Peter's B(l)ack

In aside to a previous posting, I wrote that I was worried that Peter Black had not blogged for some time. I needn’t had worried he has returned with his fair and balanced (just like Fox news in the U.S..) insight into the political world.

One of his latest comments has been on plans by   Cymdeithas Yr Iaith Gymraeg’s to launch a campaign to encourage people in Wales to boycott the TV licence. 

Peter is not impressed and writes with Cymdeithas claims that this undemocratic and a “Stitch Up”. And he writes, 

“How exactly an elected government acting within its remit is being undemocratic is difficult to fathom but surely the important thing here is the outcome not the way that it is reached. If at the end of this process S4C remains independent and delivering Welsh language programmes mostly commissioned from outside companies as has been promised, then surely we are all winners”. 

So that all right then. However one can’t help wondering what his Parties reaction would have been if his Westminster Colleagues were not  acting as bag carriers to the Tories r. If the Lib-Dems were not in coalition there then Peter and La Pasionaria in particular would be screaming from the Assembly rooftops and questioning the Heritage  Minster  in the chamber on what he was going to do about it? 

But Peter really comes in to his own when questioned on the Legality of the Lib-con government proposals. In response to a comment on the legality of the government acting within his remit with regards S4C  of this he writes.

"It is within its remit because it is a non-devolved issue and therefore their responsibility. The fact that legislation is required is immaterial. Presumably the intention is to legislate so making the Government's plans lega"l.

This is the Humpty Dumpty Defence

   “When I use a word, …..“it means just what I choose it to mean—neither more nor less.”

Peter also responds to arguments about the legitimacy of our democracy. With the response.

"That is the nature of representative democracy. You cannot argue that a party has to get more than 50% of the vote or seats before they government  because that is not always possible. Also manifestos lay out a party's programme but cannot take account of the unexpected or of changes in circumstances. It would be unreasonable to expect otherwise. As for the present Government, the combined votes of the two parties amount to more than 50%. That is the first time since I was born that a Government has secured more than half the votes".

Except of course that people who voted didn’t vote for the Liberal Democrats in order that they back Tory Cuts, building Nuclear Power stations and I’m sure many Liberal democrats didn’t vote for them in order that S4C should be cut so it will become increasingly unviable e and eventually be abolished as independent Television company which is where his Lib-Dem Westminster friends are leading us.