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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Please sir, can we have some more?
Saturday, May 12, 2007
If you read the Government of Wales Act, really read it, you get the sense that the evolution of the assembly into a law-making body is a practical inevitability.
In fact, you get the sense that the legislative purgatory in which the institution currently finds itself is ludicrously arbitrary. When a child begs and begs for an ice cream, you don't snatch it away before it gets a chance to eat the cone.
Much depends, of course, on how the assembly deals with its present extension in powers. But given the cross-party will for an assembly which creates proper 'acts', and which does so independently of the Secretary of State, I would be surprised if this wasn't put to a referendum before the next full term begins.
If anything, the debate over independence in Scotland has made people realise quite how limited our devolved agreement is. Even Northern Ireland out-powers us (though it must be said that ill-feeling in the province is nothing compared to the troubled relationship between certain Plaid Cymru and Labour members). And so, Welsh pride takes another beating. The question 'Are we somehow lesser people than the Scots?' was wondered aloud frequently during the pre-election debate programmes.
I think it will be difficult to resist activating the referendum clause in the Government of Wales Act (though it first requires a two-thirds majority in the Senedd and in parliament). After all, you wouldn't buy yourself tickets to see Madonna and then leave them on the shelf.
The question, then, is when? And there are plenty of options. We could nip it in the bud and have it at the same time as the local elections next year or even the European elections the year after. Or we could have it at the same time as the next general election to encourage maximum participation or at the same time as the next assembly election, for the sake of convenience.
Whatever happens, I don't think it will be long before the assembly is making decisions without Peter Hain's approval. Which is why Plaid Cymru shouldn't sell their soul to win a referendum in the current coalition/agreement negotiations. By 2011, it will be almost impossible for the government to deny Welsh people a say on the way forward. And I believe they will say yes, providing the politicians don't cock it up in the meantime.
Labels: devolution, Government of Wales Act, National Assembly for Wales, referendum, Welsh Assembly Election 2007
posted by Blamerbell @ 11:41 am,
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The facts about the Tories and devolution
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Conservative Mid & West Wales candidate Glyn Davies has had an epiphany. You can be a Tory and pro-devolution. Moreover, you can be a Tory and an advocate of even more devolution.
Glyn wants full law-making powers for the national assembly. But while considered something of a maverick, he is still standing on a Conservative Party ticket in the forthcoming elections. So where does the Tory party stand on devolution?
Well, they led the No campaign in 1997 and their 1999 assembly election manifesto was laced with bitterness and pessimism. Smack bang at the top of the document, then leader Rod Richards wrote this: "The transfer of further powers from Westminster to the Assembly would lead to the fragmentation of Britain making European federalism easier for the government to achieve."
Eight years on, the Tories still aren't sure. And it's difficult to find the hype surrounding the big Welsh strides they might make this time around reflected in the manifesto. True, the Tories call for more powers, but they call for more powers in order to:
• seek to establish St. David’s Day as a national holiday;
• introduce a Welsh symbol on car number plates;
• ensure that a separate Welsh option appears on census forms together with a question on the use of Welsh;
• petition the Queen to establish a Welsh order of chivalry.
Not quite a nationalist's wet dream:)
This debate must surely have come up during the manifesto negotiations. I can only presume that the other Tory AMs don't share Glyn's enthusiasm while there are still ultra-Unionists in the ranks.
Labels: devolution, Glyn Davies, law-making powers, manifesto, Rod Richards, Tories, Welsh Assembly Election 2007, Welsh Conservatives
posted by Blamerbell @ 12:36 am,
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Who to vote for if you hate the assembly
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
UKIP continue their assembly election campaign today under the banner 'Abolish the Assembly and Leave The EU'. With a manifesto that looks like it's been knocked up by someone taking their first tentative steps into the world of Microsoft Office, UKIP may not appear to be much of the threat. But don't rule out a protetst vote having some impact.
That's because it's not all rosy in the squiggly tree meadows of the Tory heartlands. Remember, this is the first election the Conservatives will fight as an entirely pro-devolution party. They are in unchartertered territory and there are still die-hard Tories who think the whole idea stinks.
Last time round the Conservatives did well despite remaining unconvinced about devolution, so UKIP will be hoping that it can soak up the votes of Tory discontents. Ironically, the beneficiaries of such a scenario could be Plaid Cymru, a party whose aims are inimical to almost everything UKIP stands for.
Labels: devolution, manifesto, politics, UKIP, Welsh Assembly Election 2007, Welsh Conservatives
posted by Blamerbell @ 8:45 am,
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Who's dreaming of more devolution?
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
It's 2011. Thanks to a campaign boosted by the internet and the huge popularity of his blog, Huw Lewis is First Minister of Wales.
Helen Mary Jones has bought a new scarf each day for the past decade and now has enough to be able to tie a double ribbon around the axis of the earth. She's also in charge of Plaid after Ieuan Wyn Jones started a sponsored walk without knowing where he was going. Somewhere, out there, he's still walking.
Kirsty Williams leads the Lib Dem team in the assembly and Lembit Opik is a judge on X-Factor.
Nick Bourne retired a millionaire after his shares in an energy efficient light bulb factory paid huge dividends and the Tories are resurgent under the direction of that chubby young councillor chap.
And Wales is preparing for a referendum on giving the assembly law-making powers. That's (sort of) the view of John Osmond, director of the Institute of Welsh Affairs.
But is it the view of the politicians? Plaid would be up for it, the Tories have hinted they'd go that way and Labour and the Lib Dems... well, who knows? Surely, though, this is a matter to clear up right now? If the parties are even contemplating a referendum on further devolution sometime before the next next election, they must say so. After all, 2011 might be some time away, but a vote now may very much determine what happens then.
Labels: Assembly Election 2007, devolution, Labour, Plaid Cymru, politics, referendum, Welsh John Osmond, Welsh Liberal Democrats
posted by Blamerbell @ 10:53 am,
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Give Gillan a grilling on TV tonight
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
It's interactive, it's live and it's a chance for you to put your points to Shadow Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan.18 Doughty Street web television, 9pm this evening.
Oh, and there'll be a short film from Blamerbell too.
See the Tories shine:)
[Pic: Cheryl Gillan ends child poverty by growing children as ears.]
Labels: 18 Doughty Street, devolution, Rainbow Coalition, referendum, Welsh Conservative Conference, Welsh Conservatives
posted by Blamerbell @ 5:30 pm,
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