Blame it all on the BBC
Thursday, April 05, 2007

Bashing the BBC is the new vogue in the political world. First, Leighton Andrews got stuck in to the broadcaster for daring to be as impartial as Westminster and Holyrood at election time. Then, Glyn Davies got in a strop because he felt news stories on his blog were being overlooked. And just when the BBC thought it could let down its mud-slinging guard, Jane Davidson waded in and blamed it for voter apathy.

While Jane is out on the streets shoving leaflets into the hands of people who probably think she's just another one of those annoying people from Oxfam or Save the Children, the BBC are ignoring the Welsh assembly election, according to Labour's Education Spokesperson:

There is still a huge level of ignorance out there about the elections on May 3rd and people don't appear to be getting information from the BBC – the so-called public information channel. Today, I didn't hear any mention on the news at all. Considering the election campaign period formally kicked off on Monday and it is only Wednesday, this would be unthinkable in a general election. And then of course the BBC and others will blame politicians for voter apathy….

After all that, Trident-hating Jane rounds off the post on her MySpace blog with a swipe at the opposition parties:

Parties choosing to mislead voters by playing to people's fears do politics no service at all. We should be fighting this election responsibly on what each party has to offer positively, not with the politics of fear.

Hear hear, I agree completely. The fact that Labour statements on Plaid Cymru are now routinely peppered with the words "arrogant", "dishonest" and "weak" is, I'm sure, merely incidental:)

Labels: , , , , , , , ,

posted by Blamerbell @ 12:17 am, ,


Me and my mate, Jane
Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Our anti-Trident Education Minister here in Wales has signed up to MySpace. She digs us yoofs you see.

But in so doing, Jane, who is currently considering a request to be my friend, has unwittingly revealed a few truths. So, here goes, five things you didn't know about Jane Davidson:

1. She is blissfully unaware that Welsh is not yet an official language, and that this is quite a contentious election issue. Jane says: "I feel really proud of the fact that Welsh and English are official languages in Wales, although I am still trying to become fluent in Welsh!"

2. She is both 49 and 50 years old, depending on what page you look at.

3. She is friends with Jake (Fudge), a sixteen year-old salmon inspector from Uruguay.

4. Her heroes are hardcore lefties like Aneurin Bevan, Hugo Chavez, Mark Thomas and Jeremy Hardy. No mention of Tony Blair.

5. She's started the MySpace page to get more young people involved in politics. One post is entitled 'How Do We Engage More Young people in Voting?':

What was interesting today was a debate on the excitingly titled "Local Government and Public Service Committee Electoral Arrangements Report". With a name like that, I can hardly see people rushing to break the library doors down to find a copy, but it does contain some interesting recommendations on which I would like your views. The report suggests some actions to help:

1.There should be regional and national initiatives to promote voting to young people
2. There should be targeted initiatives to encourage socially and economically deprived young people to vote....

Would any of these make a difference to you? If they wouldn't, what would?

A new targeted initiative you say? Fetch me my jet pack, I'm off to the nearest polling station.

Jane, if you're going to be my friend, you've got to cut out the jargon.

Labels: , , , , , ,

posted by Blamerbell @ 8:34 am, ,


Trident: not a nuclear issue like Iraq?
Monday, March 12, 2007

2 February 2006
First Minister Rhodri Morgan refuses to state his views on the Iraq war. Speaking on the BBC's Question Time programme, Mr Morgan declined to give his opinion on the Iraq war because it was an issue voted upon in Westminster, and therefore not a matter for the Welsh assembly.

11 March 2007
Education Minister Jane Davidson goes public with her opposition to renewing the Trident nuclear weapons system.

On Wednesday, the UK parliament will vote on the issue. Jane Davidson is a member of the Welsh Assembly. She cannot vote in the House of Commons.

Crucially, Mrs Davidson made the remarks with the support of the First Minister:

"I have discussed it with Rhodri. He was perfectly happy for me to make this statement today. One of the important things about Rhodri’s leadership in Wales is he does encourage people to have independent thoughts."

It seems a precedent has been set. If Trident is an issue for comment, why not Iraq?

Labels: , , , , , ,

posted by Blamerbell @ 8:04 am, ,


Peter Black: 'Are you with me chaps?'
Saturday, March 10, 2007

There follows a public information request for Peter Black.

At the Lib Dem conference later today, he will 'throw down the gauntlet to other parties on top-up fees for higher education.'

He will 'challenge the other parties to say where they stand.'

Unless I've missed something very obvious, Plaid and the Tories have positioned themselves pretty firmly in the anti top-up fee camp. If a Mrs Jane Davidson is reading, please would you make yourself known to a steward so that we can clear this matter up for Mr Black. Thank you.

Labels: , , , , , ,

posted by Blamerbell @ 10:23 am, ,


Welsh politicians are all winners
Thursday, November 30, 2006

Welsh politicians swept the board at last night's Welsh Politician of the Year awards in Cardiff Bay. Funny that.

Labels: , , , , ,

posted by Blamerbell @ 12:40 pm, ,