Executive has fulfilled a manifesto commitment and reversed a decision by the previous Lab/Lib Coalition to close the A&E unit at Monklands Hospital. According to The Herald:
"Home Secretary John Reid whose constituency includes Monklands was one of the first to welcome the move, even though it is the result of the SNP taking power from Labour in the Scottish Parliament.' It is the outcome that myself and other local representatives have been fighting for' said the former Westminster Health Secretary"
Indeed.
Housing on the agenda
One group of politically active people who are optimistic about the future following the recent elections is the communities pressure group Cymuned, who are campaigning for the establishment of local affordable housing markets in Wales.
Both Lord Elis-Thomas, Llywydd of the Assembly, and Welsh Tory leader Nick Bourne have given their backing to Cymuned's call for the matter to be discussed in the Senedd, and yesterday Rhodri Morgan declared that it was his intention to create a Legislative Competence Order on housing.
"This is a genuine opportunity to make an enormous difference to the people of Wales. We will be working hard to arrange a national conference on housing, and we look forward to seeing if the Labour party's 'inclusive' politics will involve open and frank discussions with groups such as ourselves." said Aran Jones, Cymuned's Chief Executive.
However, despite the optimism there is some dissappointment at Labour's attempts to keep the Conservatives out of any talks. Affordable housing is, after all, an issue that is too important to be denegrated by party political tribalism.
Both Lord Elis-Thomas, Llywydd of the Assembly, and Welsh Tory leader Nick Bourne have given their backing to Cymuned's call for the matter to be discussed in the Senedd, and yesterday Rhodri Morgan declared that it was his intention to create a Legislative Competence Order on housing.
"This is a genuine opportunity to make an enormous difference to the people of Wales. We will be working hard to arrange a national conference on housing, and we look forward to seeing if the Labour party's 'inclusive' politics will involve open and frank discussions with groups such as ourselves." said Aran Jones, Cymuned's Chief Executive.
However, despite the optimism there is some dissappointment at Labour's attempts to keep the Conservatives out of any talks. Affordable housing is, after all, an issue that is too important to be denegrated by party political tribalism.
Rethinks and reconfigurations
The body that represents the Welsh Health Services has said that the government shouldn't delay too long before reorganizing hospitals in Wales. The comments came in the wake of Rhodri Morgan's decision to put a halt to his plans for the NHS.
According to the Welsh NHS Confederation, though the political landscape may have changed, the needs of the NHS hadn't.
Rhodders admitted that he had failed to convince the public that change was necessary. Actually that's not true. The public want change, just not the changes you had planned.
Using a target system may have seemed like a shiny new idea to Welsh Labour, but it actually debuted in Vietnam, where entire villages of innocents were slaughtered in order to meet body count quotas. Similar though less dramatic results occured in our hospitals, with nurses unable to care properly for patients because their targets gave them no time to do so. Targets don't work. They remove the human factor.
Rhodri is looking at the opposition for their ideas, afraid to step out of line lest a disagreement on Health lead to a no-confidence vote.
Meanwhile Mike Ponton, head of the Confederation, says that the need for specialised treatment and for a cut in young doctors' work hours mesns that the way hospitals are run must be changed.
Ego alert
I've only just noticed that my recent appearance on 18 Doughty Street made it onto their Best of the Week show. Mwahahahaha!
Euronewsround
A European forum on children's rights has opened in Berlin, the first session dedicated to fighting pedophilia. The EU states and institutions, plus the UN, the Council of Europe and national observatories discussed best practices.
Moving another step closer to a consensus... Portugal's prime minister has said he agrees with the idea of a simplified treaty for the European Union, to get it out of its institutional impasse.
Jose Socrates was meeting new French President Nicolas Sarkosy in Paris. The host has adopted a 'slimline treaty' as a top priority. Last week Spain added its voice to this approach, increasing the prospects for some sort of deal to be struck at the EU summit less than three weeks away.
The EU is willing to go a long way in shopping for energy, and Turkey enjoys advantages as a fuel corridor for Europe. But at the same time Ankara must insure Turkey's own growing needs.
Several countries are writhing to reduce their dependence on Russian routes. For nearly a year now, Caspian oil has gone around Russia, through the BTC pipeline, from Baku, Azerbaijan to Tbilisi, Georgia to Ceyhan on the Turkish Mediterranean coast - more than 1,700km. The BTC is funnelling at nearly its full capacity already, and the tankers that load up at Ceyhan have to navigate increasingly busy sea lanes.
Turkey's strategic importance to the EU as an energy hub has been clearly spotlighted at a conference in Istanbul. The European Union and business leaders have appealed to Turkey to join a European Energy Community to help boost investment in its power sector.
But the country is reluctant to act hastily, not wishing to fritter away potential bargaining power in its quest to become a full EU member state.
No compromise over future passenger rail liberalisation has been reached between the EU governments and the European Parliament.
There is an agreement in principle, dating from January, concerning opening up international traffic by 2010, but it does not cover the national markets.
The rail freight market became completely liberalised in January. The passenger side comes up for debate in the parliament again later this month.
The European Union's executive body insists that while fighting illegal migration, the bloc should improve the protection of "real refugees".
Brussels encouraged the governments to agree a common policy on asylum seekers by 2010 - and on sharing the burden of handling their applications and giving them shelter.
Brussels has urged the EU Member States to swiftly provide the practical means to deal with the bloc's illegal immigration problems at sea.
EU commissioner Franco Frattini drives home the idea of sharing the responsibility to take in migrants.
He said: "I need real cooperation. Several countries promised to make boats, planes and helicopters available for Frontex. (That is the European Union's external border control agency.) I have that on paper but I still don't have it really."
The guests have all arrived for the Group of Eight summit in Heiligendamm on Germany's Baltic coast.
Last to land was Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose fierce rhetoric over the US missile system has been the focus of the build-up to the talks.
Putin has been assured by US President George Bush that the European-based missiles pose no threat to Russia.
Police have used water cannon to disperse groups of protesters trying to disrupt the Group of Eight meeting of world leaders in Heiligendamm, Germany.
The authorities say they responded after being pelted with stones. Police reported that a number of their officers suffered injuries.
As many as 10,000 demonstrators are violating a ban on protests in the area around the summit and risk arrest.
The German Chancellor wants a 50% reduction in global gas emissions by 2050, but Angela Merkel knows full well that will be a difficult target to meet, nigh impossible without the full support of the Americans.
A jury in Rome has acquitted all five defendants charged with the 1982 murder of Italian financier Roberto Calvi, known as "Gods Banker" because of his links to the Vatican.
Wednesday, 6 June 2007
Welsh Blog Awards 2007
The English are doing it all the time, so seeing as no Welsh blog would ever get nominated for a UK blog award, let's do our own ones.
You can take part HERE
Government by Press Release
Rhodri Morgan denies accusations of releasing the contents of his letters to Ieuan Wyn Jones and Mike German to the media. Vaughan Roderick hints that the opposition were refering to his blog post prior to today's plenary. Nice try Vaughan, but no banana. The fact is (and it is a fact) that the BBC were practically handing out descriptions of the key points of both letters this morning left right and center. So is Rhodri a liar, or just ignorant of what his confidents are doing behind his back?
Adam prefers Rhodri
Adam Price demonstrates HERE both why he could never be a First Minister in the Assembly and how out of touch he is with at least half of Plaid's voters. Someone should tell him that the Welsh Tories aren't scary anymore, and that becoming Labour's sidekick is not a vote winner, not under any conditions.
Rhodri's letters
Hat tip to Vaughan Roderick
In his letter to Mike German Rhodri offers the chairmanship of the Budget Commitee to the Lib Dems and suggests that the commitee review the Barnett Formula.
In his letter to Ieuan Wyn Jones Rhodri suggests establishing a committee of four AMs and MPs from Plaid and Labour to prepare for a referendum on full legislative powers for the Assembly. He also offers a weekly meeting with Plaid's leader to discuss Assembly business.
The two letters include a promise to freeze the process of reorganizing Welsh hospitals and a rethink of Labour's previous plans.
The letters to Mike and Ieuan are both three pages long. Nick Bourne also received a letter, but it consisted of a mere ten lines promising him a voice in public appointments.
No putting up with Putin
Despite Bush stating today that he wishes to cooperate with Merkel on climate change, Russian threats of a second Cold War will overshadow this year's G8 meet-up.
Political analysists suggest that such posturing by Putin is merely talk to gain political capital in Russia's upcoming elections. This may be the case, but nevertheless relations between the Russian Federation and the West are at an all time low.
The US, the Czechs and the Poles will not budge on the matter of the US defence projects in Eastern Europe, and let us hope that the rest of the EU don't try to undermine them. The Czech Republic and Poland are both EU states and members of NATO, and although much of their energy is supplied by the Federation it is no longer Russia's place to tell them what to do. They're in the West now. What is more, they are -like us here in Wales and the UK- fellow EU citizens, and the EU cannot afford to have any truck with the Federation's attempts to divide the Union on former Cold War lines.
Open doors, open minds
Open doors and open minds, that was Rhodri's catchphrase for today's Sesiwn Lawn in the Senedd. Presenting Labour's legislative programme for the third Assembly's first year, Rhodri talked of the following things:
Three Measures, an NHS redress Measure to be completed before the summer break, an Education Transport Measure and a reform of the 14-19 curriculum for the autumn.
Six Legislative Competence Orders, "LCOs" or "Elcos" as Rhodri calls them. These include an LCO on additional learning needs to be debated in the Senedd next week, an LCO on environmental protection and waste management to be debated the following week, an LCO on child poverty and vulnerability and an LCO on homecare and non residential social services. Addressing Plaid, Rhodri said he would be seeking detailed discussion on an LCO dealing with mental health; addressing the Lib Dems he said he would be seeking detailed discussion on housing, the environment and the Welsh language. Rhodri subsequently had to eat a slice of humble pie ("I apologise for treading on eggshells") when the leader of the opposition, Ieuan Wyn Jones, pointed out that Plaid had also presented Labour with very detailed proposals on the Welsh Language, not just the Lib Dems.
Labour's gameplay was immediately clear. As Vaughan Roderick predicted on S4C2 minutes before the Chamber session began, they sought to drive a wedge in the rainbow between the Tories and the two other opposition parties.
He failed.
Rhodri had written to both Mike German and Ieuan Wyn Jones shortly before the session began. He had left Nick Bourne out of the loop. Bourne revealed that Mike German and IWJ had sent him copies of these letters; in other words: the rainbow leaders are in cahoots, and if Labour approach one of them the others will be informed. Bourne accused Labour of "government by press release", refering to accusations that the contents of these letters had been released to the press before they could be read by their recipients, let alone commented on by them. Bourne also claimed that Labour's proposals on environmental policy were "timid", and that there could be "no opting out on environment", refering to a statement by Rhodri that CO2 reduction targets were not applicable in Wales because the CO2 levels were dependent on whether the steelworks in Port Talbot had a good or a bad year.
Mike German also said something, but by then I was eating my dinner.
This was a lot less arrogant performance by Rhodders, but I seriously doubt that it will be enough to prevent a rainbow coalition taking over later this year.
Tuesday, 5 June 2007
Leanne Wood: Unionist?
Leanne Wood, defending her decision to Boycott the Queen closes by saying "If you want to know more about the arguments against the monarchy go to: http://www.republic.org.uk/".
Er, that's a British republican site, Leanne. So are you a unionist now?
Week In Week Out
Ieuan Wyn Jones, Michael German, Nick Bourne and substitute Labour leader Carwyn Jones face Betsan Powys in the Senedd. Are we any the wiser? Well yes, at least in having our suspicions confirmed. Tomorrow Labour will present a programme for "potential legislation" and pretend to seek a consensus. Ieuan Wyn Jones will await Plaid's National Council vote on a rainbow and then will find a suitable excuse to end Labour's minority government without looking like he's doing so "willy-nilly". Nick Bourne and Mike German are looking forward to becoming cabinet ministers and are already poo-pooing Labour's minority government. Carwyn Jones on the other hand is grooming himself to become leader of the opposition.
18 Doughty Street launches video podcast
Ground breaking Internet TV channel 18 Doughty Street is today launching a new video podcast service.
Since its launch in October 2006 the station has followed an organic model of change, often lead by viewer feedback, making it one of the most viewer-controlled stations in the UK. One thing the viewers have screamed out for in their droves is the provision of a podcasting service.
The station's Head of Technology and Web Marketing, Mike Rouse, explains more:
"We received a lot of emails about podcasting right from day one and have been working on the development since then. Most people just wanted to be able to catch up with our programming whilst on the way to work or on a long journey and we certainly wanted to tap into this market. The problem was always that the methods of delivering such large video files was both expensive and required substantial internal resources. But, thanks to Daily Motion we have been able to get our podcast up and running quickly and easily."
Daily Motion is a video website that started in France and was popularised by the recent French presidential elections. Since then the site has set up UK and US-based versions and has been working with a range of content partners to enhance its portfolio.
Iain Dale is one of the station's founders and explains:
"We were very keen to work with Daily Motion from the minute they contacted us. They have a great website that gives us a lot of options and facilities. They have kindly agreed to power our "Best of Yesterday" podcast, which is going to open our content to a much wider audience."
The podcast will feature selected clips from the previous night's programming and is expected to be around 10 minutes in length and made available by around noon on the following day.
Iain Dale continues:
"If you missed out on a programme you can sit on the train with the podcast on your iPod loaded up with the best three or four moments from the whole night. If that whets your appetite you can come back to the website and watch the entire programme through the On Demand Player."
The service launched on Tuesday 5 June and can be found by going to www.18doughtystreet.com and clicking the 'podcasts' link from the sidebar.
ETA end ceasefire (again)
Spain is bracing itself for a renewed terror campaign by ETA after the Basque separatist group announced it would end its ceasefire at midnight.
The group has warned of new attacks "on all fronts."
It is feared a big ETA bombing could be imminent.
The news is causing grave concern across the country. It is also a bitter personal blow to Spain's Socialist Prime Minister.
Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero had defied criticism from opposition conservatives to open up exploratory peace talks with ETA.
Today he declared that its decision to call off the truce was radically opposed to what Basque and Spanish society want, which he said was peace.
He told reporters that the path to peace has only one end and that is abandoning weapons once and for all. And he added that this path could only be taken by completely giving up violence.
It was March 2006 when the ceasefire was announced by ETA, which has killed over 800 people in its armed campaign for Basque independence.
Now, blaming the government, the rebels say they are ending the truce because of "arrests, tortures and every type of persecution."
As far as many Spaniards are concerned, it was effectively over in December. That is when an ETA bomb killed two people at Madrid airport.
Although the attack shattered the peace process, ETA maintained the ceasefire held. Now however the group is once more openly embracing violence.
Source
Sovereignty first
Wales is one of the few non-independent countries in the world to be recognised as a nation by the state that controls it. This may be an unwritten recognition, but it is still one of the points where Wales differs from the Basque Country and Catalunya, where such nominal recognition is a contentious issue. Admittedly, there are still many in the UK who get their terminology in a twist on the matter, and their are plenty of people in England who think they own Wales, but that's their problem, not ours.
With the arrival of the Queen today, the discussion of monarchy and republicanism has arisen. Nationalists are (at least nominally) republican, but they're Welsh republicans, not British ones. By boycotting the Queen, Leanne Wood and Bethan Jenkins -instead of advertising Welsh independence- have advertised British republicanism. British republicanism is unionism, and as such is opposed to nationalism. British republicanism cannot guarantee democracy for Wales, and were the UK to become a republic there is no guarantee that such a republic would support devolution (see France).
What Wales needs constitutionally is sovereignty. Wales is a nation with its own democratic institutions, and the integrity of these institutions and indeed the Welsh nation need to be recognised as being sovereign. This isn't the same as declaring independence, it's merely pointing out that this is our country, this is our Senedd, and that we alone have the right to decide our own future, and that no one in Westminster has the right to undermine the integrity of our nation, whoever the head of state may be.
Ar agor
Assembly opening summary: the Queen came, the Queen saw, the Queen went. But who on Earth wrote those speeches?
Monday, 4 June 2007
"Celebrities" back boycott
Bethan Jenkins posts on her decision to boycott the Queen:
"As a Welsh person, I do not see how the Monarchy is relevant to my everyday life, and to my generation. Of course, people are free to their opinion in support of the Monarchy, but I am equally free to criticise what I believe is an indefensible, undemocratic system.
"I want to create a truly democratic society, where inheriting power and privilege is consigned to the history books. Most of our European neighbours have successful democratic republics, and every new democracy that has emerged over the past thirty years has chosen to be a republic. There is nothing taboo or radical about being a republican in the 21st Century."
Leanne Wood is quoted as saying:
"I have held my republican views all my life like many of the well known names who have written with their support. The royal family are irrelevant to the people of Wales and so there should be no need to have a royal opening of the third assembly. My allegiance is to my constituents and the people of Wales, not to the monarchy."
"There are people on both sides of this debate with strong views. I respect the views of both those who support the monarchy and those who don't. Debate on this issue is long overdue. I disagree with an unelected head of state, so I don't feel I can attend the event at the Assembly. I look forward to the day when Wales is a republic and we can hold events like this without a royal presence."
They're both being backed by Welsh "celebrities", though to be frank the only name among them I recognise is Catrin Dafydd. The others include Benjamin Zephaniah, Polly Toynbee, Peter Tatchell, and Clare Rayner. Isn't Clare Rayner an English agony aunt?
My other blogs
Despite currently having links on my Ordovicius webpage to my Welsh, Spanish and German blogs, these aren't versions of this blog. I did toy with the idea, but decided it would be too much like work.
e-clectig, my Welsh blog, is not a political blog, though I have posted some political stuff on it during and since the election. This will return to being an eclectic blog on popular culture, where many of the posts are translations and adaptations of published articles found mostly on the internet. My favourite posts since starting the blog last year are:
The life of Arthur Machen
Nyarlathotep, a short story by HP Lovecraft
Quantum Holograms: The Holographic Paradigm
The Cocteau Twins
Zen
ETA
Star Wars: the TV series
Chaos Magick
My Spanish blog is primarily to inform friends in Spain of what I'm up to, with infrequent posts describing aspects of Welsh politics and culture.
My German blog is more of an afterthought, and may well be scrapped at some point this year.
My other Welsh blogs are Goruwchofod, a blog on astronomy, and a science fiction blogel called Y Rhithwyr. The former is now redundant as Ive decided to post any further astronomy articles directly on Wicipedia, and the latter is far from completion, though it is possibly the first blogel in Welsh ever.
I started blogging at the end of 2004, but my oldest blogs -such as Mhresenoldeblog, Euroblog, Blerwm Blerwm, Project Blue Blog, and many others- have long since been deleted.
Normal Mouth
Despite being described by some as a "new" blog, Normal Mouth has been posting since 2005, and in my opinion is without a doubt the best Labour blog in the Welsh blogosphere. In fact, "it's so good I can't believe it's Labour". (Almost) always thoughtful and indepth, Normal Mouth has a knack of picking out aspects of Welsh politics that most of us haven't even thought about. Kudos.
Arsembly notes
Congrats to Joe Allen of Assembly Notes for posting this pic. I wonder where the grave is located?
Dylan in the land of Oz
Dylan Jones-Evans had his say yesterday on the matter of a rainbow coalition:
There has rightly been debate within the opposition parties as to how they should work together in office, although the sight of some Assembly members wrapping themselves up in a cloak of ideological respectability to cover their own naked leadership ambitions has been thoroughly unedifying.
This is in stark contrast to the situation in France, where the new right wing President has appointed a reactionary socialist as his Foreign Minister and, by promising ‘to govern for the whole of France’, has put his nation ahead of party politics.
It is a shame that, up to now, we have not been able to do the same here in Wales.
After eight years in power, it is not surprising that Labour’s election manifesto lacked imagination, a position reinforced by the announcement of the same South Walian faces around the cabinet table.
In contrast, the coalition agreement between the opposition parties has progressive policies that would receive widespread national support. For example, many would back the call to scrap Labour’s hospital closure programme, whilst small firms would applaud any decision to extend business rate relief. For young people in North Wales, the significant investment in affordable homes would help address the problems many face in getting onto the housing ladder.
Most significantly, the people of Wales – and not a Secretary of State in Westminster - would be given the choice to decide whether the Assembly should have further law making powers. If the Welsh Conservatives – a party previously opposed to devolution – can come so far as to agree such a radical programme, then there is no reason why the other parties cannot do the same.
Dolly Parton once sang that if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.
Yes, there will be difficulties within any coalition government which contains members with different political histories, but if it results in a real change in the fortunes of this great nation, then all political parties will have to just learn to get their umbrellas out for the good of Wales.
A new Cold War?
President Vladimir Putin's threat to target missiles at Europe indicates that the hostility between Russia and the West is more than a passing phase. It has become a permanent part of world diplomacy, reports the BBC:
"A new Cold War" and similar descriptions do not catch the reality of this new and antagonistic relationship. It is possibly a long-term one, based less on the ideology of the Cold War confrontation and more on a big power uneasiness that each side might just have to live with.
Spain backs constitution consensus
Spain has aligned with other countries in favour of a swift compromise to give the European Union a treaty for institutional reform. Till now, socialist Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero had always stuck to the long-play version which his country was the first to ratify, in 2005, after which French and Dutch voters rejected it.
Welcoming new conservative French President Nicolas Sarközy in Madrid, the host said: "Spain supports a basic treaty which keeps the essential content, and which suits all the EU countries." German Chancellor Angela Merkel is hoping to clinch a treaty deal at a summit in three weeks time.
In Berlin, Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt hinted a consensus might be close: "What we want is to safeguard the substance of the constitutional treaty." The leaders are grappling towards an alternative to the draft EU constitution which could give the bloc a long-term president and foreign minister, and adjust decision-making for common policies.
Source
Euronewsround
A 96% majority of coastal bathing areas in the EU countries meet EU hygiene standards - 89% of bathing sites in rivers and lakes, according to the bloc's latest annual bathing water report.
George W. Bush's statement on greenhouse gas emissions is nothing but a smoke-screen, says Germany's environment minister. The reaction of the European Union's environment chief was to dismiss it as "unambitious, vague, the classic US line," he said, with no mandatory reductions.
New European Union chemical safety rules are now in effect. The EU law known as REACH requires the properties of roughly 30,000 chemicals produced in or imported into the bloc to be registered. This should help assess their effect on living things. The European Chemicals agency has just opened in Helsinki. Companies now have 18 months to collect information for the "pre-registration" phase.
In the face of growing obesity rates, the European consumer defence bureau BEUC has criticised the European authorities for leaving it up to the food industry to self-regulate its commercial behaviour. And yet, if not enough action is shown within three years, new EU rules could be imposed.
Tory shadows and the rainbow
The Welsh Conservatives have announced their shadow ministerial team. The big question is of course which of these shadow ministers will keep hold of their portfolios in a rainbow coalition.
A rainbow cabinet of nine ministers would include Nick Bourne as Deputy First Minister plus two or three other Tories, among them most likely David Melding, who would in all probability (?) keep hold of his economic development portfolio.
Archbishop has his say
The Archbishop of Wales (Dr Barry Morgan) has criticised new law-making powers which are coming into force in the third Welsh Assembly Government.
He criticised a "cumbersome and clumsy method of governance" which entails the Welsh assembly petitioning the Secretary of State for Wales, who in turn asks the Government for time to introduce Orders in Council in Parliament, to give the Assembly powers to pass legislation within the boundaries of each order.
The church leader called it a "rather a demeaning way of setting about things".
He added: "It is a very tortuous process, even when the governments in London and Cardiff are of the same political hue. If they are not, relationships could be fraught and the governance of Wales would suffer as a result.
"If Wales, like Scotland, is mature enough to have a legislature it ought to be responsible for law making itself and not have to petition the Secretary of State and Westminster for the right to do so," Dr Morgan added.
He also criticised the assembly government for not publishing a guide to explain the new Act's implications to the people of Wales.
Dr Morgan said the movement Cymru Yfory had taken it on itself to produce a guide, as an act of public service
The Archbishop is right, of course, though I suspect most of us had no idea who exactly was the Archbishop of Wales until now. Perhaps he felt he should say something after his Catholic counterpart Peter Smith spoke up yesterday to say that AMs who supported abortion should (of their own volition) not receive communion in the Catholic Church.
And there was me thinking we live in a secular society.
Presidents and Queens
Continuing the theme of republicanism v monarchism and an independent Wales, there are (of course) different kinds of models when it comes to choosing the Head of State.
Firstly, a Dominion or Commonwealth of Wales would be a Wales that retains the English monarch as its head of state.
A Republic of Wales would of course have a president, but that president could be a French/American style president who is elected to govern, or an Irish style president who is elected by the people but who has a non-governing role similar to the Queen, or even a German style president who is the presiding officer of the upper house and is elected by that institution's members.
This last option pretty much sums up Lord Elis-Thomas' role in the Senedd, and interestingly enough his title as 'Llywydd' (presiding officer) can also be translated as 'president'. Lord Elis-Thomas as Llywydd is in effect an embryonic or prototype Welsh President.
This last option is also my favourite. A directly elected political president with sweeping powers is not a good idea. No one single individual can be trusted with so much power, and we only have to look at the American and French models to see the failings of such a system.
A directly elected apolitical president with no governing powers such as the Irish model is a bit better, but are still prone to using their positions to further their own ambitions and political agendas. Another reason to follow the German example.
As in the example of the German Bundespräsident and the Welsh Llywydd, this model is not elected directly by the people, but those who elect him are elected representatives of the nation, and as his (or her) role is that of an apolitical presiding officer with dignatory functions thrown in (oh, and the ability to pardon people), who better to choose a suitable candidate than the people who will have to work with him/her?
S4C po polsku
The Welsh language channel will be the first in the UK to broadcast a programme with Polish subtitles. An interesting idea, which I'm sure many Poles will appreciate. On the subject of subtitles though, it would be handy if S4C digidol went fully digital and offered the option of turning its English subtitles OFF. There's nothing worse than watching a programme in Welsh and having half the screen obscured by subtitles, and considering that most digital remotes offer the option of turning subtitles on and off there's really no need for them to make them compulsory on some of their more interesting programmes (usually just the ones I want to watch).
Sunday, 3 June 2007
Blue sees Red
Iain Dale slags off David Mellor. For those of you who don't remember former 'Minister for Fun' Mellor, he was one of the many reasons John Major's government became unelectable, and is famous for having shagged an actress.
Talking of Tories, whatever happened to Blue Shark TV?
PR or not PR
It's surprising how often the Celtic PR systems are ridiculed by the centre-right in England. The first-past-the-post system is undemocratic, and every time we see a majority government elected under that system we end up with arrogance and corruption (which its fans would naively describe as "clear leadership").
The simple fact is that in electoral terms Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have caught up with the rest of Europe, whereas England lags far behind. Sure, it's messy, but that's the fault of our politicians and their inability to adapt to modern democracy, not the system itself.
"But it's confusing" they cry. No it isn't, not unless you have an IQ that is WAY below average. Two votes. One for the constituency, one for the region. Piece of piss, really. Hard to predict the results? That's because our polls are infrequent and the ones we do get are shit (HERE's a reminder as to why).
The Queen and Who?
Next Tuesday the Queen will open the third Assembly, but Leanne Wood and Bethan Jenkins won't be there. They'll be visiting the homeless in Swansea instead, and have invited the cameras to film them. Yes, it's a stunt, but someone has to remind us that Plaid is a republican party.
Unlike Scotland, Wales did not become part of the UK through the merging of monarchs. We were conquered by the sword, and we don't have a royal family of our own. Of course, our AMs have to swear an oath of loyalty to the Queen, unless I'm mistaken, which to some extent kind of undermines the whole republican stance of Wood and Jenkins, and the whole thing would get a bit silly if none of the Plaid AMs turned up -especially if there was a Plaid First Minister.
One thing I believe most Welsh people would agree on -whether or not they support independence, but especially if they do- is that Wales needs to be able to stand on its own two feet economically, and this won't be achieved by becoming even more dependent on the British State and English taxpayers -which is where both Plaid and Labour policies are leading us. Funding from across the border should be invested and used to help Wales reach a situation where it can pay for itself, and this in itself makes the economy in the long run the most important of governmental portfolios.
On the economy Plaid have begun leaning toward the centre-right, mimicking Tory-talk of relieving the tax burden on small businesses, but that in itself is not enough. Not only do small businesses need to have room to prosper, so do their potential customers. For many people in Wales, seeking employment is not a realistic option because they simply cannot afford to do so, and even those who can inevitably become entangled in Britain's debt culture. This leaves us either working merely to survive or to pay off debts. Neither lead to a country full of happy bunnies, nor encourages a nation to become less dependent on the very state nationalists wish to seperate from.
Hain again
Looking rather unconvincing on the Politics Show today, Peter Hain said that Gordon Brown's ideas for a Police State were fine because Gordon can do no wrong, even though he was poo-pooing the Police State plans of his government last week. Asked about the plan for a 50% tax rate on high earners that most Labour members support, the grassroot members he claims he'll represent in the cabinet, he stammered on and on about inequality and anything other than tax. "Don't ask me about tax" he seemed to be saying, "because I'm too scared to put my foot in it."
On the whole it was a remarkable performance that illustrated just how ineffectual he would be as a Deputy PM, and showed clearly to any Labour members watching that Hain's ambition is to be a Brown Yesman.
Saturday, 2 June 2007
Assembly Notes
At last Joe Allen is back with the new blog Assembly Notes. Hopefully he will also return to providing daily links to the top blog posts concerning Welsh politics, which proved to be an invaluable guide during the elections.
Can tan-fans save Hain?
A recent post by Guido made me giggle. Apparently the Hain4Labour campaign is doomed to failure. Will tan-fans save his hide? Or is the fact that he's a "smug, self-satisfied champagne socialist" (to quote Malcolm Bracken) working against him?
No, Minister
So, we have our M4 Cabinet, and already Carwyn Jones -the minister in charge of the Welsh language- has upset the opposition by basically saying "No" to a new Welsh Language Act. So much for seeking a consensus. This could be an excuse for a no-confidence vote, except it will be old news by the time Plaid officialy say "Yes" to a coalition, that and the fact that the English speaking majority wouldn't wear it as grounds for a coup. Still, Labour are in the minority on this and they can expect to be punished for their intransigence on the matter within the Senedd.
Due to Labour's reduced size the Cabinet has been cut down to seven, the perfect recipe for bad government.
The Cabinet
Dr Brian Gibbons (and presumably his translator) will assume Andrew Davies’s former mantle as Economic Development Minister. This is bad news for economists, as even they will find it hard to resist the urge to go to sleep when Gibbons starts quoting statistics in his monotonous robotic voice.
Andrew Davies has the Social Justice portfolio. Social justice for non-Welsh speakers, of course.
Former Social Justice Minister Edwina Hart moves to take charge of the health portfolio, which should be good news, if only because she isn't Brian Gibbons.
Carwyn Jones leaves the post of Environment Minister to take charge of the merged ministries of education and culture, sport and the Welsh language. A hotch-potch of portfolios destined for disaster. I doubt he volunteered for it.
Jane Davidson becomes Environment Minister, and obviously plans to succeed Rhodders.
Rhodders is, of course, First Minister, and will also have the portfolios on strategy; science; Europe and Wales in the World. This is the guy who thinks global warming is good, remember.
Jane the Hutt will be our finance minister. Oh shit.
Opposition response
Plaid Cymru’s deputy leader in the Assembly, Rhodri Glyn Thomas, said that the lack of new faces meant an even greater need for new policies.
“Rhodri Morgan’s latest Cabinet has no change of personnel and therefore there has to be a change of policy,” said the AM for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr.
“There has to be a new sense of urgency if this government is going to make a real difference to lives across Wales.
“We have here the same old tired faces; it is unlikely this Cabinet will contain renewed ambition for Wales to go with the new powers of the Assembly.”
Welsh Conservative leader Nick Bourne said the track record of the ministers proved they lacked the ability to make a significant impact, and described the selection as an attempt to hang on to power for as long as possible.
“This has all the hallmarks of the same old Labour pantomime with the same old cast, and the same old lines we’ve heard for the last eight years.
“Rhodri Morgan’s ham actor performance as First Minister – together with his all-too-familiar line-up of Z-list performers – is hardly going to make much difference to the many problems Wales faces today.
“Today’s announcement is proof that Rhodri Morgan is more interested in the day-to-day survival of his government than the delivery of dynamic, radical policies that will benefit every community in every part of the country.
“That is hardly encouraging for the credibility of the National Assembly, the stability of government, or in the interests of the people of Wales.”
Mr Bourne said the Cabinet was unrepresentative of Wales.
He added, “This is the Cabinet of Labour’s Glamorgan mafia. There is no-one west of Swansea, east of Cardiff or north of Pontypridd. So much for governing for the whole of Wales.”
Mike German, the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, said, “Rhodri Morgan’s M4 corridor Cabinet shows no new faces and risks having few new ideas.
“ It is a government which will struggle to convince voters that it can serve all of Wales, when all the ministers come from seats in the South.
“Perhaps Rhodri has been conscious that the Cabinet’s work is likely to be time-limited.”
Thursday, 31 May 2007
Back to Wales
Well, after a fortnight in Berlin and a week in Sevenoaks I'll be returning to Caernarfon today, where I'll have the uninterrupted use of my computer. I've missed my computer so much that I'll think I'm going to give it a name.
Wednesday, 30 May 2007
EU Constitution: Tony's Last Chance
Visiting Warsaw, Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi has said he still sees big differences with Poland over European institutional reform. Eurosceptic Polish leaders Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the prime minister, and his twin brother Lech, the president, have threatened to veto the constitution if the proposed voting mechanism is left unchanged.
Along with the UK, the Czech Republic, France and the Netherlands, Poland is among the countries that have the most difficulty with the stalled EU constitution. After meeting with Polish officials, Prodi said that any deal appeared a long way off.
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso last week sounded optimistic that a compromise was looking less remote for Europe now with the help of new French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who wants a simplified treaty containing key reforms.
At the EU leaders' summit in three weeks' time, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has promised to propose a way forward. It will be outgoing British Prime Minister Tony Blair's last chance to put his mark on the future text. Britain wants majority voting limited to a few policy areas only and to have the words 'fundamental rights charter' and 'constitution' removed.
Source
Cymuned praise Conservative response on housing
The communities pressure group Cymuned has written to the leaders of all four political parties in the Welsh Assembly calling on them to work together to solve the housing crisis in Wales. Cymuned says that all the four manifestos recognised the need to take quick, practical action on the housing issue. Because it is more important than ever for the people of Wales to see the Assembly making a positive difference, it is vital for the parties to recognise the common ground they share on housing by establishing a committee to prepare a Housing Measure for Wales.
‘We have been very impressed by the fast, positive response we received from Nick Bourne,’ said Aran Jones, Cymuned’s Chief Executive. ‘The Conservative Party in Wales have shown a genuine willingness to work in sensible partnership with concerned groups in order to make a practical difference to the people of Wales, and we are looking forward to continuing our discussions with them.’
The Conservatives support the creation of an Assembly ad-hoc committee, or a Government Advisory Committee, to lead a consultation on the creation of an affordable housing market, with consideration of the creation of a secondary housing market as part of the solution.
‘We have not yet heard from the leaders of the other three parties,’ says Aran Jones, ‘but we are optimistic that they will respond positively to this opportunity to put co-operative politics into positive action. They have a real chance now to reach out beyond party lines in order to formulate bold new policies which will improve life for everyone in Wales.’
Cymuned believe that the establishment of a sustainable local housing market would prevent the current disintegration of communities throughout Wales, and provide a solid basis for the vital work of strengthening local economies in order to create a better future for the entire country. The group runs the Homes4Locals.com campaign to encourage people to get involved in their own communities and make a difference at grass-roots level.
Source
Problems for Plaid?
Translated from Vaughan Roderick's blog post, Penbleth y Blaid:
As Rhodri Morgan worries about his cabinet a different perplexity faces the leadership of Plaid Cymru. Over the next weeks Ieuan Wyn Jones and his supporters will have to convince as many of Plaid's members as possible that the "rainbow" is the way forward.
I have no doubt at all that Plaid Cymru's National Council will support the proposed coalition. But, as in the case of the Liberal Democrats, the size of the majority is important. This is in order to ensure that all the assembly members accept the decision and to prove to those who are muttering about splitting the party that that would be a lonely and unsuccessful experience.
But there are important questions to be answered by both factions within the party.
The most important question for the leadership, in my oppinion, has to do with ensuring a referendum on legislative powers for the Assembly. This needs fourty votes in the Assembly. Whilst a deal between Labour and Plaid Cymru can deliver a referendum there's no certainty that the "rainbow" could. Ieuan and his supporters need to convince the membership that the other priorities of the "rainbow" are enough to justify putting the possibility of legislative powers at risk.
The question I have to the opponents of the "rainbow" is more philosophical. As far as I can see their opposition isn't based on the contents of the document "An All Wales Agreement". Their argument is that two parties which are rooted im different "values" shouldn't cooperate with one another. The problem I have is this - if the "values" of Plaid Cymru and the Tories are so different to eachother then why on earth are their manifestos so similar? That is to say that if the policy differences are so small that means either there isn't much of a difference in their values in reality or tht one or both of the manifestos is a con.
Do the left in Plaid Cymru truly believe that the Tories possess some kind of secret manifesto to destroy public services once they are ensured a plce in government? If that is their belief they should have said so before.
Welsh blog poll
Tortoiseshell has started a poll on "Who has been your favourite Welsh politics blog?".
Good News
Joe Allen of Morgan Allen Moore's Wales Elects 2007 will be back in the next few days with a new post-election blog. Hooray!
Doughty
Well, it was fun to appear on Blogger TV again, though it's amazing how short an hour can seem. I still haven't got the knack of conversing on TV, though. Unfortunately dream girl Caroline Hunt didn't make an appearance, so that saw all my stalking plans for the night thrown in the bin. Shane Greer presented the programme and the other guests were David Gold, Andy Mayer and Malcolm Bracken.
Despite getting it right in the Senedd, this time they managed to spell my name incorrectly!
Deep regret
Former Welsh Conservative party chairman Sir Eric Howells has been expelled for criticising the selection of a candidate prior to the Assembly elections.
Sir Eric Howells claimed a pro-hunting group was responsible for choosing Angela Burns - who won Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire for the Tories.
The party dismissed the claims, made on the BBC's Dragon's Eye TV programme.
The pair claimed on the programme in January that their local association had been "taken over" by a group of Conservatives connected to a pro-hunting organisation.
They claimed that the majority of local Tory branches wanted a different candidate to Mrs Burns and said if an alternative came forward she should stand down.
At the time the Conservative Party dismissed the claims.
Mrs Burns went on to capture the seat that had previously been held by Labour's Christine Gwyther.
Sir Eric says "I feel very sad that they felt after the number of years that I have given to the party that they should throw me out in the way that they have done."
Seems like a slight overreaction to me, or is freedom of speach banned within the Welsh Conservative Party? Instead of smoothing over the cracks they've both dragged the question of Angela Burns suitability back into the limelight and created enmity amongst themselves. Doh!
Tuesday, 29 May 2007
Amanwy
Welcome to the Welsh blogosphere, Amanwy! But can you tell us more about yourself and your political leanings?
Conspiracy scandal?
An interesting post by Alwyn ap Huw asks "Have we all been had?"
...we have not reached the present state of play in the Assembly by chance, by accident or by political twists in the tail, as many of us bloggers have thought, but it has come about by an agreement made at least three months ago...Were Peter Black's refusenik blog posts prearranged?
Read the original post in full HERE.
"This is taking conspiracy theories to an absurd level" -Peter Black AM
Brunstrom criticises "bizarre proposal"
Brunstrom is back, this time to criticise MPs' attempts to keep their expenses secret.
A private member's bill brought by Conservative MP David Maclean, which proposed exempting MPs from the FOI Act, was an "almost ", according to Mr Brunstrom.
He said: "The stated rationale is to protect the confidentiality of MPs' correspondence - a perfectly fair point, were it not for the fact that the existing legislation does this perfectly adequately already.
"Cynics are saying that the real intent is to prevent MPs' expenses being revealed" he added.
Should the bill become law, Parliament will have put itself in "the very odd and retrogressive situation of being less open than the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh and Northern Irish assemblies" he continued.
He said he could not believe that this is in the national interest.
Well said, Richard.
Dai Lloyd ready for a rainbow
Dai Lloyd's eager to oust Labour. The sooner the better.
Dr Lloyd told BBC Radio Wales that an "historic opportunity" had been missed when the Lib Dems had initially "caved in" over the opposition deal.
"We've all agreed on this programme for a Plaid-led government, but basically we have to await our opportunities, and push for a vote of no confidence now when an issue of sufficient magnitude rears its ugly head," he said.
Dr Lloyd told Good Morning Wales that his party had been "shattered at the destruction of the vision of a Plaid Cymru-led government" when the Lib Dems had "bottled it".
But he said the opposition would "await our opportunity now for Labour to mess up big time".
"We shall be doing it (ousting Labour) but the reality is we have a minority Labour administration in power now. We have to trigger a vote of no confidence.
"There are plenty of opportunities because Labour's programme is hardly visionary.
Plaid leader Ieuan Wyn Jones would be first minister in a coalition
"We've stood by awaiting eight years of change. Basically Labour have under-achieved and failed Wales over the last eight years.
"I can't imagine us hanging around for months and months before we trigger a no confidence vote."
Four Plaid AMs have come out against coalition, and before any deal is agreed it will have to be approved by the party's ruling body. The Plaid national council is expected to meet in July to discuss it.
Dr Lloyd said: "We have internal differences of opinion but Labour will not split us on this.
"At the end of the day, whatever discussions we have internally, the majority view will hold and the majority decision will hold.
"Because Wales has only two choices now: one of a Plaid first minister in a Plaid-led government or continually propping up a failed Labour administration.
Dr Lloyd said Mr Morgan would be "as tribal as Labour have always been, trying to do the best for Labour only, as opposed to a Plaid Cymru-led government - even though it might be difficult - doing the best for all the people of Wales."
Blogger TV
Well, I'll be popping up to London today to appear on 18 Doughty Street's 'Blogger TV'. I've no idea who else will be there, but if dream girl Caroline Hunt makes an appearance I may well go all shy and tongue-tied.
Flynn switches to Hain
Labourhome yesterday reported that Newport MP and "Thinking man's Dennis Skinner" Paul Flynn has switched his backing from John Cruddas to Peter Hain. It's a fickle old world, innit?
Flynn says Cruddas isn't performing well at the hustings and that Hain is a "consummate politician" who has done great stuff in Northern Ireland. I would go along with that.
Hain also said he would not "wriggle out" of responsibility for what's happened in Iraq. A position I have more respect for, frankly, than those leadership candidates and deputy leadership candiates who have "apologised" for making a mistake and think that makes it OK.
Finally, those on the left who still think Cruddas is the Great White Hope should read this recent quote from the Western Mail.
"I was in the Labour Party in the 1980s, and one half of the constituency party wanted to nationalise the corner shop while the other wanted to invite the Russians in. I don’t want to go back to that."
Flynn, who for some reason considers himself a "solid blogger", neglects to mention this turning of coats on his blog. Trying to avoid feedback, perhaps?
UPDATE: I stand corrected. Mr Flynn posted the following on the 23rd:
Jon Cruddas was my first choice for deputy leader of the Labour Party. My vote was one of those that gave him 48 - three above the necessary 45 .
But I am now changing my support to Peter Hain. Peter was always my second choice. He is consummate politician with a splendid record of achievement since his brave pioneering work opposing apartheid, to a deft and skilful minister who has achieved historic change in Wales and Northern Ireland.
This week, there was a hustings in which all the candidates spoke. It was a testing occasions. Sadly Jon Cruddas did not do well and there are serious doubts about his credibility as a deputy leader. He is offering a different agenda that I will continue to support. But he is not now the person for this job. Another Welsh MP is also withdrawing support from him.
Monday, 28 May 2007
Evil Hain
Iain Dale yesterday commented on Evil Hain's attempts at political assassination:
The Cruddas story accuses him of buying a second home in Notting Hill to enable his child to be educated there. It was clearly leaked by one of the rival deputy leadership camps. I have no idea which campaign is responsible, but the man with most to gain from damaging Cruddas is Peter Hain, who has lost no time in slagging off Alan Johnson and repudiating much of the government policy he has got collective responsibility for. Cruddas has sewn up a lot of the left of centre vote which Hain is targeting. Hain knows he cannot win unless much of Cruddas's support transfers to him, and he's willing to do what it takes.
It's turning nasty.
Irish results
Fianna Fail: 78
Fine Geal: 51
Labour: 20
PD: 2
Greens: 6
Sinn Fein: 4
Others: 5
Negotiations are due to get under way this week on the formation of a coalition Government in the aftermath of the General Election.
Independent TD Finian McGrath has said he believes Fianna Fáil is considering approaching the Labour Party to form a coalition.
The Dublin North Central representative is one of five Independent TDs widely believed to be the subject of approaches from Fianna Fáil to help support a coalition Government involving the remaining PDs and Independents.
National Trust "engaged in blatant property speculation"
Rhostyllen resident Tara Green has spoken out against the proposed Erddig development and declared her support for Cymuned’s Homes4Locals.com campaign after her partner’s equestrian business at Hafod Farm was destroyed by the National Trust’s botched plans for Erddig. The site for the proposed Erddig development was not owned entirely by the National Trust, so they had to purchase land from a local farmer. They then refused to extend the lease for Hafod Farm, and offered it instead to new tenants taking over from the farmer who cashed in.
‘This is utterly unacceptable behaviour from the National Trust,’ said Aran Jones, Chief Executive of Cymuned. ‘They are supposed to be the guardians of heritage, and here they are engaged in blatant property speculation, and acting every bit as damagingly as any destructive, profits-orientated corporation.’
Local children who had kept horses at the Hafod Farm stables have had to give them up, and a sustainable local business has been ruined. Repeated appeals to the Council for help have been met with an absolute lack of response, and the National Trust’s involvement is looking increasingly dismissive of real local needs.
‘The National Trust is supposed to protect, not to destroy – in its thoroughly inappropriate greed to squeeze as much money as possible out of the Erddig development, it is trampling over local people and shattering lives,’ said Aran Jones. ‘There should be an Assembly enquiry into how the National Trust have behaved in this matter.’
Cymuned local organiser Carrie Harper said ‘I don’t know how the National Trust and Wrecsam Council are getting away with treating people like this. It makes me understand why so many people have lost faith in democracy – unless they are held to account, they will continue to put profits ahead of people.’
Source
Bird Flu strikes Welsh children
The BBC reports that a year five pupil from the Corwen area is thought to have contracted a "mild form" of the bird flu virus, and that "Officials said nine 11-year-olds in years five and six were being offered tamiflu to protect them from infection.
Four people have tested positive for bird flu and 11 have shown flu-like symptoms, but no-one is seriously ill."
This is a far cry from the scaremongering issued by the UK government back in 2005 which suggested that we were all going to die horribly. Of course, that was a rather transparent attempt to distract the public from Labour's failings in Iraq amongst other things. Now that people have actually contracted the illness it is no longer quite so dangerous. Or is it? The trouble is that the government has already "cried wolf" by sowing disinformation, so how can we trust them to be honest about the matter now?
Keeping up with the Joneses
In the wake of the Lib Dem vote in favour of the policy programme agreed by the party’s negotiators with Plaid and the Conservatives, Ieuan Wyn Jones yesterday vowed that First Minister Rhodri Morgan will not be able to use divide-and-rule tactics to block the creation of a three-party rainbow coalition.
He said “It clearly puts the prospect of a Plaid-led government back on the agenda.”
Rhodri Morgan hopes to build a “progressive consensus” through his minority government based on left-of-centre policies. That means, Rhodders intends to win over Plaid's 'Helen Mary Four' who are publicly opposed to a deal with the Tories, and much is being made of the fact that newbie Plaid left-wing AM Bethan Jenkins attended a social engagement along with Labour Jihadist leader Leighton Andrews. It seems that for certain Plaid AMs socialism is more important than nationalism.
Despite this, Mr Jones was yesterday adamant that if the party’s National Council approves plans for a coalition the party will remain united and work to make it a reality without being distracted from that goal by Mr Morgan’s machinations.
Mr Jones said, “He won’t succeed in splitting Plaid. Although there are some members unhappy with this prospect, they’ll argue the case internally but they’ve made it clear if the party makes a decision they’ll abide by the decision.
“We’re not going to allow him to pick us off one by one. We have to show party unity and move ahead as a party.”
But are these remarks really aimed at the First Minister Elect, or at Helen Mary Jones?
She said, “One thing I’m glad about is it means issues are still on the table and we can have a proper debate in Plaid.
“Everything that happens over the next few weeks depends on how Labour behaves. The idea of a progressive consensus sounds good but they have more of a record for arrogance than consensus. It would be very positive if they can prove me wrong on that.”
Asked what form of government she expected to be in Cardiff Bay in a year’s time she said, “I think it is absolutely impossible to tell.”
Hmmm
Sunday, 27 May 2007
Hain rubbishes Labour
Peter Hain, desperate to become a realistic contender for the post of Deputy PM, has decided to rubbish his rivals as well as some of his own party's policies. His main message was that the NHS is shite. The fact that he is both a cabinet member and has been an opportunistic yesman during Blair's reign seems to escape him.
Saturday, 26 May 2007
No confidence
According to Vaughan Roderick, a special meeting of Plaid Cymru's National Council will be held within weeks in order to approve the Rainbow Agreement. It appears that a number of Plaid doubters have warmed to the idea of a Rainbow Coalition after reading the agreement document.
If the Council approves the document then it is likely that the opposition parties will search for an excuse to hold a vote of no confidence in Rhodri Morgan and his minority government. This could happen before the summer but according to Vaughan the autumn seems a more likely date.
Lib Dems say YES to rainbow
The Lib Dems have voted 125 to 77 in favour of a Rainbow Coalition. Vaughan Roderick posts:
This is a very substantial majority. It's a clear mandate for Mike German and a heavy blow to Kirsty Williams' hopes of taking the reigns. Is the size of the majority enough to draw Ieuan Wyn Jones back to the table before the summer? We shall see.
Vaughan understands that there's a strong possibility that an agreement will be considered by Plaid Cymru's National Council members at their next meeting.
German police v. G8 demonstrators
A court in Germany has ruled in favour of demonstrators, who want to protest close to the meeting of G8 world leaders next month. German police had imposed an anti-demonstration zone ranging from 2.5 to 6 kilometres away from a huge security fence surrounding the summit in Heiligendamm.
The court agreed with the protestors that the measures violated their right to free speech and assembly, but ruled that there should be a 200-metre buffer zone around the fence.
The 12-kilometre barrier was built this year to protect the world leaders, at a cost of more than a million-euros per kilometre.
It is not the only controversy surrounding security.
Many Germans have been outraged that police have been collecting scent samples from selected activists in early morning raids - a practice which has stirred memories of the hated former East German secret police, the Stasi.
The Interior Minister Wolfgang Schäuble (CDU) defended the method, saying police were simply trying to guarantee security for the heads of state.
But senior opposition Green Party leaders organised their own collection of pungent scent samples which they intend to send to the minister.
Source
The Fib Dems & The Rainbow (again)
Today the smallest and most divided party in the Assembly will decide if it also wants to confirm its position as the most useless party there, or whether it will "work with other parties to form a stable government, based upon a programme with a Liberal Democrat flavour" as promised in their election campaign.
Mike German, (still) current leader of the Fib Dems in the Senedd, said "I shall be campaigning very strongly to my party to have a yes vote."
This inevitably means that everyone who wants to see the back of Mr German will vote "No", thus this won't be so much a straightforward vote on whether to govern with the opposition parties or not, rather it's a vote on Mike German's leadership.
Putsch mastermind Peter Black meanwhile is denying any attempt to sabotage the Rainbow Coalition, despite previously voicing his opposition to it.
Friday, 25 May 2007
Sarkozy Sarkozy Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy has come to save the Union, or at least that's what he'd like us to think. Making his debut in Brussels as French Head of State he offered his own diagnosis concerning the ongoing constitutional kerfuffle that began when France said no to the EU constitution: The only way out of the European Union's institutional impasse is a simplified treaty. "There can't simply be a new constitution," he said, "because the French and others said no to it."
18 of the 27 EU member states have ratified the constitution, and many are looking to Sarkozy to create momentum for a deal on the treaty at the EU summit on June 21-22.
As to the EU economy, he said: "We've made the world's number two currency: we have to have an economic government; The euro zone needs a true economic policy."
Sarkozy has been making daily appearances in the news since his election, his name invarioubly coupled with the word "tough". Together with Germany's Angela Merkel we are pretty likely to see a new Franco-German engine running the EU show, especially as Merkel herself has found popularity within Germany by concentrating on EU and foreign policy rather than on the non-reformist political quagmire that is the 'Grand Coalition' at home.
But the new French President is bad news for Turkey's hopes of joining the EU anytime soon: "I don't think Turkey has a place in the EU. I haven't changed my mind."
Ankara has refused the notion of a "Mediterranean Union" which Sarkozy suggested as an alternative to EU membership. Turkey began EU entry talks in 2005, with the consent of all the member states after passing sweeping reforms in the officially secular but Muslim country. A senior advisor in Ankara, Egemen Bag said: "Last time I checked, the European Union was not a Christian club. If it is so, they should tell us. But according to what they tell us it's an association, a union of values. And the values are democracy, human rights, freedom of speech, freedom of conscience. Those are the values that we died for during the cold war years as an integral member of NATO."
Angela Merkel also remains publicly opposed to ever admitting Turkey into the EU, though she has also said that she will honour past commitments.
Turkey's EU negotiations can only be formally halted by consensus among the 27 member states, but Sarkozy could block them by refusing to allow the opening and closing of technical talks on individual policy areas or "chapters". Turkey's membership would also have to be ratified by all the member states.
Eire decides
Officials have begun counting votes in Ireland's election but the result may already be clear. Exit polls showed Prime Minister Bertie Ahern's Fianna Fail party in the lead, with more than 41 percent of the vote. A survey from Irish broadcaster RTE showed the main opposition party Fine Gael had little over 26 percent support.
Though Ahern may be a front-runner, the figures showed he could have to find a new partner if he wants a majority in Parliament. The exit polls suggest his allies, the Progressive Democrats, are down a few percentage points from the last election in 2002. Together they garner only 44 percent of the vote.
So if official results mirror the polls, he may have to lure Labour or the Greens to his camp. Exit polls showed Labour with close to 10 percent and the Greens with almost five percent of the vote. But analysts are warning against making too early a prediction before official results come out on Saturday. So Ireland will be holding its breath to find out whether Bertie Ahern fulfils his early promise and wins a third successive term in power.
Source
Blogrolls
There'll be some toing and froing on my blogrolls as I experiment with their reorganisation, so don't be surprised if your blog has been momentarily demoted from being a "daily read" or whatever.
First Minister Elect
As expected following the Lib Dem debacle, Rhodri Morgan was nominated as First Minister, the only nomination, and Lord Elis Thomas' recommendation has been faxed to Buckingham Palace. Rhodri stated that he will repay the Welsh people's trust "with interest"
Rhodders then went on to talk about "seeking consensus", "finding a centre of gravity" and something about a "progressive radical tradition".
But tomorrow the Lib Dems will hold their conference after all. Will they vote in favour of a Rainbow Coalition? The only thing we can rely on is that the Lib Dems will be unreliable, but if they support the decision to become Wales' most useless party, we can expect them to be punished for it the next time we go to the polls.
Ieuan Wyn Jones went on to talk about "healthy" and "mature" democracies, forgetting perhaps that holding discussions to form a government is of no use unless an agreement is actually reached.
A lively mess
Today Rhodri Morgan is expected to become First Minister of a Labour minority government, but the fallout after the Lib Dems decision not to allow their own party to make a democratic decision regarding a Rainbow Coalition is far from over. A Lib-Dem conference is still due on Saturday (apparently), so there may yet be another twist in the rainbow yet, though the "Helen Mary Four" are still eager to poo-poo the Tories. Rhodri Glyn Thomas today on BBC Radio Cymru stated that he was "on the left of Plaid Cymru" and that it was hard to forgive the Tories for the Thatcher years.
Lord Elis-Thomas thinks that recent events show how lively Welsh politics has become, and perhaps he's right. Our AMs need to come to terms with the fact that coalitions are necessary, and to a degree this is what they have began to do since May 4 -including Labour to a certain extent. Unfortunately the former pro-coalitionist Lib Dems have gone in the opposite direction, thereby becoming the most useless political party in the Senedd.
A Labour minority government will not be able to govern Wales well, if at all, and sooner or later a deal of some sort -informal or formal- will have to be struck with Plaid, assuming that anyone in Labour other than Rhodri Morgan actually wants to govern at all. In more experienced PR governments the deals would have been struck before today, and "lively" or not the last few weeks have been a mess.
Ordovicius in Kent
Yup. I'm making my way slowly back home via Sevenoaks, so blogging should be back to normal in terms of frequency. Next Tuesday I'll hopefully be appearing on Blogger TV again. Time for breakfast.
Thursday, 24 May 2007
Rainbow derailed
So the Lib Dems have decided to sulk for the next four years, derailing the Rainbow Train and leaving the stability of Welsh government to be decided between Plaid and Labour, who have already broken off talks with eachother. And this kind of introverted irresponsibility is how the Lib Dems hope to gain seats in the future? Vote Lib-Dem, get Cop-Out. Thanks to them we may have to go to the polls again. Even worse than that however, would be a minority Labour government without a stability pact. The future is looking tedious.
Wednesday, 23 May 2007
More Constitution Kerfuffle
If the EU countries cannot agree a high-standard compromise over a common constitutional treaty, Italy would prefer a two-speed Europe.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy is expected to spell out his idea for a quick institutional reform treaty for the European Union in Brussels today. Meeting Chancellor Angela Merkel of the EU's current presiding nation Germany last week, Sarkozy said getting the EU out of its current paralysis was "the number one emergency". Yet the 18 EU countries that have ratified the constitution do not want to see its substance shredded.
All aboard?
The Rainbow Train began it's journey to Cardiff Bay yesterday with Plaid rejecting a deal with Labour, but are all the Plaid AMs on board? The Tories have all bought tickets and tonight we will find out if the Lib Dems are game (or whether they want to deliver the message "Vote Lib Dem, Get Nothing"), but four Plaid AMs, including health spokeswoman Helen Mary Jones, as well as Plaid MEP and deputy president Jill Evans, are opposed to overcoming party tribalism and acting in the interest of Wales. Perhaps they don't like the responsibility of government, or perhaps they're not interested in loosening Labour's stranglehold on Welsh politics, but claiming that working with the Tories would be a "clash of principles and values" is -to put it mildly- rather lame. Principles and values haven't clashed in the last eight years where a consensus has frequently been reached between the opposition parties, including Plaid's Southern Socialists. Plaid have an historic opportunity to lead a government, and it is unlikely in the foreseeable future that there could ever be a Plaid First Minister without the cooperation of a Tory Deputy First Minister.
Tuesday, 22 May 2007
Peter Black: reluctant rainbow warrior
Despite voicing his opposition to a Rainbow Coalition, Peter reluctantly agrees to defend it for the next four years should the Welsh Lib Dems vote in its favour. His opposition to the Rainbow is a lot milder than was his opposition to Labour and, indeed, to Mike German:
Although I am fundamentally opposed to the Welsh Liberal Democrats becoming embroiled in a coalition at this time, there has been a democratic vote of the National Executive Committee that says that we should explore this route. I have agreed therefore that for the time being I will serve on the negotiating team. My rationale is that if I lose the final vote and this coalition comes about then I want to make sure that we get the best possible deal for the party. After all I may end up defending it for the next four years
So, assuming that there WILL be a Rainbow Coalition, we can expect Mr Black in 2011 to either deny any responsibility for his party's involvement or to take all the credit. Either way he's sure to say "I told you so". Already planning to replace Kirsty Williams, perhaps?
Euronewsround
Fewer than a third of Bulgarians have voted in their country's European Parliament elections, which on Sunday saw the opposition come out narrowly ahead.
The new French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, wants to move fast to get Europe out of its institutional crisis -- that is the message from the Elysee palace.
The President of the European Parliament, Hans-Gert Pöttering, had an hour and a quarter's meeting at the Elysee for a first close discussion of Sarkozy's call for an alternative to the European constitutional project. Pöttering also invited France's new leader to address the EU parliament.
Monday, 21 May 2007
This & That
Arsembly has retired, though if anything that only serves to increase speculation as to his identity, as well as to why he has suddenly decided to retire. Glyn Davies confidently awaits a new Welsh Language Act whilst voicing his opinion on the nature of the Blogosphere.
Dylan Jones-Evans posts on Rhodri's desperate attempts to keep his job.
Our AMs are currently hiding behind closed doors, giving us a few more days to get used to the idea that Ieuan Wyn Jones will be our next First Minister. The deadline to form a government by the end of the month may be met after all.
Meanwhile here in Berlin it's 30 degrees in the shade, and outside it's hot enough to fry an egg. A Europe of the citizens moves a symbolic step closer with EU countries and lawmakers reaching a preliminary deal on cutting the cost for Europeans using mobile phones abroad within the bloc. The EU Parliament will vote on it next week.
But it isn't all fun and sunshine for us Europeans, as EU-Russian relations are at their worse since the end of the Cold War.
Sunday, 20 May 2007
Plugged again
To my surprise (and delight) this blog was plugged today not once but twice, by journalist blogger Matt Withers and Überblogger Iain Dale. Arsembly seems to have disappeared, but I'm sure he'll be back soon.
Interesting times
Everyone in the Welsh media is convinced that Ieuan Wyn Jones will be our next First Minister. Glyn Davies' dream/prophecy of a Rainbow Coalition seems to have become a reality, and I imagine that this is as much of a surprise for Plaid as it is for everyone else. A nationalist as First Minister both in Wales and Scotland will prove to be helpful both for devolution and democracy amongst us Celts as it will hopefully cause the non-voting majority to take their vote more seriously come 2011, as well as changing the two nations from being de facto one party states to being more democratically pluralistic organisms.
In the meantime here in Germany, Harald Schmidt -the Germans' answer to Jonathon Ross- is having a laugh about the current G8 meeting, comparing it to last year's World Cup.
Saturday, 19 May 2007
A new Welsh Secretary
Despite the prominence being given to the formation of an Assembly government, let us not forget that we are also due for a new Westminster Cabinet under Gordon Brown, and that probably means a new Welsh Secretary.
Despite Hain's amusing attempts to earn credibility in the Assembly elections and later in Stormont, he's not really likely to be elected as Deputy PM. Gordon may or may not keep him in the Cabinet, but I doubt very much that he will keep either of his two current portfolios. So who do you think will be the next Welsh Secretary?
Ordovicius (still) in Berlin
Well, apart from having a giggle at just how cosy the relationship between Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy seemed to be on his recent visit (the man couldn't keep his hand off her shoulder and seemed to be trying to cuddle her all the time) Ive been concentrating on drinking German beer spending quality time with friends and in-laws.
Despite being a modern metropolis, it's surprising the amount of people there are here who have problems getting internet connections. DSL is out of the question for most people, so they have to search for other options, such as cable.
The number of internet cafes seems to have increased a thousand fold since 2004. Unfortunately they are not designed for people like myself who have visual problems, and like the pubs here in Berlin, most of them are far too dark for me to see what Im doing, hence the odd lapse in blogging since my visit began.
Another big difference here for RP (Retinitis Pigmentosa) sufferers is street lighting. In order to minimise "light polution" the lights here and in other places such as Copenhagen are only half so bright as in the UK. This is a real pain for us nightblind-tunnel vision folk. Next time I'll remember to bring my white stick.
Return of the Professor
Good to see that Dylan Jones-Evans aka The Professor Who Shoots From The Hip is back and blogging. Where did he get that Rainbow Raider image?
On the prospect of a Rainbow Coalition he says:
I discussed the Rainbow Coalition issue with a very senior Plaid Cymru member in North Wales yesterday. He said that such a coalition was possible BUT that there was still a major question whether Ieuan could get this past Plaid's National Council and whether Nick Bourne could get the Conservatives to sign up for the further constitutional programme that Plaid will inevitably want for Wales.
I am unsure about the former - especially given the undue influence on the party by Valleys socialists - but the time has come for Plaid members to put up or shut up. Do they want to implement their election programme which they said would make a difference to Wales or do they want to support a minority Labour administration for another four years? Certainly, the 'dreaded Tories in power' should not be an issue as Plaid have happily signed up to a coalition deal with other non-Labour parties at a local authority level in Conwy.
A Nationalist First Minister
Well well well, forming a government in Cardiff Bay is proving to be as much fun as the elections were, and it looks like Scotland will not be the only part of the UK to have a nationalist as First Minister. Even Peter Black seems to be in favour of the idea, and the Lib Dems are now concentrating on talks for a Rainbow coalition, so it looks like Mike German may get his ministerial car after all, at least until Kirsty Williams is elected to replace him.
But what will the Rainbow Cabinet look like? Obviously Ieuan Wyn Jones would have the top job, and I assume that Nick Bourne would be Deputy First Minister. Mike German would probably be the only Lib Dem in the Cabinet, with the Tories having about three Cabinet positions. Who gets what job is anyone's guess, though I suspect the Tories will be keen to get the enterprise portfolio.
A Plaid led government will institute a new Welsh Language Act and a referendum on legislative powers, but unlike the SNP Plaid will not be making any moves towards independence. When it comes to the "I" word Plaid often like to replace it with the word "Freedom", a more ambiguous term that Gwynfor Evans himself was fond of.
In the meantime the Labour Party in opposition would see a no-holds-barred conflict between the Labour nationalists and the "Jihadists", with Rhodri Morgan either trying in vain to unite his party or stepping down and letting someone else sort out the mess.
Sometime later today Glyn Davies will be offering his odds on who will replace Rhodders as Labour leader, once he finishes making his garden pretty for Ciaran Jenkins, that is.
Wednesday, 16 May 2007
Out with the old...
Jacques Chirac gave his final goodbye to the people of France after 12 years as their President. After accepting the resignation of Dominique De Villepin's government he went on television to address the nation.
He said: "I will continue to work to promote French culture and economic development. I will give my experience and my time, freely, to take projects forward in France and throughout the world. "I know that the new President of the Republic, Nicolas Sarkozy, has the heart, the courage, to drive our country even further forward into the future and all my best wishes go with him.
"As for France, our nation, my dear compatriots, we can always be truly proud. Long live France and long live the Republic."
Nicolas Sarkozy has taken up the post of French president in a handover ceremony at the Elysee Palace in Paris. Jacques Chirac left the palace for the last time after private talks with Sarkozy. One of Chirac's jobs was reportedly to hand over the codes for France's nuclear arms.
The inauguration ceremony followed strict protocol, watched by family, friends and leading politicians. After the announcement of the official election result by the head of the constitutional council, Sarkozy received the insignia of office. He then made his speech as head of state. "My thoughts are first with the French people," he said. "This is a great population, with a great history, who have risen up to say that they believe in democracy".
Source
Return of the Rainbow
Well, it looks like the Rainbow Coalition is back on the cards. It seems it's all up to ieuan and whether he wants to be First Minister or not. In the real world however, I seriously doubt the ability of the Welsh Lib Dems to enter any agreement with even themselves, let alone Plaid and the Tories. Peter Black would prefer the Lib Dems to remain in opposition, but what do his party's fellow AMs have to say on the matter?
In the meantime Rhodri has made clear that a deal with Plaid is Labour's only chance of remaining in power. So is Ieuan Wyn Jones now the kingmaker? And will Mike German find a ministerial car at the end of a rainbow?
Tuesday, 15 May 2007
Lembo's days are numbered
The gloves are off in Montgomeryshire with the blogosphere's favourite ex-AM making clear his intent of depriving Loverboy Lembo of his Westminster seat. Will he be bothered though? It's no secret that the Welsh Lib Dem leader prefers being a tabloid celebrity to being an MP. Cheeky boy.
Euronewsround
Sarkozy is expected to unveil his new government at the end of this week but some old faces seem set for a return. Alan Juppé, a former right-wing prime minister and Francois Fillon - ex social affairs minister are likely to be included. But some of Sarkozy's supporters have criticised his intention to embrace left-wing politicians. Sarkozy says he is keen to look beyond his conservative camp for his full team and draw on the best talent available.
That could bring in a former socialist health minister and supporter of Sarkozy's presidential opponent. Bernard Kouchner, who is also the co-founder of the relief agency "Medecins Sans Frontieres", has been mooted as France's next foreign minister although he has not said if he would accept a government position.
An EU summit with Russia scheduled for this Thursday and Friday threatens to degenerate into acrimony, over problems ranging from Polish meat to Kosovo. The 27 European Union foreign ministers have been meeting in Brussels to discuss a growing list of disputes involving Russia and new EU members once within the Soviet sphere.
The out-going president, Jacques Chirac, will today give his final televised address to the nation ahead of tomorrow's ceremony marking the formal handover to his successor.
The European Union countries have pledged to cooperate more closely in procurement of military equipment and in research.
The defence ministers in Brussels approved a document also committing governments to tackling national state aid and other obstacles to fair market access, reducing red tape for cross-border transfers and promoting small and medium-sized defence suppliers.
On a different front concerning the EU's ambition to become a global security player, grave questions were posed about the legitimacy of method being applied for operations in Afghanistan, one of several theatres of war in which European forces are involved.
Germany and Spain both deplored the number of Afghan civilians being killed in anti-Taliban operations under American command. Madrid called this intolerable.
Congratulations' everyone except Serbia
A European Union meeting with Balkan leaders meant to praise regional cooperation in Europe's most volatile corner has taken public note of a backsliding to nationalism by Serbia. The Zagreb Summit was looking to reinforce reform progress.
Only the former Yugoslavia's republics, Slovenia - not part of the forum - has joined the EU. Regional neighbours Romania and Bulgaria are in the EU now. Croatian membership is under negotiation, as is Turkey's. Macedonia is a candidate. Albania has EU association status. Independent Montenegro and its former federal partner Serbia are still in association negotiation.
Same old tribalism
Wales will become a laughing stock if Labour fail to form a government, warns the BBC. I suspect German observers wouldn't so much be laughing as just wearing non-plussed expressions on their faces whilst shaking their heads in dismay. Bremen's Social Democrats have two weeks in which to form a coalition government, which in German politics is a more than adequate as well as a very comfortable period of time in which to do so. Welsh Labour on the other hand are still no nearer to making a deal than on the May 4, and time is slowly running out. As Blamerbell points out, Wales is not New Zealand, and all this talk of a Wellington style government only goes to show how incapable Labour -and for that matter the opposition parties- are of overcoming political tribalism and acting in a responsible and above all practical manner by putting the wellbeing of Wales first and forming a stable coalition government.
Instead of inviting Labour ministers from New Zealand to Cardiff Bay Rhodri need only look at Ireland or any other EU government to see how 'coalition polity' works. And instead of calling on the opposition AMs to be flexible he should be giving the same advice to those in his own party, who have yet to stop their tribalistic bitching and start earning their keep.
Sooner or later our AMs are going to have to accept that coalitions are necessary for stable government in Welsh politics. They might prefer it to be later, but sooner would be better for Wales.
Monday, 14 May 2007
Bebb on PR
Translation of a post by Guto Bebb on maes-e.com:
Following a talk with Richard Wyn Jones during the programme Etholiad 2007 as well as a week of mulling over Laboür's 26 seats (with only 32% of the vote) Ive been considering what exactly is the justification for regional lists.
As to being recognised regions of Wales - well total rubbish. What exactly have Aberdaron and Llanelli in common and for that part Llanerchymedd and Broughton? Even syrthio i'r ddwy blaid. Serch hynny, fe fyddai trefn o'r fath wedi gweld ethoin the South Cardiff is a part of the same (regional) constituency which includes the Rhondda. These lists are made for the convenience of beaurocrats - they don`t have anything to do with electing 'local' AMs.
Richard Wyn Jones' point was that a national list would entail a stronger element of PR whilst also increasing the idea of national unity as the 20 AMs would have a national mandate rather than a fake local mandate. Such a system would have seen Wigley and Glyn Davies returning to the Assembly as Glyn would have been very high on the Conservatives' national list and even with Plaid's girl-first rule Wigley could have been number 2 on their national list.
What then would have been the result if a national list had been used instead of a regional one?
The final result would have been as follows:
Labour - 24 + 0 = 24
Plaid - 7 + 5 = 12
Conservatives - 5 + 7 = 12
Lib Dems - 3 + 3 = 6
BNP - 0 + 2 = 2
UKIP - 0 + 2 = 2
Greens - 0 + 1 = 1
Trish Law - 1 + 0 = 1
The Greens would have lost a second seat by about 150 votes to Plaid. Interesting as well is the fact that the BNP and UKIP would have taken the first two regional seats. Labour would have no additional seats after a truly poor performance and as such Alun Davies would not be an AM.
Without a doubt the above results would be more proportional with Labour getting 40% of the seats with 32% of the vote which is a little bit better than the 44% as things stand. Plaid´s and Conservatives' 22% would see 20% of the seats falling to the two parties. However, such a system would see two BNP (ych a fi) and two UKIP AMs being elected.
Without a doubt this would be a result that reflected Welsh opinion but it would also be a parliamentary foothold for the BNP. That says about everything about PR really!
Bremen decides
The city of Bremen, Germany's smallest federal state and the only one to go to the polls this year, has voted for a new coalition. Germans are of course used to the fact that coalitions need to be formed rather than minority governments, and no one party would be quite so silly in its election campaign to pretend it could get an outright majority. However, there is one kind of coalition that nobody likes, where manifesto pledges are thrown in the bin, where the partners in government spend most their time bitching and where lazy compromises are made, leading to bad government. It's what the Germans call a "Red-Black" coalition, what we in the UK would call "Red-Blue": the Social Democrats and the Christian Democrats.
Bremen has been governed by such a coalition for twelve years. Yesterday's results may put an end to that, with the Social Democrats (36%) and the Greens (16%) emerging as the clear victors and with enough votes between them to form a government (in German politics the Greens are the Social Democrats first choice).
The former GDR Communist party, renamed the Democratic Socialists since German reunification and rebranded a few years ago as "die Linke" ("the Lefties", I know, it sounds naff in English) won 8% yesterday, which will see them with seats for the first time ever in a West German federal state.
In the meantime "Red-Black" continues to govern the Federal Republic of Germany itself, as well as its capital city, and nobody anywhere on the political spectrum thinks that that's a good idea, but for the Germans minority government is just not an acceptable option.