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If there were to be an Oscar for optimism in politics then it is perhaps appropriate that it should go to the man in charge of Welsh rugby.

WRU chief executive Roger Lewis, is chair of the campaign, or perhaps I should say "team" as he used the word seven times in his first contribution to last night's debate on the Welsh assembly's powers.

Mr Lewis has consistently argued that a "yes" vote in Thursday's referendum on Welsh assembly powers will increase responsibility in Cardiff Bay.

"It will create a no blame, no excuse culture," he told Dragon's Eye last month, an argument he repeated during last night's debate in Blackwood.

The gist of the argument is that assembly members will no longer be able to blame Westminster for delaying requests for a transfer of law-making powers to Cardiff.

That may be true, but if Wales votes "yes" on Thursday the Welsh assembly government's budget will still be set by the UK government, which, on past experience, can expect to be blamed for any shortfalls.

And even if Wales votes "yes", the macro-economic levers will still rest outside Wales, a point often made by a frustrated deputy first minister, Ieuan Wyn Jones.

The referendum even featured during today's traditional St David's Day service in the chapel of St Mary Undercroft at the Palace of Westminster.

The Rev David Jones (no relation to the Wales Office Minister), used his sermon to advocate a "yes" vote on Thursday.

Cheryl Gillan's reaction was not visible, although the Welsh secretary did get to deliver a reading - Isaiah 49: 8-13, since you ask.

But I digress. If there were to be a "best supporting" optimism Oscar, I would nominate Iestyn Davies, "Wales national coordinator" of the "yes to fairer votes" campaign.

Iestyn is already looking beyond Thursday: "It's a busy time in Welsh politics at the moment," he writes. "After one referendum, this Thursday, we will see the focus switch to our campaign for fairer votes, and the referendum on May 5th."

That may be a tad hopeful, given another political event on May 5 - the Welsh assembly elections - but that has not put off the pro-alternative vote campaign from organising a at the assembly this Saturday.

Many Liberal Democrat supporters of voting change will be otherwise engaged at the party's Welsh conference in the city that day. Cardiff is also hosting the Conservatives' spring forum and Welsh conference.

So it may be difficult to get noticed, but Iestyn adds a postscript: "If you have a purple t-shirt, or jumper that you could wear, that would make the photos look just that little bit better!"

Expect something of a colour clash when Lib Dem supporters of AV descend on the photo-call clad in their bright yellow conference best.

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