Blamerbell Briefs: The End

The End
Tuesday, June 26, 2007

I had hoped to bring you news of a potentially historic step forward for Welsh politics. But as usual, the politicians have contrived to delay proceedings.

Plaid's assembly group was due to meet today to make a final decision on whether to recommend a Rainbow or a Red-Green coalition to its National Council on July 7. However, they've decided to postpone that meeting until tomorrow because Labour's Welsh Executive meets this evening.

I understand that the momentum is still with the 'Brown' deal. In the short term it may seem less ambitious, but in the long term it would deliver more powers to Wales (if they can win a referendum) and bring Plaid closer to its long-term aim of independence.

Perversely, an election campaign spent convincing people that government mattered more to Plaid Cymru than distant objectives of autonomy looks to have put Plaid in a position to push for the latter while surrendering the opportunity to take overall control of the former. It seems also that Labour's veiled threat to make life difficult for a Rainbow government in Westminster has carried some weight.

But there's also the problem of the Liberal Democrats. At the outset, they could have had a deal with Plaid or Labour. But now, a significant chunk of AMs from both parties have serious reservations whether they can be trusted. After all, they will host a leadership election in the next few months and there's no telling whether that would preempt another flip flop.

So, I won't get closure in time for my last ever post. But as this chap knows only too well, there's never a good time to bow out.

I had written a long and tortuous adieu. But I've shelved that. Instead, take a look at the archives, if you wish, and judge for yourselves.

All I will say is that I've had great fun writing this blog and watching it grow. By the end, it was almost a part-time job (albeit one that paid even less than I got on the fruit counter at Tesco). Now that I have a full-time job, I'm afraid it's not going to be possible to continue.

It's a shame, because it's been a blast. It has never ceased to amuse me that I'm hated by some for being 'anti-Plaid' and loathed by others for being 'anti-Labour'. The Tories are too jolly to care and the Liberal Democrats are just happy to be talked about. In the context of Welsh politics, that's probably just about the right mix.

This is my 600th post - time to say goodbye and hang up the briefs.

Thanks for reading.

Hwyl fawr!

Labels: Blamerbell, Goodbye, National Assembly for Wales, Rainbow Coalition, red-green coalition

posted by Blamerbell @ 12:46 pm,

59 Comments:

At 1:52 pm, Gwenno said...: Ciaran, dwi'n drist iawn i weld dy flog di'n dod i ben. Ti wedi cadw cwmni i fi yn y gwaith ers misoedd! Bydd gwleidyddiaeth Cymru'n llawer mwy diflas hebddot ti!

Diolch!
At 1:59 pm, Ifan Morgan Jones said...: Pob lwc gyda dy swydd newydd Ciaran! A diolch am fy niddanu drwy gymaint o oriau cinio.
At 2:00 pm, Anonymous said...: I am sad to see it end as you are maybe the only blog to get it right 99% of the time. Most seem to misinformed about what actually goes on down the bay.
At 2:06 pm, Anonymous said...: Diolch am dy gyfraniad Ciaran. (A paid a gadael i beiriant y BBC dy lyncu. Mae 'na ormod o fobl da wedi diflannu i'w grombil heb i ni glywed bw na be ganddynt byth wedyn!)
At 2:15 pm, Hogyn o Rachub said...: Blydi hel de, fyddai'n rili bôd yn gwaith rwan!
At 2:20 pm, Anonymous said...: Blamers, I'm very sad you are leaving us yet very happy for you. You made a big impression on the politically sensitive public at a young age and I expect to see your career soar from now on! Indeed, the BBC can do with an injection of new vibrant blood.

Will miss your blog.

Pob Lwc i'r dyfodol
At 2:28 pm, Christopher Glamorgan said...: It's sad to see an end to a blog that I've managed to read nearly every day since starting my own in May 2007.

I'm sure that joining the BBC (Blamerbell Briefs Continuation) will be the making of you!

Best wishes in your new journalistic role.
At 2:32 pm, Unknown said...: Blamerbell's demise now puts the onus on the rest of us bloggers to deliver informed comment and get it right 99% of the time. I won't say 100% as we're only human, but at least we have the computer to extend and enhance our mental contortions, as well as the politicians to inspire or confuse us.
Diolch a phob lwc i Ciaran yn ei gwaith fydd.

Alan in Dyfed
At 2:44 pm, miliast said...: Pam rwan? Jest pryd dan ni dy angen di.
Trist iawn. Very sad. Lle gwag ar y golofn Ffefrynnau.
At 2:46 pm, Anonymous said...: The blogosphere's loss is the BBC's gain. Best of luck in your new job.
At 2:55 pm, Seneddwr said...: So long, farewell etc. I'm joining the orderly cyber-queue to try and nick all your readers....
At 3:02 pm, Anonymous said...: Thanks for raising the bar on Welsh blogging. You'll be missed.
At 3:07 pm, Anonymous said...: Diolch o galon am dy gyfraniad gwerthfawr. A phob dymuniad da yn y Gorfforaeth.
Thank you for your valuable contribution and all the very best for the future. I'm very glad for you that you now have a proper paid job, but it's a very sad day for Welsh politics when one of the few original voices is silenced forever. I know from experience that you will be muzzled within the BBC and sadly the corporation tends to stifle any spark of creativity there is amongst its ranks. I dearly hope that this won't happen in your case. Pob hwyl i ti Ciaran.
At 3:50 pm, Professor Dylan Jones-Evans said...: Ciaran

Pob lwc yn y dyfodol. Mae dy gyfraniad i'r 'blogosphere' Cymreig wedi bod yn werthfawr iawn ac wyt wedi rhoi cyfle am drafodaeth wleidyddol y tu allan i'r cyfryngau arferol.

Lle gawn ni'r newyddion rwan? Dim gan y BBC mae'n siwr!!

Diolch unwaith eto

DYLAN
At 4:10 pm, Normal Mouth said...: Is there a fruit counter at Tesco? I thought it was self-service.
At 4:18 pm, Anonymous said...: Well done, great reads - amusing, informative and accurate...obviously was never going to last long in Welsh blogging.
At 4:33 pm, Tortoiseshell said...: Llongyfarchiadau Blamerbell a phob hwyl yn y dyfodol. Roedd yn hwyl ar noson yr etholiad!
At 4:34 pm, gwe said...: Congratulations on your new job. The BBC isn't quite as powerful as Tesco, but never mind.

If they know what's good for them, they'll give you free rein. I hope so.

Have you considered retaining the blog as a sleeper, so that people can still access your archives?

Anyway, all the very best.

Pob llwyddiant yn dy swydd newydd a phob llwyddiant yn y dyfodol!
At 5:38 pm, Glyn Davies said...: This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
At 5:45 pm, Blamerbell said...: Glyn, I'll delete that comment.

Surely you don't want the whole world knowing your mobile phone number? And anyway, I have it already!

Many thanks all for the comments. You've been a fab crowd.

Diolch yn fawr.
At 5:46 pm, Anonymous said...: * Best Wishes in the new job.

* I’m really going to miss the blog - an excellent read. And I’m going to have to find *another* new headline feed for my sidebar. I may feel a Welsh Political Blog aggregator coming on.

* Please don’t forget to close off the comments.

* btw - what is a "slipper enthusiast"?

My obit is on the link on my name.

Best of luck.
At 6:06 pm, Praguetory said...: You've been a legend, Blamerbell. Your tenure has been marked by a fascinating period in Welsh politics and you've stirred the pot wonderfully.

Hope to meet you one day.
At 6:22 pm, Unknown said...: So long .... and thanks for all the fish
At 7:08 pm, Anonymous said...: Why am I not surprised?

Your journalistic talents, such as they are, have been recognised at last by one of the last bastions of Welsh Nationalism. The Beeb.

Time now to relax. Think of your pension and discover all of those nice perks that the Beeb is renowned for.

Keep your head down, your nose clean and your future is assured.

Presumably, your bilingualism was a factor in your appointment.

Therefore, you can now rest easy knowing that your job and the vast majority of Welsh Language occupations will be funded by the Public Purse, whilst the rest of us in the real world will continue to make our fortunes via the English Language.

In spite of our clear differences of opinion, I, nevertheless, wish Good Luck and Health to you and yours and thank you for the blog to date.

It looks as if we posters are going to have to find another venue wherein we may vent our collective spleens.

Any suggestions?

I wonder if I can sneak under Ordovicius' Monoglot Radar. Now THAT would be fun!

In the meantime, if someone sidles up to you in the future and says:-

QaPla' DlvL' Hol BlAmER.......Do not be afraid. We come among you with good intent.

As a departing offering I append our New Anthem for educational purposes only.......

And did those feet in Ancient times
Walk upon Wales's mountains green
And was the roasted lamb of Blod
On England's dinner tables seen

And did a counterpart of mine
Shine forth upon those Plaidish hills
And was Monoglotia builded here
Against those dark Linguistic Wills.

Bring me some coal, I'm feeling cold
Bring me my Kettle, from the fire
Bring me my cigs, O clouds unfold
Bring me my ashtray, there's a dear

I will not cease my mental plight
Nor shall my words sleep in my hand
'Til we have built Monoglotia
In Wales's red/green, blue/yellow and possibly now Brown Land.

Your perfervidly peregrenitic pal.

johnny.

God Save the Queen.
At 7:32 pm, Anonymous said...: Blamerbell said...

"Glyn, I'll delete that comment.

Surely you don't want the whole world knowing your mobile phone number? And anyway, I have it already!".

johnny says....

Basics dear boy, basics.

You DO NOT start a sentence with "And".

Tsk, Tsk. You just can't get the staff these days.

Your punctilious pal.

johnny.
At 7:36 pm, Anonymous said...: *Firm handshake, pat on back*
At 7:43 pm, Blamerbell said...: Basic rule of journalism: start sentences with "and" wherever possible.

Cheers PT, hope to meet you too for some liquid refreshment. I believe we have discussed the merits of Czech beer on here before (though I'm still of the opinion that the Belgian stuff is superior).

Normal Mouth, there's a sort of fruit section isn't there? I was the one marking down the prices.

De-centralist socialism, Leanne Wood would call it. Fooling around with the pricing gun is probably more accurate.

gwe, I'll try and leave it here for as long as possible. I had thought about creating a general politics discussion forum along the lines of maes-e. That seems like far too much effort but perhaps someone else will take up the challenge?

And Penddu, what's with the fish?
At 8:08 pm, View from the Glen said...: All the best.
At 8:24 pm, Anonymous said...: Ie....dymunidaud gorau i ti Blamby.;-)
At 8:55 pm, Anonymous said...: Blamerbell said...
Basic rule of journalism: start sentences with "and" wherever possible.

johnny says....

Aha! Gotcha!

So it is true after all.

You are obviously part of a fiendish conspiracy to undermine the Beautiful Language that we all enjoy.

Right then Lad. You'd better come quietly or we'll have to use our head hitters.

I wonder if the Beeb Head Office is aware of the subversion that appears to be taking place at Beeb Wales?

I shall be keeping a close eye on any further attempts to avoid the correct usage of English.

I've got my beady eye on you.

Your propaedeutic pal.

johnny.
At 9:00 pm, Anonymous said...: Pob lwc - wedi mwynhau'r blog 'ma mas draw! Fydd 'na golled ar dy ol - pob lwc 'da'r dyfodol
At 9:03 pm, Anonymous said...: Blamer, before you go, I think you should nominate your successor!

Can't the Beeb give you your own slot?

Ta Ra.
At 9:30 pm, Anonymous said...: So the blamerboy of Welsh bloggery is buggering off to the BBC.

Never mind.... at least, since I refuse pay their ridiculous poll tax, none of my hard earned cash will be going to keep you in a life of soggy politically correct comfort.

Johnny Foreigner should be pleased that another young Taff is disappering into the maw of one of the last bastions of Britishness.

Next.
At 9:42 pm, Anonymous said...: all the best in your new job ---- um what are you going to do?
make sure you change your underwear regularly and that your socks are clean.
I think that the beeb are going to miss out if you cannt access good copy though your blog
but hey ho
cwtches and stuff
Mam
At 10:17 pm, Anonymous said...: Pob lwc yn y swydd newydd...falle bydd y bib yn dy adael i wneud blog iddynt. Diolch am gadw blog mor rheolaidd a bywiog gyda digonedd o hiwmor a oedd fy ffefryn am fisoedd.

Rich, Caerdydd
At 10:30 pm, ganesh family said...: May your days with “Auntie” be as content as those of the elephants at the watering hole.
It has been a pleasure to read your blog and to have been a humble respondent to some of the postings
At 12:12 am, Ian said...: Ciaran,

I am sure that your success in the world of blogs will be repeated in your future career.

Enjoy your new post, join a trade union to cover your arse and be happy.

pob hwyl,

Ian
At 12:26 am, Anonymous said...: Dymuniadau gorau am y dyfodol Ciaran.

You're musings have amused me greatly recently. A shame to lose you from the blogosphere, but your spirit lives on.....!
At 2:29 am, Anonymous said...: dowlais twp said...

May your days with “Auntie” be as content as those of the elephants at the watering hole.

johnny says....

Come on dowlais, don't you really mean 'snouts in the trough'?

Is Blamer being groomed to take over from Simpering Sian Lloyd or even Rhyn ap Woolworth? Could this mean that Doubtful Derek Brockway will have to watch his arse? Could Blamer be the ne wanchor for a new Welsh Language Programme Blitz on we Monoglots?

So much uncertainty, I'm sure.

Nevertheless, it's nice to see young people get on in life and I for one will watch his career with interest.

He has certainly had a baptism of fire in the Blogosphere which I am sure will stand him in good stead in his perambulations through the wonderful world of words.

Once Blamer gets his toes under the Beeb table I can foresee, at the very least, a breath of fresh air within the Beeb as it has clearly become very 'stale' over the last few years with the same old boring and uninteresting characters that currently grace our screens. Let's have some new ones.

In the meantime, we posters are about to be evicted. We'll become homeless. What shall we do?

Any suggestions as to where a humble poster can find a reasonable blog about Welsh Politics?

You know, just like this one where any dissent from the Nationalistic cause is immmediately 'flamed' by the swivel-eyed.

Let's just hope that Blamer doesn't become a Prince of pabulum or even a Broadcaster of the bland and shakes them up a bit.

Your panegyristic pal.

Sionny Tramorwr.

Nah! not really.

I'm just your pal.

johnny.
At 9:16 am, Anonymous said...: This has been great stuff - well done

Mat from Plaid

PS you can lay off my bosses scarves now
At 10:24 am, Ray Diota said...: y blog gwleidyddol difyraf a mwya' cyson... ti'n deall dy stwff sdim dowt.

pob lwc yn y bîbîec...
At 10:48 am, Clear Red Water said...: Blamer,

Will tell you how great you are over a beer tonight.

The only time you let your impeccable standards slip was when you try to muddy the name of Ryan Giggs, but no one is perfect.

I do worry that the Welsh blogs are going to turn into the wild west without your steadying influence!

Love CRW
At 11:36 am, Oscar said...: Best wishes!!
You and arsembly got me going on a blog!!
Have enjoyed your posts!
Oscar
At 11:46 am, Anonymous said...: If it's true that Plaid have agreed to join a Labour adminstration then it's The End for Plaid in Wales as well.
At 1:12 pm, Anonymous said...: Plaid will suffer whichever option our National Council chooses. However, the two-faced Lib Dems were the final nail in the coffin of the rainbow, as far as many AMs were concerned.

They simply cannot be trusted and that is not something you can build any coalition on.
At 5:15 pm, Anonymous said...: "I think you should nominate your successor! "

Some of us have popped over to Ordos'. In case you wonder where we went.
At 5:21 pm, Anonymous said...: This is my first and last message on your blog, but I've been an avid reader over the last few months. Thanks for entertaining and informing me about the ins and outs of our Assembly. I'll look forward to seeing your work in the future. I'm sure you'll go far.
At 7:08 pm, Peter D Cox said...: As a sometime blogger on Welsh things (affairs is too strong a word) I have been in awe at your ability to keep up the flow and the quality of your posts. There'll be a big hole in my aggregator ... good luck with the job
At 8:05 pm, Anonymous said...: Not a lot of use going to Ordo's, unless, of course, you are a rabid Nationalist.

I popped in to make a cogent comment and was deleted.

Typical Nationalist refusal to debate when they've already lost the argument.

What a bunch of tossers.

Your pal.

johnny.
At 11:55 pm, Anonymous said...: Blamer

I take it you decided to bury bad news by announcing this today. As did IWJ and Rhodri, perhaps.

Your blog has been the most important Welsh political source in the media for some months now, which is no mean feat given the fact that your rivals were the British Broadcasting Corporation and the only national daily newspaper in Wales. Both of which you beat about the head with a shitty stick on a daily basis.

Thanks for your efforts on behalf of Welsh politics, and good luck with the job. But don't attempt to repeat the thickly-veiled Plaid propaganda.

Pob lwc o Lafur.
At 4:31 pm, Deleted said...: The blogosphere (terrible word) will be a lot poorer without you.

Good luck with the new job.
At 12:03 am, Anonymous said...: .....and in the end.........

.....the love you take......

.....is equal to the love...

.....you make...............

Ladies and Gentlemen.

Blamer has left the building.

Your parted pal.

johnny.
At 2:44 pm, Deleted said...: It's like buses. You wait for a blog to end, then three end at once, and it's never the one you want :)
At 3:09 pm, Anonymous said...: "It's like buses. You wait for a blog to end, then three end at once, and it's never the one you want :)"

Yeah i was praying Ordovicius was ending too!
At 11:18 pm, Anonymous said...: Yeah i was praying Ordovicius was ending too!

Im sure you have wet dreams about it. Unfortunately (for you) my blog bhas no expiry date. Still, you could always try not reading it, eh. ;)
At 11:20 pm, Anonymous said...: Not a lot of use going to Ordo's, unless, of course, you are a rabid Nationalist.

I popped in to make a cogent comment and was deleted.

Typical Nationalist refusal to debate when they've already lost the argument.

What a bunch of tossers.

LOL

Sorry Johnny, but I don't define racist remarks as being "debate". Look forward to deleting more of your comments in the future. ;)
At 12:40 am, Anonymous said...: I might not agree with Ordovicius for 50% of the time, but you have to admit that he updates his site regularly and gets a debate going.

Wales is made up of all sorts which is what makes it so special, so cut him some slack.
At 9:10 pm, Anonymous said...: Hwyl a phob lwc gyda BBC (mae pawb yn croeso i blog i ti ac yn helpiwch mae'r Nghymraeg)
Um, suggestions / help with my Welsh welcomed...
At 2:22 pm, Blamerbell said...: Many thanks to you all for your kind remarks.

I am now closing comments and leaving the blogosphere...

Pob hwyl!

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59 Comments:

I am a...

Recent Comments

Video & Audio

Boasts

Bloggers of Note

Welsh Assembly Elections 2007

Assembly Members’ Blogs

Failed Assembly Candidates’ Blogs

Welsh MPs' blogs

Welsh Political Media

Other Welsh Political Blogs

Blogio yn yr Heniaith

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Political Tools

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Tuesday, June 26, 2007