Monday 29 November 2010

Kim Howells Why Bother?

Kim Howells amongst  notorious unit of the Colombian army accused, by Amnesty International, of torturing and killing trade unionists.

I’m a bit surprised that there hasn't been more comment on that former  Labour minister Kim Howells says next year's referendum on extra powers for the Welsh assembly is "partial and daft" and he will be voting no

But it could well be that most people in Wales  see Howells as irrelevant. Last night program  “a Valley view of the World” confirmed my view of him however as parochial politician who thinks he is playing on the big stage but if you want to see a truly devastating appraisal of him then have a look at what  his former colleague at Westminster  Paul Flynn , has to say about him. I can't remember when someone has condemned (who is still) a party member in such terms. But why the program anyway?

I can only assume that  BBC Wales that  “Den of Nationalist” (Yeh right) made such a programme  in order to balance any coverage.

Or it could be simply that the Old Labour Unionist are still lurking the corridors of the BBC in Cardiff.

Whatever happens I can't see Howells having any major impact on the campaign but it would be interesting for them to give some space to a positive aspect of devolution it seems that negative attacks on the assembly is seen as impartial investigative reporting  but positive reports  are "Nationalist Propaganda”.

It will also be interesting to see the response of Howells replacement in the Pontypridd Consistency Owen Smith sthe on of a similar valleys champion Dai Smith,who has often expressed similar  views on Howells standpoint. that Wales stops at Tonypandy

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Don't know Owen Smith's views. I don't always agree with his father, Dai Smith, but he's made the effort to learn Welsh.

That's something I believe is very worthy of a man - especially, and this is no disrespect, in age - it's easier to learn a language when you're younger.

Yes, to be able to speak Welsh is pretty essential for the head of the Arts Council of Wales if only so that he could understand half the ACW's output. But he's done it.

He's also overseen the successful lauch of the English language National Theatre of Wales - a Plaid Cymru policy. The National Theatre wouldn't exist it Plaid wasn't in government. Another good reason to vote Yes in the referednum - it strenghens an English language Welsh culture.

Anonymous said...

Glynbeddau

Thanks for the link to Paul Flynn’s piece on Kim Howells. His appraisal is spot-on.

I’m not convinced that the House of Lords is out of the question though. Even if he did tell us that he had "never understood the attraction of royalty" and that the royals were “all a bit bonkers”.

I’m sure he’ll happy with an ermine robe and a title and with his communist credentials we may see another ‘Red Baron’ joining Prescott and Kinnock.