What has Tony Blair done for us?
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
During the election campaign, Tony Blair made one fleeting visit to Wales. Even that was enough for the Beeb's Betsan Powys, who struggled to pin him down for an interview.By contrast, Blair made four visits to Scotland. Also by contrast, Labour lost Scotland and hung on in Wales.
It's probably fair to say that by 2007, Blair isn't quite the same electoral asset he was. "Give him the send off he deserves," cried Plaid Cymru's election advert - evidently believing Tony Blair deserved an ambivalent election result followed by continual flitting between various different coalition permutations.
So, in ten years, what has TB done for us?
Devolution. Yes, that's a big one.
Alun Michael. Not such a big one.
Introduced top-up fees so the assembly could scrap them. Bit of a messy one.
We've been called the 'F*cking Welsh' for daring not to vote Labour in droves and he's been called Lionel for not being someone more famous at Rhodri Morgan's mum's breakfast table.
But otherwise?
Answers on a Best of Luck in your New Job card please...
Labels: Alun Michael, devolution, resignation, Tony Blair, Wales
posted by Blamerbell @ 10:26 am,
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Top 5 campaign car crashes
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
It's election time, so politicians everywhere are creeping out of their hovels and stepping into dodgy tracksuits, bin bags, go-karts... anything to get a picture in the local rag. But some moments have just been plain bizarre, and there's still over two weeks to go!1. Rhodri Morgan's 'ironic' train journey on the day South Wales' trains ground to a halt. Cue headlines: First Minister running out of steam etc.
2. Rhodri on yet another mode of transport. This time it's a boat. He's donned his life jacket and is off out on a little jolly with Tony Blair. Cue headlines: Labour's sinking ship, Labour in need of a lifeline etc. Worse still, Rhodders and Tony get off the boat and embark on a steep uphill struggle back to base. They might as well just write their own scripts.
3. Dafydd Wigley squeezes into a shellsuit for the first time since 1983. This is to make old people feel better about exercising. But it just makes them feel better about not exercising in the same place as Dafydd Wigley.
4. Labour's manifesto launch is a treasure hunt for kids in oversized t-shirts. More than a week later and nobody's told Lib Dem leader Mike German that the competition is over.
5. Plaid's Adam Price MP and Labour's Arfon candidate Martin Eaglestone have a very public tiff in a North Wales car park. 'Sign my contract'. 'No, you sign my contract'. 'I asked first'. 'He wot smelt it dealt it' etc. They are suddenly interrupted when an electronic wheelchair pulls up and gets stuck into the action. Eaglestone then becomes embroiled in a Ricky Gervaisesque exchange with a very stubborn Plaid supporting disabled person. There is no exit strategy.
I apologise for the lack of balance in this item. Labour win the innovative press call hands down so it's inevitable a few will go a bit wonky.
Labels: car crash tv, Dafydd Wigley, Martin Eaglestone, Mike German, Rhodri Morgan, Tony Blair, Welsh Assembly Election 2007
posted by Blamerbell @ 12:02 am,
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66 more days of handbags
Monday, February 26, 2007
The gloves are off, because as all good politicians know you can't sling mud if your hands are tied up.So much for parties putting forward a positive future vision for Wales at this election. Labour spent their conference slagging off the Tories and inadvertently drawing attention to David Cameron's current popularity. Plaid kicked out at Labour, and the Tories, in turn, volleyed a few missiles back towards Rhodri Morgan.
Nobody really bothered to attack the Lib Dems, so Peter Black stepped up to attack Plaid for attacking Labour.
Meanwhile, the Lib Dems claim they are whiter than white (or goldener than gold), but Alun Cairns reminds us that they fought the 2003 campaign on a misfiring 'Kick the Tories out' platform.
Soon, the twisting of facts and figures will go into overdrive, leaving voters disillusioned and confused. I've already received promotional literature from the Lib Dems asserting that Plaid 'betrayed students' and 'caved in' to help Labour 'sell out our students' over the assembly budget. Of course, Plaid would put it somewhat differently.
So, what's the answer? I'm afraid there isn't one. Negative politics is a cornerstone of modern electioneering. But parties should face up to it and stop claiming to be virtuous on the one hand while swinging the handbag with the other.
UPDATE: Apologies if you've seen a strange piece appear here about Nick Bourne. It's now deleted. The perils of using Google Reader...
Labels: Alun Cairns, David Cameron, Lib Dems, negative campaigning, Peter Black, Plaid Cymru, Tony Blair, Welsh Assembly Election 2007, Welsh Conservatives, Welsh Labour
posted by Blamerbell @ 10:55 am,
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Blair factor sinks Labour conference
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Tony Blair is renowned for his ability to rattle off speeches he's just seen as if they are a subject dear to his heart. We're often told he's one of the most convincing speakers ever to have graced the UK political stage. Some even blame our presence in Iraq on the prime minister's unique ability to orate.So it was all the more surprising, therefore, that Tony Blair sounded completely unconvincing in his speech to the Welsh Labour conference yesterday. Full of umms and stutters and nervous glances back at the script, Blair sounded like a man talking about something he knows next to nothing about. That's because Welsh politics is about as important to the prime minister as remembering to buy loo roll: someone is usually around to take care of it on his behalf.
Yesterday's performance will do little to enhance Labour's electoral chances. It sounded like the speech of a man with his mind on other things. But as long as he sticks around those other things - Iraq, nuclear power, cash for peerages - might themselves have an impact on the Welsh election race.
Rhodri Morgan wants him out; yesterday you could almost see why.
Labels: Conference, politics, Rhodri Morgan, Tony Blair, Welsh Assembly Election 2007, Welsh Labour
posted by Blamerbell @ 12:12 am,
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Five issues Labour can't duck
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
The countdown to the Welsh assembly elections begins in earnest today as Labour meet in Llandudno for their spring conference. Here are five issues they'll have to address if those elections and their aftermath aren't to be an unmitigated disaster:
1. Worst case scenario
Will Rhodri Morgan resign if Labour net only 24 seats? And who will replace him?
2. National Health Shambles
Already committed to a controversial long-term plan and with little new money, how can Labour rescue the health service?
3. Enemy No.1
Election strategy: this week they've been painting it as a straight race with the Tories. But is it wise to overlook Plaid? Attacking the Tories might serve only to motivate their vote, while voters on the left float over to Plaid.
4. "Noises off" getting louder
Rhodri Morgan would rather Tony Blair kept his nose out of the Welsh assembly campaign. But guess who's making an appearance at the conference on Friday? Can Welsh Labour avoid being affected by the scandal and fatigue of the Westminster administration?
5. Said and not done
How can Labour convince people to believe their election promises after the debacle over the 2003 pledge to provide free personal care?
Please feel free to add your own Labour conundrums in the comments section.
Labels: Conference, election promises, manifesto, NHS, Rhodri Morgan, Tony Blair, Welsh Labour
posted by Blamerbell @ 3:53 pm,
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Welsh politicians unclear on nuclear
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
The nuclear issue is back. Much to the prime minister's annoyance he couldn't simply go ahead with a nuclear project which might leave future generations with a profound legacy of toxic waste: he's been told he has to actually consult with interested parties first.
So, what does this mean for Wales? Well, it means Welsh Labour are at odds with the UK government. The Environment Minister Carwyn Jones would prefer to cover Wales in wind farms.
The Tories appear to be pro-nuclear and despite remaining unconvinced about the waste issue Glyn Davies, chair of the assembly's environment committee, would rather see a new nuclear power station than a severn barrage. They seem to think that nuclear is perfectly green, but not green enough to feature as an energy solution along with biomass, tidal, and solar power in their vote blue go green pledge. Does 'vote blue go toxic' not have the same ring?
The Lib Dems are characteristically anti-nuclear, but Plaid Cymru are moving in different directions. Their policy is to pretend to be opposed to nuclear power while their leader is actually in favour. 'Plaid Cymru does not support nuclear power,' says the latest policy document. But Ieuan Wyn Jones supports extending the life of the nuclear power plant in his own back yard.
A decision on the future of nuclear power is likely to be made very soon. If the Lib Dems play it right they could embarrass the other parties, who each have their own contradictions on this issue. With Tony Blair and his likely successor both very much in favour it may not make much difference, but if the Lib Dems fail to command the political high ground on this they really do deserve to be hung out to dry. As they keep reminding us, Wales isn't short of high windy spots for them to do so.
Labels: Glyn Davies, Gordon Brown, Ieuan Wyn Jones, Lib Dems, nuclear energy, Plaid Cymru, renewable energy, Tony Blair, Welsh Conservatives, Welsh Labour
posted by Blamerbell @ 7:30 am,
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Jagshemash! Borat and Welsh party funding
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Later today Plaid launch their election campaign. So far they haven't launched anything except a vitriolic attack on Labour. Plaid are trying to hit Labour where it hurts: at the coalface.
Labour, historically the party of miners, accepted a £2m donation from mining and steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal just last week. Back in 2001, Tony Blair got into all sorts of trouble for allegedly intervening in a contractual issue on Mittal's behalf. This week, it has emerged Blair will consider honouring Mittal - Britain's richest man. Someone should tell Mr Blair that courting more honours controversy at this moment is about as sensible as Jade Goody putting a pillowcase on her head and dancing around her garden.
So, what's all this got to do with Borat and Wales? Well, Plaid are asking Welsh Labour to promise not to spend a penny of Mittal's money on their election campaign. Why? Because Wales still cares about mining, even if Thatcher put a stop to it, and Mittal is blamed for miners' deaths in Kazakhstan and Ukraine. Dariga Nazarbaeva, the Kazakh President's daughter and powerful media tycoon, is said to hold Mittal responsible for the deaths of 80 Kazakh coal miners in the past three years.
Could Labour possibly get away with funding an election campaign on the blood of dead miners? No, well not if they died in Aberavon. But they didn't, and so far there's no proof of Mittal's culpability anyway. Plaid have got their headline and that will probably be the end of it. Unless they can persuade Borat to endorse them...
Labels: Borat, cash for honours, donation, Labour, Mittal, party funding, Plaid Cymru, Tony Blair
posted by Blamerbell @ 7:25 am,
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Brief break
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Off to Dublin on a propeller-fuelled shed, so no posting for a few days.
While I'm away I hope, for the sake of interest:
a) Tony Blair gets arrested
b) Cardiff City win a football match
c) the word 'Christmas' is banned from any credible television news programmes
d) someone fixes the sticky keys on my laptop
e) Welsh politics doesn't suddenly become interesting
Right, now for that black stuff...
Labels: Cardiff City FC, Christmas, Dublin, Tony Blair
posted by Blamerbell @ 7:53 am,
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Tony Blair - worth a google
Thursday, December 14, 2006
And there were rumours about Gordon Brown?Labels: Google, Gordon Brown, Tony Blair
posted by Blamerbell @ 8:11 am,
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Prime minister's approval falls bellow 50%
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Oh dear. Japan's new prime minister, Shinzo Abe, has seen his approval rating fall to just 48.6%, says the Japan Times.
Diddums.
George Bush enjoys just 33% of his country's support, while Tony Blair scores a paltry 27%.
Then again, I suppose Abe has plenty of time to catch up with his allies. He need only push through unpopular constitutional changes, increasing privatisation and talk of developing nuclear weapons.
Labels: George Bush, Japan, Shinzo Abe, Tony Blair
posted by Blamerbell @ 9:43 am,
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It was THIS big
Friday, December 01, 2006
Famous politicians devise hand signals for the size of their egos.
1. Neil Kinnock
2. Rhodri Morgan
3. Tony Blair
Labels: Neil Kinnock, Rhodri Morgan, Tony Blair
posted by Blamerbell @ 5:42 pm,
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Hain: 'Putin' the boot in
Monday, November 27, 2006
Peter Hain has attacked Russia's 'huge attacks on liberty.' He spoke out after a period which has seen the dodgy deaths of the journalist Anna Politkovskaya, and her friend Alexander Litvinenko.
I'm always amused at the timing of a country suddenly entering our bad books. Don't forget that Blair stood side-by-side with Putin as hundreds of civilians were killed in Chechnya by Russian troops.
Labels: Alexander Litvinenko, Anna Politkovskaya, Chechnya, Peter Hain, Russia, Tony Blair, Vladimir Putin
posted by Blamerbell @ 12:10 pm,
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How parliament tried to cheat on Freedom of Information
Monday, November 20, 2006
First, a Freedom of Information request was made, asking for a breakdown of the travel expenses claimed by individual MPs for the past year. I presume the complainant wants to know if politicians are as environmentally friendly as they say they are. I wonder how many times David Cameron or Tony Blair took a bus last year?Anyway, the House of Commons withheld the information, claiming it was exempt under section 40(2) of the act.
The commissioner wasn't convinced, and found that disclosing the information wouldn't contravene the Data Protection Act. Therefore, the Commissioner concluded that "the House has breached section 1(1) of the Act in that it incorrectly withheld the requested information".
The outcome? The House of Commons had a further 30 days to come up with the information. Funnily enough the juicy bit isn't published on the FOI website. And I wanted to know how much that famous bicycle helmet cost...
Labels: David Cameron, Freedom of Information, House of Commons, Tony Blair
posted by Blamerbell @ 3:58 pm,
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The Republic of Scotland
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
There's a "clear consensus" for an independent Scotland, says Alex Salmond, leader of the Scottish National Party.
What he means is that one poll had 51% in favour of independence yesterday. I dread to think what would happen to the hyperbole if there was ever a bigger than 2% gap in opinion.
But the fact remains that of all the devolved governments, the Scots are the most keen on going it alone.
Tony Blair said that people would soon realise the "folly of the SNP position."
But if the SNP gain power in next year's elections (or indeed, ever) they have promised to call a referendum on independence within four years. You could then excpect calls for an English parliament to become more potent, especially if a Scot was presiding over Westminster. There are already a lot of frustrated Englishmen out there, among them the vocal Campaign for an English Parliament. Logically, they have a strong case and they know it.
Never mind Iraq, Tony Blair's legacy might just be the break-up of the union.
Labels: English parliament, Scottish independence, SNP, Tony Blair
posted by Blamerbell @ 10:06 am,
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