Fabricant 's call for a New Act of Union a damp squib?

The report that maverick Tory vice-chairman Michael Fabricant has called for a new a new Act of Union, giving the four UK nations equal powers claiming that it would strengthen the country has hardly set the Welsh Poltitcal Blogging  World alight

Tory vice-chairman Michael Fabricant told BBC Radio Wales that Westminster would still be responsible for matters like defence and foreign affairs.

His call comes ahead of Scotland's independence referendum next year.


Mr Fabricant, said:

 "I think in a generation from now there will be more calls for independence for Scotland and, indeed, independence for Wales.
"I think this will continue until we have proper symmetry between all the four nations."

It may at first look reasonable but  last Weeks vote on intervention in Syria showed that although the vast majority of Welsh ,Scottish and Northern Ireland Mps voted against it the result hinged on English MPs,and  unless Fabricants system saw Westminister having a system where the amount of MP were "weighted". So that MPs from England were not in  a overall majority it would not work.

It would be problematic if the four nations were considered to be Independent inn most manners but who found themselves in a foreign war because the still dominant nation still had the powers to force it through.

Some like Gareth Hughes at the Almanac of Welsh Politics   have use it to continue the argument  that  the ...

"18 September 2014, referendum in Scotland about independence is not just about Scotland it is equally about the rest of the inhabitants of these islands.Some politicians are waking up to the fact that major changes are likely whatever the results of the vote. The Scots may have the vote, but the rest of us matter too. The changes in play will impact on all of the countries of the UK.
An opportunity  will surely arise where Wales too can address its concerns and right some of the historic disadvantages  it has suffered from the so called Union".

If this a challenge to our Parties here in Wales maybe its up to Labour to respond. They are the Party that has governed Wales since devolution.

Surley they see the success of the extent of devolved powers to Scotland  and that this will undoubtedly  see increased powers for Edinburgh even if the Independence referendum fails.

Wales needs a National Convention to examine the implication not only of a Yes vote in Scotland but Wales being left behind a Scotland that voted NO and still received DevoMax.

Wales may find itself falling further behind and being ignored  or sidelined with yet another commission  as our position become irrelevant to those at Westminster.

Lib Dems Shift Blame For Underemployment To WAG.

You may well think that Liberal Democrat AM Eluned Parrot may have a point in her article at  Subordinate Central  when she  points out that Labour are in Government here and must take some responsibility   for the increase in  underemployment in Wales.

As she rights

Comments by Labour politicians that the coalition government is responsible for Wales having the biggest increase in “underemployment” are astonishing.Jobs and economic growth in Wales is devolved to the Welsh Government. Once again, Labour in Wales are blaming the coalition government for their own inadequacies.August’s labour market statistics showed that while the number of jobs increased in eight of the eleven regions of the United Kingdom between December 2012 and March 2013, Wales saw a fall of around 30,000 jobs, increasing underemployment by 1.9%.The Welsh Labour Government needs to take action. It must push forward with the much needed Enterprise Zones and start creating more jobs now. The Liberal Democrats are working hard in government to build a stronger economy and a fairer society. By launching our One Million Jobs campaign, we have helped deliver 1.2m apprenticeships and 110,000 work placements for young people out of work, despite the terrible economic mess Labour left behind. But we know there is much more to do.We now need to see the Welsh Labour Government also go further and fund a programme to make businesses and young people aware of the benefits of apprenticeships and simplify the application and support processes to remove the practical barriers that are currently all too apparent.

But surely even the most loyal Liberal Democrat must admit that although Jobs and economic growth are devolved here it is largely the policies in London that effect such issues?

Just as branch manager of a company can make an  important contribution to the success of that branch. Their scope is limited by the policies of their Head Office.

And the same is true of devolution . It is the UK government austerity  policies that are the greatest influence that are the biggest influence on employment here in Wales.

It still the case that when London catches a cold, Wales gets pneumonia .

Ms Parrot is right that the Labour government in Cardiff  should an can do better but to attempt to shift blame to the Assembly for the underemployment in Wales when it is underfunded and does not have the real powers it needs, farcical ,

Ms Parrot  may come up with Liberal Democrats statistics but those who see the reality in the jobs being advertised the of which are increasingly under 30 hours a week take it with a pinch of salt.  

The Liberal Democrats to claim that this is not a direct result of their austerity programme  which they are as responsible for as their Tory partners. 

Councils: One Suspension,One Defection.

There has been two interesting changes on our local Councils 

A Gwynedd councillor has been suspended by his party amid claims that he'd broken the authority’s code of conduct. 

According to the Daily Post .

The accusation against councillor John Brynmor Hughes, who represents the Llanengan ward on the Llyn Peninsula, has been sent to the Local Government Ombudsman.

It is believed that cllr Hughes, who sat as a Llais Gwynedd councillor after being elected to the authority in May 2012,  was suspended by the party on Friday following a party meeting held last Thursday evening.

The accusations arose after a member of the public claimed that cllr Hughes had manipulated his position by intervening in the sale of a plot of land in the Mynytho area that was earmarked  for new housing.

Cllr Hughes has stated he is unwilling to make any statement regarding  the matter.

Gwynedd Council has confirmed it has been made aware about the ongoing developments.

If this was to result in a byelection  resulting in a Plaid Gain it would mean the they had Nominal control of the Council.

But there was bad news for Plaid  in Pembrokeshire when  where a councillor has denied being politically motivated when he left Plaid Cymru in favour of the Independent ruling group.

The Western Telegraph on August 19th

Milford Haven Councillor Stephen Joseph, who defected to the Independent Plus Group (IPG) a week ago, said that he was wrong to join a political party in the first place.
His decision raised questions from Plaid Cymru leader Cllr Michael Williams, who said that Cllr Joseph unseated one of the "IPPGs leading lights" Anne Hughes, and had now decided to join the very same party.

But Cllr Joseph said he had no political aspirations or plans. He said:

 "My motivation for becoming a councillor was to try and do something for Milford.
"Although I stood as a member for Plaid, I didn't stand to further my own political agenda or to further Plaid Cymru in Milford Haven, I stood to do my bit for Milford.
"The fact that people voted for me as a Plaid candidate shouldn't make a difference, because they voted for me and I haven't changed in any way. I made a mistake at the start because I shouldn't have joined a political party."

 On August 9, the Pembrokeshire Herald reported that Cllr Joseph made the switch following 'lengthy negotiations' with senior members of the IPG and a promise of £20m for his patch.

But Cllr Joseph said that the £19,924,000 Vibrant and Viable Places grant had nothing to do with his decision.

He said: "That bid was made four weeks ago – long before I even considered joining the IPG group.

I was alternated to these news items  buy Boothroyd's Blog an invaluable  guide to change in the make up of local councils throughout the UK.

There is no "Special Relationship"

I've mentioned before ho much I enjoyed Clair Wilis' brilliant book on (That Neutral Island) on Ireland neutrality during the Second World war.

One of the interesting things that come out of it the hostility given to the infant republic after the US joined the War against the Axis powers . There s a good PHD thesis there for someone.

The same could be said about US  attitudes to France  who have been transformed almost overnight from " Cheese Eating surrender Monkeys to their "Oldest Ally" ( which is historically true"

The Daily Mail manages to get into a right old state over this with a sub lines

Kerry cozies up to America's 'oldest ally' FRANCE and snubs humiliated British as he seeks support for strike on Syria 

• John Kerry made no mention of England in his White House speech Friday  
• President Obama makes coded swipe at the UK's decision not to join in
• Parliament has refused to back British involvement in military action
• U.S.-France relations go back to 1778 Treaty of Alliance against Great Britain in American Revolution

Daily Mail 31 August 2013

Of course the  Mail has a problem in distinguishing between England and the UK but perhaps its worth it if only for the BU media to realise the "Special Relationship" is a myth.

The US is a bit like a rich Uncle bestowing favours on Nephew and Nieces if they fawn up to him or threaten to cut one off from his Will if they fail to do so.

Its time all the governments in the World told the US that their dictate of "If you are not with us you are against us " is not on and that a true friend is not someone who always agrees with you but will tell you  when you are behaving like an ass.

But we must also take in to account that this weeks vote against an immediate military action is not about  pleasing  or displeasing the US its what our parliamentarians on behalf of the people of these Island think what is morally right.

When John Kerry ass "What we in the world are going to do about Syria",  the reply should be what ever our democratically elected representatives decide not you.

Syria is not about the UK position as a world power.

What ever your opinion on whether the UK should take some form of Military action in Syria surely it should be about the moral question and not about the UK.s standing in the world or the "Special Relationship" with the USA.

The fact that David Cameron has been forced  to definitively ruled out British involvement in any military action against Syria after the government lost a crucial vote in the House of Commons which was designed to help pave the way for a possible intervention. seems to have enraged some of the supporters of Intervention .because it appears to somehow diminish the UK as world power.

It may a devastating blow to his authority, the prime minister lost a government motion by 272 votes to 285 – an opposition majority of 13 – after dozens of Tory MPs joined forces with Labour.

it is thought that 30 Tory MPs rebelled. 

Ministers had thought they were secure after a Labour amendment was defeated, in the first vote of the night, by 332 votes to 220, a government majority of 112.

It is clear that many MPs had leaned the lesson of IRAQ n  and the dodgy dossier

Although we are told he US had incontrovertible proof the regime of Bashar al-Assad was responsible for attacking the rebel town of Ghouta with chemical weapons, and that the substance involved was undoubtedly sarin gas  there can be no definitive conformation until the UN completes it investigation.

There is a civil war going on Syria Indeed throughout the middle easr

 .

Syria is run by Alawites, a minority sect of Islam whose members include President Bashar al-Assad and many in his inner circle. They’re indicated in a greyish green, clustered near the Mediterranean coast. Although Alawites make up only 12 percent of the Syrian population, they are playing a crucial role in the war, fighting to prop up Assad’s regime.

A further explanation can be seen here.

It is not a simple case of the Assad Regime Bad rebels good and some of the actions of the Rebels have been as Babaric as that of Assads followers.

Military Invention in Libya  clearly helped the rebels there to overthrow Gadaffi but even if the Rebels were to win in Syria . What guarantee do we have a even more brutal civil war will break out.amongst the rebel fractions?

We and the USA are not the Worlds policemen and we can't go on deciding amongst ourselves who are the good guys and who are the bad  and removing the latter.

If Britain standing in the world was diminished last night, the position of democratic accountability in these islands  was enhanced.

Another PCC is in trouble But ignores it.

With one police and crime commissioner (PCC) (Winston Roddick)  under Investigation for allegedly  misleading  the electorate as he was living outside of his respective force area on the day he was elected to the post in November another Ian Johnson, the PCC for Gwent  says he did not  get a fair hearing when he appeared before a committee of MPs.

Gwent PCC Ian Johnston has been accused of bullying Carmel Napier, Gwent's chief Constable  into retiring in June.

He claimed he was made to look like a villain by the Home Affairs Select Committee, which questioned both of them over what had happened.

The committee said he had a "disdainful attitude" to parliamentary scrutiny".
But Mr Johnston told BBC Wales he believed the MPs had already decided what they were going to write before he appeared in front of them in July.


He said:

 "I don't think they listened at all to the evidence, I think the way the questioning went they had made their mind up about lots of things.
"If you look at the way that it was done, I was the villain of the piece before I even went in there and Carmel Napier was this poor unfortunate woman who had been bullied by this new police and crime commissioner.
"That was the way they presented it."

 In its report Mr Johnston was slated by the committee for what they called "this disdainful attitude towards scrutiny by Parliament, as well as an indication of a clear over-sensitivity to criticism".

They pointed out that Mr Johnston had been elected by less than 8% of voters in Gwent and "had managed to side-step the statutory arrangements for local scrutiny of his decision to sack the chief constable".

However, Mr Johnston said he believes the commissioners are "not accountable to members of Parliament".

If the PC are not accountable to members of Parliament then who are they accountable to?

Well probably the the Justice Minister or Home Secretary but it is essential that Parliment can scrutinise the PCCs especially as the in the case of  Mr Johnstone appears to have abused his powers and it is still unclear what they extend to.

He seems to have gone to the Willie John Mcbride school of "get your retaliation in first" 

A man accused of bulling now claims he is being bullied .

Despite only 8% of the people of Gwent voting for him including one Polling Station having Zero number of people turn up, he thinks he has a mandate to do as he likes . 

I always though the whole PCC exercise was farcical . I didn't know it was a going to be threat to democratic scrutiny well.

PCC Winston Roddick under investigation

The new Police and Crime Commissioners have  not started well.  Already we have stories if abuse of powers.  

Now we have allegations that two of them ,Winston Roddick and Hampshire PCC Simon Hayes face investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission after it is alleged they were living outside of their respective force areas on the day they were elected to the post in November

Winston Roderick has already come under controversy  after his victory in North Wales . When he dismissed claims that he hid his membership of the Liberal Democrats by standing as an Independent.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission confirmed it was in the early stages of investigating Winston Roddick  following  a “referral” about alleged electoral fraud.

It is claimed that Mr Roddick,  a QC and a former leader of the Wales and Chester judicial circuit, listed his brother’s house in Caernarfon in a nomination form for last November’s PCC election, when his main home is 160 miles away the Welsh capital. Under electoral regulations, candidates must live within the force border on polling day.

Mr Roddick has insisted that he acted in a  “right and proper” way.

Plaid Cymru MP Elfyn Llwyd, the party’s legal affairs spokesman and a barrister, said

: “As a supporter of his, who remains a supporter, I believe it’s proper for the matter to be investigated although I take the view that it is a very minor matter and of very little consequence.”

Western Mail 25 August 2013

Well minor it may be: But if it its true then we have a person who has been elected to defend Law and order who has deceived the electorate.

So what can the outcome be if the allegations are true should Mr Roddick resign?

Well it depends on the Independent Police Complaints Commission report  but Mr Roddick  may  have to resign and there will be a By-election.

Last Time  on a paltry 14.83 turn out Roddick defeated Tal Michael in the second round run off.

Second round
Candidate	Party	Final total	%	Status
Winston Roddick	Independent	35,688	56.8	Elected
Tal Michael	Labour	27,128	43.2
First round
Candidate	Party	1st pref	%	2nd pref
Winston Roddick	Independent	25,715	33.07%	9,973
Tal Michael	Labour	23,066	29.67%	4,062
Colm McCabe	Conservative	11,485	14.77%
Richard Hibbs	Independent	11,453	14.73%
Warwick Nicholson	UKIP	6,034	7.76%

By-elections usually have a fall in turnout . How low a turnout can there be before the whole process becomes invalid?

Wil Tal Michael run again after his humiliation in the recent Ynys Mon by-election or will it be another Independent that comes through ?

Frankly the best  thing we can do is scrap the whole idea of PCC altogether