Labour vision there is none so better attack Plaid?

An interesting post on Wales Home on Wakes from New Labour AM Ken Skates.

Does he give his impression of Labours Plans for the next five Years?
Comment on the extensive progressive legislation He and his colleagues have in mind?
Show how Wales will differ from the right wing ideology led cuts and reorganisation the Westminster Coalition has outlined  for England. such as the so called NHS reforms?

Er No. Probably because there are none.

Instead this AM who has only been in the Senate for a month has chosen to concentrate those  Plaids AMs absent from the jamboree of the so called State Opening.

In an article entitled "Wearing badges is not enough in days like these" Ken Skates  rights he makes particular play on Ieuan Wyn Jones  absence

"I have just two simple points to make about this. The first, and most uncontroversial in a sense, is that as the leader of a major party in the Assembly, Ieuan had a special responsibility to be there on behalf of his group and on behalf of the people who voted for the party in May. Many of these people will not share Plaid’s anti-monarchist views and whether he has let them down is not my place to say, but I do think it was discourteous not to attend without a valid reason. It displayed a lack of judgement as he chose to put anti-Royal sentiment ahead of celebrating the additional powers that his loyal supporters had campaigned for". 

The second and more important point, I feel, is that the episode shines a revealing and uncomfortable light on a deeper and more fundamental problem for Plaid as a political party, namely its continuing failure to come to terms with both devolution and work within the new realities and institutions of Welsh politics to affect real change.

Bearing in mind the Queens speech was not outline of her Government in Wales plans for using these new powers, but merely a congratulations for having them.Was there any point if you are a Republican  or not in inviting her in the fist place.?

How much did it cost and who pays for it?

He goes on

The issue at hand here is one about politics. We now run our own affairs and take our own decisions. The irony that it is Plaid that is distinctly uncomfortable with the responsibilities and powers that it has been campaigning for is an interesting, if underexplored, development in Welsh politics over the last decade.

and

This week’s decision by Plaid’s leader to obsess with regional republicanism, instead of acknowledging the incredible distance Wales has come, illustrates his party’s inability to embrace the real business of public service. Missing First Minister’s Questions this week means he failed to raise awareness of, and provoke action on, the burning issues that affect our constituents this week. 

What burning issues? . Oh yes the  complete lethargy of the Assembly since the 4th  one was elected last May including the filing of Committee places the failure of the new Labour Welsh Government to live up to their promise to stand up for Wales apart from a veiled statement that Carwyn Jones is claiming today that "borrowing powers could be on their way" following yesterday's JMC meeting. although his London boss Peter Hain has seemingly rejected the idea.

Yes perhaps Ieuan Wyn Jones should have been there to point that out but I believe there probably a good case that he really needs a rest after along and disappointing electoral campaign. There a huge difference in your energy levels when you are  winner compared with the despair you feel when you lose.

But theres a complete different issue when comes to the moral stance of boycotting the Queen.

What Ken Skates appears to be saying is that Plaid should simply become just another Party within the British system some of us would argue that this has been their problem and they have lost the Radicalism and Fire that many of who used to be active embraced and John Dixon reminds us this in his Borthlas blog.

Plaid should never emulate the London run Parties  who play by the rules of convention that emulates and
suits their establishment values.

Ken Stoats writes like a long term grandee rather than a fresh face his use of the term anti-monarchist rather than Republican is a typical conservative form syntax with its negative implications.

I am sure than none of the AM had any resall animosity  to the Queen. They just don't want her as our head of state.

But there will always be a time when those frustrated with the Political process will use other peaceful means  so that the rest of us can here their voice so often stymied by the mainstream media and the boycott was just one example of this.

From what this AM is implying we will not be seeing him or any of his colleagues on a protest against government cuts seemingly  being allowed to ask the occasional question of the  First Minster will be sufficient.

But the issue of Republicanism  is one that can only take place outside the Welsh Senate and Westminster because open debate on the topic is not allowed, in the debating chamber.

Of course if Labour  were in opposition in Wales it would be different story and with the aid of the Trade Unions, who have always put the interest of the Party before that of they members will  have no doubt taking part in more than one type of extra parliamentary  activityi Including the wearing of numerous badges.

It has never taken long for young Labour radicals to become establishment figures once elected, but Ken Stoats seems to have done so in record time.