Conservatives - The Party of Wales
Friday, January 12, 2007

Glyn Davies is undoubtedly a colourful politician and an imaginative thinker... which is probably why he keeps dreaming of rainbow coalitions.

He's at it again in today's Western Mail:

Asked about the hostility of some Plaid members to the idea of linking up with the Tories under any circumstances, Mr Davies said, "The challenge is for the Conservatives. At the moment there are a lot of people in Wales who think of the Conservatives as being an English party. They don't think we want to be part of the government of Wales. And we've got to change that perception. There are a lot of people in Plaid Cymru who see the Tories as being beyond the pale. But there are a lot of people in Plaid for whom the Tories are very much the second choice as well."

His optimism is commendable, but that still doesn't take into account the stubborn group of Plaid AMs who would veto a coalition with the Tories under any circumstances. With the Assembly's party groups in such small numbers, this is a sizable and influential obstacle that simply won't be overcome. As I wrote earlier this week, intelligent Tories such as Glyn Davies should be thinking of a Plan B.

Glyn's second goal is even more ambitious. "I'm very clear that I want a party that is clearly Welsh and clearly identifies itself as the party of culture and language and Welsh identity," he says.

Anyone who has seen a typical Welsh Tory voter will know that he has his work cut out. It's no coincidence that the Conservatives' only constituency seat at present is Monmouth - that bastion of Welshness on the English border.

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posted by Blamerbell @ 10:43 am,

5 Comments:

At 6:14 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

An unhelthy obsession with coalitions is developing but there's no point in speculating (specially if you're listening to the likes of Glyn "All sheep no trousers" * Davies). Until the votes are counted, theres no way of knowing who CAN form a coalition, let alone who wants to. So stop obsessing about blocks to coalitions - we know you've got a problem with Plaid.

* You were probably away when Glyn was caught by the police driving a van load of sheep with no trousers on. Colourful yes, but so's a pile of sick.

 
At 6:30 pm, Blogger Blamerbell said...

And you say you're *with* stupid?

"So stop obsessing about blocks to coalitions - we know you've got a problem with Plaid."

Who are you, big brother?

There's no *problem* with any of the political parties.

But if Plaid AMs are saying they are 100% against coalition with the Tories (I heard Dai Lloyd say something very similar in a recent interview) - is that not a valid response to an article in the Western Mail about the Tories' intention of going into coalition with Plaid.

Baffling. What are you scared of?

 
At 6:44 pm, Blogger Glyn Davies said...

I genuinely believe we could work with Plaid and the Lib Dems - even if at present it is in their interest to paint us as 'beyond the pale'. I accept that breaking down this hostility will be a challenge.

And anyway, over the next 4 months we want to focus on winning as many seats as we can. All I am saying to Plaid Cymru and Lib Dem supporters (who don't seem so Tory blind as some of their AMs) that our policies are better for Wales than Labour's. None of us can have serious discussion until after the election. But I am not going to accept a position when a few hurt egos create a position where a discredited Labour Party can carry on governing, even if Labour loses 5+ seats, propped up by one of the other parties - which is the only alternative if the Tories are frozen out of discussions.

The reason that I was driving without my trousers on, with a load of sheep, was that I refused to give up after an accident on the farm. When I intend to do something, I am not easily put off.

 
At 12:14 am, Anonymous Anonymous said...

nice one Glyn!

I'm not big brother, just passing comment on the blog. I think it was the word "stubborn" that stood out in your commentary.

Glyn keeps flagging up the need for the Tories to be in coalition but the honest truth is that nobody wants to join them. He says Tory policies would be better for Wales than Labour... um, would that be the pro-privatisation of the NHS policies or selection in schools?

Glyn's a decent bloke but he's in a party, as you say, full of unreconstructed Thatcherites who had to be dragged kicking and screaming to support devolution (and many still don't). He's pretty much a minority of one when it comes to his Welsh version of One Nation Conservatism. The W Mail's full of articles, why pay attention to this one?

 
At 12:34 am, Blogger Blamerbell said...

"The W Mail's full of articles, why pay attention to this one?"

Because I read Glyn's (excellent) blog on Thursday, when he previewed the article and I was looking forward to it.

"Glyn keeps flagging up the need for the Tories to be in coalition but the honest truth is that nobody wants to join them."

Quite a journey from, "Until the votes are counted, theres no way of knowing who CAN form a coalition, let alone who wants to," in your earlier comment...

 

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