Leanne Wood takes a big step.

Leanne Wood's speech to Plaid Conference was impressive Speaking plainlyshe  pledged Plaid 

would spent the next decade developing and implementing policies to raise Welsh economic performance to a level equal to the rest of the UK.

"Wales needs jobs, it's as simple as that. And there's plenty of work that needs doing.

Concentrating above all on economic matters, she said a new generation 

have a right to believe that life can be better".People are thirsting for something new," she said, "and I'm determined that we are going to give it to them"."One of the first acts of a Plaid Cymru government will be to establish our own national powerhouse, a Glas Cymru for green energy, investing in national infrastructure from tidal energy to community-owned wind and hydro power, focused on our own energy needs and yes, where appropriate, exporting this valuable commodity but here's the difference, repatriating the profits and reinvesting them for the benefit of the people of Wales."

ts nice to see some positive ideas coming from an opposition and not merely condemning the Government whether in Wales or Westminster nor moaning about our plight but seeking solutions  something missing from the  Labour not only  Government in Cardiff in opposition  Westminster. 

I would have liked to seen her emphasise  more on the creation of cooperatives within this "New Green Deal"  but as Cibwr commented on  the Syniadu Blog (where you can see the speech in full)

"often wondered why the cooperative party is affiliated to Labour, given that speech you would have thought its home would be in Plaid"

Leanne speech however did not touch on Independence which was a pity but lets face it much of the argument depends on what will happen in the Scottish referendum in 2014 which will  what ever the result will be a game changer.

And Plaid need to show the Welsh Electorate a vision of what a Independent Wales will be like   and particularly that it will not be run by the same Old faces with the same old solutions. Sp this was hopefully a step towards this.

Wales need action now and Plaid can't simply say "Wait for Independence" . Nevertheless Plaid needs to blend the ideas that Leanne gave us a taste of this Weekend with the vision of a Independent Wales free from the  failed economic policies  of the Union. and in that we have only the beginning of Leanne's vision.

Police Commissioners a reason to visit the polling Station.

For the most part my only interest in the forthcoming Election for Police Commissioners is my opposition to the whole process

The fact that effectively only those supported by Political Parties or are wealthy can afford to stand  and that  independent candidates will not get Government money for even a single mail shot - which is something they would get for other elections.

So the likelihood is that virtually all the all those who will stand for these these post will be members of the two main parties  and as that ex  MPs like Alum Michael and Johm Prescott or persons constantly rejected by the electorate such as Christine Gwyther.

And the ban on  convicted criminals standing who were 18 or over at the time of the offence. The legislation also says that the offence has to carry a prison sentence means that Activists like former Members of Cymdeithas Yr Iaith who made a principled decision  to break the law and face the consequences in order to highlight an injustice are also banned.

This may have nothing to do with Plaid secession (a right one I think) not to contest the elections  but it would mean that the likes of Dafydd Iwan  are excluded from standing.

And is Dafydd any less honourable than Alun Michael?

The whole business is a mess undemocratic and far to restrictive.

But aboveall we do not need or want these has-been politicians running our Police..

We also have the news that Ballot papers for the upcoming police and crime commissioner elections will not be in Welsh unless legislation is passed in the coming days, the Electoral Commission will warn today.

The election watchdog warns that action must be taken or voters across Wales will be confronted with English-only ballot papers on November 15.

John Dixon over at Borthlas has shown the stupidity in the Westminster Governments attitude over the use over Welsh.

Lets face it I would have thought Bilingual Ballor Papers in Wales would be automatic.

I have been considering not voting or spoiling the ballot paper . I just might go to the polling station and write "Cymraeg "on the paper . I can't see any other reason to take part in this political farce.,

Leighron neds to answer questions but back him on his action.

The  opposition Parties in the Assembly have weighed in in over the row over WJEC grading

Welsh Liberal Democrats Education Spokesperson, Aled Roberts  (rather Than Baroness Randserson) has called for the warring ministers Leighton Andrews and Michael Gove to step back...

"Rather than have the Education Minister, Ofqual and the examinations board engaging in institutional warfare, they must all sit down and work together for the best interests of Welsh students. Welsh students are not best served by this sort of twitter-based policy making and it is no way to reach a calm and moderate conclusion".

Is Tory equivalent  Angela Burns tried to shift the blame in to Leighton Andrews


She said: ...

“As regulator in Wales, the Welsh Government played an integral part in the GCSE situation. Its failure – along with the minister’s – is unashamedly ignored in this week’s hunt for headlines.
“The minister sets the curriculum, sets the exams and polices the system. It is vital that we have an independent regulator who can ring the warning bell so our young people do not have to face this situation again.
“It’s time Leighton Andrews was a little more honest with Welsh pupils and not only put up his hand to apologise for the distress caused but also admit it was not they who failed – but him.”

And Plaid Cymru  announce that Education spokesman AM Simon Thomas....

"has written to the Chair of the Children and Young People Committee, Christine Chapman, asking for her to recall the committee during recess so Assembly Members can scrutinise the actions of the WJEC and the Welsh Education Minister about the GCSE row."

Al three have a point and its their job to scrutinise  and we need to ask questions of the Minister particularly   in the disclosure that  English regulator Ofqual ordered exam board Edexcel )and by implication the WJEC) to make changes beyond what "might normally be required". and whether he was aware of this?

But in the matter of regrading the Assembly irrespective of Party should back Leightn Andrews against the "colonial" instincts of Michael Gove and and Ofqual.

He is the minister responsible for the WJEC and whilst they have the right to criticize Andrews they should not have the right to interfere in his decision.

This also includes Ofqual refusing to regrade those students  who took the Exam in England under the WJEC syllabus .. I doubt Ofqual would interfere in English Students who sat a Scottish Exam in England and they should accept that WJEC exams come under the Welsh Assembly whether they are sat.

Taliban Tendency take over Welsh Office.

Welsh Secretary David Jones  has decided not to appoint Glyn Davies as his Parliamentary Private Secretary instead he has chosen Daniel Kawczynski MP Shrewsbury and Atcham 

 A PPSs is  junior to that of Parliamentary Under-Secretary, which is a ministerial post, salaried by one or more departments. and they are not  members of the government, and all efforts are made to avoid these positions being referred to as such.. Instead they are considered more simply as normal Members. However, their close confidence with ministers does impose obligations on every PPS. The guidelines surrounding the divulging of information to PPSs are rigid.

As far as I can see  Kawczynski has no links to Wales except having a constituency on the boarder .

Daniel Kawczynski appointment by David Jones however may be as a result of both being members of the right wing Cornerstone Group once referred to as the Taliban Tendency by Conservative MP Alan Duncan and which new Parliamentary Under-Secretary  Preseli MP Stephen Crabb is also affiliated.

Other Membes i of the 40+ group nclude Edward Leigh,Bill Cash,John Redwood,Jacob Rees-Mogg and Nadine Dorries and no surprise  Monmouth MP David Davies 

Its name derives from the Cornerstone Group's support for three British  institutions: the Church of England, the unitary British State, and the family. To this end, it emphasises the UK's Anglican heritage (although some are looking to Roman Catholicism in view of increasing liberalism within the CofE), opposes any transfer of power away from the United Kingdom — either downwards to the nations and regions or upwards to the European Union — and seeks to place greater emphasis on traditional family structures to repair what has been termed as Britain's broken society, as well as calling for tighter levels of immigration into the UK

The Group can be summed up with its motto: Faith, Flag, and Family. which sounds like something from a quasi- fascist  1930 's  group and it surprising that the Welsh Media that the Welsh media have not questioned the Welsh Office seems to have been taking over by a group whose values seem so Alien to mainstream Welsh Culture .

Indeed they resemble the Anglo Centric Tories who have represented Welsh Constituencies in the past which Radical Wales have constantly rejected 

One can only speculate on what the other Parliamentary Under-Secretary Jenny Randerson thinks of this and  in reflection her appointment looks like a move to silence opposition to this right wing take over.

The only bright spark may be that we see Glyn Davies returning to regular blogging in his A View from Rural Wales'  and at least give us a Conservative view more in line with Wales.

We wanted a Welsh based Welsh Secretary I hope we are not going to regret what we were given.

WJEC exams to regraded.

The Western Mule reports that Pupils across Wales are expected to see their English Language GCSE results regraded after the education minister said there had been a ‘serious distortion’ in how they’d been marked.

They report that...

"Assembly Education Minister Leighton Andrews has asked the WJEC exam board to regrade the papers, claiming this year’s outcome is ‘unjustifiable and almost certainly unfair to candidates’.

As a result, it is expected that several hundred candidates will be awarded higher grades.
The percentage of pupils from Wales gaining an A* to C in GCSE English Language fell from 61.3% in 2011 to 57.4% this year.
A report commissioned by Mr Andrews recommends the WJEC should regrade in order to achieve outcomes that are as similar as possible to the outcomes achieved by candidates in 2011, on the basis that there is no reason to believe that the 2012 Wales cohort was significantly different to last year’s."

 Western Mail 11 August 2012

However the BBC also reports  that..

 ..the board which provides exams in both England and Wales, said it needs to take account of the perspectives from both Ofqual and the Welsh government.

Given that the regulators have worked jointly on all matters to date relating to WJEC's GCSE English language awards, it is helpful that the minister's statement indicates that discussions 'will continue' with Ofqual on the results of WJEC English language candidates," said a spokesman.
"We look forward to further urgent discussions with both regulators in order to be clear about the direction we should now take."

BBC August 202 

It would be useful here if they told us how many took the English Language exam in England under the WJEC syllabus.

However it does show the problem fist brought up by Plaid Wrecsam on who relegates Welsh exams.

As far as the WJEC Ofqual role should  only be in reconising the Board and its syllabus  in England and not telling it how it should be set.

.

People take Exams by UK boards in counties outside the UK but these countries do not interfere in their running and its up to them to recognise their validity there,

Sadly the damage may have been done to a number of pupils who have taken another route rather than continuing in School and studying for their A levels but Leighton Andrews action is welcome.

But perhaps is main concern now is making sure that full responsibility for the syllabus and exams in Wales set by the WJEC, should come totally under the remit of the  Welsh Assembly and its appointed regulator.

Cliché corner "Team Wales".

New Welsh Secretary David Jones has  called for a ‘Team Wales’ approach came a day after Deputy Prime Minister accused First Minister Carwyn Jones of “blaming London for everything” rather than taking steps to stimulate economic growth.

“The Welsh economy can only be improved if there’s close cooperation between the government in Westminster and the government here in Cardiff,” he said.

“I had a discussion shortly after being appointed with Carwyn Jones, telling him we wanted to work closely with him and he reacted very positively on that.
“I think people need to get the right signals.
“Major investors are not going to come to a part of the world where they perceive tension between the national government and the regional government.
“That’s why it’s very important to adopt a ‘team Wales’ approach.”

Western Mail Sept 08 2012

I suppose we can expect more of this type of clichés based on the Olympics over the next few months .

The idea of all politicians working together seems an attractive one   . But in reality what Jones is saying to Carwyn Jones and other Welsh Politicians is don't argue with us and we 'l throw you a few crumbs.

The difference between the three main Westminster Parties is to close as it is already too small, with Labour in opposition making some overtures to the left but is  still clearly committed to the interest of "Middle England" and join in with the Coalition blaming the poor,unemployed and dispossessed for their predicament..

This was made clear when Mr Jones was a grillied by  a 17-year-old who could face homelessness without housing benefit as he made a visit to Cardiff

David Jones  defended the plan to slash housing benefit for young saying given the state of the country’s finances it was “necessary” to make savings.

He said:

“When the economy is as bad as it is and the country is so damaged, it’s necessary to make savings.”
“We are all suffering.”

Can he tell us how he and is family are  suffering

But the Coalition government are only carrying out the Welfare reforms that Labour stated whilst in power perhaps  faster and more drastically but the Blair government sowed the seed,

So maybe I'm wrong here? If the Welsh Parties like those at Westminster in reality only disagree for reason of opposition whilst in not in power though  they would pursue the same policies as the previous government  who in opposition would then oppose them . Then perhaps they should admit that there's  no real choice for the electorate amongst the main Parties and who ever is elected will not represent the less well off in our society.

To extend David Jones cliché the idea of "Team Wales" looks like gathering all the so called "elite" athletes together while the rest of us are not even allowed in the stadium.

Local Newspapers simply Council propaganda sheets?

I imagine the majority would agree that Y Cnefiwr is one of the best blogs coming from Wales and residents of Carmarthen it seems who wish to know what is happening in their County should turn to it to get an insightful annalist,  Particularly as it now seems that the Carmarthen Journal has failed to report  as he states in his latest blog that ...

"whole string of important local news stories not being reported by the paper. What these stories have in common is that they don't show the County Council in a good light".

This has led to YCnefiwr and fellow blogger to join together and write an open  letter to the Carmarthen Journal which you can see on journal Caebrwyn blog.

Sadly this a problem that is increasing in local newspapers throughout Wales. With local Newspapers desperate for advertisements looking to their local authorities to supply them withs the major source of income via advertising.

This leads Councils to adopt the "Who pays the piper calls the tune"principal . Threatening Editors that they will withdraw advertising revenue if they report the council negatively.

This is relationship ironically is likely to increase,  with Eric Pickles war on "Pravda on the Rates", an attack on the Local Government Free Newspapers which for many (and all parties are guilty of this to various degrees) often seem like propaganda sheets telling us how good their council are not simply telling us what they are doing and providing us with facts on expenditure .

These often expensive glossy freesheets were in themselves  was a threat to Local Newspaper revenues: But if Pickles is successful in ending these sheets Councils (as some already have) will simply  reproduce their "We are great" freeheets in the local Newspaper"  Providing the Editor (who has few staff )with Advertising and Council information  that they will simply reproduce and  print without comment and quietly the Council will threateni that this vital revenue (which the paper may close without) can be withdrawn if any negative reports are published.

In the past Local Newspaper have been at forefront in exposing wrongdoings and even corruption on the Local Council but increasingly they have been forced to simply reproduce Council statements and even censure their letters page if a resident has the nerve to question council policy.

We seem to entering an era where the only true information we can get on what our councils is up to are from Blogs like YCnefiwr and  Caebrwyn and the latter has been the subject of legal harassment from the council.

Perhaps the only real solution is for all of us to start buying newspapers again making them less dependent on the Councils money but then who wants read about Council Leader X opening a new council office and not that he voted to close your local swimming pool.

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