Introducing Dafydd Elis-Thomas: First Minister
Monday, February 05, 2007

Dafydd Elis-Thomas has been such a success at isolating himself from Plaid Cymru that he could lead a rainbow coalition government after May's Assembly election. That's the view of 'election pundit' Dr Denis Balsom as reported in today's Western Mail.

The idea is that after eight years as Presiding Officer, Dafydd El is considered to be above politics and could oversee a Plaid, Tory and Lib Dem coalition, with the three party leaders serving beneath him in the cabinet. Apparently this is the model of government used in Austria, Belgium and Switzerland. It's called a 'consociational democracy' - a term you may never come across again, so make the most of it.

But before Glyn Davies wets himself in eager anticipation, let's just reflect on the probability of this happening: near zero.

Dr Balsom admits he was merely speculating and considers a Lib-Lab coalition the most likely outcome. Lord Elis-Thomas has won few friends for his performances at the Senedd's throne. He's so far failed even to rise above a petty feud with his deputy John Marek - how would he cope with the mud-slinging of three competing leaders within his own cabinet? And then there's the already well-documented resistance of a number of key players within Plaid to any notion of a coalition with the Tories.

It's an interesting idea but in reality about as likely as Helen Mary Jones winning Miss Great Britain 2007.

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posted by Blamerbell @ 9:34 am, ,


Presiding officer backs English Parliament
Thursday, December 21, 2006

Dafydd Elis-Thomas, presiding officer of the Welsh Assembly, is in favour of a devolved English government.

To be fair, he's had plenty of time to come up with opinions on any number of issues, given that he is no more than a political vegetable most of the time. How tedious his job must be, and yet how much he wants to keep it.

Never mind the campaign for an English parliament, surely there must be a campaign simmering for a new presiding officer and deputy to replace the ever-tiffing Dafydd El and John Marek (Independent). It is quite ridiculous that the Labour administration continues to govern with neither of the vote-surrendering positions occupied by its members.

Any number of the Labour AMs on this page could occupy that seat with little difficulty. Indeed, some of them look as if they'd enjoy sitting around festering just as much as the current incumbent.

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posted by Blamerbell @ 11:49 am, ,


Assembly politicians finger Elis-Thomas
Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Punch and Judy politics? Playground politics? Or simply, Welsh Assembly politics? A joke in itself these days. This is the kind of behaviour our politicians get up to in the chamber:

Watch David Davies and Mick Bates caught on camera as they give the Presiding Officer, Lord Elis-Thomas, the finger.

As I've written before, the standard of debate in the Senedd is often appalling. I watched yesterday's debate on the Queen's speech, and David Davies (Tory) was particularly noticeable for his childish interventions. Not constructive observations, not even relevant interventions, but rather little jokes and snide remarks that betrayed his obvious contempt for the proceedings.

It's no wonder the Tories weren't keen on selecting his father as a candidate in 2007.

Unless the politicians themselves take Welsh politics seriously, they've no hope of persuading the public to give a damn in the lead-up to the next election.

Still, it is quite funny. Tee-hee.

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posted by Blamerbell @ 2:14 pm, ,


Marek v Elis-Thomas
Thursday, November 16, 2006

Fireworks in the Assembly yesterday.

This from Welsh Labour:

John Marek, who is also the Assembly's Deputy Presiding Officer, is
involved in a drawn-out argument with Dafydd Elis-Thomas, the Presiding
Officer, over the appointment of a senior civil servant.

Today John Marek lost his temper in the Assembly chamber, shouting accusations at Lord Elis-Thomas. Welsh Labour responded by saying Dr Marek was embarrassing his constituency, which wanted him to concentrate on local issues.


Marek and Elis-Thomas have a long-running feud, which will be nicely resolved next May when Marek is defeated and Elis-Thomas is ousted from his plush presiding officer's chair.

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posted by Blamerbell @ 8:26 am, ,


Marek on the way out
Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Did he? Didn't he?

Well, John Marek finally stepped down as Chair of the House Committee at the National Assembly this week.

The Presiding Officer, Dafydd Elis-Thomas, had 'resigned him' back in September, but Marek then refused to confirm whether or not he'd left the post.

Tory AM William Graham now takes over the role with Marek's influence at the Assembly rapidly fading, as are his hopes of re-election in May.

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posted by Blamerbell @ 3:06 pm, ,


Dafydd Elis Thomas - Lord of the Senedd
Monday, October 30, 2006

In the world of Dafydd Elis Thomas there's only one heavyweight politician in the Senedd: himself.

Yesterday, the Welsh Assembly's presiding officer spoke out against what he sees as the Senedd's inability to act like a 'proper parliamentary body'.

Elis Thomas took particular issue with the way in which the opposition opposed the budget rather than voting down the government in flat-out no confidence motions.

He then slung more mud in the direction of his deputy, John Marek, questioning his decision to vote against the government rather than help chair the debate.

Elis Thomas doesn't seem to grasp that the Senedd is not Westminster. And it's a jolly good thing it's not.

The opposition has every right to negotiate the budget. The government is ruling under a minority administration and shouldn't have carte blanche with the budget while there is a majority of elected representatives who don't agree with it.

The attempt to reign in Marek for the debate was infantile.

Elis Thomas is right: Wales does need grown up politics. For that it needs new presiding officers as soon as possible.

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posted by Blamerbell @ 3:02 pm, ,