Labour u-turn a sign of things to come
Wednesday, June 20, 2007

It is exactly two weeks since Rhodri Morgan wrote to Ieuan Wyn Jones and Mike German outlining the terms of a possible agreement to keep him in government.

Since then, Plaid have been negotiating a beefed up deal with Labour, the underlying document of which is just about finished, I understand.

Now, whaddyaknow - Business and Budget Minister Jane Hutt has announced an independent commission to review the Barnett Formula and consider tax-varying powers for the assembly.

A fortnight ago, Labour offered Plaid and the Lib Dems a "seen to be independent inquiry by the Assembly Finance Committee, possibly chaired by a Liberal Democrat." In other words, not an independent inquiry at all.

In just fourteen days, Labour have gone from stubborn refuseniks to willing co-conspirators. They are, [cough, splutter, vomit] experimenting with [shh, don't tell Tony]... compromise.

We've heard a lot about the 'new politics' which is a necessity now that power hangs in the balance between the parties in Wales. Well, here's an an example of it in operation.

And if Labour can announce this before the Red-Green agreement is even finalised, just imagine what could be coming our way if and when the deal is done.

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posted by Blamerbell @ 7:34 pm, ,


Blogs, Barnett and budgetary balls
Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Strange things are happening in blog world. Since I've put those self-congratulatory quotes in the sidebar, people have been emailing me testimonials to add to the list. I had no idea that was blogging etiquette and just pinched all the others from altogether different contexts. But thank you anyway:)

Meanwhile, the Welsh blogosphere has swelled into a Bertha-like monster, constantly spitting out blogs of many persuasions. This is beginning to be a medium for new audiences, even if my third and fourth most frequent visitors come from Welsh Office and BBC domains respectively.

And now Lee Waters, formerly of ITV politics fame, is sending me press releases. Lee is now in the director's saddle of cycling charity Sustrans. Today, they've teamed up with the BMA and National Association of Headteachers to make the civil case for reviewing the Barnett formula: the complicated method for calculating public spending in Wales.

Political parties have long called for changes in the way Wales is funded. Plaid, for example, argue that the current formula is unfair because it is based on the population and not the needs of Wales.

But has it yet come to the point of no return, where either a revision of the Barnett formula or granting the assembly powers to raise tax and revenue are the only remaining options?

Moreover, in the present climate, political parties are cooing about their ability to make big changes within the present or anticipated financial package, perhaps in an attempt to appear fit for government. Today's intervention from civil society might well serve as a reminder to the politicians that it may take much more than a laptop and free school milk to reverse Wales' economic stagnation.

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posted by Blamerbell @ 9:58 am, ,