Labour rule out Welsh Progressive Alliance

Although  I have supported of a Progressive Alliance I have argued  that this should not just be and Anti-Tory/Austerity agreement but one that had specific constitutional  reforms in mind including Abolition of the House of Lords,  further devolution including to England , and the introduction of PR.

I suspect the last would scupper any chance of Labour joining any such alliance, but  anyway a real Progressive Alliance bent on reform would take more than a few weeks to agree on.

Welsh Labour could have used this argument rather than slip onto its default tribalist  position,

Still they could have looked at a number of seats where they have no chance of winning.

However Welsh Labour’s campaign chairman has ruled out doing deals with anti-Tory parties in a bid to stop the Conservatives making history by winning the most seats in Wales for the first time since the 1850s.

A YouGov poll published this week signalled Labour is in danger of losing 10 seats to the Conservatives and being pushed into second place in Wales.

According to the Wasting Mule Caerphilly MP Wayne David, who will chair the Welsh campaign, stamped on the idea that Labour could cooperate with the Liberal Democrats to help them take back their former stronghold of Brecon and Radnorshire, which was won by the Conservatives in 2015.
Labour rules out 'shady pacts'

The constituency’s Lib Dem AM, Kirsty Williams, is Education Secretary in the Labour-led Welsh Government but Mr David ruled out any pacts with rival parties.

He said: “It is very, very difficult to cooperate with a party which propped up and participated in a Government which was profoundly right-wing as the Liberal Democrats have done. I think any pacts, alliances are off the table.

“This is not being considered because Labour is fighting this election in Wales as Welsh Labour and we are hoping to have success on that basis – not through shady pacts and backdoor deals with other political parties.

A deal with Plaid would be harder seeing that all three Plaid seats are Labour targets , whilst probably the only seat Labour would reciprocate on is Aberconwy.

Anyway a key battle will be keeping hold of Anglesey where incumbent Labour MP Albert Owen will face a challenge from former AM and MP and ex-Plaid Cymru leader Ieuan Wyn Jones.

Mr David said: 

“Many of the messages as well as the personnel that Plaid Cymru are putting forward are voices from the past... I don’t think that is the way to enthuse people and convince them Plaid’s got ideas for the future.

The "Personnel from the past surly refers to Ieuan Wyn Jones who is standing again  17 years after leaving Westminster for the Welsh Assembly

However it comes after Labour selected  former Labour MP for Clwyd West from 1997 to 2005, so a full 12 years after loosing his seat,

Mr David goes on

“Separation, independence, cutting the country off from the rest of Britain was and still is a recipe for disaster.
“That’s a sideshow in this election campaign. I hope to goodness people won’t be persuaded to go for that message because it increases the chance of the re-election of a Conservative Government which most Plaid Cymru supporters surely would not want to see.
“My message to Plaid Cymru supporters is that if you care for Wales vote Labour.”

If pointing out  leaving Wales under the  permanent rule of the Tory party which will decimate much of the values I presume I and Mr David share. then I plead Guilty.

What is Labour going to offer Wales in the form of powers that will stop us being poor West Britons and one of the most deprived parts of Europe.

Recent Labour Governments have failed Wales and even if Wales were to win every Welsh seat  there is no hope they will fight for Wales in the Way the SNP group will fight for Scotland.

It is unfortunate there will be no agreement  but  it will never take place so long as Labour still live under the delusion  that their Hegemony here is impregnable.