National Left

Subordinate Central Spin on Council Tax doesn't hold up.

2012-02-17T15:08:00.000Z

Good Old Subordinate Central manage to witst the news once again on the announcemen of the council tax increase this year and that Swansea, Caerphilly and Monmouthshire councils are the only authorities in Wales so far who plan to freeze council tax next year, with average increases set for a record low of 2.1% Subordinate Central come up with the headline

"Welsh Lib Dem Councils keep Council Tax down"

Dispite the fact that they only lead a minority Council in one those setting a Zero rate Swansea have no councillors in Caerphilly and only 5 on Monmouth Councils.

For the record the rate reads as
Ceredigion Ind/LD/Lab, Blaenau Gwent Ind, Denbighshireind Ind/PC/Con/Lab, Flintshire Ind/LD/Con, Gwynedd Plaid ,Merthyr Tydfil Ind, Powys Ind Rhondda Cynon Taf Lab Torfaen Lab (minority)and Wrexham Ind/LD/Lab/Con councils want to raise their taxes by between 2.2% and 3.5%.

Carmarthenshire Ind / Labouncil is planning a 1.97% increase,Pembrokeshire Ind council has set its proposed rate at 1.7%, while Cardiff LD / Plaid council plans to impose a 1.44% increase.

Bridgend, Neath Port Talbot, and Vale of Glamorgan councils are yet to indicate their plans.

So the Libdem claims are a bit far fetched despite Peter Blacks claims that...

“Careful financial planning and prudent spending by councils, especially Welsh Liberal Democrat-led councils, means that more money will be staying in Welsh people’s pockets during these difficult times.

“Welsh Liberal Democrat-led councils are keeping council tax increases low, and have consistently kept them low over the past four years, to help people out in difficult financial times.”

The only council to raise the council tax by 5% the caped rate is Anglesey which as we all know is not facing elections this year.

Which despite all the talk from Plaid in Caerphilly or the Conservatives in Monmouth and of course the LibDems in Swansea of being prudent Probably has more to do with the low rates this year.

With less than Three Months to the May elections it would take a brave council to set the higher rate of Council Tax to 5% as Anglesey have.

But it is ridiculous for Peter Black to make such a claim since the Libdems are only in power in coalitions on Welsh Councils and are the majority group on these in only two Cardiff and Swansea and are not even the largest group on the latter.

We are used to the LibDems through Subordinate Central twisting the facts but this is misleading even by their standards.

What is fluency

2012-02-15T08:39:00.000Z

The number of fluent Welsh speakers is falling by around 3,000 people a year, a new report suggests.

The Welsh Language Board (WLB) said deaths and people moving from Wales are having the biggest impact.

The report says that around 6,500 Welsh speakers die annually and 5,200 move away, out-pacing adult learners and children learning or raised in Welsh.

It found the number of people who say they speak Welsh fluently is approximately 300,000.

Clearly these figures are worrying .But it will be interesting when we get the results of the 2011 census, and look at comparison within Wales to see what the major changes are in the last ten years.

Where I suspect we will see a continued decline in those areas we know as Y Fro Cymraeg ,but increase in those areas which have been long Anglicised

But we need much more than the census results. We need a complete and through investigation into the state of Welsh in the whole of Wales and we need to make sure that we look at what we mean by the ability to speak Welsh.

Importantly: We need to ask .What do we need by fluent?

I'm a monoglot English speaker. But no one questions my fluency in English . Though some reading this Blog may question my literacy.

And yet I have met Welsh speakers who deny they are fluent despite speaking it on a regular basis but because they have not gone on to Higher Education believe they somehow lack fluency and they dont speak "Proper Welsh".

Indeed watching the response to the 5,200 "fluent speakers" who move away it looked to me that they were basing this by mainly counting y those who have achieved an Higher Education and went on to further it . Indeed pursuit of this may be the reason they left.

But the future of the Language does not just lie with those gaining degrees and working and then returning to Wales . It also lies with the shopkeeper in Ammanford ,the farmer in Tregaron, the factory worker in Blaenau Ffestiniog and the hotel worker in Holyhead.

Unless Welsh continues to be the language of ordinary working people even if they don't speak it in the fluency of a senior member of the Gorsedd then the language will die

It must dot become or be seen to be the Language of an Educated elite .where they are measured in their "fluency" though their fluency in English is taken for granted.

And that means the Welsh Government must seek to improve the daily use of the Welsh Language and promote Wales as a Bilingual country. In which fluency in Welsh is counted on the same level as fluency in English and every effort of our Schools are made to improve both.

This does not mean I dismiss the figures or fluency . Indeed if we take the 5,200 figure of fluent speakers leaving Wales to mean the better educated and extrapolate it to include those who are monoglot English speakers it means that something like 26,000 of our most talented people are leaving Wales every year and do not return.

We must seek to retain these no matter what language they speak.

Indeed the challenge for the future of the Welsh Language is the same for the whole of Wales . We need to create work for all and rebuild our communities and create the sort of Wales where the Son of Daughter of the shopkeeper in Ammanford ,the farmer in Tregaron, the factory worker in Blaenau Ffestiniog and the hotel worker in Holyhead can look to the future in their communities even if they temporarily leave to attend further education,

Religions have no right to dictate how our councils conduct meetings.

2012-02-12T09:08:00.003Z

A row has blown up over the practise of having prayers at the start of council meetings.

A former Bidford Councillor says he is not surprised the High Court ruled against the Town Council for including prayers in the agenda for its meetings.
Clive Bone former councillor in said he found "people didn't want to stand for the council" because of the inclusion of the prayers.
He said the National Secular Council's case against the council had "nothing to do with intolerance towards religion.
"Religious freedom is an absolute right, and so is freedom from religion."

Of course there has been a outcry from some quarters including communities secretary Eric Pickles.

Pickles said:

"While welcoming and respecting fellow British citizens who belong to other faiths, we are a Christian country, with an established church governed by the Queen."Christianity plays an important part in the culture, heritage and fabric of our nation. Public authorities – be it parliament or a parish council – should have the right to say prayers before meetings if they wish. The right to worship is a fundamental and hard-fought British liberty.

So Pickles for Christian prayers and I suspect much of the arguments for seems to be based more on a cultural basis than a religious one.

I can't call myself a Atheist because I believe that there is a possibility of a Creator or even Creators but cannot call myself an Agnostic really because that covers such a area from

I pretty sure there is no God

to

There is a God but I don't know his Nature and neither do you?

So basically I'm just an open sceptic.However I am not a Christian even if my culture is one . When attending Funerals or Weddings the only time I enter a church ,. I do not join in the prayers. But enthusiastically join in the Hymns such as Calon Lan Cwm Rhondda and ny favorite Arglwydd Dyma fi. and Carys Mathews shows why below

But in our Legislatures from English Parish Council (and the name says all) and Welsh Community Councils. To our Assembly and the two Houses at Westminster. The idea of raising one of belief over others is wrong and undemocratic and as Pickles admits has more to do with a English cultural Nationalism than any religious belief.

P.S. In the USA even though there should be separation of church and State religion still plays a prominent part and it is telling that a campaign by Mormon Mitt Romney is taken seriously. Whilst no Non-believer would ever have a chance at the Presidential Nomination of the Democrats or Republicans.

However perhaps in te context of this I should mention the response of Edward Everett Hale (April 3, 1822 – June 10, 1909) was an American author, historian and Unitarian clergyman. who was was Chaplain of the United States Senate from 1903-0906 . Who when asked.

“Do you pray for the senators?”

He quickly replied,

“No. After getting to know the senators, I pray for the people.”

Awema. Still questions?

2012-02-10T08:26:00.001Z

So at last the Welsh Government has acted over the scandal over Wale's foremost charity for ethnic minorities with the announcement by Equalities Minister Jane Hutt that funding had been terminated with immediate effect,

The decision coincides with the publication of an internal audit report carried out into the body by the Welsh Government, in conjunction with the Big Lottery Fund.

According to the statement..

"It was recognised from the outset that allegations that individuals had committed potentially criminal activity, or potentially affecting Awema’s charitable status, were matters that should be drawn to the attention of South Wales Police and the Charity Commission.
"Liaison with them has continued throughout the Welsh Government’s investigation process."
"The investigation has identified significant and fundamental failures in the control and governance framework within Awema:
* Governance arrangements in relation to management and to the Awema Management Board of Trustees;
* Financial controls and processes;
* An absence of key policies and procedures; and
* An organisational structure that does not adequately support the operations of Awema."

The Question we should now ask is. Why has this taken so long to be resolved with the effective closure of Awema?

The scandal first emerged when it was disclosed by the Western Mail that Naz Malik, chief executive of Awema (the All Wales Ethnic Minority Association) had been given a written warning after admitting using £9,340.36 of the body’s money to clear his credit card debt.

Most people wondered why he wasn't given the option of immediately resigning or being dismissed.

Tthe acting chairman of Awema, Mr PK Verma, resigned, together with two other trustees.

In a letter to a senior Welsh Government official, Mr Verma, who has since died, alleged that attempts by him to call a special meeting of Awema’s trustees had been thwarted. He had wanted the meeting to discuss “the remuneration of the director [Naz Malik], in particular the authorisation of salary and pension increases that had never been before the board” as well as “the management and supervision of the director”.

Explaining why he and two other trustees were resigning, Mr Verma wrote: “... we have all come to the conclusion that it may be better to resign and leave the Assembly to sort out what is a most unsatisfactory situation.”

On July 13, the Welsh Government officially responded to Mr Verma, stating: “These are essentially internal operational matters and ones for you and the board to resolve.

Naz Mlik position obviously had nothing to do with him being a prominent Labour Supporter and Mr Malik's son Gwion Iqbal Malik stood on Labour's Mid and West Wales regional list at last May's assembly elections

This failure to take any real action promted more interst in what was happening at Awema which

Current Awema Chair Rita Austin (a former Cardiff Labour Counxillor) Rita Austin defended Awema, saying it had become a "stick to beat the Welsh Government"She claimed that..

"The glee with which the press and TV convey the partisan attacks of opposition politicians is catching Awema in its backwash, creating the unedifying spectacle of a concerted attempt by powerful institutions to characterise Awema as a corrupt organisation: a time honoured way of debasing and devaluing the contributions of black and minority ethnic people, often on the basis of scant evidence, which is well known to many of us."
She adds: "It is as though the great, the good and the powerful have already rushed to judgement and made their minds up about what should happen to Awema, long before the Welsh government internal audit, with which we have been co-operating fully, has reported.

This dispite the fact that

THE Welsh Government was advised to stop funding the charity at the centre of financial management allegations as long ago as 2004 The document, obtained by the Liberal Democrats, in which a report into theAwema) recommended that no further funding should be provided for new projects until it could prove it had overhauled its project and performance management.

There may be some racial motivations in some of those commenting on the problems at Awema but it does seem to me that sensitivity over allegations of racism prevented the action that should have ben taken over 8 years ago and a charity that should have provided a valuable service would not have brought to such an inglorious end.

We need to investigate why action on the advice in 2004 was not taken and to what extent relationships with the ruling Labour part in Wales affected this

Hopefully a new charitable organisations will be formed to carry out the sort of remit that Awema should have done but as with other charitable organisations which may also need careful auditing of their structure. Lets hope it will sever the people and not those working for it.

Simon Thomas "Queen-maker"

2012-02-06T14:49:00.001Z

Simon Thomas has bowed to the inevitable and withdrawn from the contest for the leadership of Plaid Cymru and now hass put his backing behind Elin Jones on a joint Ticket where he will seek to become her deputy..

He had been seen to have gathered little support for his campaign in statement he said ..

"One thing is for certain, Plaid Cymru will not achieve government or electoral success by playing Fisher Price politics with people’s hopes and dreams.

“Both Elin and I offer such a vision. I believe that by combining our experience, talents and different types of appeal we can work together to give the party the kind of direction and leadership it clearly needs.

“Elin has succeeded in gaining considerable support. I congratulate her on that, and today I announce that I will withdraw my candidacy in order to support her has her deputy on a joint ticket. I ask the party now to trust the next credible generation of Plaid politicians to take us forward under Elin’s leadership."

The "Fisher Price" line seems to be an unveiled attack on front runner Leanne Wood and one can see it as compliment to Leanne that he at least recognises that she is gathering support.

On the face of it this will strengthen Elin Jones candidature . But I'm not so sure.

It is unlikely Thomas had a large number of votes and maybe even the small number committed to him will not transfer directly to Elin Jones though it may attract some undecided.

But will the joint ticket of two AM both with base in Ceredigion appeal to the majority of Party Members?

The idea of a joint ticket usually involves a balance of Geography or Ideology . The idea that the leadership should be concentrated in even West Wales might make those from outside think twice.

This might be a "Stop Leanne" movement but it may also gavanalise those who have committed to her .

Simon Thomas may be seeing himself as "Queen-maker" but he might just have added a bit momentum to his choice but adding even more to the one he seems to be trying to prevent.

"Mr" Goodwin but still "Lord" Hanningfield

2012-02-03T08:50:00.000Z

Quite frankly I find it absurd that in the 21st century we still have a system that sees people being knighted and therefore we lesser mortals should be obliged to call them Sir or Dame and as far Peers here's some of the spoken addresses you are supposed to use with them.

Duke -Your Grave (formal Duke (social).

Marquess -My Lord (formal) Lord (social).

Earl-My Lord (formal) Lord Social.

And that's just when you speak to them it even more complex addressing an envelope.

As far as I know Fred Goodwin committed no crime and he wasn't individuality responsible for the financial crisis . But then he wasn't individually for the supposed success that led to his knighthood.

Still to deprive him of a his knighthood when there are still Members of the House of Lords who have been imprisoned seems petty and has the hallmark of a government trying to switch blame from them by finding a convenient scapegoat.

This when we consider in the House of Lords are peers who were awarded their ermine robes for financial or political services, who are as culpable as Mr Goodwin.The Tories used to hand out knighthoods to their MP's from the English Shires on a regular basis irrespective of any real contribution they made,

And there are handful of peers who have served time in jail, including Lord Archer, the millionaire author who was jailed for perjury in 2001. The Tory lord served half of his four-year sentence.

Two further Tory peers, Lords Hanningfield and Taylor, were both jailed for expenses fraud but have not lost their right to sit in the upper chamber.

If he hadn't Hanningford (Real Name Paul White) at on the Conservative side on Essex County Council stood down in May 2011 White imprisoned in July of that year would presumably have been expelled from the council..

Conrad Black, the former press baron currently in jail for fraud, also remains a peer.

These are life Peers and can in theory still turn up and vote in the Lords . Where a jailed MP would have almost immediately been expelled from the commons.

Furthermore although the majority of Hereditary Peers no longer sit in the Second Chamber . They will still be allowed their titles no matter what crimes they committed.

Lord Brocket, was convicted of insurance fraud in 1996 and sentenced to five years in prison, of which he served two and a half years

Apparently his his autobiography is entitled Call Me Charlie perhaps he at least got that right

Presumably if Lord Lucan British peer, who disappeared in the early hours of 8 November 1974, following the murder of Sandra Rivett, his children's nanny, the previous evening. had been found guilty and had served say 20 years of a life sentence and then released could have entered the second chamber a few weeks later and voted.

What we need to is abolish all Hereditary titles Mo Lords,Ladies Sirs or Dames . The very idea that we should carry on with this ridiculous system is ridiculous in a modern democracy of equals.

Andrew Lansley first among equals?

2012-02-01T14:56:00.001Z

Andrew Lansley has unwittingly shown what the problem with the current devolution settlement.

A leaked memo shows that he has written to the Welsh Government to complain he only found out about the its policy of removing and replacing faulty PIP breast implants through the media.

Now he has a point to make because there us a memorandum of understanding which calls on the different governments to

* to alert each other as soon as practicable to relevant developments within their areas of responsibility, wherever possible, prior to publication;

* to give appropriate consideration to the views of the other administrations; and to establish where appropriate arrangements that allow for policies for which responsibility is shared to be drawn up and developed jointly between the administrations.

But Lansley seems to think that he is "first among equals "and that he is not just the English equivalent of those running Health in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland but somewhat superior to the others.

But I suspect Lansley believes the memorandum means Ministers in the devolved governments should contact him not the other way around. and they shouldn't contact each other either.

The Welsh Government has said the English Health Secretary is “arrogant and patronising” after he demanded to be notified in advance of policies in Wales.

Indeed if Lansley was so concerned about the actions of Welsh Minister for Health and Social Services Lesley Griffiths in not complying with he memorandum,. Why didn't he seek to get a joint statement from his Northern Ireland and Scottish counterparts.

If they had done so I don't think there would be any argument.

Doesn't this show that he still thinks of himself of being in charge of health for the whole of the UK with subordinate Ministers in the devolved nations.

Perhaps Lesley Griffiths can tell us if Lansley has written to her saying why he has not decided to replace all the faulty PIP implants in England?

Communication works both ways and I suspect Lansley like most Westminster Government Ministers think it should only come from diktats from them.

P.S. It seems Peter Black is backing Lansley over this can it be more to do with his irrevocable move to the Tories than a real concern that the Welsh Government had not behaved correctly

Miliband ignores the evidence.

2012-01-31T08:31:00.000Z

Ed Milliband, was born in 1969 so he was 9 years old when Margaret Thatcher came to power.

Of course being the son of Marxist Academic Ralph Miliband ,he would have been a little more aware of political issues than your average 9 year old.

So for most of his life Miliband has seen..

18 years of Tory led government mostly led by Margaret Thatcher. Who decimated communities and had appalling record on social justice.

13 years of New Labour 5 years of which (He was elected in 2005) he was member of the government and having spent nearly all his working life working as an advisor to the Labour Party

Intrestingly in 1999, Miliband was involved in the process of building Labour's manifesto for the forthcoming Scottish Parliament elections. Initially doing so in an informal capacity, he was spotted leaving the Scottish Labour Party's headquarters on the night that a key policy meeting was held, involving the Scottish Secretary Donald Dewar and senior party officials, to consider the party's election strategy and details of Labour's manifesto. As a result, Miliband temporarily resigned from his post as a Special Adviser at the Treasury, to work on the Scottish election campaign full-time. It was reported that part of Miliband's Scottish role was to take charge of Labour's rebuttal operation.

So he has already made an intervention into Scottish Politics: But his recent speech in Glasgow shows that he learned nothing It is claimed by Labour Spin Doctors that Miliband travelled to Scotland on Monday to argue that the goals of fairness and social justice were more readily achieved by the people of the UK working together.

He told the gathering:

"I say let us confront the real divide in our society."Not between Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom, but between the haves and the have-nots."
So I am not here to tell Scots that Scotland cannot survive outside the United Kingdom.
"But I am here to tell you that we need to make Scotland, England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, a fairer, more just, place to live."And we can do this best together."

So despite virtually all his life and certainly his political life seeing a right wing Tory Government replaced by a right wing New Labour Government, which was in turn replaced another right wing LibDem government in which the gap between the rich and poor has grown constantly larger. He argues that Social Justice would be better of if Scotland remained part of a UK where there has been very little for the last 33 years and that's if you accept the Wilson/Callaghan government were a social-radical one. Which take some (red) -rose coloured glasses.

Milibad needs reminding that Scotland constantly rejected the Thatcherite agenda and there is still only one Tory MP in Scotland.

Though it must be pointed out Scottish MPs like Gordon Brown Alistair Darling were enthusiastic supporters of the New Labour Project. But would they have been if they had been Ministers in an Independent Scottish government? Perhaps not.

So despite the Scottish electorate overwhelmingly rejecting the right wing agenda of the Westminster Parties and that includes Scottish Labour who still have some Socialist credentials. Miliband argues that Scotland should remain part of the UK that has failed and will fail to address the true nature of social deprivation and seek to narrow the gap between the haves and haves not despite the two major parties in Scotland indicating that they might at least attempt to do so.

For the Scotland read Wales even Welsh Labour attempted (though largely failed ) to put Clear red water between them and Westminsters New Labour project as Rhodri Morgan outlined in a speech in 2006

Milliband has got the argument the wrong way round. Social Justice will not come from the UK either from a Con/Lib government, or a Labour opposition that will make only mealy- mouthed references to the plight of the Have-Nots, whilst as Blair did in 1997 focus on gaining the lucrative votes of that elusive electorate "Middle England"

Alex Salmond Eats Babies.

2012-01-29T11:34:00.001Z

The latest issue of Private Eye's (1306 lookalike feature has this.

Since the Eye lamppons everyone in their lookalikes Danny Alexander and Dobby the Elf! We hope Alex sees the joke.

But some of the recent comparisons have not been so funny

The Scottish Libdems comparing Salmond with a Arab despot

Scottish Labour MP Tom Haris comparing him to Hitler

And Newsnights Jeremy (The Sneer) Paxman in a live interview comparing him to Robert Mugabe

Can it be that there is a conspiracy to portray a democratically elected leader who has so far not displayed any more anti-democratic measures than any politician from these Islands who wishes to control the agend.a.
So far Alex Salmond seems untroubled by these attempts to smear him by comparing him to despots.

Mind you there could be one former leader leader that he might just find a comparison going too far.

Wales needs a Party of the Left not another Centre right one.

2012-01-27T09:09:00.000Z

Gwion Owain, the Chair of the Dyffryn Nantlle branch of Plaid Cymru. has written an article on Click on Wales attacking the Left in Plaid Cymru, arguing that they promote polices that "are trapped positions that have little resonance with the real world of the electorate".

Gwion writes....

I believe that Plaid has rooted it’s socialism more in the intellectual rather than real issues that concern the everyday voter. This can be explained by the over-reliance on policies based on the community and environment rather than those that appeal on an individual level. Contrasted with Labour’s ability to gain the support of those dependent on public services and the welfare system Plaid has wrapped itself up in the Guardianesque politics of the intellectual left. Any textual analysis of Plaid policy documents will lead to this conclusion given the reliance on policies aimed at the community level and the preponderance of policies addressing sustainability and environmental issues.

What is so bloody wrong with being on the Intellectual Left notwithstanding the Guardianesque jibe. It is reminiscent of people being accused od being a dogooder . Though why this is worse then a dobadder or donothinger is beyond me.

Actually I no longer read the Guardian switching to the Independent because it seemed more in line with my progressive left thinking.

Gwion may have a point on the resonance with the Welsh Public. But at the moment the idea of Welsh Independence attracts only a small percentage of Welsh Voters . Should Plaid abandon this because its currently receiving the support of anything like a majority of the people of Wales? Of course not because this is a core belief. Similar the Blaid should have a idea of what an Independent Wales will look like and be prepared to argue for this even if the vast majority of people are as yet not enthusiastic about.

That is what Political Parties are about . The shame of the Blair years was the emphasis on focus groups to find out what the public wanted and shifting policy to meet this . Nothing wrong in listening to the public, but Political Parties must also argue for what they stand for and be prepared to go on arguing this even if this is rejected until they win through otherwise whats the point in having any beliefs?

Green leader recently committed on question time on Labour's s recent move to say Labour government would not be in a position to commit to reversing the Conservatives' cuts by saying that "Britain doesn't need another Tory Party"

There has been arguments over Plaids unique selling point (USP) being Independence. But (and I know its an oxymoron) . Why can't we they have more than one USP.

Its all well arguing for Independence . But what sort of Wales will we have .

A mini Britain with 3 or 4 political parties with no real ideological differences all focusing on a dwinderling number of people who vote (whilst wondering why this is) at the beck of call of big business and the banks. Who set thew policies for them.when they are in government.?

Or a beacon of progressive government galvanising the whole of Wales ?

Gwion Owen's article however is clearly attack on Leanne Wood in particular he writes

Leanne Wood’s leadership election vision makes much play of community ownership of the means of employment. However, Plaid ought to consider very hard before succumbing to the superficial temptation of unrealisable abstractons at this point in it’s history.

What would be unacceptable for a Independent Wales to carry on a system of unfettered Capitalism which as seen our communities from Gwion'sDyffryn Nantlle to Leanne's Rhondda open to the a market that sees successful companies with a hardworking workforce simply move production to another country .Because Labour cost are cheaper and they can make bigger profits in order that the directors can achieve larger bonuses

Gwion also write..

There are plenty of further examples of the manner in which Plaid haslocked itself into a certain type of socialist viewpoint which has very limited appeal. We could include the recent debate in the Assembly on smacking unruly children and the impassioned speeches from Plaid members, dismissed by Andrew R.T. Davies as “emotional nonsense”. The nature of these leftist positions have v

Surely sometimes politicians should take up a cause simply because they believe in it . Not because it is popular.. Was abolition of the Death penalty popular? Women's rights over divorce? Gay and Lesbian rights?

The call for the release of Nelson Mandela "very limited appeal outside the liberal political class" but once he was released it seemed nearly everyone had believed it it all along

They took place because courageous politicians fought for them. Politicians should not ignore a cause simply because it is popular . They should do what they believe is right.

As Caroline Lucus might also have argued . Wales does not need another Tory Party.

The "Tanned One " Remembers

2012-01-24T12:05:00.000Z

When he was a true radical and man of Conviction.

It seems despite sitting on the Labour Front Benches Peter Hain, in his new autobiography "Outside In" is unafraid to ctiticise former colleagues

From a Welsh point of interest he makes the claim that

"Tony Blair and his team never gave Wales "proper respect and attention,"

and

: "At one point it appeared that the secretary of state's post had been abolished, that Wales was being summarily transferred into a department under an unelected peer, Lord Falconer." Mr Hain said the Wales Office was in turmoil, with staff learning about the change via TV.

"For a government supposedly excellent at communicating, this was another example of abject failure - especially if, as later transpired, it had been considered over a period rather than cobbled together at the last minute.

"It was further evidence of Tony Blair and his team never really giving Wales proper respect and attention, contrary to Scotland where the secretary of state's role was pretty minimal because all primary legislation had gone to the Scottish parliament.

"The role of secretary of state for Wales remained crucial, then responsible for all Welsh primary legislation .

This despite his calm role as Northern Ireland Secretary May 2005 to 2007.was "probably the best job I did". Which er he did whilst Sstill retaining in his Welsh position

In fact his first period of Secretary of State for Wales 202-2008 meant the post was combined with

Leader of the House of Commons, 2003-2005
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, 2005-2007
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, 2007–2008

If he had qualms about his position as Secretary of State for Wale . Why did he accept them?

I haven't read the autobiography yet so can't completely criticise Hains recollections, but in his review of Hain's Biography Carl Packman at Left foot forward makes the claim that

I’m happy to report that on reading Outside In by Peter Hain I did not have the same feeling. In fact one is struck by Hain’s modesty – which I suspect is partly based on his own personal appeal to influences such as Nelson Mandela.

I hope he's right but to mind the "Tanned One" has never been a "modest politician".Remember how on the day of the Welsh referendum on law makinf powers powers Hain seemed to be claiming total credit for it seeming to forget that arcording to Wikileaks

CONFIDENTIAL cables claimed former Welsh Secretary Peter Hain told US Embassy staff Wales should wait five to 10 years before holding a referendum on gaining further powers.

he may deny this but in February 2011 just before the poll he claimed

“Clearly the Plaid Cymru insistence on holding the referendum before May 2011 is the reason we have a referendum on March 3. We wouldn’t have had one otherwise.

“It’s not the best time to hold a referendum.

“I fear the turnout will be low. But that’s what’s been decided.”

And yet there he was on the BBC sofa on March 4th giving the impression that he was the architect of the referndum and was the man who deserved all the accolades..

Carl Packman calls Hain a "Conviction Politician" I agree only I think Hain is convinced of his moral superiority. Something he lost when he became just another New Labour hack

No kneesup in Llandudno

2012-01-21T12:19:00.000Z

News that the Conservatives in Wales have suddenly canceled their annual Welsh conference just two weeks in advance.

At first it seemed that it was just costs but they now seem to be claiming that security costs had run into thousands of pounds

Can this be just an excuse after all the Tories have huge financial backers who probably be only two willing to make a contribution.

Could it be that there would be a parcity of high profile backers attending as Cameron and Coe concentrte thier energies on the parts of England they neesd support from and actually care about?

Or they need to concentrate on Scotland where they are loosing the little influence they have and by their sheer arogance have made a yes vote in an Independence referendun more likely.

But suerly the strangest thing that has come out of it is yesterdays posting by Aberconwy Conservatives which despite the canceled conference being held in Llandudno in the Conwy constituency of Con MP Guto Bebb and Con AM Janet Finch-Saunders. makes no mention of the cancellation that would have been a boost to the leisure Industry.

I mean canceling a conference where in the last to elections you made significant gains. Wouldn't it have been worth it just to celebrate?

Scrapheaps they have been to busy trying to explain things to the local Leisure Industry .

If the reason was to concentrate on the May elections it is unlikely to help the 18 councilors in Conwy up for election . They probably expected to lose a few.Now it may be that there will be a total cull.

Where have all the voters gone?

2012-01-20T09:14:00.002Z

In 1982 when I was still a Plaid activist . I was one of the small Party members to spend my days fighting the Gower By-election.

One of the candidates John Donovan stood as a Computer Democrat and although he only realised 125 . His idea whilst the concept of the Internet existed the World Wide Web was a decade that computers could support democracy was somewhat visionary

So his argument then that there should be a electorate which constantly voted on issues which may have seen like Science Fiction in 1982 loks almost possible these days and with the growing influence of Petitions triggering debates.in the House of Commons . It could be argued it as already began.

I mention this not because I believe there is a deep concern in the amount of people voting in Elections.

In the past Wales used to have the highest turnout of any "Region" of the UK but it has joined the rest it seeing a decline in the number people voting in General Election.

Take the number of voters in Wales in the the Election which saw a New Labour take Power (1997 and 2010 when they lost.

1997
Total Number of Votes 1,619,703
Turn out 73.5 %

Lab 886,935/34
Con 317,127/0
Lib/dem 200,020/2
Plaid/161,030/4
Reff 38,245/0
Soc lab 6,203/0
Green 17,018/0
NLP 516/0
Others 7909/0

2010
Total Number of Votes
Lab 531,601/26
Con 382,720/8
LibDem 295,164/3
Plaid 165,394/3
UKIP 35,690/0
BNP 23,0088/0
Green 6,293/0
TUSC 341/0
Others 24,442/0
Soclab 6203/0

From this we see that it is Labour who have lost the most number of votes due to absenteeism in Wales

And this is reflected into what has happened to the massive votes they used to have in some Welsh Constituencies.

Take Islwyn for Example

1997
Electorate 50,540
Turn out 72.0%
Lab 26,995 74.2%
Libdem 3064 8.4%
Con 2,864 7.9%
Plaid 2,272 6.2%
Reff 1209 3.3%
Maj ority 23931 65.8%

2010
Electorate 54,826
Turnout 34,690
Lab 17,069 49.2%
Con 4,854 14.0%
Plaid 4,518 13.0%
Libdem 3,597 10.4%
Ind 1,495 4.3%
BNP 1,320 3.8%
UKIP 916 2.7%
Ind 901 2.6%
Majority 12,215 35.21%
So Labour has lost over 14000 votes over the period that they were in government and seemingly largely due to absent voters.

And they will not be helped by plans to introduce individual registration as outlined here by Plaid MP Jonathan Edwards here as it expected that the changes will increase the number of unregistered voters
as he says

There is surely consensus that the preferred outcome is that all adults who are entitled to vote should be registered. Everyone should be on the electoral roll and have the opportunity to cast their vote at elections. The principle of individual electoral registration is positive—that electors should take upon themselves the responsibility to register to vote in their own right rather than under the aegis of a household. All relevant people should be willing and able to register and should have the same opportunity to do so. However, there might be a disconnect between equality of opportunity and equality of outcome in that although relevant people may register, they might not all actually do so. The Minister said that the Government hoped to learn lessons from Northern Ireland, and I look forward to seeing some of the resulting changes in the Bill. However, I believe that when the changes were introduced in Northern Ireland in 2002—Mark Durkan might wish to correct me—there was a fall of 11% in registered electors, and it has taken more than 10 years to rebuild the figures.

If this true then surely it will be Labour will be the biggest looser.

Already according to the Electoral Commission 6 million people were not registered across the UK.

How can this be?

Why it is impossible to use National Insurance Numbers to automatically register voters in the computer age is beyond me. I'm sure someone can see the flaws. But in 1982 someone had a vision of using computers to increase our democracy surely it would.t me to difficult in 2012 to ensure that they are at least used to ensure people are registered to vote.

A Plaid by any other name

2012-01-18T08:27:00.000Z

The name of the Irish Political Party Fianna Fáil is commonly directly translated into "Soldiers of Destiny" but its official name is "The Republican Party". But I suspect nowhere in Ireland says they are a member of or a supporter of The Republican party.notwithstanding the huge defeat it had in last years election.

Which brings me to the news that commission set up by Plaid Cymru in the face of two poor election results to recommend that Plaid should consider changing its name to the Welsh National Party.

If you didn't know and I wouldn't blame if you did. Plaid's English name is currently the "Party of Wales "( a more direct translation). Its been suggested that the name was adopted In order that Welsh Labour couldn't Labour it self Welsh Labour - The party of Wales.

Since then has anyone really noticed the Plaid- Party of Wales name on party leaflets?, Hss any member canvassing said . Hello I'm calling on behalf of the Party of Wales? Has any senior Party member used it on a Pol tics pro gramme?Has any journalist or member of the public

Indeed nearly everyone simply refers to the Party as "Plaid Cymru "or simperly "Plaid" or if they wish to be negative "Welsh Nats" or even more derogatory " Nats".

Would a name change make any difference I doubt it and I suspect hardly any member will use it . Indeed it will be largely only the Blaid's opponents who will.

Quite frankly if Plaid wants to link more with English speakers and avoid being seen as a Welsh speaking party it should concentrate it efforts more in widening it membership and campaigning more in the South Wales Valleys.Including a staffed valleys office

So why has the commission come out with the name change proposal which they must know most members will not use ? Could it be that the Party realised that this would be the major issue taken up with the report? And therefore the main points will be left to the membership and the four leadership contenders to digest rather than the media?

Gareth Hughes on his blog has given us most of the real recommendation of the commission and I reproduce them below.

The establishment of a National Academy to revolutionise campaigning and organisation, as well as nurturing the community champions and national leaders of the future.
A radical modernisation of the party’s campaigning methods to create a permanently campaigning party equipped with the tools that are necessary for a modern 21st century party.
The establishment of a more effective mechanism for policy formulation. Ensuring that the skills of members, supporters and external experts are utilised in order to ensure better policy development.
An acceptance that the Party needs greater clarity over its aims in order to be able to present a coherent and united message to the people of Wales.
Fundamental changes to the Party’s structures in order to ensure clearer leadership and greater accountability from all Plaid representatives

All of which seem to be the sort of thing any review of any structure would come up with.

Quite frankly the future of Plaid for the next decade will .not be based on a inward revue but on who it elects as its leadership in March and who can galvanize the Party with a vision of a Independent Wales that will unite all of its people. The question is will she be up to the task

Lay on! Lay on! Lay on! They fail!

2012-01-16T08:29:00.000Z

I some times wonder whether London Journalists are Lazy or ignorant rather than simply just opposed to Scottish Independence.

A recent issue of the Express stated that.

The First Minister vowed to press ahead with his own poll to break up Britain despite being warned that the SNP’s proposals would be illegal.

Critics accused Mr Salmond of “panic” after the UK Government said a referendum would be unconstitutional without its authority.

The fact is a little research would point to Autumn 2014 as always being the most probable date for the Independence referendum,.simply because June of that year will see the 700 anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn and whether you think that it would be cynical or not . The fact is that is that the comparison of an arrogant English Ruler crossing the Border to face a largely peasant army will be made during that year by commentators and you can bet Salmond will be compared to tRobert theBruce to Camerons (Edward 11)

Other comparison of Edward attempting to legitmise is invasion by including disgruntled Scots like the gormer Guardian of Scotland Ingram de Umfraville,( Labour former First Ministers?) will be made.

But Robert had prepared his troops well. They had spent the winter drilling and he had chosen the ideal spot well.

One of the sad fact of the Battle is the presence of Welsh Archers on the English side. Tough hopefully the Welsh will be behind the tanks of the Scottish this time.

I,m not saying that this anniversary will be a major influence in the minds of Scottish voters but it will be an additional factor.

But who lead the invading army this time against Salmond's. Robert the Bruce

In theory it should be current Scottish Secretary Michael Moore but his Liberal Democrats are scarcely more popular in Scotland than the Tories and in recent weeks he has loked little more than Camerons puppet over the Independance issue. and has already made conflicting statements over whether the Scottish Government can legally call a referendum

There has been some talk that the Unionist army should be senior scottish politician, and former Labour Chancellor Alistair Darling has been recently spoken of, as it is claimed (at least by London commentators) he is well respected in Scotland, but perhaps this is largely because of sympathy from Scottish noters after his mauling (and often semi- racist) from the London media.

And as events have shown Cameron will be unable to stay out of the issue even though it will not go down well with Scottish Voters . His latest intervention has seen nearly 800 people joining the SNPi n the last few days. Indeed its probably why Labour did comparently well in the 2010 Westminster Election.

Camerons other recent boob has been his attempt to prevent a option of devo-max in the Scottish independence referendum. as Syniadau.so excewntly points out His instance of the exclusion of a Devo-Max option will make it more likely for voters tvote for com plete Independence.

I still think it will be hard for the SNP to win an Independence referendum but every time the likes of Cameron seek to interfere makes be more confident that 2014 will see Scotland if not gaining complete Independence will have made a giant stride towards it.

P.S. If you are wondering ? The Title refers to the cry of the Scots as the Battle turned in thier favour.

Carwyn the Federalist?

2012-01-14T08:03:00.001Z

It seems Wales' First Minister Carwyn Jones has looked into Wales future after a a successful "Yes for Independence" in a Scottish referendum and is worried that English MP will dominate Parliament if Scotland breaks away from the UK.

He said the House of Commons would need to be balanced by a new upper house with equal representation from England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Mr Jones said the system could be based on the Senate in the United States.

"You would have for example, a Parliament in London with about 550 MPs, 510 of whom would be from England. Well that's no good to us at all."

"There would need to be a fundamental rethink of the nature of the relationship between the three nations left within the UK in order to make sure that, what was then the UK, was a stable body where people felt that they had full representation."

But it seems 510 MPs from England and about 80 from Wales,Scotland and Northern Ireland is acceptable.

Surely a federal solution under Carwyn's criteria, would apply to the current position of the Nations of the UK as well as one in which Scotland had left?

Carwyn doesn't call for a English parliament but how could a federal structure work with the House of Commons being (as it is almost now) also a an English parliament ?

But what of Carwyn's second chamber? Does he propose an equal number of Senators from Wales,England and Northern Ireland say 150 from each or one in which there are say 200 English senators and 100 from the other two?

I can't see this being acceptable to English MPs or English voters who would never see English dominance diminished in even one of the Legislatures. Indeed I suspect that they would much prefer the complete break up of the UK rather than accept a Federal Solution (including one which Scotland was still part).

If I thought it would work, if the nations of the UK could exist in a Federal structure of equals then I would seriously consider it but the English Question is to complex .

Regional Government in England would not solve the problem. Wales is not a Region and if there was a Federal structure it ant of the UK legislatures should not be treated as a region like the South East of England.

Such a structure may work in England as an Independent country and I wish them well if they decide to do so. Though I would hope Cornwall's unique position would be taken into account and or perhaps they could join us eventually as Independent member of the European Union.If Luxembourg can be so can Cornwall).

In the meantime it is good to see the First Minister looking ahead but if he can't accept that Welsh Mps whether there are 40 or 30 are dominated in the Westminster Parliament at present and realise that Wales should have Legastive powers equal to Scotland even under the present Union how can he claim that a future UK without Scotlant will be detrimental to Wales?

New Welsh Constituencies a rough assestment.

2012-01-12T09:06:00.001Z

To be fair considering the remit of reducing the number of Welsh Constituencies 40 to 30 from the Boundaries commission have seemed to have made a decent fist of it and compared with a previous attempt, it at least seems to have kept communities together . Though in some cases the Commissioners have made a huge error such as including the Mountain Ash and Aberaman in the Rhondda (a possible boost for Plaid however ?) and anyone who has tried to cross the Mountain road which connects the two in Winter will know.It one of the first to close when theres even light snow and in the past has ben closed for long periods due to landslides. Perhaps the creation of the new consituency may led to improvements though I doubt it.

From the Political Parties point of View it seems Plaid will be quite happy with the new Gwynedd and Caerfyrddin seats and would not be worried about loosing they main contender status in Menai ac Ynys Mon and Ceredigion and North Pembrokeshire. Llanelli will be hard work however and the new Caerphilly and Cardiff North seat means the longed for valleys breakthrough seems further away.

For the Tories they lok to be losing one of their North Wales Seats with the the ridiculously named North Wales Coast (Cant see that name lasting) and almost certainly one of the Pembrokeshire ones . Off the 3 Cardiff seat's that will remain it is probable be dependent on the General UK political trends but for the moment they are down one.
For the Libdems it will take some nuber crunching to work out if they are still viable in the new Cardiff Central and Penarth seat . The demise of Montgomery means they are unlikely to win this area back . leaving only the South Powys seat which they will have to fight it out with the to Tories
Labour will be the biggest losers , they appear to be seeing about some of their valleys strong holds disappearing altogether including Islwyn merged into the Newport Sirhowy Valey seat and the creation of the Heads of the Valleys (another poor name) from remnants of the Merthyr and Cynon Valley.and the loss of the one seat in North Wales.

So a rough calculation if there was general election tomorrow could see the number of seats in Wales allocated as

Plaid 2/4 Current 3
Lib Dems 1/2 Current 3
Cons 5/6-Current 8
Lab 20/24- current 26

Alun Michael seeks to be Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales.

2012-01-08T12:41:00.000Z

It seems that Cardiff South and Penarth MP Alun Michael has announced he will seek nomination as Labour’s candidate for the new role of Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales.

However it appears that if he was successfully nominated he would have to resign his seat forceing a Byelection before standing so he would not have a fall back position as he did in 1999 when he was the Labour establishment choice to lead the party in the Welsh assembly.

He was elected for the Top Up Seat of Mid and West Wales (thanks in part to Plaid winning LlanelI) but stayed on as member for Cardiff South and Penarth only to find that with only 28 seats Labour did not have an overall majority and when eight month old National Assembly for Wales when faced with the likely success of a vote of no confidence against him.Which Plaid engineered and in the light of the controversial leadership election twelve months earlier these events were widely perceived as a snub to the Prime Minister himself who had championed Michael over his challenger he resigned from the Assembly and went back to the Commons

The role of these Police and Crime Commissioner has been examined in depth by Click on Wales here but although the new commissioner will have significant powers over budgets and holding the Chief Constable to account they will not be able to direct where resources such as police officers should be deployed.

So anyone running a US style "Clean up Crime" campaign will be seriously misleading the electorate..

Nevertheless its a worrying factor of the Politicisation of the police in the UK and the entry of Alun Michael into these elections emphases.this.

To be fair his press statement does say.

“In a series of difficult and challenging roles I have always looked for new and better ways of doing things, and as the police face massive cuts – which in my view come too deep and too fast – it is more important than ever before to ensure that police work is clearly focused, and that the downward trend in crime which has been achieved in the South Wales Police area is maintained in the future.

“Violence has been cut more in Cardiff than in equivalent cities in England because a science-led partnership approach has been adopted, and knowing the facts I feel safe in the city centre – but as media coverage showed last year, rowdy and unruly behaviour makes people feel unsafe. So we need to go beyond cutting crime to build public confidence and change relationships.”

So he begins his campaign on a largely progressive not; But as the election approaches promoted by a Tabloid media calling for voters to support "Hang and Flog" them candidates. It is likely the majority of those seeking the position will move to far more punitive rhetoric and considering the last Labour governments kneejerk reaction to such calls under Home Secretaries (all of whom were far from liberal) and who Alun Michael worked under. I epect him to make more and more right wing law and order statements.

The chances of aliberal progressive candidate being endorsed beyond the Independent and Guardian seems remote .

The real danger for Alun Michael however is that the public may simply not vote on political lines and seek a commisioner who is Independent of a political party. If Alun was to lose he would have nowhere to go and he may have made his last gamble.

.

How to be a Welsh Republican.

2012-01-05T12:14:00.001Z

It is interesting that much has been made of Leanne Woods Republicanism though t least Simon Thomas has expressed such views in the past .

Leanne's case however is her habit of s boycotting the ceremonial opening of the Assembly, anr therfore has been accused of snubbing the Queen. and questions have been asked if giving the circumstances of her becoming first Minister in a Plaid Assembly Government or a Minister in a coalition government would she could she make this stance.

Franlkly its up to her. Bit it does raise a issue . In a recent Blog Miserable Old Fart commented that.

"Republicanism is a British obsession. An independent Wales will have no royal family! Republicanism is not a Welsh Nationalist issue!"

I'm sorry Alwyn I can't agree unless an Independent Wales is an avowedly Republic then there is no rerason why it woulld not be on the same level as Canada, Australia , amd New Zealand with the King or Queen of England as head of State represented by a governor general appointed on the advice of a Welsh Prine Minister.

There is nothing I beleive in Plaid's Constitution that rules this out and it seems that a Independent Scotland would openly accept the reigning English Monarch as head of State.

But actually the current problem is not a future Wales but of Democracy.

Already Leanne has virtually no choice in order to take her seat. the Oath being...

I... swear by Almighty God that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, her heirs and successors, according to law. So help me Go

Or she may affirm a solemn affirmation under the terms of the Oaths Act 1978:

I... do solemnly, sincerely and truly declare and affirm that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, her heirs and successors, according to law.

I would have no problem to my mind swearing an Oath accepting Elisabeth Windsor as Head of State for the period of the Assembly that is sitting .Which is different than recognising her as such.

But I could not accept being bound to accepting it in perpetuity and the idea that such an Oath would bind me to her successors is an affront to Democracy .

So whats my advice to Leanne if she was placed in a position of being First Minister and meeting the English Monarch.

I would accept the role as Head of State in the current unwritten constitution and therefore welcome her to the Assembly in the same way a Australian Prime Minister who proposed his or her Nation should become a republic would, whilst making it clear that I was aiming to remove her from that position on the implementation of an Independent Wales.

But as first Minister I would also insure that the Oath of alligence is changed that it read something on the lines of ...one proposed by Tony Benn fir the House of Commons in 1197

I... swear by Almighty God that I will, to the best of my ability, discharge the responsibilities required of me by virtue of my membership of the Welsh Assembly s and faithfully serve those whom I represent here.

I ...do solemnly Declare and Affirm that I will, to the best of my ability, discharge the responsibilities required of me by virtue of my membership of the Welsh Assembly s and faithfully serve those whom I represent here.

Simple and Democratic and democracy should always be a Welsh Obsession.

National Left looks into his Crystal Ball

2012-01-02T12:07:00.000Z

Here are my predictions for 2012

Labour
The Party can expect to make major gains next tear wining control of Torfaen, Blaneau Gwent, Newport Brigend, Merthyr Tydfil and Caerphilly.Indeed failure do so might prove a disappointed.This could be matched by becoming the largest party in Cardiff and Swansea even having small majorities in one of these.In the Welsh assembly, they will continue to carry on without an overall majority at least until after the May election when they may seek to bring the Libdems into coalition.

They will however continue a Laissez-faire policy making only small policy initiatives whilst blaming Central government.,

Any discontent amongst Labour AM's will only appear if and when the Libdems joined them. When those realising a Ministeral post will not be coming to them will start to speak out. Some will take a call for more devolution even Parity with Scotland others will rake up a fundamentalist Unionist stance

Conservatives.

It will be steady as it goes for the Conservatives . In May they may even increase their total number of seats at the expense of the LibDems. But may lose overall control of Monmouth and even more likely Vale of Glamorgan.

Cheryl Gillian will lose her cabinet post as secretary of State for Wales to Clwyd West MP David Jones or the post will be abolished.

The Conservatives in the Assembly will take up a more Devo-sceptic position which whilst not provoking a split lead to the likes of David Melding from his safe position as Deputy Presiding Office increasingly distancing himself from the polices of his leader.

Liberal Democrats

Will have a very hard time in May will lose over 50 seats and and will be lucky to not to lose 70.

They will enter negotiations on forming a coalition with Labour after May realising that it the only way they can maintain a profile in Welsh politics.

Peter Black will make at least one ridiculous statement a week on his blog and will be shirty with those who point out his cant claiming that the are being "repetitive or off subject".

Plaid Cymru.

The Party with the most interesting and challenging year a head of them.

Elin Jones will win the leadership contest . Though Leanne Wood will make a strong challenge (and might just win it).

Depending on how much the contest invigorates the Blaid . May will see the part lossing out to Labour in the East but gaining a comfortable Majority on Gwynedd. possibly gaining Ceredigion and whilst it may lose some seats to Labour in Carmarthen this will be of-set by gains from Independents.

Sport

The Welsh Rugby team will will win the 6 nations in 2012 but alas no Grand Slam

Swansea will survive their first season in the premiership . Cardiff will make the champions league play off and join them.
The GB football (Under 23's) in the Olympics will be an embarrassment and will be quickly forgotten and never proposed again.
The overall medals won by British athletes will exceed Beijing but the number of Golds will be less.
Glamorgan will have an average Cricket season.

Royality

The Jubilee will reach a level of sycophancy of a North Korean state funeral. Republicans will be ignored and marginalised .

There will be no announcement of a pregnancy as nothing will be allowed to divert attention from the Queen this year.

In a pathetic effort to be different NL wishes you.

2011-12-25T07:25:00.002Z

The first of Ick is Hogswatchday, the Disc's New Year, and the winter solstice from the perspective of Ankh-
Morpork. In the Astronomical Year the second midwinter (the year's midway point) is called Crueltide, but due to people using the Agricultural Year this is the same festival.The 32nd of December, or the day
before the New Year, is known as Hogswatchnight; Traditionally associated with pig-killing, to ensure
there is enough food for the rest of the winter. Many Hogswatch traditions resemble a festival on a certain
spheroid world, including a decorated oak tree in a pot, strings of paper sausages, and, of course, a visit by the Hogfather.

To those on the speroid world Nadolig Llawen

Is Peter Black about to "Do an Oscar"?

2011-12-23T15:05:00.000Z

Peter Black, seems to be defending the Westminster ConLib government on a regular basis these days . In a recent post he attacked Plaids Jonathan Edwards for daring to suggest that changes to the housing benefits system for the continuing rise in homelessness.

Despite the fact that charities like Crisis were a;ready warning in June that government attacks on Housing would have a malign effect on the poorer members of Society .

Claiming the government's own figures Cris have claimed that almost one in five of the 62,500 people in England, Scotland and Wales affected by the proposed extension of the Shared Accommodation Rate (SAR) have a disability.

From 1 January 2012, single people aged 25-34 will only be able to claim housing benefit based on the cost of a room in a shared house rather than a modest one-bed flat, bringing them into line with existing rates for people under 25. The average loss will be £41 a week.

This will force many disabled people into housing that is inappropriate for their condition, said Crisis.

And thats just the disabled

Figures shows the restriction of Local Housing Allowances - which are currently based on the median rent in an area - to the 30th percentile of private rents will affect 774,970 households across the UK, who will lose an average of £9 a week.

New limits on the amount paid according to the size of a property, including a cap of £400 a week on a four bedroom house, will affect fewer households more dramatically. A total of 21,060 will lose on average £74 per week

Peter response was that amendments were being made in the House of Lords were some changes may be made. stating that

"The political games being played by Plaid politicians on this issue do not help any of the families who have lost their home. Instead we need to concentrate putting appropriate support services into place throughout Wales and increasing the supply of affordable housing"

Peters seems to be of the opinion that when his leader La Pasionaria raises an issue that the Welsh Government rightly need to look into she is providing positive and constructive opposition .Whilst any one who criticises the Con/Lib coalition disastrous policies on welfare are being opportunist.

With the LibDems facing electoral meltdown next May in the local government elections and languishing in the polls where in the next parliament, they may find they have more AMs than MPs .Can it be long before Peter decides his future lies with the Tories rather than the sinking ship that are the Liberal Democrat?

Is this why he seems to have shifted to the right recently?

Plaid and the "I" word.

2011-12-19T08:54:00.000Z

It seems that Syniadau has lit the Blur Touchpaper ,on his recent Blogs on the call to discipline both Dafydd Elis Thomas and Rhodri Glyn Thomas to the extent that he states...

"When I and others made our formal complaint about what Dafydd Elis-Thomas and Rhodri Glyn Thomas had said, our first purpose was not to get either man deselected. We sought a conciliatory solution, recommending that the party should formally instruct them to make public statements saying unequivocally that they support the aims of the party ... and specifically the aims of independence for Wales within Europe and Wales becoming a member of the United Nations. We only wanted to see a more severe sanction if they refused to make such a statement, and suggested that this should be removal from the party's national register of candidates so that they could not stand for Plaid Cymru in future elections"

Not being a Party member Its not for me to judge on this cal,l.But here goes anyway Although I understand the frustration Syniadau has. Can a Party which can not command anything like the support the SNP in Scotland afford to carry in squabbling over Syntax?

What has emerged is an intolerance on the part of some Plaid supporters with those who shy away from the "I" word partly because they feel that as no Nation is truly Independent these days then the word is meaningless.

The problem is there is no other word that seems to be available,and I use it because that Independence in Europe means equality with countries from the likes of Germany to Luxembourg (Though even here some are more equal than others).

I have considered the possibility of a Federal Britain here but I feel that politician in England would not be willing to accept a role where they are not the dominant partner .

So as you can read on my Profile I accept the "I " word because I can see no other.

Of course Plaids new emphasis on Independence has come after the success of the SNP in Scotland but those pushing it here should realise that the SNP have achieved their position by proving that they were an effective opposition with alternative plans for Scotland's future even under the current devolution settlement and when they did form a government proved to be an effective one.

Support for Scottish Independence has still not achieved over 50% in the polls and I am very doubtful that the SNP can win a referendum on Idependence.

But even if you think you are not going to get a 100% mark in an examination . That is not a reason not to sit it and even if the SNP realised they can't win it, calling a referendum will make it clear that sovereignty over Scotlands future lies with the Scottish people and not Westminster Governments.

Though if there is a additional Devomax question then I believe this will be won easily.

Plaid and Wales are decades away from being in such a position and whilst there is no reason that the Party should make its ultimate goal clear. It must also work to increase the powers of the Assembly and seek to secure parity with what ever Scotland will receive from a Devomax vote and reach out to those who feel that they can accept this even if they have doubts about Independence.

By raising the issue in such away Syniadau has shown that Plaid will seek to place Independence on the forefront of its policies (and why not) but the response to a pretty poor spoof on Dafydd Elis Thomas' position from some commentators (who believed it to be true) show that some supporters are intolerant over those who are not in complete agreement.

However those who have doubts should treat the Party members and suppoters with respect. It is one thing to show disquiet with a the major part of aParty policy its another to think as Dafydd Elis Thomas and Rhodri Glyn Thomas have , that they are above Part discipline whether it is fitting or not.

Plaid Runner and Riders.

2011-12-15T12:22:00.001Z

sNews that Leanne Wood, has become the fourth Plaid Cymru AM to enter the race for the party leadership, will delight a number of people in Wales not just those who are Plaid members

She will look for backing when nominations open in the new year. But I doubt that she would not have made her announcement if she wasn't sure of receiving it.

I doubt if any other candidate will throw their hat in the ring, as it is now a pretty crowded field.

So what I do I think of those who have put their names forward

Dafydd Elis Thomas

Pros.

Highly experienced has led the Party in the past.
His role has Presiding Officer has helped to cement the Assembly in the Welsh psyche.
Can deal with hostile interviewers with aplomb
In this capacity can make the most outrages statement seem plausible.
Can appeal to those who are worried about the Independence issue by appealing for more gradual approach.
Has a safe constituency seat so is not subject to the "Bourne effect" where a rise in Plaid seats means the loss of topup ones
Welsh speaking.

Cons.

Will be nearly 69 by the time of the next Assembly Election and though age should not be a factor . Members will probably be looking for a younger leader
It would seem strange for a former gamekeeper (Presiding Officer ) to turn poacher ( Party leader)
Can be petulant when challenged..
Often gives the impression of shooting from the hip and seaming a bit of a maverick
Has long .alienated the Right-Wing of the party and now has probably done the same to his former Left supporters.
The stronger emphasis by the Party on Independence and his disquiet may well work against him.

Simon Thomas

Pros.

Despite being a new AM has Parliamentary experience which may give him a bit more gravitas
Has long been spouted as a potential leaders by commentators outside the party.
As D.E.T's, recent statements on Independence may align with those worried about a fundamentalist approach
Affable and intelligent preforms does well in interviews.
Despite his Ceredigion connexions. His Aberdare upbringing might help to appeal to Valley supporters and voters.
Speaks Welsh.Indeed learned it (always goes down well)

Cons.

Lost the Cerdigion seat in 2001 and there was clearly some disquiet he did not fight it again in 2010
Like D.E.T unless he explains his position clearly on the Independence issue he may well lose support.
Represent a regional seat and is particularly vulnerable to the Bourne effect and therfore if Plaid won Llanelli and Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire then could well fail to be elected (Though he could stand possibly in latter if polls show the party gaining support there)

Elin Jones

Pros.

Has represented Cerdigion in the assembly since the Assembly was formed and has always given a good account of herself
Being leader will almost surley mean he Constituency seat will be safe.
Was a particularly effective Minister in the Lab-Plaid coalition and received plaudits from the farming Lobby
This included having the courage to agree on a Badger Cull against much opposition so will be seen s as not afraid to make unpopular (in some quarters) decisions.
Speaks Welsh fluently and will appeal to cultural nationalist.

Cons.

The failure to implement the Badger cull and it very idea will count against her in some quarters.
Does not have any seeming connection with the South Wales Valleys could be seen as only representing Rural interestand Plaids comfort Zone.
Needs to improve her performance in English Interviews sometime can be seen to be Umming and Arring.

Leanne Wood.

Pros.

Experienced and has a certain Charisma
May manage to express the Independence issue in away that will appeal well beyond purely Nationalist sentiments.
Although representing a Regional Topup seat any Plaid would have to do exceptionally well for her to experience the Bourne effect.
Will appeal to the Left and Republican wings of the Party.
Will appeal to those who feel Plaid should concentrate on raising its vote in the South Wales Valleys.
May well appeal to dissatisfied Labour voters and indeed some of their party activist.
Has already seemed to have received the support of Jonathan Edwards and may be able to get Adam Prices backing.Could be seen as Plaid's Nicola Sturgeon to Price's Alex Salmond.
Will be seen a new start for the Party breaking away from its Y Fro Cymreig comfort zone

Cons.

Her Left wing and republican views will be attacked mercilessly by the Media and all the other other political parties (including Labour).
Will probably not appeal to traditional and more Right-Wing voters.
Could be seen as only keeping the seat warm for Adam Price .
Would be the first Plaid Leader not fluent in Welsh

As the Leadership election progress I'm sure the Pros and Cons for all will change but I think todays announcement by Leanne Wood will lead to a more exiting and certainly more open election .

With the Leader to be announced in March I'm sure Plaid will be hoping that this will galvanise the membership and hopefully carry on the effect into the next election.

"Jonny" Wilkinson retires . Praise from a Welshman.

2011-12-13T08:21:00.000Z

I think only David Duckham the Is the only English Player who was capped 36 times 1969 to 1976 has ene endeared himself to Welsh Rugby fans and this was partly due to the fact that it was with the Lions under Carwyn James he was part of the successful British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand and encouraged by that coach s, he found an attacking freedom that was lacking in the English game. He scored 11 tries in his 16 games on tour.

He was the only English back in the 1973 Barbarians side that beat the All Blacks 23-11 at Cardiff Arms Park. In the first half he made a run that has become part of rugby lore, that brought gasps and cheers from a Welsh crowd more accustomed to regarding him with hostility

This led to a memory of him playing in a charity match iat Penygraig where on soring a Try there was a beam of a smile when the announcer said "that try was scored by Dukham".

Johnny Wilkinson never enters Welsh hearts but I also feel on the announcement of his International reritement he should receive the praise he deeserves from this side of the border.

My attitude to Wilkinson changed when I realised in a match at Twikenham against South Africa he was clearly targeted by a South African player in order to take him out of the game and I found myself for the first and only time shouting for England.

Although his goal kicking was what he was most famous for and this the comparison to Neil Jenkins may have clouded many Welsh fans judgment .it was total commitment in defence that I feel showed himself at his best.

Indeed perhaps he was often too committed and his carer was blighted by injury he would probably surpassed Neil Jenkins record of International points in 2005a few years earlier.Though Jenkins should have been capped more by Wales in his career.

It has been suggested inat his old club Newcastle Falcons he was relied on so much he was left vulnerable to tackles by opposing players and was forced to take a greater role in defence that a fly half really should.

At this years World Cup he had failed to shine and like a number of veteran goal kickers seemed to have a particularly hard time coping with the match ball.

So I hope the rest of Welsh Rugby fans will join me in raising a glass to an old foe on his retirement. Like Shane Williams he his a Rugby legend and we should acknowledge him as such.

Are the Libdems just a Tory Faction now?

2011-12-11T16:10:00.001Z

Well no its worse than that if Nick Glegg was a Government Minister and the leader of a faction within the Tory party (Like the Bruge group) and he had been humiliated by his leader. To the extent that the Deputy prime minister was

"bitterly disappointed" by the outcome of the EU summit, and says he is still committed to the coalition government with the Conservatives. adding that David Cameron's decision to veto a new EU treaty would leave the UK "isolated and marginalised".

He could, no probably nd would have resigned from his cabinet position and returned to the Backbenches and be probably be followed if they had any ounce of morality by his fellow Libdem ministers.

U K's new position on the World Map

Of course this would have led to the fall of the coalition . So Clegg and his colleagues are showing that far from being a moderating influence on Camerons Conservative, they are in such a weak position that they can't even stand up for their principals and are prepared to accept th UK Isolationist Role and its new position as a Mid Atlantic Island with no influence in Europe treated like a minor power by the US and the rest of the World regarding us as the home of greedy bankers .

Clegg seems to be a impossible position he clearly leads a party that if they were in opposition would have been the most vocal opponent of Cameron's pathetic kowtowing to the Tory Eurosceptic right who may be a faction that but clearly has more and influence that he ad his rag tag army has.

However if he was to call time on the coalition and force a General Election it it is unlikely his party would return anything but a rump.

Cameron has clearly humiliated his deputy but unlike previous Ministers, who had previously experienced this such as such as Geoffrey Howe after in the aftermath of the Prime Minister's Margaret Thatcher position at the Rome European Council meeting way back in November 1990, at which she had declared for the first time that Britain would never enter a single currency , left the Cabinet and this led to his resignation speech. where he offered a striking cricket metaphor for British negotiations on EMU in Europe:

"It is rather like sending your opening batsmen to the crease, only for them to find, as the first balls are being bowled, that their bats have been broken before the game by the team captain".

In Clegg's case it seems that he wasn't even allowed on the team bus.

By trying do to the right thing School Banding hides the problem.

2011-12-10T15:19:00.001Z

Ive been looking at the Welsh Assemblies Banding for schools you can download an excel version here .

Its difficult to extrapolate any useful data from this because

Within each category, a school's score is modified to take into account the percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals. This allows for the challenges of running a school in a deprived area.

Most of the categories also take into account a school's progress over time, to reward schools that are making improvements in performance.

I have compared the Band 1 and Band 5 schools yn the area of free meals and if you weren't aware of the fact that the information was "weighted" towards Schools in deprived areas then you may be led to assume that social deprivation did not have a marked effect on education standards.

What we really need is a before and after these factors are taken into account .

But do Goverments really point to people the influence social deprevation have on Childrens Education.

The Welsh Assembly are right to take these factors into account and the percentage of freemeals is a useful benchmark but it musn't be used to hide the very problem they are taken into account.

Peter Black Censors Debate.

2011-12-08T08:02:00.001Z

On the fourth of December Welsh Liberal Democrat AM Peter Black posted on Subordinate Central about the failure of the UK Department of Education to provide a bilingual version of a letter they sent out to teachers in Wales.

He then went on to make a further comment on his own personal Blog on this an I used the opportunity (as I have in the past) to comment on this stating....

"You criticism of the DOE would have more value if the Liberal Democrats in wales published all their election leaflets for example bilingually.

Was your correspondence last May fully Bilingual. Many of your colleagues failed to do so.

By all means point out these failings but also address your own"

T o which Peter replied......

The DOE are subject to the Welsh Language Act, we are not. We produced our leaflets as appropriate for the communities concerned.

I didn't think this was sufficient enough an answer and attempted to post a comment on my belief which I have often stated that Political Parties should set an example and have a moral duty to provide fully Bilingual Literature in their election campaign before they crticised others.

I was disappointed when Peter failed to publish it but I was prepared to move on when I read the following exchange on the same post.....

Regrettably, Peter, from your decisions to censor/withhold comments, we now know what a total hypocrite you are.

You can take both the 'liberal' and the 'democrat' out of your description.

posted by maen_tramgwydd : 9:56 PM.

Peter respose was

I refer you to the moderation guidance and in particular those parts that refer to 'off-topic', repetition and boring.

# posted by Peter Black : 8:20 AM.

I suspect that maen_tramgwydd a regular and insightful (Who I do not always agree with) commentator on the Welsh Blogosphere had made a similar point as myself and I attempted once again to post on the moral duty of the Libdems to publish fully bilingual leaflets but he has so far not published it.

Some may argue that he has a right to put what he likes on his Blog but Peter Black is an elected politician who uses his Blog to further the cause of his Party and he should publish criticism of his stance.

Blogs are an open forum not a propaganda sheet.

Yes by all means censor racist or potentially libelous comments but to use 'off-topic', repetition and boring. as an excuse amounts to accusing you of being a Troll (someone who posts inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community, such as an online discussion forum, chat room, or blog, with the primary intent of provoking readers into an emotional response or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion..)

If Peter wants to accuse me of this fine but quite frankly I don't see pointing out the Hypocrisy of his and his Parties position on Bilingualism is a valid criticism and amounts to censor ship because he can't handle the truth.

It seems £500 is enough to sway Scots.

2011-12-05T11:43:00.000Z

It appears from a recent survey that two thirds of Scots would back Independence if they believed it would make them £500 better off,,

But only one in five would want to go it alone if it meant a £500 a year reduction in living standards.

The findings suggest the economy will be key in the run-up to the SNP's referendum, expected in 2014.

I respective of this, overall, 32 per cent of voters said they were in favour of independence,, the figure is the highest recorded by the Scottish Centre for Social Research since 2005, when it stood at 35 per cent.

Support bounced back from a low of 23 per cent last year.

This shows that the key to a yes vote will be the SNP convincing the Scottish Electorate that they will financially be better of asan Independent Nation.

This would seem obvious but the fact that only £500 a year increase in their pocket points to Scots needing very little in a incentive to vote yes especially if 20 per cent were willing to see a decrease in income as the price to pay for an Independence Scotland and points to a solid bse for the pro-independence body.

The poll showed that, at present, 34 per cent think the economy would perform better if Scotland split from the UK, while 29 per cent think it would do less well.

Of course the Unionist argument will be that in this time of uncertainty and the UK moves to recession then this is not the time to risk leaving the Union though of course the argument in the time of financial boom was also that this was not the time to risk leaving the Union.

I'.m still unconvinced that the SNP can win an Independence referendum bit if a Devomax option was included I think there would be a substantial majority.

But over the next few Months the economic argument will be crucial as both sides will produce figures to support their argument . Though economics seem to be a subject that you can find a expert to support your position on the benefits or otherwise at the drop of a hat.So it may simply come down to the heart ruling the head and people voting purely on a Nationalist or Unionist instinct.

So whats the difference between Clarkson and an idiot on Facebook?

2011-12-03T11:38:00.000Z

It seems that BBC has received more than 21,000 (and growing)complaints over Jeremy Clarkson's remarks that striking public sector workers should be shot. However it seems slow to respond and it is somewhat typical that it reporters and try to point out the fact that Clarkson somehow made positive about the strike .before hiss crass remarks. Though it was largely on his ability to drive through London unhibited by other traffic.

Mr Clarkson said he had not intended for the comments on The One Show to be taken seriously and was "happy to apologise" if offence had been caused. Though to my mind it was less tan convincing rather like a smirking schoolboy who has been forced to apologise for his behavior but clearly is quite pleased with himself.

We have to ask to what extent Clarkson remarks were planned well in advance of the programme going on the air and to what extent those producing the One Show were aware of what he was going to say. I cab't believe there no run through with guests. So are the BBC complacent in the remarks?

The other point is it seems that live you are allowed to get away with such appalling behavior on Television but to do so on the New Social Media is unacceptable as the case of Plaid Councillor Neil McEvoy shows.

But if you were to look at the fact that Clarkson appears to be inciting people to violence afainst others . What exactly is the difference between a number of stupid young men who were imprisoned for calling people to riot.

Jordan Blackshaw, 20, set up an "event" called Smash Down in Northwich Town for the night of 8 August on the social networking site but no one apart from the police, who were monitoring the page, turned up at the pre-arranged meeting point outside a McDonalds restaurant. Blackshaw was promptly arrested.

Perry Sutcliffe-Keenan, 22, of Latchford, Warrington, used his Facebook account in the early hours of 9 August to design a web page entitled The Warrington Riots. The court was told it caused a wave of panic in the town. When he woke up the following morning with a hangover, he removed the page and apologised, saying it had been a joke. His message was distributed to 400 Facebook contacts, but no rioting broke out as a result.

Less people saw these postings than Clarkson appearance indeed he had more complaints than those who saw the Facebook pages for which the two were imprisoned.

So being a working class idiot who makes a stupid remark (and they were stupid) gets the full force of the law against you whilst being a TV personality is treated in some quarters as eccentric humour.

I'm not calling for Clarkson to be imprisoned but its about time the BBC stood up to him and told him that his behavior was unacceptable to behave himself or find employment else where.( Though how many Final "Final Warnings" has he had?)

Valeys Mam gets it right when she points out that he has a DVD or a book or a programme to publicise so may be he is canny

The rest of us can show our disapproval by not buying his musings on DVD or print and to stop watchinf Top Gear entirely a massive drop in viewing figures may just may just give the BBC bossed some backbone.

What exactly are we paying for? And How much?

2011-12-01T09:02:00.000Z

It is very difficult to find out how many Tomahwk cruise missiles were deployed by the UK in the latest Action against Colonel Gaddafi forces.

We know it was at leasts12 and probably more. at a cost of about £500,000 per missile, were used this amounts to a minimum of £6 Million before we bring the cost of deployment .

Even the simple presence of the submarines and aircraft that launched them cost a fortune .Figures released by the Government in response to questions in Parliament show that it costs £35,000 to keep a Tornado GR4 in the air for an hour and £70,000 for a Typhoon, taking into account the cost of fuel, staffing and maintenance.

By sheer coincidence just before I started this post I happened to look at Left foot forward and Kate Hudson's on how rhe Con/Libdem bypassing parliament and admitted that it has committed a further £2 billion to replacing Trident.

My reason for this number crunching is not however to comment on the rights or wrong of this expenditure but to try and show how it relates to the Welsh Budget.

This is not a case of "Comparing Apples with Oranges" but an attempt to show that how little a million pounds is these days .

Clearly the £20 Million pound diverted to Education due to the agreement between Labour and the Libdems looks a very small amount when we consider what the cost of just one days action in the Libyan conflict could have been and the £216Million capital budget for building work will get an additional s a result of Chancellor George Osborne's Autumn Statement. pales when we look at the cost of renewing Trident..

The recent Talbot Green bypass which came in on Budget cos £90 million for 4.6 miles . So working on this the money would be gone if we built just over ten miles of major roads.

Even £14.5bn budget looks less a samll amount in the final analysis and anyway and what do we need by a billion?

Acording to the Oxford Dictionary

In British English, a billion used to be equivalent to a million million (i.e. 1,000,000,000,000), while in American English it has always equated to a thousand million (i.e. 1,000,000,000). British English has now adopted the American figure, though, so that a billion equals a thousand million in both varieties of English.

But this is not always the case. and confusion looms large try reading this if you what to set your head spinning and it does seem that the powers that be can be selective when they use it.

Is not time to stop make it absolutely clear when we using this term? Or perhaps do away with it altogether and refer to a Million Million or Thousand million so poor confused persons like myself have a clearer idea what we are talking about.

Perhaps what we need is a standard unit which we can compare expenditure say a the cost of building Comprehensive School to accommodate 1500 pupils called the Compo.

Any Ideas of a more Comprehensive (Sorry about that) standard unit.

Welsh Budget. Simply robbing Peter to pay Paul won't do.

2011-11-28T08:43:00.000Z

I have taken some time to look at look at the Lab-Libdem deal to pass the Assembly budget the main concession the Libdems seem to have wrung are...

1: An extra £20million for the "Pupil Deprivation Grant".

There can be no doubt that will be the Welsh Libdems main thrust in the next few months. La Pasionaria makes this on Subordinate Central (When is she going to realise the photo here just makes her look smug)? claiming that.

"We have agreed to support the 2012-2013 budget on the basis that we will be introducing a Welsh Pupil Premium. This means that from April 2012, every child in Wales on free schools meals will recieve an extra £450 of funding – no matter where they live, or what school they go to. This is a total Pupil Premium spending of £32 million, of which £20 million is brand new money for the education budge".

At first this looks at impressive. However one wonders how much of the £32 million will go on implementing the project.

But the main problem, is that poor pupils education is largely affected outside the school, where their parents may have had a negative experience of schooling and generation after generation are caught in a cycle of ppr educational achivement .

What we need to do is bring these Parents into the School Culture and . It may be an interesting project to instead of looking at accademic results to look at things like the Parents past experiance and indeed the strength of the P.T.A..There are good teachers in so called failing schools who work their socks off and they should no be held responsible for the failings of society.

The second part cover some of the same ground .

2: A £38.9million economic stimulus package over the next two years to be spent on capital :investment in schools, skills, and an increase in funding for the Arbed energy efficiency scheme.

but it is the third part of the agreement. that intrests me

3: Any consequentials resulting from the UK Government's Autumn Statement will be discussed between the two leaders.

The Third part of the agreement seem to commit Labour LibDems to a further pact.

This despite La Pasionaria's claim that

But let me be clear, this is purely an agreement about the budget for next year. With Labour lacking the ‘comfortable majority’ they predicted before the election, the Welsh Liberal Democrats have had the opportunity to influence the direction of our country. I am proud we have done this in such a positive way.

Do the LibDems believe that they can have power with responsibility ?

Well yes.But then hey always do

They can claim they secured money for education but they do not have to answer questions as Welsh Government Ministers in the Assembly will of where it coming from? They do not have to say from where the £20Million has been diverted to their "Pupil Premium" .

If they want to be in government then enter into a formal pact or coalition and take responsibility for this.

The Welsh Assembly can only the £14.5bn it receives from central government and cannot raise any more through its own tax levy And with the political parties (all of them) mindful that spending money on Education and the NHS and constantly call for more money for both.

But they often seem to believe in Government that Money can be diverted from one to another and in opposition criticize from where to where doesn't matter.

In the meantime there's no money to stimulate the Welsh economy by supporting the infrastructure and helping business in Wales

When you are preparing your electoral leaflets then parading £20 million you've secured for education looks good and for opposition parties a £20 million shortfall in the NHS budget looks equally good.

Expect this for next May council elections.

We need a Welsh Government of vision and who don't look at just the NHS (Peter? and Education(Paul?) as the only important responsibility they have and opposition parties must act responsibly when calling for reform and more money for these and look beyond the two and act responsibly Let us look at the future of Welsh economy as well.

Arab Spring reaches California.

2011-11-26T08:03:00.000Z

This is not Cairo or Damascus but California USA. Whats the difference?

Wheres the outrage from the Media in the UK? If you haven't seen the story then

A US university has suspended two campus police officers over the use of pepper spray on students at a peaceful protest on Friday in support of the Occupy Wall Street movement.

Video of the incident shows police blasting seated protesters in the face with the chemical at close range.

The chancellor of the University of California, Davis, who had called in the police, criticised the use of pepper spray on the protesters.

However, she says she will not resign.

Ironically The demonstration was intended to show solidarity with protesters at another branch of the University of California, in Berkeley, who were hit with batons by police on 9 November.

The footage of the pepper spray incident, which has been circulated widely on the internet, caused outrage among students.

The protesters are seen sitting in a line on the floor with their arms interlocked, refusing to move.

The violence was unprovoked, disproportional and excessive”Davis Faculty Association statement

They try to cover their faces as officers in riot gear walk along emptying canisters of the spray on to them.

It seems that once again the West has dual standards .

Conservative Students Still Racist Bigots

2011-11-24T07:57:00.001Z

BIt seems that Conservative Students have not changed their ways

An effigy of US President Barack Obama was burned over the weekend by members of the Conservative student association at St Andrews University.

The incident is understood to have taken place on Friday evening on the town's East Sands beach.

One of those who attended said members of the association had ''no input'' and were ''surprised'' to discover Obama was on the bonfire.

The St Andrews Conservative Association apologised for any offence caused.

The university said it was aware of the reports and had asked to meet the president of the society to discuss ''very understandable concerns''.

A spokesman said it would be inappropriate to comment further.

Matthew Marshall, president of the St Andrews Conservative Association, said: ''President Obama is an important ally to the British government. It was a stupid thing to do and we apologise for any offence caused.

Some may argue that Left wing students have in the past burned effigies etc of Magraet Thatcher but the difference here is that there is more than a hint of racism in the burning of an effigy of Obama

And it can not be dismissed as a youthful prank because it shows hidden depths of racism from those who cannot accept that a Blackman has been elected a President of the U.S.A,

Most of the who tool part at the gathering were probably shocked when they found out what had occurred but unless they take immediate action by expelling those responsible than they will be tainted with this stupid act .

Of course some of us remember similar behavior from Conservative students before.

In the late 80 as Student a t a mature Aberystwyth I was generally shocked when what was then Called Federation of Conservative students

Dressed in Springbok rugby jerseys in order to show their support for the South African apartheid regimes .Some of whom greeted each other with Nazi salutes claiminfgthey were being ironic.
Racially abused a member of the Student Union Staff for which individual members were suspended from the Union.
Went on a drinking Binge to celebrate the rise of Adolf Hitler to power. Which was too much for the Conservatives themselves and they were disbanded.from the current association emerged

Although I have no recollection of it happening at Aber some F.C.S in the UK wore Hang Nelson Mandela T shirts or stickers similar to the poster below.

The last Chairman of the F.C.S. (1986) in the year it was disbanded was John Bercow now of course the Speaker of the House of Commons.

Who knows where those on the Beach at St Andrews will be in 15 years time ? some may well l have important positions in the party some may well be in the House of Commons even in the Cabinet I just hope this comes back to haunt them

Bulding a few Houses

2011-11-21T14:47:00.000Z

David Cameron and Nick Clegg announcement a £400m initiative to build up to 16,000 new homes by allowing an acceleration of investment in "ready-to-go" construction sites where work has stalled.

The prime minister and his deputy will hail the initiative, which involves new money and could see the start of building work next July, as a sign of the coalition's determination to reverse the slow rate of house building

Once again it is difficult to see that this strategy is one for England or the whole of the UK.

But if it is for England then if the Welsh Government were to follow suit then this would be just under 1000 houses to be built or about 45 houses divided between the 22 Welsh Unitary authorities.

And this assuming that these Housed will be built on top of any that would have been done so anyway.

More welcome is a new scheme, running to hundreds of millions of pounds, to underwrite a small percentage of mortgages for "new-build" homes. The scheme is designed to reduce the size of a deposit, particularly for first-time buyers, by shifting the "loan-to-value" ratio. Banks are currently demanding deposits of up to 20% of the value of a property from first-time buyers.

Though it may well be the case that it will only make it easier for first time buyers to secure a mortgage not more likely and will not result in a grater number of first time buyers securing their mortgages..

What we have here is publicity exercise where numbers are thrown in which at first look impressive but in reality a just a drop in the ocean.

Some will claim that its a start.But what we need is a radical revue of housing especially social housing one solution would have been to use Northern Rock which was owned by the British Taxpayer, to provide the sort of Loans that the government have been talking about. But they have already missed that opportunity by selling the bank to Richard Branson. We could have used this bank as a means to setting the template for all banks but it was not to be.

We need a government whether in Westminster or Wales (or both) with vision and commitment.What we have today is the equivalent of adding a few more bowls to the soup kitchen

Basil D'Oliveria

2011-11-19T11:42:00.000Z

Tributes are coming in to Basil D'Oliveira CBE (4 October 1931 – 19 November 2011), who known affectionately around the world as "Dolly", Although born in South African-born cricketer. D'Oliveira was classified as 'coloured' under the apartheid regime, and hence barred from first-class cricket. He captained South Africa's national non-white cricket team, and also played football for the non-white national side. However under the Apartheid refime he was forced to pursue his carrer un England for who played in forty-four Test matches, and four ODIs. Despite his cricketing prowess, he was best known because of the "D'Oliveira affair", centred around his inclusion in the England side for a planned tour to South Africa in 1968

Dispite his undoubted talents he was left out of the touring party under the pretext that his bowling would not be effective in his native country. South African cricket officials, realising that the inclusion of D'Oliveira would lead to the cancellation of the tour and probable exclusion from Test cricket, exerted pressure on the MCC hierarchy and the decision not to pick him was felt by opponents of apartheid to be a way of keeping cricket links with South Africa open

.There was dissent in the press . But too many it was Doolys treatment by the MCC which brought out the worst in the people running English cricket, and made us confront the appalling reality of Apartheid and all but the MCC ducked the issue and if my memory serves me led a particularly strong denouncement from BBC presenter David Coleman of the MCC cowidice live on air

In the to this course of events and when Warwickshire's Tom Cartwright was ruled out because of injury, D'Oliveira was called up into the squad.] South African prime minister B. J. Vorster had already made it clear that D'Oliveira's inclusion was not acceptable, and despite many negotiations the tour was cancelled. seen as a watershed in the sporting boycott of apartheid South Africa.

The D'Oliveria Afffair perhaps opened many more eyes to apartheid and was instrumental in the Gleneagles Agreement which led to the sporting and cultural boycott of South Africa so he indirectly played a huge part in the dismantling of apartheid which had forced him to play cricket in another country.

I was a 15 year Schoolboy at the time and the affair was an important part in my education as the idea that a man should be excluded from anything because of his colour was abhorrent and a year later saw me taking part first demonstrations against the 1969 springbok tour in which my parents backed all the way.

The case of Basil D' Oliveria showed and still does that you cannot exclude politics from sport and the recent events in football and the comments of Sepp Blatter shows we must ever vigilant in opposing discrimination and racism. where ever it appears

Ruabon: Labour gain seat by one vote.

2011-11-18T08:01:00.000Z

Labour took the Ruabon Seat of Plaid by just one vite Yesterday the result was
Dana Davies (Lab) 231
Pol Wong (Plaid Cymru) 230
Andy Kendrick (Ind) 155
Adam Owen (Tory) 59

This compares with the 2008 Election in which Plaid gained the seat from Labour
Nick Coulbane (Lab)184:
Andy Kendrick (Ind) 248:
Barrie Price (Plaid Cymru) 337:

However if we look at the 2004 Election we can see that This was a seat Labour has a big lead over Plaid and had taken the seat of an former Labour Councillor standing as an Independent.

Michael Adams (Lib) 76

Nick Colbourne (Lab 289

James Kelvyn (FW) 75

Barrie Price 140

Cyril Williams (Ind) 207

So whilst there must be disappointment amongst Plaid in Wrexham especially losing by one vote it must be encouraging for the three remaining Councillor who face reelection next May, and through the high profile through the Plaid Wrecsam Blog which I'm sure most of you would agree is one of the best Council party group blogs not only in Wales but in the U.K. may will see them comfortably reelected. Though they may not be able to increase their numbers if Labour carry on riding the tide of anti Tory cuts.

But Plaid in Wrexham like the Party throughout Wales need Plaid to sort its act out on a Wales and increase its exposure of the lethargy of the Labour Assembly Government. Certainly isn't about time for those seeking the leadership of Plaid to throw their hats in the ring?

We cannot depend on Scottish Voters.

2011-11-15T08:48:00.000Z

Delivering a lecture on the future of devolution at Aberystwyth First Minister Carwyn Jones , has suggested.he Welsh Assembly should get wider powers if Scotland votes for independence,

He said Wales' relationship to the rest of the UK would need a "radical reconsideration" if the Scots back independence at a referendum.

Independence or full fiscal autonomy would make the UK very different, he said in a lecture in Aberystwyth.

But he said further devolution for its own sake did not appeal to him.

Is this where Labour are in Wales or West Briton as they seem sometimes to regard it.

Is he really saying that any change to Devolution in Wales depends on the votes of people in another Nation? Surely the impetus should be coming from inside Wales?

And Carwyn could well be wrong. When the Irish Free State was created in 1922 , the concept of " Home Rule all round " which was advocated bt the Liberals and indeed the Labour Party in the period prior to this died almost overnight and necessitated the creation of the Plaid Cymru (1925 and SNP (1934).

And this may happen again . I f by the time The Scottish People vote for Independence or (I think more likely) some form of Devomax, the Welsh Assembly have not at the very least has Policing and Law and Order devolved to it. Then dominated by an London based Media and totally outnumbered at Westminster the attitude from there may well be that there is no way Wales will be allowed to go the way of Scotland.

Clearly taking Carwyn Jones position then there will be no further calls from Labour for more powers to be devolved in the current Assembly. The Conservatives under R.T. (Homer) Davies, have reverted to crude Unionism and the Libdems under La Pasionaria, seem to be content simply attack on the easy targets for any Opposition the NHS and Education.

Which leaves Plaid. Who whilst they have committed themselves to Independence need to look at the current Assembly and start drawing up list of powers they feel should be devolved now.

Whilst some Nationalist seem to think that Independence should be the only option for the Party. There is no reason why it can't embrace those who feel that although they do not fully support this position would like to see a Devomax Parliament in Wales.We can argue about going further (and for the record I think we should) later.But we need to start now and certainly not wait foe events in Scotland to take their course.

To be fair the long leadership campaign has not helped and the lack of AMs willing to throw tier hat in the ring means we have not yet seen any really debate within the party.

Any future coalition deal between Plaid and Labour should include a commitment to the Assembly becoming a full Parliament or at the very lest control over Policing and Law and order. Oh and how this body is elected.

Nevertheless with a Labour Administration lacking an overall majority Plaid should already be wringing concessions from Labour and it could well be the current Budget stalemate means this is already happening but just as Plaid have clearly upped thier game with their attacks Welsh Governments inertia over using the legislative powers that we voted for last March they must see that any Welsh Government seek further powers not as Carwyn said for the "Sake of Devolution" but for the sake of Wales.

West Briton Labour shows its true colours

2011-11-13T11:44:00.000Z

West-Britain Labour,have backed their leader Peter Hain over the man who pretends to be leader Carwyn Jones, over the idea that if the number of Welsh Westminster seats are cut 30.Then the Welsh assembly seats should be cut to mirror them and should elect two members by the First oast the Post system,

The Anniuncement read.....

Welsh Labour united over Assembly voting system

Tory Secretary of State must accept UK Government has “No mandate for change”

Welsh Labour First Minister Carwyn Jones and Shadow Secretary of State Peter Hain today (Saturday November 11) issued a clear message to the Tory-led UK Government – “You have no mandate to change the current electoral system in Wales.”

In a joint statement issued following a meeting of the Welsh Labour Executive Committee they said:

“Welsh Labour is at one on this issue. The Tory-led UK Government has absolutely no mandate to change the voting system here in Wales. Any attempt to do so without a clear mandate from the people of Wales would be deeply disrespectful to both them and the Welsh Government.

“As such, after consultation with Party members across Wales, we are calling on the Tory Secretary of State to rule out any changes to the Assembly voting system without such a mandate.

“However, Welsh Labour also realises the need for a clear position should the Tory-led UK Government press ahead with proposals for change, to properly inform debate and push for an outcome that best serves Wales.

“Therefore if, as expected, proposals for change are made along the 30 new Parliamentary boundaries, Welsh Labour’s preference would be for a 60 member Assembly, comprising 30 two member seats. This position reflects the preference for first past the post expressed by an overwhelming majority of the electorate in the referendum on the alternative vote for Westminster in May 2011.

“The message from Welsh Labour could not be any clearer. The Tory-led Government have absolutely no mandate for change, but should they attempt to bypass the people of Wales, Welsh Labour is united behind a common goal of securing a voting system that best serves the people of Wales.”

Of course they qualify thus with IF the Welsh seats are cut, and as the delay in the proposed Boundary changes goes on it could well be that the commission are finding reducing the number of Welsh seats to 30 an impossible task withou having constituencies that have no relevance to the constituents. So it could be that the number of Welsh seats will actually be over 30 when we see the proposals. Which would mean either increasing the number of AMs to 62 or 64 say and would make the other ingestion of 30 seats elected by FPTP and 30 by the current top up system impracticable.

A privious attempt to attempt to rearange the Welsh consituenies to fit the ConLib requirements led to farcical which I commented on with a special regards my own ward. here

But the major problem with West- Briton Labour is the way they are proposing an even more undemocratic solution to the redrawn boundaries by proposing Welsh Assembly seats be redrawn on this basis and should elect 2 members by FPTP and try and twist the facts by stating.

Welsh Labour’s preference would be for a 60 member Assembly, comprising 30 two member seats. This position reflects the preference for first past the post expressed by an overwhelming majority of the electorate in the referendum on the alternative vote for Westminster in May 2011.

This referendum had nothing to do with the way the Welsh Assembly is or could be elected . It was a vote on the Westminster system and I have seen no indication that the Welsh electorate should like to see a change to the way the Assembly would be elected even to my preference of STV.

And as I have already commented on in a previous post basing the Welsh Assembly seats on Westminster ones does not take into account demographic changes that could see Wales loosing or gaining a seat in future Boundary Commission revues.

What West -Briton  Labour has shown is whose in charge (Peter Hain) and that idea of A "Welsh Labour" Party is a myth .

There is in fact NO Party registered  as "Welsh Labour" possibly because it would have to disclose to what extent it is funded beyond Wales. It is only a nme they use for electoral purposes to disguise the actual control come from their London HQ.

What West Briton Labour has shown is like it ConLib counterparts that they have no interest in having a truely democratic voting system or making the Welsh Assembly a true legislature  but are little more than emissaries for their London Masters.

Should Edwina Hart wear this?

2011-11-11T08:41:00.000Z

In a response to a Plaid Cymru tabled a motion saying it "regrets" Labour's "failure" to respond to the economic crisis, problems faced by the manufacturing sector and youth unemployment.
Labours minister in charge of helping the private sector and boosting the Welsh economy Edwina Hart Hart told the Senedd on Wednesday: said.....

"Can I say that I was disappointed when I read the motion, but in view of the fact that it said 'regret' perhaps I should say 'regret' because in life we all regret many things.Continue reading the main story“Start Quote...if you want to go to history lessons perhaps I need to go back to Karl Marx and Engels and we could have a discussion about those issues"I regret about the capitalist system, if you want to go to history lessons perhaps I need to go back to Karl Marx and Engels and we could have a discussion about those issues."those issues.".

Though the actions of the Labour Welsh Government reminds me of the old French Student joke

"je suis un marxiste - de la tendance Groucho"

So we might just see the Edwina and the rest of the Welsh Cabinet wearing one if these,

I will not wear a Poppy tomorrow. Because I will not be Bullied.

2011-11-10T07:58:00.000Z

In june 2010 I blogged on Armed Forces Day . To save you the trouble I am copying its ome of it below

"I am really sorry but I can't support Armed Forces Day..
My late Father spent most of the Second World War in the Orkney Isles.
However he was to take part in D-Day, where he lasted only three days before being seriously injured by shrapnel from a mine. and after major surgery he was given a plate in his head which was to be part of him until the end.
This injury affected him all his life, He suffered fro Blackouts and was a contribution to his death nearly 10 years ago.
He hardly ever talked about his experience and it was only later in life that he applied for his War Medals for which he received three and when I see the be-medaled members of the Royal Family I wonder.
He also received an inadequate war pension which ironically was far less than if he been a member of the German armed forces.
I doubt very much that he would have approved of Armed Forces day, he rarely wore a red poppy on Armistice Day and I think that he would have wondered why another day should be set aside.
I think I know! Despite the increased politicisation of Remembrance Sunday where it appears for weeks before it is compulsory to wear red poppy on the BBC. The last government needed such a day in order to justify their involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq and the coalition will follow suite.
What would the BBC reaction to someone who insisted on wearing a White Poppy (which you can get from the Peace Pledge Union) here. Or how would all the Media react to MP or Am wearing the White Poppy in the Commons or Assembly chamber?
Incidentally I stopped wearing the White Poppy believing that we should have separate day for remembering all victims of war: But now because of Armed Forces Day I will reconsider my position.
It is thought that 1968 is only year since the Second World War when no British soldier was killed in action.
I believe that far too many of our armed Forces have died because successive governments have involved themselves in conflicts in order to maintain the illusion that Britain is still a Major power.
We are being spun in order that concern for the safety for soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq manifest as support for government policy.
There also those in the Military complex of senior armed forces personnel and contractors who have a vested in interest in a large military force.
If you wish to take part in today’s events, do so with Pride, but remember many of us who disapprove of Armed Forces Day also have the interest of the ordinary Soldier. Sailor, and Airmen at heart."

Sadly noting has changed our young men are still. in Afghanistan and in Iraq and the annual Poppy campaign is still being for Political reasons and not for its True intention.

I was however pleased to see the return of Welsh Political Twins who blogged on the subject and give us hope that not everyone has been cowed.

We may be a small minority though since our viewpoint is almost totally excluded from the Media then we have no idea how many of us there are.

Just imagine the BBC or the rest of the Media reporting on a country where everyone who appears on Television there is forced virtually forced to wear a symbol (no matter its merits). They would argue that it was totalitarian and would interview those who oppose it.

Or footballers from Argentina wearing a symbol of their fallen in the Falklands.

The compulsory wearing of Poppies on the BBC where it results in comedians wearing them on Panel shows which are then repeated 3 or 6 months later or every week on Dave.

The problem now of course is that no BBC Director General would reverse the policy it would be a very brave politician who would be seen in any of our legislative chambers (out side Northern Ireland) not wearing a Red Poppy let alone a White one.

I really feel the only way to express my disquiet is to not wear a poppy but I will feel uncomfortable because I would like to show that I remember in a particular a young man from Treforest ,Pontypridd who landed on Gold Beach on Dday and paid with his injury the rest of his life for helping us defeat Nazi Tyranny

Unions must stand up to Labour Councils

2011-11-08T12:01:00.000Z

Grangetown Jack has recently Blogged on the disgraceful attitude to Labour led Bridgend Council towards its workforce ,who are following Labour Controlled R.C.T and Neath Port Talbot, in implementing changes towards its workforce, which must make Tory Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Erik Pickles, wish the English councils for which he is responsible would follow suit.

Why is it Labour Councils who are behaving this way ?
Could it be that thy feel that the Unions like the GMB will bluster and condemn such moves will not condemn the Labour Part for carrying out such cuts?.

In February there was a Union led Rally in Pontypridd against the cuts proposed by the Labour controlled council which I blogged on here.

As I commented at the time the only Politician allowed to address us at the ticket only meeting.was Labour's Candidate for the Pontypridd seat Mick Antoniw. who managed to address us on a protest on the attack on the work force of Labour controlled R.C.T. without once mentioning them. A remarkable feat and it was a generous audience who allowed him to do this.

If Plaid had been in control of R.C.T at the time all the Labour AM's and MPs who represent the constituencies of Pontypridd,Rhondda and Cynon Valley would be shouting from the rooftops how Plaid were implementing the Tory cuts and we would have seen the Unions act much more decisively.

Mick Antoniw. subsequently went on to win the seat and now with MP Owen Smith use the GMB Pontypridd HQ as Offices and delights in showing us his Union support

What will the Unions be doing next May.local government elections?

Will they be contributing to the Labour expenses in Bridgend, Neath Port Talbot and R.C.T.?
Will their Offices have posters calling on us to vote for the Party that has so disgracefully treated their Members?
Will Labour candidates, who as councillors voted for these measures proudly boast of their Union credentials?

In next May local government ,I expect Labour to make big gains in Wales on a campaign berating the ConLibDem coalition for making cuts and are likely to regain full control of councils such as Blaneau Gwent, Torfaen ,Caerphilly and Swansea and maybe even Cardiff.. And will probably base much of their campaign in Wales against London Cuts in the safe knowledge the Unions will not speak out on the gross hypocricy of "Welsh" Labour.and unless Plaid up their game, will get away with it.

If I was an already low paid worker on these councils I would be very worried indeed..

Wales needs a New Cooperative Movement.

2011-11-05T14:08:00.000Z

Writing in the Magazine Prospect Labour AM Huw Lewis said.....

"In May, nine Labour and Cooperative assembly members were elected to the Welsh assembly, including two cabinet ministers. The cooperative movement has never been better represented at the heart of decision-making. We have a cooperative moment here in Wales and I am determined to capitalise on that.

What he actualy means who are members of hte Cooperative Party.
The Co-operative Party is a committed to supporting and representing co-operative principles. The party does not put up separate candidates for any UK election itself. Instead, Co-operative candidates stand jointly with the Labour Party as "Labour and Co-operative Party" candidates. Although a sister party of the Labour Party, the Co-operative Party is legally a separate political organisation, and members of the Co-operative Party do not have to join the Labour Party although they are not permitted to be members of another political party.

So it is restrictive and therefore not an open movement.

For the record the Labour Members of the Assembly who are also members of the Cooperative Party are

Alun Davies (AM for Blaenau Gwent
Ann Jones (AM for Vale of Clwyd)
Christine Chapman (AM for Cynon Valley)
Huw Lewis (AM for Mertyr Tydfil and Rhymney)
John Griffiths (AM for Newport East)
Lynne Neagle (AM for Torfaen)
Mick Antoniw (AM for Pontypridd)
Vaughan Gething (AM for Cardiff South and Penarth)
Sandra (Sandy) Mewies (AM for Delyn)

I am sure that any financial contribution to their electoral expenses from the Cooperative Party has nothing do do with their membership.

With 9 of the 30 Labour Am's being also members of the Cooperative Party one would expect a greater emphasis especially in these troubled time on Cooperatives from the Assembly government but in fact beyond Social Housing legisaltion proposed by Huw Lewis there has been very little ambition.

Where are the proposals for setting up cooperatives throughout Wales ? Where is the ambition? where is the finances to set these up rather in spending money trying to attract foreign companies who either pull out as LG did or leave after a few years to move to another country which offer them a greater incentive.

What we seem to have is the equivalent of those who join a supporters club of a Rugby or Football clubs but never watch their Team Play. Though they will wear the replica strip at every occasion but probably could't name more than 3 members of the Teams Squad.

If we are to have a viable Cooperative Movement then it should consist of Members of all parties and those who are not affiliated to any party who have a vision beyond just giving vocal support which is more or less what the Cooperative Party does at the moment.

Unfortunately there seems to be desire from the other Plank that should support a Welsh Cooperative movement the Trade Unions who are still tied to the Labour Party to promote a radical alternative such as creation of Mondragon type solution. which exist in the Basque country.

And Huw Lewis who seems to be the Champion of Cooperatives in the Labour Party in Wales is to much of a partisan politician to contemplate any solution that involves politician outside his own party and would dismiss a Cooperative movement that identified strongly with the idea of Welsh Nationhood as Mondragon does with Euskadi.

Wales needs a new Cooperative movement that looks at Mondragon and other examples the Cooperative party with its narrow political base and its ambition can't be the answer.

Team GB. Only half the story again

2011-11-03T12:09:00.002Z

Here we go again with the British media reports on the propossed mens GB team for the 2012 Olympics

The BBC report that....

Wales captain Aaron Ramsey has followed compatriot Gareth Bale's lead by posing in a Great Britain supporters' shirt.
Bale, who caused controversy by wearing the shirt, says he wants to play for Team GB at the London 2012 Olympics.
And 20-year-old Arsenal midfielder Ramsey has echoed Bale's sentiments, saying: "If we have the opportunity to play, why not?"
The Football Association of Wales [FAW] is against its players playing in the British team.
The FAW along with its Scottish and Northern Irish counterparts fear a British team threatens their independence as football nations.
Great Britain will enter a men's football team for the first time since 1960 and will be coached by England Under-21 manager Stuart Pearce at the 2012 event.

One wonders who persuaded Ramsey and Bale to do this . I suspect a media set up.

This News coincided with a report that

David Beckham has reiterated his interest in playing for the Great Britain football team at the London Olympics and insists he can still perform at the top level.
The 36-year-old's deal with current club the Los Angeles Galaxy is about to run out and he admits there has been interest from Barclays Premier League clubs as well as Ligue 1 side Paris St Germain.

There are also claims..

"The former England skipper has been linked with the team for next year's Games and of the possibility of being involved, Beckham told BBC Sport: "We all dream about it and we all think about it. If it happens, I'll be honoured.",

But Beckham would be an unlikely squad member given the ruling that only three over 23-year-olds are permitted in Olympic squads.He will be 37 by then

The reason for this is The World Cup is the major competition and the Olympics cannot be seen as runing a secondary comeitition hence the under 23's where there is no equivalent FIFA one.

But not all the media point this out and there is no mention of this by the BBC or when they reported the Beckham.

The rules state:

“All players participating in the preliminary and final competitions of the Tournament shall be born on or after 1 January 1989. However, a maximum of three male players who do not meet this age limit may also be included in the official list of players for the final competition.

The inclusion of a 37as part of the three overage whose inclusion will be seen as many as merely to publicize the event would surely show this for the sham it is..

The London Media and (the Welsh Media) for that matter should stop giving the impression that this is a full blown international tournament. It is not and they should say so

Another Sport that could cause a problem is Ruby 7's

On 13 August 2009 it was announced that the IOC executive board was recommending rugby sevens for inclusion in the 2016 Olympic Games and on 9 October 2009 the full IOC, at its 121st IOC Session in Copenhagen, voted to include Rugby Sevens in the 2016 games.

This came after the IRB announced that they would drop the Rugby World Cup Sevens in order to improve the chances of the sport being included. The benefit of this move would be to make the Olympics the premier event in international rugby sevens.

Therer would appear at first to be less controversy in this as there is no threat to the Identity of English,Scottish and Welsh sides but I can see a problem when it comes to Northern Ireland players.

Will the GB side contain players from Northern Ireland or if will players from the six counties be only eligible for an all Ireland side whether they field a side or not?

Ireland do not regularly play 7 tournaments.

There is a precedent for this. I understand that Boxing like Ruby Union is an all Ireland sport and those from Northern Ireland Box in the Olympics for Ireland not GB.

I imagine when this potential problem is realised we might have even greater controversy than that over a minor football competition.

Scottish Liberal Democrats - A disgrace.

2011-11-01T07:48:00.002Z

Hat Tip to Bettter Nation for this.(Though I suspect the Scottish Blogasphere will be burning on this).

Anyone who has fallen for The LibDems portrayal of a party that doesn't fight dirty and are the nice Political Party of Politics in these Islands.

The Scottish Libdems have promoting this Photo in response to Alex Salmond visit to the Middle East.

Apart for the ridiculous and puerile nature of the Photo. It appears that they have "Blacked Up" Alex Salmond. If it wasn't for the fact that they would support the Death Penalty and Anti Gay theme it could have come from the BNP.

If you think that this was just the work of some young interns at the Scottish Lidem (SLD) HQ. Then think again because it appeared for a brief time on the SLD leaders Willie Rennie's facebook page though he seems to have realised what a disastrous move this was and removed it. saying.....

I apologise for the offence that has been clearly caused by our cartoon on the First Minister's remarks in Qatar. Although I did not approve its publication I accept responsibility for it. It has been interpreted in ways that were not intended. It has now been withdrawn. I apologise.

So thats OK then. We will see.

And if you think the SLD have a point about Salmond visiting Quatar whose this meetimg the The Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani on 27 October, 2010 in London?,

Yep its Nick Clegg I Hope the Qatar leaders have a copy of the Photo Fit produced by his Scottish Colleagues the next time he meets them.

Presidents and Heirs.

2011-10-31T12:02:00.004Z

My last post on the Election of Michael D Higgins as the 9th Prisident of Ireland ( Uachtarán na hÉireann) didn't leave me any space to add any Information. But Michael D rocking in the Dail was written in 1994 so it seems he had the unique opportunity of having a campaign song 17 years before his campaign for the Presidency.

I am delighted with Michael D election he will be a brilliant and Progressive President and although it would not be my place to tell the Irish Electorate who to vote for he would have been my choice.

There have been some in commentators on the Welsh Blogasphere who seem to have lent to Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness during the election and believe his 13.7% of the first preference vote was some how a major advance . Though in fact the number of transfers seem low for MCGuiness seem to point to his vote being polarised..

Irish presidential election, 2011^[193]^[194]
Party		Candidate	Nominated by	% 1st Pref	Count 1	Count 2	Count 3	Count 4
	Labour Party	Michael D. Higgins	Oireachtas: Labour Party	39.6	701,101	730,480	793,128	1,007,104
	Independent	Seán Gallagher	County and City Councils	28.5	504,964	529,401	548,373	628,114
	Sinn Féin	Martin McGuinness	Oireachtas: Sinn Féin & Independents	13.7	243,030	252,611	265,196
	Fine Gael	Gay Mitchell	Oireachtas: Fine Gael	6.4	113,321	127,357	136,309
	Independent	David Norris	County and City Councils	6.2	109,469	116,526
	Independent	Dana Rosemary Scallon	County and City Councils	2.9	51,220
	Independent	Mary Davis	County and City Councils	2.7	48,657
Electorate: 3,191,157 Valid: 1,771,762 Spoilt: 18,676 (1.0%) Quota: 885,882 Turnout: 1,790,438 (56.1%)

The position of President is largely ceremonial rather the head of state in the UK and there was some campaign in the Republic to abolish it . But this largely faded under the last two Presidents Mary Robinson and Mary McAleese, who both rose the profile on the world Stage with their commitment to Humanitarianism throughout the World

It is somewhat Ironic that at almost the same time as the Presedential Election the British Establishment were enthusing over the decision the change the rules over succession to the head of State of the UK and claiming this was "Democratic and Modern"

What a non-story this was. Taking into account that the current heir to the throne William should live till he's at least 80. It will be 2062 before any heir succeeds him. So I'll be long gone by them but hopefully Wales will be a Republic.

The biggest joke was Cameron et al portraying this as some kind of democratic coup and modernisation. No change can make the idea of an hereditary head of state either democratic and modern.

And today we have news that Prince Charles has been offered a veto over 12 government bills since 2005 Ministers sought prince's consent under secretive constitutional loophole on bills covering issues from gambling to the OlympicSo the Republic of Ireland so often portrayed as narrow minded conservative country elect a progressive humanitarian as they President and have the opportunity in 7 years time to change him if it they disaprove.. Whilst we are told we are being democratic and modern because the first born will be heir to throne regardless of sex and will not be dis bared if they marry a Catholics. Which of these two states is really demcratic and modern?

Michael D rockin' in the Dáil - Saw Doctors

2011-10-29T12:08:00.001+01:00

Nice (Non) Work if you can get it.

2011-10-28T11:41:00.000+01:00

It seems that Ex Prime Ministers have found a gravy train at the expense of the Taxpayer.

Margaret Thatcher who is now 86 is rarely seen in public and has health problems, but this has not stopped her claiming £535,000 in state handouts under the public duties cost allowance available to ex-PMs.

In 2005, doctors advised Lady Thatcher, who served three consecutive terms in office, that she should not make public speeches in the wake of some minor strokes.

But it is claimed still attends some public functions, including an address by the Pope during his state visit to the UK last year.

In September, she attended a party to mark former Defence Secretary Liam Fox's 50th birthday at his London apartment.

I don't know whether she claimed on her visit to the Popes address and I doubt whether she would have been allowed to claim for Liam Fox's Birthday Party but we clearly need to know what events we have payed for.

The MP's expensive scandal where they claimed for ridiculous expenses like Duck Houses shows that we needed transparency in their expenses claims This should also apply to ex Prime Ministers making such claims.

The system was set up by John Major in 1991 to reward former incumbents of No 10 for work including answering letters and attending public events.a bit like the Royal Family I suppose but it seems that the ex Prime Ministers are using very expensive stationary.

A Commons briefing states the allowance is to "assist with additional office costs which they are liable to incur because of their special position in public life". In the past five years, it has cost taxpayers more than £1.7 million to support Baroness Thatcher, her successor Sir John Major and, since 2007, former Labour premier Tony Blair

Blair has claimed just under £273,000 since leaving office in June 2007, including £169,076 in 2008-9 – more than his annual salary when he was in Downing Street. Despite making a fortune in his other exploits ,

John Major , who was Prime Minister 1990 to 1997, has claimed £490,000 in the past five years.

As a republican I can just about stomach paying for Elizabeth Windsor and her elder son as she is Head of state. I see no point in paying for the rest of her family to enjoy freebies whilst claiming to represent the UK. I t becomes even worse when we are paying ex Prime Ministers who already receive a generous Pension for so called work there appears to little record off.

We need a full breakdown of these claims and and investigation to whether they are justified.

Whose the Landlord?

2011-10-26T08:03:00.000+01:00

BBC Wales have reported The Welsh assembly will pay £2.3m in rent to a mystery landlord for the building housing the offices of its 60 members,

The BBC reveal..

The assembly's rent for the Ty Hywel building in Cardiff Bay will rise nearly 30% next year from £1.7m.
It is paid to Crick Properties Ltd, registered in Douglas, Isle of Man, but assembly authorities cannot say who the ultimate owner of the building is.
Senior AM Darren Millar is worried about the "very muddy" arrangements.
The building is attached to the Senedd and contains the assembly's old debating chamber.
As well as housing the offices of AMs and their staff, the Welsh government occupies the fifth floor, and media organisations, including the BBC, have space in the building.
Mr Millar, chairman of the assembly's Public Accounts Committee, raised concerns about the arrangement on the grounds of the importance of Ty Hywel as a public building and the amount of public money paid in rent.
"I'm very concerned about it," he said.
"The National Assembly has always been, or claimed to be, a beacon of transparency, and yet this is very, very muddy."

The report also points out. that...

Ty Hywel, originally called Crickhowell House, was built in the 1990s by Grosvenor Waterside, the property arm of Associated British Ports, which owned large areas of land around the newly reclaimed Cardiff Bay.
The Welsh Office took out a lease on the building and it was transferred to the assembly in 1999. It housed the assembly's debating chamber until the Senedd was completed in 2006.
After being sold by Grosvenor Waterside to insurance giant Aviva, the assembly had the opportunity to buy the building outright in 2009, but decided against it because funds were not available.
It was then sold for £31m to a company set up in the Isle of Man specifically for the purpose. Because of the way this company - Crick Properties Ltd - is structured, it is difficult to find out who is the ultimate owner.

Though the Blog Slugger O' Toole seems to have more success than the BBC in tracing the Landlord.

Clearly if the Assembly had bought the building in 2006 then it wohuld probably have been payed for in 20 years and assuming the Assembly were still using it would have resulted in a long term saving.

I don't see any other buildings being available so they should have used this opportunity and those who maid the decision should explain themselves.

It would have been also easier if the Assembly could have borrowed the Money to Pay for TY Hywel but I doubt if they had the powers.

The major problem here is that every tenant should know who their landlord hill . Perhaps some Welsh MPs could put forward a Bill at Westminster making all Landlords register any properties they own in the UK here,

There has been no suggestion of improper here but what would the reaction be if it proved the Landlords were a Political Party or group that were heavy lobbying the Welsh Government?

Supposing a group like Greenpeace discoverd their Landlords were a Whaling company?

Because of the short sightingness of the assembly in 2006 they are being held over a barrel .

Unfortunately I don't see any solution now but clearly the situation needs examining.

Why Tory MPs are revolting.

2011-10-24T08:03:00.002+01:00

I seems that over 70 Tory MPs are prepared to defy the Whip and votethe motion, tabled by Tory MP David Nuttall, asks whether Britain should remain a member of the EU on current terms, leave the EU, or renegotiate the terms of British membership to create a new relationship based on trade and co-operation.A number of backbench Labour MPs have also signed the motion, including Graham Stringer, Austin Mitchell and John Cryer. But Labour sources say the party will order its MPs to vote against a referendum on Britain's future in Europe.

The Labour leader, Ed Miliband, will claim pushing for a national poll at a time of high unemployment and stagnating economic growth is an "irresponsible and terrible distraction".

The Liberal Democrats despite trying to distance their pro EU beliefs by staring this in 2010 thier Manifesto

"The European Union has evolved significantly since the last public vote on membership over thirty years ago. Liberal Democrats therefore remain committed to an in / out referendum the next time a British government signs up for fundamental change in the relationship between the UK and the EU".

Will be opposing the referendum motion and although they cam claim that they were arguing for any future changes and not retrospective. One wonders what their position would have been if in opposition. Well I don't really wonder they would be supporting the motion . well as long as they knew it would be defeated.

Of course for a number of Tories they will realise that cull in seats are the redrawing of constituency boundaries means that it is more important to appease the future constituencies who will be re-selecting thier candidates for the next General election rather than the Tories Whips

One senior figure told The Independent:

"The mood of Tory grassroots members is overwhelmingly Eurosceptic. They want a referendum on the EU. A candidate who opposed that in Parliament would be cutting his or her own throat. The boundary review will be a big factor in MPs' minds."

Personally as a democrat who supports I am not opposed to a referendum on Europe in the future if there is a clear call but I don't see the bleating of the right media as one. Though any referendum may expose their position which would place the Nations of the UK as little more than a client state of the United States of America.

If the motion was passed I can't see how a re-negotiations will work . What happens if the EU simply says Non to every issue? So the only real issue is In or Out. Which is the real agenda of the Eurosceptics
In many ways the Eurosceptic Tories objection to European Unity is based on the myth that Britain is Major power that has a say in the World together with the hatred of any legislation they see as a "liberal" agenda.

The main problem I see is at the present time such a referendum in the mix of the current European financial crisis will not be helpful and the idea that an American Citizen (Rupert Murdoch" through his media empire will distort the debate makes me question whether such a referendum would be truly democratic and reflect the true will of the people.

A walesi bárdok (The Bards Of Wales)

2011-10-22T07:50:00.000+01:00

János Arany March 2, 1817—October 22, 1882)

,

Today October 22 id the 129 anniversary of the death of János Arany the Hungarian journalist, writer, poet, and translator . Who is one of that country's foremost literary figures.

This of course would not have led me to make a comment except for the fact that Arany was responsible for a link between Wales and Hungary that we do not really share with any other Nation.

In 187 Arany was asked to write a poem of praise for the visit of Franz Joseph I of Austria, as were other Hungarian poets. Arany instead wrote a poem about the tale of the 500 Welsh bards sent to the stake by Edward I of England in 1277, Where he got this from I don't know but he used it as a metaphor to criticise the tyrannic Habsburg rule over Hungary after the Hungarian Revolution of 1848.

The poem was not published for 6 years. But later in 1863, disguised as a translation of an Old English ballad, so as to conceal the real meaning from the Austrian censor.

The poem is considered to be a manifesto of the passive resistance which led to the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867. Arany wrote his own preface to the poem:

"The historians doubt it, but it strongly stands in the legend that Edward I of England sent 500 Welsh bards to the stake after his victory over the Welsh (1277) to prevent them from arousing the country and destroying English rule by telling of the glorious past of their nation."

It soon became and remains one of the major literary works in the Hungarian language.

In the 6th grade of elementary school, every Hungarian student is required to learn The Bards of Wales as it has an important role in both Hungarian history and literature.

So it seems that Hungarian Children may have more knowledge of Wales than any other country in Europe and Indeed even if you dispute the accuracy of the slaughter of the Bards they may more knowledge of the cconquest of Wales than our own 6th graders.

In September 2007 an English copy of this poem, translated by Peter Zollman, was donated to the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth. which you can read here.

British Military defend the Union.

2011-10-20T09:07:00.000+01:00

The Left Foot Forward Blog has posted on a former Chief of the General Staff Lord Richard Dannatt,has launched a withering attack on Alex Salmond’s failure to set out his thinking in any detail over Scotland’s defence and foreign policy in the event of independence.

Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, the head of the UK Army between 2006 and 2009, argued that Alex Salmond had to set out a blueprint for defence and foreign policy prior to a vote on independence if the electorate were to be able to make an informed decision. He concluded:

"There is undoubtedly merit in the argument that Alea Salmond should make it clear how an Independence Scotland should organise it defence ."

but the article seems to be based on looking at defence based on the current British system of behaving like an Imperial power and giving the impression it has an influential role. Though most of the World see them as merely a arm of the US .

Of course in many ways this a palticular more difficult ptroblem than Wales. for Scotland

Scottish Regiments were after all the backbone of the British Empire and thier shipyards built many of the Royal Navy ships and they were enthusiastic tools of the Empire

But Lord Dannatt has also supported the views of his predecessor, General Sir Mike Jackson, who in May argued that an independent Scotland would require the building of a completely new military from scratch, arguing that the military could not serve two political masters. (Has he forgotten NATO?) It has been seen as rebuke of suggestions that the SNP are considering some sort of “independence lite” option, in which defence and foreign policy would be shared with England.

Most people will argue that there will be two Independence referendum s

One to Establish the principle and open negotiations on how to split the arms of government which will include defense and

One to approve the settlement.

Responding to the developments, shadow defence Minister and Scottish Labour MP, Russell Brown argued:

“Knowing how we would defend ourselves, whether the shipyards would close, how many aircraft carriers we would have, the size of the army, our membership of Nato, our role on the UN Security Council: all these must be answered before the referendum, not after. On defence, our relationship with Europe, the currency, on pensions, Alex Salmond might run from the questions but he can’t hide from them.“

But what Dannatt, Russell Brown and Left Foot Foward can't see is its not for them to decide on the future defence of an Independent Scotland and neither is it for the SNP . It will be for the future government of Scotland who free from the British Imperial mentality and those who have a vested interest in this either military commanders or the armaments industry who for their own reasons would not like to see a smaller commitment to defense expenditure.

The British Involvement in Iraq, Afgahanistan and Libya shows that the Westminster Parties still see the UK as a world power and are still prepared to spend Billions of pounds but much worse sacrifice the lives of hundreds of servicemen in order to maintain this illusion.

Plaid has in the past had a greater anti-militaristic tendancy than the SNP though opposition from the leadership was muted and it was left to the likes of Leanne Wood and Welsh Ramblings to voice the traditional Plaid view.

Lets exam an Independent Wales .

Initially we could inherit the current Welsh regiments and bases and we could run them as they are for a . year period before establishing our own force based on what Wales needs.

The Air force basis of St Athens and Valley in Anglesey will eventually be the responsibility of the Welsh Government but they could remain open on a shared basis by the Welsh, Scottish and English and perhaps Irish governments.

Wales will need very little Navy probably just some coastal vessels. Why would we need Aircraft Carriers and battleships?

Eventually a Welsh defense force similar to that of the Republic of Ireland should emerge.with a similar defense expenditure of 0.6% of GDP to the UK 2.6(World 2.6). For all countries see here

What is clear from the argument on Left Foot Forward is that they think this could be Alex Salmond and the SNP Achilles Heel. the Military complex is a powerful body which has been increasingly more political its not surprising that they are being pulled out to defend the Union.

"Neville" Huhne what a hero.

2011-10-18T08:53:00.000+01:00

Yesterdays summit with Prime Minster Dsvid Cameron Energy secretary Chris Hunhe the six biggest power firms, consumer groups and regulator Ofgem. Resulted in the expected spin in which everyone said something should be done to reduce prices especially to the most vulnerable. But showed that since privatisation Governments of all colours are impotent, or more accurately haven't the stomach to do anything about it .

Huhne response was for people have to check that they are on the cheapest available energy tariff and whether they could save money by paying by direct debit.

What about the poorest members of society who can't afford the risk of a direct debit bill leading them into the Black and therefore finding themselves accumulating Bank Charges?
What about those who are forced to reduce their energy use to the extent that they find that any savings are minimal. A 5% saving on £2000 is £100 but on £500 is £25 still are saving it might be lost in the process of switching .
Who actually can understand the Tariffs and how to work out whether paying a standard charge and less for the units and simply paying for the units?

David Cameron may call for a "trusted, simple and transparent" market. as Labour's Shadow Energy Minister Caroline Flint does . But why doesn't he legislate for it and why didn't Labour do so when in power

What we have is the three major parties giving the impression that they reconise the problem but are so in thrall to the "Free Enterprise Thatcher" concept that they are unwilling to come up with a real plan.

There are some simple things that can be done.

All utility companies should bill customers on the use of units only so people can easily see what they are using and the price charged
All bills payed quarterly should have no increases during that period and people should then be able to immediately and easily switch at the end of that quarter.
Utility companies should provide customers with information on tier profits and dividends payed to share holders
All companies should provide a yearly summary bill to customers showing the units used that year and the total bill charged. Banks should give customers a period of grace (say a month) on direct debits from utility suppliers to allow people to add funds and not occur bank charges.

I bet not one of those at the summit will be basically living in one room over the Winter as they seek to reduce their usage and look with dread for their quarterly bill or are constantly .checking their meter if they are on a Pay as You Go Tarrif

Words are not enough and Huhne's call for people to simply switch, shows that he hasn't a clue how ordinary people are struggling to pay their bills.

Lets not mope but celebrate.

2011-10-16T11:47:00.001+01:00

The Welsh Bloggersphere was quiet yesterday. I imagine that majority were like me distracted with the World Cup match in Auckland.

I joined the 60000 people who took advantage of the inspired move by the Welsh Rugby Union to watch the match at the Millennium Stadium and all credit to them.even with the result and that Red card it was a great experiance.

Of course the result was not what we wanted . But we must not let ourselves fall into the trap of seeing ourselves as victim but look forward to the 3rd place play off and beat Australia convincingly (Which I think we can still do even without Sam Warburton) to prove to ourselves that the only team that could have beaten New Zealand in the final was Wales The final looks like it will be a foregone conclusion.

Yesterday saw the whole of Wales united and one thing that brought a smile to my face was a number of Asian girls in welsh shirts wearing headscarves . Did I say Asian Girls? I meant Welsh Girls

One of my friends on leaving the match marched into a nearby bookmakers and put a bet on Wales to win the six nations next year at 11/4. The full lit to win outright. are.

France7/4

England5/2

Wales11/4

Ireland5/1

Scotland16/1

Italy100/1

So compared with the Odds on England an France!!!(Do bookies know anything about the game?) it looks like a good bet. (Don't know what the odds are for a Grand Slam but it seems worth a flutter).

So lets put yesterday result behind us and not reflect on what would have happened if it has been a Yelow card instead of red. Lets be positive for once.

We clearly had a great team who had a brilliant defence and scored in a Try in every match
We have a outstanding Captain in Sam Warburton who hopefully will lead the Team to the next world cup.
Mike Phillips seems to have refound his Mojo and his young replacements Travis Knoyle and especially Lloyd Williams look class as well.
We seem to have found a full back in Luke Halfpenny in the one position we have had a real problem
As long as Adam Jones and Gethin Jenkins are fit we have the best props in the world
Scott Williams looks to be a future centre to make us proud..
George North is clearly a class act who will only get better.

So lets stop moping look forward to Friday confirm our belief that we are in the Top five sides in the World and go on to claim the Top spot we are not far off.

Putting all your eggs in one basket.

2011-10-14T08:47:00.000+01:00

It would be ridiculous for me to say that news that the new £400m Airbus plant, which will manufacture carbon-fibre wings for its new aircraft the A350, will retain about 650 jobs at the Broughton plant in North wales plant alone is anything but good news

Airbus already has more than 550 orders for the aircraft, which will be due for service within two years, and the new factory means it is the largest such factory in the UK.

This has partly been achieved due to the Welsh Assembly under th e Labour Paid Coalition investing investing£29m in the project.

Of course David Cameron, was there despite the fact his ConLib government had virtually nothing to do with the funding and whose polices may well have put the entire Airbus expansion in doubt.

It is however ironic that this opening happened at virtually the same time that it was announced that Unemployment in Wales rose by 16,000 in three months to reach 131,000, in the alarming figures showed yesterday.

The 9% jobless rate included a sharp rise in the number of young people out of work, to record levels, while the claimant count for jobseekers allowance reached 78,500, some 6,500 up over the year.

Around 26,000 fewer people are in jobs, as the employment rate in Wales fell by 1.2% to 67.3%, compared to 70.4% across the UK.

But the problem with Airbus its a single industry and a single product and we must ask ourselves how risky it is investing in just one product?

What happens if sales for the Airbus do not meet expectations?
What is the life expectancy of the Airbus project 10,20,30 years?
Can anyone see the use for the factory of that size if the project fails to take off (no pun intended.

OK with 500 orders we can hopefully expect a period of well paid secure jobs forsome years to come and Broughton has got an extremely proud history of 70 years of aviation history so it may be a good investment and worth the risk. Certainly it wasn't worth the risk of the Assembly not backing the project.

But when is the Welsh Assembly government going (and all the opposition Parties for that matter) to realise that they must invest similar sums to the £25 million invested in Broughton? and spread it out.They must look at backing smaller industries (including cooperatives) in areas like the South Wales Valleys and West Wales.

One of the reasons that Germany is not facing the economic disaster that much of the rest of the Western Economies are i s that even the Christian Democrats did not follow the Thatcherite free market policy which saw the manufacturing industry in the UK decimated..

We still have not learned the lesson of Bosh,LG and other projects who provided jobs for a period and then left for cheaper horizons or in the case of LG never even providing the expected work.

The LG factory in Newport which never realised anything like it's potential,The LG site has had a troubled history, with up to 6,000 jobs promised in 1996 never materialising.A £1.2 billion sister factory on the site, which was to make semi-conductors, never went into production and is still largely empty. The LG Philips factory making colour tubes for monitors and televisions closed in 2003 with 870 job losses.
At its height, 2,000 people were employed at the site. The LG factories on the site originally received more than £87m of grant money, and in 2005 some £34m was repaid to the then Welsh Development Agency

We cant go on having industries that provide 10 years of prosperity but then leave us with 20 years of an unemployed generation. Its good news from North Wales but it is not the way to secure the future long term economy of Wales.

Welsh Labour MPs join Front Bench Wow!

2011-10-11T08:17:00.001+01:00

The BBC reports that ED Miliband has appointed 12 Welsh MPs (of a total of 26) to his shadow Welsh Team

Peter Hain (Neath), Nia Griffith MP (Llanelli), Lord (Bryan) Davies: (Who seems to be the ex MP for Oldham and I can't see any Welsh connections)
Ian Lucas (Wrexham): Foreign Office
Owen Smith (Pontypridd): Treasury
Wayne David (Caerphilly): Justice
Chris Bryant (Rhondda) and David Hanson (Delyn): Home Office
Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West): Education
Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore): Environment
Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd), Susan Elan Jones (Clwyd South), Mark Tami (Alyn and Deeside): Whips

This is the first time that a Labour Leader has a freehand to chose his shadow ministers since the scrapping the elections this year.

At first glance 12 front Welsh Shadow members looks impressive but when you look at the full list here. you can see that they are not exactly dominating the Labour front Bench.

In fact the term Front Bench is a bit of a misnomer because there are so many of them there would be no room on the front Bench in one sitting and they will occasionally do so and mostly when the house is half empty Tough one will be chosen to sit next to Ed at PMQ every so often to ensure the natives think their MPs have some influence.

Only one MP Peter Hain is in the Shadow Cabinet and that is in the Welsh Office if the position didn't exist would Hain be in the Cabinet? . Possibly but one some would have suspected this was his last chance to have a plum portfolio instead of a position that because of devolution could well be scrapped before the next election.This compares badly with Scotland which has three members and either shows that Welsh MPs are not seen as up to the Job or as no threat where a promotion to the Cabinet will ensure their loyalty.

In fact with 258 Labour MPs who in opposition are often more rebellious. Given as many shadow jobs as possible (which could be nearly 50% of them) and dangling the prospect of promotion is a way of ensuring their loyalty.

As far as the Welsh MPs don't expect to see them preforming at the dispatch box very often on the BBC Parliament Channel

One of the the front bencher MPs is in the Welsh Office.
Three are in the Whips Office which limits their contributions to debate.
Only the Owen Smith Treasury and Chris Bryant (Home Office ) really can be seen as promotion and it looks like thy is the only current Labour MPs from Wales who are seen as Cabinet potential.

So we have in fact very little Welsh influence in the new Labour Shadow cabinet and the only Member from Wales (Peter Hain) seems to be intent on interfering in the Welsh Assembly and seizing control of the leadership of the Labour Party in Wales.

Mind you the failure of Welsh Labour MPs to get a shadow cabinet position is as nothing to the position of the eight Tory and three Liberal Democrats in the coalition government none of whom seem to be up to even the position of Welsh secretary which is still held by Cheryl Gilian the MP Chesham and Amersham in Buckinghamshire. Despite the fact that she has.t a clue.

What the Tories need is a Hopscotching Cat.

2011-10-08T14:52:00.000+01:00

The row over the Catgate scandal continues.

Home Secretary Theresa May told the Tory conference: “We all know the stories about the Human Rights Act, the illegal immigrant who cannot be deported because – I am not making this up – he had a pet cat.”Only for the The Judicial Office, which represents judges, to confirmed the cat, called Maya, was not the reason the man was allowed to stay. Maya belonged to a Bolivian who came to Britain as a student and was in a stable relationship with his partner.

It seems that the casualty from this . Will not be Theresa May but Ken Clark who derided Mrs May and bet correctly that she had her facts wrong.As the Tory right se the chance to get rid o a justice minister they see as too liberal rather than a Home secretary who can't get simple facts right.

But whatever the internal spat betweeen Justice secretary Clarke and Home Secretary May and it is probably has more to to with the fact that they resent the job of Home Secretary (once one of the Big three Cabinet post) was divided under the last Labour administration and feel that only one person should run these departments. The case of Tories misleading their party conference is not new.

Mrs May who made her name by calling the Tories the nasty party exactly nine years ago has been playing to the very right wing "Hang and Flog Them "crowd that she was criticising in 2002 then by calling for the scraping of their Bete Noire the Human rights Act and used her ridiculous cat claimto justify it..

This is not the first time A Tory politician has made a untruthful claim at a Tory conference when attacking what the delegates see as the Liberal Agenda.

Back in 1995, former Conservative Party Chairman Brian Mawhinney regaled his Party’s Conference with a story of how taxpayer’s money was being similarly spent on hopscotch for Asian women.

In fact, it later transpired that the public money had been given to the Hopscotch Asian Women’s Centre, a well-respected voluntary organisation that deals with domestic violence, language and integration issues in Camden, which neighbours Haringey.

To the party faithful however it probably doesn't matter if these claims are true or not because the simply reinforce their prejudice position and one wonders as the sort of rubbish spouted by May and Mawhinney not deliberate inaccuracies .After all it would be a success if the public at large felt that there was something in their claims.

The Blog Tabloid Watch (which you should look at on at least a weekly basis)regally exposes the lies that come out of our newspapers especially the outrages claims that are maid by the Daily Mail and Richard Littlejohn and yet they still get away with and the sad thing is that most of the other media fail to expose it.

If you throw enough mud, some of it will stick and if you make enough outrages and wrong claims about the Human Rights act, then people will start believing they were true. Was this Theresa Mays real intention after all?

Lab-Lib Coalition in Wales by Xmas?

2011-10-06T15:18:00.000+01:00

Subordinate Centre, surpasses itself it its attempts to push forward the profile of La Pasionaria To save you the effort of looking at the Blog I've copied it here.

Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader, Kirsty Williams, is sometimes criticised for her willingness to tell it like it is, though more often by journalists than the wider public who rather like this quality in their politicians.
On Tuesday in the Assembly though, she drew praise from an unexpected quarter as the First Minister contrasted Kirsty’s independence of mind with the approach so far taken by the Leader of the Conservative Group in the Assembly .
“The Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats has her own mind”, said Carwyn Jones during an exchange in First Minister’s questions,
“she often stands up and criticises those at Westminster.”
Perhaps Labour have realised that portraying Kirsty as in any one’s pocket is never likely to ring true or has the budget cosying up started already?

But there may be something we can read in this.

Labour with 30 seats do not have an overhaul majority and whilst with 30 out of the 60 seats it can probably win most of the votes it needs as the chances of the 15 Consevatives ,10 Plaid and 5 LibDems voting together just to defeat the Assembly government is unlikely and it would still mean that the Llywydd (Presiding Officer) Labours Rosemarry Butler of her Deputy Conservative David Melding for the casting vote and it would be an extraordinarily measure and breaking of convention for them not to vote with the government of the day if there is a tied vote..

However Labour, whilst probably being able to defend a byelection can not afford to have any member reducing their ranks a long term illness or suspension. and and they probably will need to at least form a understanding with another party sooner or later even if it did not mean a full blown coalition.

They may have not done this already because their former partner Plaid Cymru have still to appoint a new leader and they may well be waiting to see what the attitude of the winner of that contest will be,

Or they could already (as ir seems to be suggested by Subordinate Centre) be playing footsie in the Senedd with La Pasionaria and the Liberal Democrats .

For the LibDems the chance of getting into coalition in Wales after a disastrous Welsh Election ( which fortunately for them received little press coverage because of Plaids poor showing.) has a number of attractions

It would raise La Pasionaria profile and I admit she an excellent performer in the chamber but it has the danger of her in particular loosing her position as a well briefed opposition spokesmen and she would find it harder to defend government polices than attack them.
I imagine that most Welsh Libdems are worried about the toxic affect that they are facing from being in coalition with the Tories in Westminster. With elections for Welsh councils next May threatening a massive cull of LibDem councilors in Wales .The chance of being in a government that offers an alternative to a Tory led government could be alluring.Though it may have little effect as how the public in Wales perceive them.
They could portray themselves a s the driving force of a Government, that so far has made only lukewarm proposals in Welsh Legislation. Though this will probably last for no more than a year.and Labour would then seen to be the playmakers. As happened in the previous Lab-LibDem , Lab-Plaid coalitions.
Since it is no longer the official opposition in the Assembly, they could portray Plaid as a Party in decline and of no influence in the Senedd .Though if Plaid get their leadership choice right they might be facing a invigorated party.

For Labour who clearly have no plans for any major legislation they could probably wait. But it does seem that La Pasionaria has been making overtures to them (and it hasn't been one way traffic). We might just se 2013 start with her receiving a plum ministerial job

Sometimes someone else writes what you think

2011-10-04T08:20:00.000+01:00

Every once in while you read a Blog post , which makes you think "I wish I'd written that". and the latest post from State of the Nation is one I really wish I had .Read it here before you continue.

It it is clear to me that Iain Duncun Smith remit has been to switch the public's eye from the people who caused the Economic Crisis the whole world is in from the Greedy and Corrupt Bankers and give the impression that all we have to do is eliminate benefit scroungers and all our troubles are over. So IDS (The initialised politician) goes about giving the impression that every person who is unemployed or claiming any kind of benefit is a scrounger and thereby hopefully raise the ire of the middle classes who feel that they are the only decent people around.

Not only the Tories are up to this New Labour also pandered to this and constantly tried to cover up its failure to tackle the problems of long tern unemployment but trying to blame those who were experiencing the humiliating experiance of being out of work.by giving the impression they dont't really want to work.

Under Ed Miliband it does not seem much will change he speaks of the Squeezed Middle Classes but does nothing to defend the Bashed Bottom.

The problem is that there is no political advantage in supporting the poor and less well off. If they vote at all it they probably live in a safe Labour seat and the Political Parties are only interested in the 150 or so marginal seats which are dependent on the swing votes of squeezed Middle Classes.

In many ways our electoral system is to blame here. When the votes of the Bashed Bottom don't count because they are not in marginal seats then the Political Parties have no need to court them.

So we will see the Tories attacking the poor by giving the impression as they always have that they are a lazy underclass living off benefits and Labour making the occasional sympathetic noises whilst making sure it does nothing to point out the real causes of poverty .

Homer, "Our man in Wales"

2011-10-03T12:16:00.001+01:00

On Sunday, Andrew RT Davies and Homer Simpson lookie-likey introduced as "Our Man Wales " (sound like a appointed governor?) made his conference debut as Tory Assembly leader

He said the Welsh Government had run out of steam and ideas on how to use the assembly's new law-making powers.

On health, he said spending on free prescriptions had left no money to pay for life-saving drugs - 24 cancer drugs were available in England but not in Wales.

Mr Davies also said the Tories would support the Welsh Government where they came forward with suitable ideas to revive the economy.

If Mr Davies can come with a patient who has been refused such drugs he should produce them.If he can't is this just a case of Tory opposition to universal health care which free prescriptions is an fine example?

The idea of charging for Prescriptions led to the architect of the NHS resigning from the 1950-51 Cabinet in protest at prescription charges being introduced for dental care and spectacles. He saw it as a fundamental part of the NHS and it has been one of the triumphs of the Welsh Assembly since it was introduced by the Labour led assembly in April 2007 (Cynicaly just before the May elections but I can still them credit).

Mr Davies theme of the Welsh Government "running out of steam and ideas " was taken up by his Boss Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan who launched what the press caled launched a scathing attack on Labour’s leadership in Walesand I cal hypocritical.

Ms Gillan accused Labour First Minister Carwyn Jones’ Welsh Government of putting forward a “timid and uninspiring” legislative programme and pledged that finance reforms will force ministers to demonstrate greater accountability for the money they spend.

She claimed that Labour’s “foot-dragging” had led to a six-month delay of the decision to introduce business-friendly enterprise zones and this had resulted in missed opportunities for the Welsh economy.

Ms Gillan also attacked Labour’s health and education policies and called on the Welsh Government to “ditch the dogma” and work with the UK Government for the good of Wales.

The Welsh Secretary claimed there is a “battle of ideas raging in Wales” between Labour and the Conservatives

What Battle of Ideas A labour Assembly which major policy idea seems to be on Cycle Lanes and A Welsh Conservative party that has come up with no specific "Welsh" polices. And what are the Business friendly polcies the Tories have other than screwing already low pay workers or makining it easier to sack people by increasing the period where workers can claim for unlawful dissmisal to two years.

They seem to be arguing that Labour in Wales should simply copy the ConLib coalition governments policies in Wales. In other words the Assembly should be little more than administrative arm of the Westminster.

government

Do the Tories ever consider a Welsh solution tp Welsh problems. What would Mr Davies and Ms Gilian attitude if Labour did try some progressive policies.

The other interesting thing from the Conservative Conference so far is Cameron telling his Welsh Mps not to not to fall out over cuts to the number of MPs' seats at the next general election.

Wales will lose a larger share of its MPs than any other part o UK when boundaries are redrawn. 10 in all and this would mean that a fair number of the Welsh MPs will join the cull.

This could also be one of the reasons why Cameron has not replaced the hapless Gilian with a MP who represents a Welsh Constituency . He probably waiting wh will be standing next time . It would be embarrassing for him to to select a Welsh Secretary who will not be around after the next election

Gwynedd By-elections Plaid win both seats

2011-09-30T07:31:00.003+01:00

There were two By-elections in Gwynedd last night. and credit to Blog Menai for being so up to date with the result

Diffwys a Maenofferen

Catrin Elin Roberts, Llais Gwynedd - 153
Mandy Williams Davies, Plaid Cymru - 210
Olaid Gain from Llaus Gwynedd

Plaid Gain

This was the second Byelection in Diffwys a Maenofferen in this period Llais Gwyned had held the seat in a By-election in July 2010 when the result was

Llais Gwynedd 185 (50.5%; +1.2)
PC 181 (49.5%; +8.3)
[Lab 0 (0.0%; -9.6)]

Penrhyndeudraeth

Rhian Jones, Llais Gwynedd -233
Dafydd Thomas, Annibynnol (Independent) - 91
Gareth Thomas, Plaid Cymru - 515

Plaid Hold

This could have been a difficult one for Plaid as their former councilor, Dewi E Lewis, was jailed for theft of £53 000 from the post office he ran and you would normally have expected a Backlash. It is possible that there was some sympathy for Evans and acceptance that he took the cash to keep his business afloat.

Hpwever it was clearly a bad night for Llais Gwynedd and one wonders they will go the same way of Blanau Gwent Peoples Voice and the group in Torfaen. I suspect it will depend on how much in common they have apart from the school reorganisation issue and I suspect very little.

The result means that Plaid now have a overall majority on Gwynedd council.

The I word or the F word.

2011-09-28T14:58:00.000+01:00

There have been some interesting comments on the Syniadau Blog regarding Dafydd Elis Thomas comments on the Independence Issue which you can read here.

As I'm not a member of Plaid I can't tell people who are what their part policy should be but what intrigued me was some seemed to have a functionalist stance on membership being dependent on total support for Independence and the suggestion that those who took a Federalist stance should find another party such as the Liberal Democrats.

It would be sad to see people told they are not welcome because they question the meaning of the word Independence or even those who would like to take part of the journey as outlined some time back with an allegoric refence to the TrawsCumbrias bus journey.

Some will argue that a Nationalist Party like Plaid should have a clear and fixed idea if what it means by Independence but it really is very difficult to actually do this and react to current events What ever happens the majority of the Welsh people must be carried with it and to do this then they must see that the party that will lead an Independent Wales are competent to do so

What the SNP have shown is that they are capable of taking Scotland to the next step Wales and Plaid are probably 10 years behind them.

In a perfect world I could find myself attracted to a form of federalism formed around a "Council of the Islands" resembling the original Benelux countries. Where Wales,Scotland Northern Ireland and England can meet an discuss issues of mutual interest have a common defense policy which is non-aligned and non-nuclear.

Alas I can'r see this happening and there does not seem to be Part advocating such a policy anywhere in the UK. The Libdem policy of federalism when they ever mention it seems to be to devolve power in England in a similar way as it was in Wale. This has been exposed by the English Parliament campaigner Torque.

But Wales is not a Region of the UK it has a national Identity and a Federal solution that treats Wales in the same manner as the South East of England is not the answer.

So I can't really see my Idea of a Council of the Islands " coming to any fruition but circumstances change and as people see the need for Wales and Scotland to express themselves nationally beyond events like the Rugby World come the whole relationship between the current members of the UK may throw up a number of solutions. Though It will be difficult for England to relinquish its dominant role or even admit it has one.

If you feel that this Blog is full of contradictions then you are right but then the concept of Independence or the idea of Federalism are full of contradictions . Who among as have all the answers

Wales win against Namibia but it was not a fair fixture..

2011-09-26T11:54:00.001+01:00

Don't get me wrong It was a fine Welsh performance this morning against Namibia and has eased my woories over the Fiji Game. But its a disgrace that Namibia were forced to play us only 4 days after playing South Africa. The fixtures should be fare not based on preferential treatment of the top tier nations based on "Fan appeal or broadcast considerations" as the IRB admits.

Samoan Centre Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu may have gone overboars with his twitter rant.

"IRB, Stop exploiting my people. Please, all we ask, is fairness. If they get a week, give us a week. Simple. justice."he later added: "Ok, it's obvious the IRB are unjust. Wales get 7 days, we get 3. Unfair treatment, like slavery, like the holocaust, like apartheid."Give Wales 3 days off and give Samoa a week! We would kill them!""You can't get punished for speaking out against injustice. That would be unjust. Anyone can tackle a man. Try tackling injustice."

But he had a point over the unfairness of making his side and other sides which are not seen in the top tier of Rugby play games with less of a break than those seen to be over the top and his references to Slavery and the Holocaust allowed most of the media to miss the legitimacy of his argument.

Apart from being unfair it darn right dangerous. It was clear Namibia were tiring badly in the Scrum at the end of the game against Wales and it could have resulted in a serious injury, The IRB should make sure that such discrimination should not happen again .

On another not surly Bagpipes are much of a cultural importance to Scotland as the Haka is to New Zealand? So why are they banned from the stands?

Danish Elections and Three Liberal parties

2011-09-24T12:11:00.002+01:00

Further to my last post on the plight of the Libdems sister party in Germany the Free Democrats . I have just reads Ffranc Sais's Blog on the comparative succes of the Liberals in Denmark. Though I find his assertion that because there because there are two has two fully-accredited Liberal parties. That Danish Voters are getting Two parties for one is a bit optimistic.

In the Danish Election the result was

There were Three what you could cal Classical Liberal Parties Standing.

Venstre ( It translates as Left but means Liberals in actuality) a A centre rightFreemarket Liberal Party which is tied to Agranianism.
Radikale Venstre More accurately translated as Radical Liberals A centre Left Liberal Party
Liberal Alliance centre party based on Economic Liberalism which is currently not a member of the European Liberal grouping.

As you can see in the Election the parties aligned them selves in Left Right fractions

The Red Alliance

of the Social Democrats ,Radikale Venstr.Socialist Peoples Party and Red-Green Alliance
The Blue Alliance.

of Venstre,Danish People's Party ,Liberal Alliance,Conservative People's Party, and Christian Democrats (Who dis not win any seats)

So although they lost a seat the Social Democrats led by Neil Kinnock's daughter in law will form a government because their alies the Left leaning Liberals andfLeft Red- Green alliance made gains

If I was a Liberal Democrat I would note not so much the presence of three Liberal parties in Denmark but the success of the Left leaning one as they own party under Clegg drifts further to the right asset out in the Orange Book then perhaps its a time to consider a move back towards the current Liberal Party after all its not just Denmark that has more than one and can the LibDems really contain those who are little more than Tories with a Coniscience and those who like Ffranc Sais still have a bit of radicalism in them.

If I was you Kirsty. I'd look at Germany.

2011-09-22T15:35:00.001+01:00

I must admit I raise my hat to La Pasionaria, in her political misdirection of the Lib Dems political woes with her speech to her party conference where she managed to grab some headlins with her claim
Lib Dems 'can learn Plaid's coalition lesson'. After all to concentrate on a rivals poor results in the Welsh Assembly Elections draws attention from the fact that under her leadership in Wales the Libdems

Where reduced from 6 to 5 seats in a Assembly of 60
So a huge fall in their vote especially in seats that they were running a close second.
Saw 17 of their candidates lose tier deposits.

To be fair to her however it was hardly her fault , for she had grabbed the headlines with her attacks on the way the Assembly Government were running the NHS here and although there was an element of shroud waving she appeared to be the leading opposition member in the Assembly.

Like wise the Libdem also managed to gain some headlines on Education with which figuers that shows that the total spent on average per pupil in Wales is £604 less than the total spent per pupil on average in England. Though this has been masterfully shown to be a false argument by John Dixon in his Borthlas Blog.

But event this use of the gift of attacking government on the NHS and Education. Subjects that I doubt the public would never give a satisfied approval rating on. The Libdems in Wales suffered from reaction against their colleagues participation in a Tory led coalition.

If La Pasionaria is loking for lessons . Then I suggest she looks at the Libdems sister party in Germany the Free Democrats. (FDP)

In the national vote on September 27, 2009 the FDP increased its share of the vote by 4.8% to 14.6%, an all-time record so far. This percentage was enough to offset a decline in the CDU/CSU's vote compared to 2005, to create a CDU-FDP governing coalition in the Bundestag with a 53% majority of seats.

Since then however the FDP have had a drubing in a nuber of State Elections this year

In Hamburg they did manane to gain 9 seats but

In Saxony-Anhalt they lost all their 7 seats

In Rhineland-Palaaden-Württembergtinate They lost all their 10 seats

In Baden-Württemberg election 2011 they lost 8 of their 15 seats .

In Bremen they lost al thier five seats

In the latest poll in Berlin they filled to win a seat.

In comparison The FDP partners the CDU/CSU have fared better and it is the junior partner that the voters appear to be deserting in droves

Though its not something Labour should look at with relish.For the Opposition SPD have not been doing very well either .

The big winners in all these Elections have been the Greens and they now have ea seat in every Landtag and now lead tjhe administration in Baden-Württemberg. and it is of interest that Germany has not turned to right wing parties . In Berlin the Pirate party a libertarian group concerned with civil rights on the internet for example won 15 seats.

Only in Scotland perhaps so far has any Party appeared to have gained overwhelmingly from voters disillusionment with the Libdems in the Westminster coalition where the SNP seemed to have had almost total gain in these votes.

Why didn't this happen in Wales? Well here La Pasionaria may be right in her analysis but I very much doubt that knowledge of the problem facing her party will help her or the LibDems in the rest of the UKin the long run.

La Pasionaria climbs in the Lists

2011-09-19T15:36:00.000+01:00

There are two posts on Subordinate Center which are of note

The latest is that La Pasionaria has jumped 19 p;aces in the Daily Telegraphs in its list of the top 50 most influential Liberal Democrats, placing the Welsh Party Leader at 31 this year.

So champagne all round From last to number 31 most impressive.

Subordinate Centre, in its usual manner copy in full the Telegraph's citation without comment here it is

A vocal member of the Welsh Assembly, Williams became Wales’ first female party leader when she was elected at the end of 2008. Having joined the Liberal party at the age of just 15, Williams is clearly something of a die-hard: she was a staunch campaigner for a Welsh Assembly in the 1997 referendum, and became an Assembly Member in its first ever election in 1999. She is struggling to give the Welsh Lib Dems a new identity but by comparison to her Celtic colleagues in Scotland the Welsh Lib Dems did well in the 2011 Assembly elections and Williams can take the credit for that, even though they lost one seat overall.

So that's the measure of LibDem success not doing as badly as their colleagues in Scotland and since when loosing thousands of votes and having only I AM directly elected out of 40 (La Pasionaria) and therefore relying on the Top up system ever be counted as success.

Subordinate Centre also give us a reprint of La Pasionaria interveiw in Wales on Sunday in which she claims Liberal Democrats at a UK level must not repeat the mistakes made by Plaid Cymru as a junior partner in a coalition

Suspend your disbelief when you read it . You may agree with her on her analysis of Plaids's campaign for this years Assembly :elections but to suggest that a party that is facing wipe out in the elections leading up to and including the next Assembly elections can learn from this.

But La Pasionaria seems to be making the case not for the LibDems in the Toxic Westminster coalition but to join the government in Cardiff bay.

In a obvious overture to Carwyn and Welsh Labour she said

, Lib Dems will not try and wreck First Minister Carwyn Jones’ budget if he brings forward plans for health and education which they can support.
She said: “We won’t pull any punches where we feel the Labour party are going wrong but nor will we create tensions where there is no need for them to exist.”
Stating that Wales needs “stable government,” she said: “Carwyn said himself his party hasn’t a monopoly on good ideas.
“He has to work with others and we are ready to play that constructive role if we feel the Labour party is serious about tackling educational outcomes, tackling the health service [and] making sure we’ve got good value for the budget that we’ve got.”ays..

But her problem is such is the lukewarm legislative programme that Carwyn and his Government have proposed so far . He can easily wait a few years or at least until after next May where local government elections will probably see the LbDem hemorrhaging Welsh councilors. further weakening La Pasionaria position where she will agree to almost any condition in order to escape the toxic effect of tier coalition with the Tories.

So will La Pasionaria have a higher influence in the Telegraph pole next year .She might well but only because some of those above have decided its time to desert a sinking ship.

Let me through I'm a politician.

2011-09-16T15:49:00.001+01:00

At first I was impressed by Peter Hain and other polticians and community leaders actions with regards the men have been trapped by water at Gleision Colliery near Cilybebyll, Pontardawe in the Swansea Valley . As the local MP he seamed to be saying the right things and doing what is part of his job.

However his constant aperances in the Press conferences presents the danger "that he is the Story".

I do not entriley blame in I could have easily entitled this "Let me through I'm from the BBC" . I accept there is a vital need for the public to be kept up to date but there must be a question of when the in thier frantic haste towards being first with the news become a hindrance to the rescue operation as jaxxlander has already pointed out.

......there is something distasteful about how press and politicians seem to outnumber rescuers as events unfold at the mine in Pontardawe?.

There was also something ghoulish about the speculation of the trapped miners as some of the press questions asked of those actually conducting the rescue proved.

Can the vast number of media and people constantly on tap to add their comments which often add nothing to our knowledge and often revert to pure speculation which must prove distressing to the families involved . especially in the era of 24 Hour News become a potential hazard to the rescue operation.?

I admit Peter Hain is in a difficult position because if he hadn't turned up then some would be asking where he was and the presence of someone recognisable by the public is a godsend to the media desperate to find the human touch. But is it absolutely necessary for him to appear with the rescuers and emergency services when they make a press statement?

I think the media is more to blame than Peter Hain here but as these sad events evolve we must ask ourselves what is more vital rescuing the trapped victims or the news event?

Self Determination or Independence

2011-09-14T15:34:00.002+01:00

I must admit I have some sympathy with Dafydd Elis Thomas, over the Independence issue.

On the eve of the Plaid conference in Llandudno focussing on ‘renewal’, the Dwyfor Merionnydd AM said:....

“I was happy to talk about self government and self determination but independence is something I found ethically incompatible.
“I am a Welsh European first and foremost.

I share his position as I personalty always felt that no Nation can call it self Independent if it..

Acccepts membership and the rules of the United Nations
Signs and obeys the Geneva Convention
Agrees to the judgement of International Courts.
Signs Trade agreements that bind you to a specific economic model
Joins an organisation like the original Common Market
Agrees to the development of the above as it becomes a legislative body as the European Union has become.
Joins alliance like NATO,

Except for the last, I agree with all the above and have nothing but scorn for those petty nationalists who think they country can some how be self sufficient and ignore the rest of the World and International Laws.

However the success of the SNP in promoting the use of Independence on the Scottish Stage means that the "I" word is in the ascendancy and compared to it Self-Determination sounds a bit like non-alcoholic lager.

Although I can see no difference between the SNP plans for Scotland to have the same sovereign status within the EU as the likes of Germany, Latvia or Luxembourg as Plaids plans for Wales.

So although I would still prefer Plaids previous position The important thing is what they mean by Independent and make it clear No Sovereign Nation today (apart for North Korea perhaps) can claim to be fully Independent?

The negative connotations that Independence may have will of course be raised by the British .Unionist Parties (Labour, Conservative and Libdem) but they should be faced

Iincidentally I have used the term British Unionist rather than British Nationalist because the former has been seized by the far right and I don't want to appear to smear them . I hope when they react to the Independence call from Wales and Scotland they do not use as means to smear Welsh and Scottish Nationalism.

Do I share the doubts of Dafydd El whether Wales could be Independent at this moment in time . Wel Yes. But when ever I sat an exam I never thought I get 100% but I always tried to get the best mark I could.

The challenge of Nationlist in or out of Plaid is to envisage the Wales they want in a World they want and work towards it.

When Plaid met Gaddafi embarrassing but 35 years old.

2011-09-12T16:03:00.000+01:00

It seems that the Western Mail have dug up an old story of a Plaid Cymry Delegation travelling to Libya for funding Talks with Colonel Gaddafi..

Although the headlines look sensational you have to read the article to find that thee events took place in the 1970's .

In fact it was in 1976 seven years after Gaddafi had seized power and was first reported I believe in (the much missed magazine Rebecca). So congrats to the Western Mail researcher for digging in this up35 year old story up but no points for trying to present in as a current news Story..

I'm not going to defend Plaids action at the time because it was pretty indefensible and even in 1976 it was cleat that Gaddafi was a ruthless dictator whohould't have been touched with a Bargepole except to say that most Western Governments had a dubious relationship with the Libyan dictator.

At the time I thought it was an embarrassment for the Party but since there was no further exposures of Plaid -Libya links it does seem to be a one off and I would have expected the Labour government of the day (or Thatcher's 3 years latter) for a chance to accuse Plaid to be in the pay of the Libyan dictator a major issue it if there was anything really serious in it.It could be rightly argues that those involved should come clean and the evasion of some of those involved does them no credit but lets face it its not a major scandal today.

I could be wrong ,Perhaps papers will appear in Tripoli that Plaid was awash with Libyan gold in the latter part of the 1970's but I doubt it.

One can expect Plaid opponents to seize on this and its no suprise that Subordinate Centre in thier uusall
manner copy the Western article in full and then add thier pithy comment. in this case

"Willa fuller (Sic) story ever emerge? Not if Plaid Cymu have anything to do with it."

To tell the truth I don't blame them for concentrating on a 35 year old scandal in Plaid rather than the more up to date story in the Daily Telegraph that The Liberal Democrats' biggest donor has become one of Britain's most wanted men after being convicted of stealing millions from a form a former football boss.

I shall be looking at the next Subordinate Central to catch up with current events and their calls of whether they should return the £2.5 million pounds they have received from a convicted felony

Why are New Zealand allowed the advantage of the Haka?

2011-09-10T09:14:00.002+01:00

lI must admit that though I admire the Haka I can't help thinking that it gives New Zealand a psychological advantage for at least for the first 5 minutes of the game at must be worth at least a early penalty.and should such a advantage be given in a non-friendly game especially in the World Cup? Similarly should the "War Dances" of the South seas Islanders should be allowed?

Wales in 2008 showed how to respond to the Haka in the 2008 match which you can view here (Watch it it's perhaps Ryan Jones' finest moment) where on their Home ground they refused to back down even to the ref and insisted the All Blacks should move first.

The Haka great entertainment but this is serious business and should such an advantage be given to a side ? I don't think so.

Mind you England's decision to wear n all Black aternative strip is a deliberate provocation and prehaps could be seen in the context of Glasgow Rangers playing in green hoops.

I give some credit to the organisers for the timing of the opening ceremony as the 12 hour time difference means that we will have to rise earlier to watch the matches but it the same for New Zealanders and the other southern hemisphere nations when the World cup is in Europe.
And I wonder what the reaction in Wales would be to a 9:30 Pm kick off as fans and players will be asked to do for Wales South Africa match tomorrow?

No praise for ITV's coverage though EyeONWales a blog which is well worth a visit covers most of my critcsism. But here some of my own anyway.

The coverage of the opening ceremony was appalling far to many Add- breaks and studio contributions . My niece switched to S4C and I suspect most Welsh speakers or even those with a smattering will do so when the coverage is available
.
Especially after the Match commentaries I've heard so. It comes to something that BBC Wales' coverage of the Leinster-Dragons match last night surpassed that of ITV coverage of the opening New Zealand -Tonga match.and shows the difference betweem the true professional and the merely gifted amateur . Though I'm not sure about the gifted.

It looks like we will have to put up with references to England at every opportunity and although on the BBC Brian Moore has a "slight" bias towards England at least he will criticize them and point out their weaknesss and he is entertaining.

Likewise the ITV pundits are boring and there's nothing like the insight of Gusgott,Woods and our own Jonathan Davies all of whom may have a bias towards their own Nations but it is acceptable because they at least know what they are talking about.

The BBC can be annoying in its refernces to England .Who can forget the reference to the "England -France match some years ago as "The Main event" but ITV as they have been in every World Cup they covered have given the impression that England is the only Home nation in the competition.

The France-Japan game has just finished and after a few minutes "analysis" they have moved on too The England Game. Even if England are knocked out at the qualifying stage (unlikely as it is) we will probably more coverage of what went wrong rather than the success of othe Home sides.

Why have the BBC failed yet again to cover the Rugby World cup and left us with piss- poor amateur coverage from ITV?

An Independent Scotland is no guarantee for Wales.

2011-09-06T08:40:00.000+01:00

Plaid Wrecsam points out that in a recent poll in Scotland hows those who would vote Yes for independence ahead by 39% to 38%.

One can't read to much in this and I would expect that if a referendum was to succeed then the polls would have to be at least a 10% lead before the referendum campaigns starts as the vast majority of pro-union media campaigns against Independence.

What interested me however were some of the comments

Great news, and we will get independence by default. Let's smash the union now.

And

....Scots are far ahead of us on this issue but if they achieve independence and make a success of it (which they will in my opinion) then the calls for Welsh independence will grow stronger. That day can't come soon enough!

There has always been a assumption that if Scotland became Independent then there would be a natural upsurge for Welsh Independence.

This however may be the actual outcome.

Prior ti the establishment of the Irish Free State the concept of Home Rule all Round was possibly even popular in Wales than in Scotland where religious difference influenced support, and if my memory serves me correctly .When I was a student of his at Aber .John (Bwylchlan) Davies, once claimed in a lecture that there was even some idea that the Highlands would join in a confederation with Ireland.to form a Hibernian Nation.

Both the Liberal Party and the fledgling Labour supported the idea of Home Rule all Round but the failure of Lloyd Georges Cymru Fydd pointed to the weakness in the movement.

Both Wales and to a much larger extent Scotland were also caught up in the British Empire supplying the military and Administrators needed to maintain it.

Interestingly there was a an argument against Irish Nationalism that ...

The fact that Ireland wished to leave the greatest Empire in the World meant that they were not ready to do so,

Whatever. After Ireland obtained what was then Dominion Status (similar to Canada) which was the principal of Home Rule all Round the motor that drove this concept outside Ireland no longer existed and the Labour Party apart from a few dropped the idea and the Liberals Party still occasionally cling to some form of federalist ideal went into a speedy decline.

Indeed it became necessary to form Plaid Cymru in 1925, and it was not until 1934 the SNP was formed after the the merger of National Party of Scotland (1928) and the Scottish Party (1930) . Nevertheless Home Rule almost vanished from the political scene not to really emerge again until l the 1960's.

The argument that the creation of an Independent Scotland will automatically lead to an Independent Wales is alas not self evident.

Indeed Wales could be worse off. Picked on by a renewed English Nationalism and Labour Politicians who would need Welsh votes even more the former opposed any financial assistance to Wales and whilst claiming that we were a drain on England and the latter claiming wales could not survive without support from England opposing any idea of Welsh Independence. and In Wales without the institutions and media to speak out there could develop a fear of taking any step towards Independence. Scottish Independence as it did in after the creation of the Free state in 1922 kill the Independence movement here for years

I'm not saying this will be the outcome but we should not rely on the creation of an Independent Scotland to lead us to similar status. We must not only campaign for an Independent Wales but to campaign for the Institutions and Society to sustain it.

Maybe we should ignore Clarkson, but the BBC shouldn't

2011-09-04T15:22:00.002+01:00

It seems that Jeremy Clarkson has been attacking Wales again .

In his Sun column he wrote

“I think we are fast approaching the time when the United Nations should start to think seriously about abolishing other languages.
“What’s the point of Welsh for example? All it does is provide a silly maypole around which a bunch of hotheads can get all nationalistic.”

Peter Black has an interesting take for he writes on his Blog. commeting ....

" I do not blame those who wish to respond in this way. The comment is complete nonsense, but really is it worth getting into a lather over? On the other hand surely it is time to put Clarkson out to pasture".

What a ridiculous position. I don't really see an argument for ignoring something from someone who is at the same time commenting on it

Personally I blame the BBC, who have let Clarkson get away with his offensive remarks for far to long. He is a classic Schoolboy bully along with his two sniggering Top Gear minions James May and Richard Hammond.Who follow him around hoping that if he picking on someone else he wouldn't be picking on them

But the BBC is always inconsiderable when it comes to Clarkson

Remember the BBC reaction to Carol Thatcher when the British media reported that during the 2009 Australian Open Thatcher had, in a conversation in the show's green room, referred to a black tennis player, reportedly Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, as a golliwog.

According to The Times, Thatcher called Tsonga "half-golliwog" and "the golliwog Frog". Presenter Adrian Chiles, comedian Jo Brand, journalists and several guests were with Thatcher when she made the remark. When others protested about her use of the word, Thatcher stated through her spokesperson that the comment was meant in jest.

The BBC stated that Thatcher would not work again on The One Show unless she made a more sincere apology Thatcher refused, saying "I stand by what I said. I wasn't going to apologise. I never meant it in a racist way. It was shorthand. I described someone's appearance colloquially—someone I happen to greatly admire."

There was no excuse for her remarks but they were not broadcast on Air and came to light after others complained. Clarkson and his colleagues on the other hand has made offensive remarks on Air and in Print

I never seen Clarkson voice his views in a real debate with someone opposed what he spews out. Any one who even remotely suports any form of environmental agenda is mocked on Top Gear and in Clarksons newspaper column but how long would he last in a meaningful debate without sounding like the ignorant bully he is. This is the man who seemingly believes that

"eco-mentalists" are a by-product of the "old trade unionists and CND lesbians" who had found a more relevant cause"

Interviewing Alastair Campbell on Top Gear Clarkson once said

"I don't believe what I write, any more than you (Alastair Campbell) believe what you say"

I think he does believe in what he writes .How long will the BBC put up with him and views they would not tolerate in any other personality?. Probably as long as people watch Top Gear for fear he would decamp to SKY if censured to much. Personally I can't wait for him to do so.

Lembit Öpik loses it in more ways than one

2011-09-03T11:46:00.001+01:00

Lembit Öpik has failed in his bid to be LibDem candidate for London Mayor next year. Coming last in a field of four. our hero saw comparisons with another great man.

Lembit said

"I think like every great politician you have to have some wilderness years. Nelson Mandela had them. Many other people had them."

I will give him the benifit that this was a form of joke and he wasn't really comparing himself to a man who spent Mandela was imprisoned on the notorious Robben Island where he spent eighteen of his twenty-seven years in prison for standing up against the ecvils of Apartheid.and who on his release led all the peoples of South Africa to democratic election and government.

The trouble for Lembit is even as an ironic jest many will see this as the musing of a vainglorious hasbeen.

The victor in the LibDem nominations was Brian Paddick who on the Todays programme claimed that he realises that current Mayor Boris Johnson was unpopular with Londoners because he been talking to Taxi Drives.

Readers of Private Eye and the occasional column " A Taxi Driver Writes – may well see something on the lines of

Today No. 13458 N Griffin:

I had that Brian Paddick in the back of my cab . Clever Man got Boris and Ken bang to rights. They say he an ex-copper. Thats what we need . He sort out those looters. String them up thats what I say. He's what! Blimey did they know that in the Met?

Got what a choice they have in London Johnson , Livingstone and Paddick. I hope for progressive voters sake the Greens find a prominent candidate and they can afford to put up a decent fight.

Vote Labour to Stop Labour?

2011-09-02T08:49:00.004+01:00

I apologise if you have had problems with previous drafts of this post but Blogger is not working well through Opera (My preferred system)and I've had to use Google Chrome.

Hat Tip to Gareth Hughes and Plaid Wrecsam for their analysis of Labours plans for Local Government in Wales and a special mention to Cibwr for a well thought out case on reform ,especially on Community councils.

As Gareth states.

One can understand the impatience of Welsh Government with the current local government structure. But to reorganise by stealth is not the way forward. A coherent set of proposals need to be produced and the public need to be involved in deciding how services should be delivered in the future.

In some ways Labour's proposals is a Mirrors opposite that of David Cameron's Big Soceity in that the intention is to hand areas like Education to unelected bodies in Cameron's case voluntary but in the two case s there is no room for directly elected representation. but both proposal,s which in the beginning may have some popular support will soon run into trouble when people realise that they will have no direct access to voice their concerns via their local Councilor . I f your Councilor fails you in their representation. You have the option of voting for someone else. Both the Con/Libdem and Labour proposals means that direct democratic access (via your representative)is curtailed.

The frightening thing in the Welsh context is how it is evident that the Labour Assembly Government sending in of Commissioners to councils which their have decided as failing (Blaneau Gwent,Pembrokeshire,and Isle of Anglesey) is clearly linked to Labours Assembly Government plans to obtain merger of councils through the back door and increase the Assembly Governments influence.

It is also clear to me that the singling of out of these councils is largely linked to next years local government elections as Labour try to link Non-Labour councils to poor performance.

At the moment Labour only have overall control of RCT and Neat h Port Talbot but next may they must have high hopes of regaining their local dominance..

They must expect to

Gain a Absolute Majority in

Blaneau Gwent, Bridgend,Caerphilly Flintshier ,Merthyr Tydfil,Newport,Torfaen and Swansea

And if the expected Libdem collapse occurs.Then they could add Wrexham, and the "Jewel in the Crown " that is Cardiff to the list.

However if Labour do win these Councils then along with RCT and Neath Port Talbot then Labour will be in overall control of 12 of the 22 Welsh Unitary authorities.

If it is even only a few less councils they control . To what extent would the new Labour leaders of these councils wish to see areas that they have gained responsibility for passed to these Regional government Quangos.? Would the Labour Assembly Government risk a revolt from tier own councilors as they seek to retain tier powers? and anyway would they feel the necessity for change if they are back in control of the majority of Welsh Councils?

Ironically it seems that the best way to make sure the Assemblies plans for local government do not end with these undemocratic regional areas ,would be to vote Labour next year..