DET joins La Pasionaria in becoming a Labour Puppet.

So Independent AM and former Plaid Cymru leader Dafydd Elis-Thomas is to join the Welsh Government as a minister.

Labour First Minister Carwyn Jones has announced a wide-ranging cabinet reshuffle - promoting five AMs.
"Lord" Elis-Thomas will be minister for culture, tourism and sport - a deputy to economy secretary Ken Skates.

So what is in it for DET apart from a junior Cabinet position under  the man responsible for the Iron Ring debacle? 

Could he have come to some agreement with Labour if he intends to stand again in Dwyfor Merionith? 

He currently has a healthy majority in the last Assembly Elections

Welsh Assembly Election 2016: Dwyfor Meirionnydd

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Plaid Cymru	Dafydd Elis-Thomas	9,566	47.3	+0.7
	Conservative	Neil Fairlamb	3,160	15.6	−4.8
	Labour	Ian MacIntyre	2,443	12.1	−0.6
	UKIP	Frank Wykes	2,149	10.6	+10.6
	Independent	Louise Hughes	1,259	6.2	+6.2
	Liberal Democrats	Stephen Churchman	916	4.5	−0.3
	Green	Alice Hooker-Stroud	743	3.7	+3.7
Majority			6,406
Turnout				46.7
	Plaid Cymru hold		Swing	+0.4

The assumption is that if he stood as an Independent he would win though he could possibly split the ( I was going to say Nationlist vote) Plaid vote and gift the seat to the Tories  who also came second in the UK General Election.

General Election 2017: Dwyfor Meirionnydd^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Plaid Cymru	Liz Saville Roberts	13,687	45.1	+4.2
	Conservative	Neil Fairlamb	8,837	29.1	+6.4
	Labour	Mathew Norman	6,273	20.7	+7.2
	Liberal Democrat	Stephen Churchman	937	3.1	-0.9
	UKIP	Frank Wykes	614	2.0	-8.8
Majority			4,850	16.0	-2.2
Turnout			30,312	68.0	+2.9
	Plaid Cymru hold		Swing	-1.1

But Labour must also fancy their chances would really stand aside for what after all is a political Maverick?

There may be an opportunity for Jac O' the North New Nationalist Party to enter the mix.



Could DET have promised to  endorse a Labour Candidate if he chooses not to stand though this has been something of a curse in the past such  when surged Plaid, Conservative and Liberal Democrat supporters to give their first or second preference votes to David Taylor Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales, saying he wants to “stop Ukip in their tracks”.

It was won by Plaid's Arfon Jones (possibly the PCC in the UK)

DET is 71 not particularly old and may not be thinking of entering retirement just yet.

After all ending  his political career as Junior Minister in "Not a Coalition"  where like the former Liberal Democrat leader Kirsty Williams  he will find he has no Independence and will be a Labour Puppet.

The former La Pasionaria was possibly the most effect speaker on the Opposition benches and the Assembly is worse off as she is silenced  by joining Carwyn's government.

But he still will have his Peerage and could possibly count of that to ensure he does not enter obscurity and will still be able to take the occasional dig at his former party.

Which may be his only goal in life these days.