Silk wil not settle anything as long as we don't shut up.

There's a curious response from our First Minister Carwyn Jones over the  Silk Commission’s proposals for new powers for the Assembly

 Carwyn  described it  as a package which could “settle” the issue of devolution for at least a decade.


The Welsh Labour leader said he “broadly” welcomed the transfer of responsibility for areas including the police recommended by the cross-party commission but downplayed the chances of devolution of the entire criminal justice system.

He said: “Criminal justice is a major step and expensive and it’s not something I could foresee being devolved at all in the near future.”

However, he was optimistic that the move towards a Scottish-style system in which the Assembly is free to make laws in any area unless it has been reserved specifically by Westminster would improve the quality of Government in Wales.

He said:

 “Quite simply, it means clarity. It means ensuring we all know who has responsibility for what.

“At the moment it’s very vague and the fact that we’ve got two Government Bills that have had to go to the Supreme Court because nobody can be absolutely sure where the limits of powers lie shows that the settlement has to be resolved and we need to be in the same same position in terms of the model of devolution as Scotland and Northern Ireland.”

Hang on a moment "We need to be in the same position in terms of the model of devolution as Scotland and Northern Ireland.” and yet he excludes Criminal Justice.

And welcome as the Silk proposals are it hardly means parity with Scotland who will leap further ahead even if there's a No vote in this years referendum on Independence.

If Silk is as he claimed  "a package which could “settle” the issue of devolution for at least a decade". We will find ourselves  well away from the "premium League" of devolved nations.

But his reaction is perhaps only a reflection  of his "Laissez Faire  form of government. A government of no ambition more concerned in making sure it does not do anything that will affect Ed Milibands courtship of "Middle England".

Its time to call a halt to piecemeal devolution and demand parity with Scotland.

We are being treated like Teenagers who may have been given the Key of the Door but have a curfew imposed on them with the promise if we behave ourselves in a few years we might get our late .
 extended. Whilst our twin brother because he stands up for himself is treated as an adult.

We should accept the Silk recommendations but only on the understanding that we won't shut up, we won't accept that we can't be given the same responsibility as Scotland and for some of us its about time we left home.