S4C caught in Tory-BBC crossfire.

It seems that the Tories war on the BBC will S4C caught in the cross fire and it seems that this may not be unintentional 

"Culture"Secretary John Whittingdale has said

 it is “reasonable” to expect Welsh language broadcaster S4C to make the same kind of savings that the BBC will have to find as it takes on the responsibility for providing free TV licences for over-75s.

The move is expected to cost the BBC £650m – the equivalent of around one-fifth of its income.

Since it is was a Westminster decision to grant free licences to the over  75 it  seems strange to make the corporation pay for it 

It is further evidence that the Cameron Government intention is to abolish the Licence Fee and make the BC dependent like other channels on advertising or even subscription

The culture secretary said:

 “I am confident that the BBC, which has a good record of achieving efficiency savings, can continue to do so over the coming years.
"It is the case of course that the taking-on of the cost of providing the free TV licence is being phased-in and will not start until 2018.
“With respect to S4C, I think it is reasonable to expect that S4C should make the same kind of efficiency savings that the Government is looking to the BBC to make.”

This despite S4C already carrying out viscous cuts in its output

 in March 2010  in what  appeared to be  a deliberate campaign to undermine  S4C leaked internal reports  purported  to show  that "over the 20-day period from February 15 to last Saturday, March 6, as many as 196 of the 890 programmes put out by S4C were rated as having zero viewers". An S4C spokesperson responded that 90% of these programmes were aimed at children, whose viewing isn't fully measured by BARB, the organisation that compiles television ratings in the UK, as they only take into account viewers aged four years and over.^[ The remaining 10% consisted of repeats and daytime news bulletin

The result of this undermining saw  although S4C was originally financed from its advertising revenue and a fixed annual grant from the UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), receiving £90m of funding in Additionally, some Welsh-language programming (including Newyddion and Pobol y Cwm) were produced by BBC Wales as part of the BBC's public service remit, and provided to S4C free of charge.

.From 2013, responsibility for funding S4C was to transfer to the BBC, with the DCMS reducing its funding by 94% by 2015.[ The BBC will provided around £76m of funding to S4C by this date, resulting in a cut of around 25% to S4C's annual budget]
Plaid Cymru Westminster leader Jonathan Edwards was shocked stating: 

“The minister’s response confirmed my and many others’ fears that the future funding of Welsh broadcasting is under threat. By my calculations, the BBC could eventually face a cut of nearly 20%.

“A reduction of this magnitude in its disposable budget will inevitably have an impact on its operations in Wales. Due to the way in which S4C is largely funded by the licence fee, this raises concerns that its budget will also face a further significant reduction.

As the only Welsh-language channel in the world, S4C provides an unique and important service which forms an integral part of the creative industries in Wales. Today’s statement will prompt major worries about the future funding of the BBC in Wales and of S4C.
“The Government has dropped a bombshell and broadcasters in Wales deserve urgent clarity on what exactly this means for their future funding prospects.”

 Earlier in the day, Cymdeithas Yr Iaith  Jamie Bevan, stated in a letter to the culture secretary: 

“Back in 2010, a decision was made about S4C’s funding without any consultation with the people of Wales or the National Assembly for Wales.

"As you know, the Government’s grant to the channel was cut by 93% and, even taking into account the financial contribution taken from the licence fee, the Welsh channel’s budget has been cut by some 40% over the past five years.

“We are greatly concerned that Wednesday’s Budget will once again have effects on S4C without any discussions in advance with the people of Wales. We urge you to ensure that there are no changes to S4C’s budget or structures without full consultation.
“S4C is no ordinary channel, but rather a broadcaster established following a mass campaign, with a number of people sacrificing their freedom to ensure it came into being. While the English language media has grown substantially over the last 20 years, Welsh speakers across Britain continue to have to depend on just one television channel.”

Any further cuts in S$C will lead to a cycle of deterioration in the quality of its output which will  inevitably lead to a deterioration in viewers which will reach an extent that the Westminster government will then cheerfully hand the Welsh language Channel to the Assembly who will not be given any additional funds.  

Whether this is a deliberate policy to destroy Welsh Language Television is open to question but this is very likely to be the outcome and the Westminster Government must answer for its actions.

Greece Speaks For All Opposed to the Austerity Project.

The People of Greece nave spoken for all of us who believe that the Austerity Project is not the answer and that Nations should be controlled by the Troika of  the European Commission (EC), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the European Central Bank (ECB)

Greece's Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has said that the Greeks made a "brave choice" in voting to reject the terms of an international bailout.He said that Greece would go back to the negotiating table on Monday, adding that an International Monetary Fund (IMF) assessment published this week confirmed that restructuring Greek debt was necessary.

The final result in the referendum was 61.3% "No", against 38.7% who voted "Yes". Turnout was 62.5%.

What we need now is for political parties throughout Europe to declare solidarity with Greece and declare now that they too have had enough and will not be bullied by outside forces.

Small chance oft his happening with the Established forces . In the UK Labour leadership contenders apart from Jeremy Corbyn are all more or less to continuing with Austerity.

It interesting that now we have a NO vote Euro Sceptic MPs are appearing to come out and claim they sort of backed  Greece all along  our own Glyn Davies  Tory MP for Montgomery says on his blog

 Not sure I fully grasp the precise details of what the referendum was actually about. Not sure Greek voters did either. But the message was clear. They did not want their elected Govt to be bullied and humiliated by the Euro-elite. Forget how we got here. The No vote was two fingers up to the EU establishment. I would have voted No as well. Anything else and Greece would, in effect, no longer have been an independent country. I do think the current political leadership in Greece are not on this planet, but they have been elected to lead a sovereign country.

Expect  right wing Euro sceptics to use the case of Greece as a reason for a NO vote in the forthcoming EU referendum here.

The problem for supporters of the EU may be that they may wel have a point.

Germany's Deputy Chancellor, Sigmar Gabriel, told local media that renewed negotiations with Greece were "difficult to imagine" and that Mr Tsipras had "torn down the bridges" between Greece and Europe

Gabriel  been chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD). He was Minister of the Environment from 2005 to 2009.

The SPD are in coalition with Angela Merkel 's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Gabriel has been seen as the toughest opponent of any relaxation of Greece's  ability to pay back its debt

Indeed what the Greek crisis has shown that our Democratic institutions are flimsy at best 

When Other Nations and International Bankers decide on the financial course a Nation can take then ordinary voters have no real say in how they are governed.

The election of Alexis Tsipras Syriza government should have been seen as a message that Greece could not take the harsh conditions placed on it and realised by  the leaders of the Troika that they should realise that the long term stability of Greece depended on it being allowed to far more time to stabilise its economy .

For European leaders the fate of the EU may be also in the balance as those in every Nation question their membership if its allowed to bully smaller members to accept  the thinking of the likes of Gemany and France.

Cardiff Labour's Civil war continues

This is the eighth time in a year I have used part or all of the above title.

Less than two months since about half the Labour group tried to remove Cardiff council leader Phil Bale, there is more discontent and the  Civil War among Cardiff's Labour Councillors continues unabated with for former Labour deputy leader of Cardiff council has attacking  the group, saying it does not understand how to run the city.

Ralph Cook has quit Labour after its Cardiff council group suspended him from serving on council committees.

He was suspended by the party as punishment for breaking the whip and opposing its transport plan last year.

Trowbridge and St Mellons Labour councillor Ralph Cook was suspended from the Labour group for six months on Monday after his group found he had broken the party whip.

The former deputy council leader’s suspension is a result of a hearing last November when Coun Cook publicly called for the Labour group’s transport plan to go back to the group for further discussion.

During the meeting, he described the plan as a “complete lack of vision”, “a collection of thoughts” with “nothing giving it any cohesiveness at all”.

In May he was selected as chairman of the environment scrutiny committee by the full council.

Since his suspension the Labour group has decided to inform Coun Cook he will no longer be heading up the committee. and has been  removed  from all committees by current council leader Phil Bale.

So although elected to be chairman of of the committee  by the whole council the Council Leader has used his powers to override this in a what seems a vindictive mane

In an email to all councillors on Friday evening, Coun Cook stated:

 “I have just learnt that as an additional sanction for my extremely minor infringement – with substantial mitigation – of the Labour group standing orders at the meeting of full council on November 27, 2014, I have now been removed from all council committees with immediate effect by the Labour leadership.
“This sanction was not referred to during my ‘show trial’ on Monday evening and has not been discussed or decided by the Labour group.
“And so it is with deep regret that I can no longer remain a member of a political group consisting of so many nasty, vindictive, cruel and incompetent politicians as the Cardiff Labour group of councillors.

A spokeswoman for the Labour group dismissed Mr Cook's comments.

It is the latest in a series of disagreements within the Cardiff Labour group. here and here.

There is speculation others who had tried to remove leader Phil Bale in May will now jump ship and form  a  "Rainbow" Coalition with opposition members  to remove Bale and take control of the council .

But if I was the leader of Plaid LibDems or Tories on the council I would be wary of joining an fraction unless I was sure that they were wiling to forget their former internal squabbles and concentrate on the future of our Capitol.

if Ken Skates Carwyn is not connecting.

Oh we are a cynical bunch some of us it seems are having difficulties with differences with the r Carwyn Connect” where ur First Minister will meet the people so that they get there say on government services and presumably paid for by that public and a a Labour party initiative. Where Carwyn Jones in what apparently wil be a the first of what will be a series of events Carwyn Jones will host a Q&A session at Gorseinon in Gower. with Labour members and community groups in a series of open Q&A sessions designed to develop new ideas for the Welsh Labour manifesto for May 2016. He will be joined by Deputy Culture Minister Ken Skates, who has been given the job of preparing the manifesto.

So if Ken Skates Carwyn is not connecting but undergoing party business

Maybe Carwyn should literally wear different colour hats one as First Minister and one as Welsh Labour leader so we know just what meeting we are at.

It may be a sheer coincidence but the first part Labou the tour saw the First Minister (hang on Welsh Labour Leader ) hosting a Q&A session at Gorseinon in Gower.


Oh, a coincidence surely with it being in the Gower constituency a seat Labour lost to the to the Conservatives at the general election, after holding the seat for more than a century.

Members of the public attended but the according to Walesa Online it did not go wel l and the toughest audience for the First Minister were Labour activists – one whom claimed members in Gower had been asking for more support in May but despaired at an “obsession” with the Vale of Glamorgan.

Labour went on to lose Gower, and didn’t win the Vale, at the polls.

The First Minister tried to reassured the activist by saying Welsh Labour has control of the campaign next May and said there will be a number of public meetings between now and Christmas.

However the appointment of Fraser Welsh, as new deputy general secretary for Welsh Labour, was previously Labour’s key seats campaign strategist in the run-up to the general election a move in which Carwyn did not seem to have a say has led to questions of who is just puling this strings of the Party in Wales

But what of Carwyn Connects wlil it result in questions asked at the meeting deemed to be about the Labour Manifesto for 216 Assembly Elections ruled out because they are a "party matter".

It would be interesting to find out the cost of a "Carwyn Connects" tour from the Auditors and whether this is entirely about the First Minister" meeting Joe Public or whether there is no difference from the Labour Party tour by Carwyn at the same time.

No English Devolution Referendum?

 The government plans to give English MPs a veto on English-only laws by amending the standing orders of the Commons, meaning it can be passed by parliament with only one vote and without the need for months of scrutiny, is an interesting take on how devolution works

The Establishment of the Welsh Assembly and Scottish Parliament only came about after two referendums  and of course in 2011 we in Wales had to vote again in order to allow the  make laws on all matters in the 20 subject areas it has powers for?"

Now it seems that English MPs will be granted similar powers  without  any real debate let alone such a referendum being put to the English Electorate.

And yet there is no referendum for such a major constitutional change.

I don't really support this but its an interesting question

The Proposal are that 

• The Speaker will judge which parts of a bill relate to just England, or England and Wales
• An England-only committee stage will consider bills deemed "England-only in their entirety"
• Membership of this committee will reflect the number of MPs each party has in England
• Where sections of legislation relate only to England or England and Wales, agreement of a "Legislative Grand Committee" will be required

This will mean that certain powers are effectively devolved to English MPs internally within Westminster and that English MPs will have effectively more devolved powers than Welsh AMs.

 If you think the referral oft he Welsh Assembly  to the High Court over whether it has a remit in certain areas has been to many. Expect constant challenges to legislation on EVEL English Votes on English Laws) and calls for referral to the High Court.

There will be no changes in the House of Lords, M. But where Lords amendments are certified as England or England and Wales only, a "double majority" system applies, meaning it will need a majority of both the whole House of Commons and MPs representing English or English and Welsh constituencies

Apparently Tablet computers will be used to count MPs' votes as they walk through the voting lobbies so officials can instantly register whether they have used their veto in votes where the "double majority" rule applies.

So we may have symbolic votes  where MPs all troop through the Lobby only for over a Hundred to be discounted.

This week  59 MPs – 56 of whom are from the SNP voted to strengthen the powers that will be devolved to Scotland by the Scotland Bill.but were outvoted 

“On overruling MPs, that’s very interesting because on the Scotland Bill, 58 of 59 Scottish MPs have voted for that legislation to be strengthened and they have been outvoted by English MPs,” said SNP's Angus Robertson.

“Not content with outvoting Scottish MPs elected on a mandate to strengthen the Scotland Bill, he is now going to introduce second-class status for us as MPs elected from Scotland on issues which can impact on the Scottish budget.”

It is Important that the English Question is answered but is this really the way to go about it 

.Either create an English only Parliament or devolve powers within England 

Cameron is pandering to an Anti Scottish  element in England by changing the Commons rules in an undemocratic manner which has not been thought out .

It seems Carwyn has no say in his election campaign.

According to Wales Online 

A Labour AM is raising concerns about the appointment of a new deputy general secretary for Welsh Labour, saying the role should have been advertised more widely.

Fraser Welsh, who was previously Labour’s key seats campaign strategist in the run-up to the general election, got the post after it was advertised to staff members only.

|Mr Welsh's LinkedIn page is surprisingly sparse but it looks he's a typical Spad

 (special adviser)

Experience

Deputy General Secretary at Welsh Labour

The Labour Party

June 2015 – Present (2 months)

Key Seat Election Manager

The Labour Party

September 2013 – June 2015 (1 year 10 months)

Campaign Training & Support Officer

The Labour Party

April 2011 – September 2013 (2 years 6 months)

Communications Officer to Rt Hon John Denham MP

House of Commons

August 2009 – May 2011 (1 year 10 months)

Carwyn Jones  who some say is the Leader of the "Welsh" Labour Party"was not on the appointments panel.

Cardiff Central Labour AM Jenny Rathbone, who represents the Assembly Labour group on the party’s Welsh Executive, said: 

“I shall be seeking to establish whether the appointment took place in line with the party’s equality policy.

“I have nothing against the successful candidate, whom I don’t know, but with a job of this importance we should have been seeking applications from a wide range of talented people.”

A senior Welsh Labour source, who did not wish to be named, said: 

“This appointment typifies the political contradiction and struggle that is taking place within Welsh Labour at the moment.
“On one hand Carwyn rightly demands more powers for Wales. Yet on the other hand, organisationally, Welsh Labour remains in thrall to London.”

A Plaid Cymru spokeswoman said:

 “Today we discover that Carwyn Jones has no say in the appointment of the staff who will run his own election campaign.
“It just goes to show how little influence the First Minister has and that the Labour party in Wales is little more than a branch office of UK Labour.”

When Plaid Leanne Wood   challenged  Labour’s Carwyn Jones about a recent admission by Andy Burnham that, during his time in HM Treasury, he knew Wales was underfunded – and did nothing. Mr Jones gave a strange answer 
Leanne Wood:

First Minister, the person who’s being tipped as your next party leader has said that Wales was underfunded when he was your party’s Chief Secretary to the Treasury.

He said that he maned the government line and didn’t speak out. First Minister, how would you describe somebody who says something publicly, knowing it not to be true?

Carwyn Jones:

Well, I lead my party in Wales so I don’t know who you’re talking about.

It seems Mr Jones grasp of whats happening within his own Party is limited not only in the UK but here  in Wales  a very peculiar position for a self confessed "leader".

A Welsh Labour spokesman said Mr Welsh had been a link official between Welsh Labour and party HQ and that he “knew Welsh politics”.

Which probably means he thinks it is the same as England.

You may wonder however about the quality of Labour's homegrown Welsh staff who seem to be not  up to such a exulted post.

Pentyrch Byelection Pliad nearly steal it.

Plaid's Hywel Wigley narrowly failed to cause a minor earthquake in the Pentyrch Council
coming within a whisker in winning the seat

Result of council at last election (2012): Labour 46, Liberal Democrats 16, Conservatives 7, Independents 4, Plaid Cymru 2 (Labour majority of 17)
Result of ward at last election (2012): Conservative 772 (54%), Labour 413 (29%), Plaid Cymru 171 (12%), Green 40 (3%), Liberal Democrat 22 (2%)


Result 30 June 2015

Gavin Hill (Con) 561(-14%),

Hywel Wigley (Plaid) 543 (+27% ),
Paul Fisher (Lab),234 (-12%).

Munawar Mughal (Ind), 24

Ruth Osner (Green), 22

Cadan ap Tomos (Lib Dem), 4

Although not wining this was a very god result for Plaid and a very bad one for Labour .

Hywel the son of Plaid veteran Dafydd Wigley was the only candidate to increase the number of votes

Of course there must be disappointment in coming so close but by all accounts he fought a very effective campaign.

and has the base for a challenge next tine

Oh and isn't about tine Party's stooped "Its a Two Horse Race crap?