Monday morning
Increased security outside Ö÷²¥´óÐã Wales this morning, as news programmes grapple with striking the right balance between telling the story of the current terrorist threat and telling it from a Welsh point of view. Rhodri Morgan is giving interviews later this morning on the latest security measures being put in place here.
Meanwhile our eyes are on Friday, Saturday and how every day in between now influences both votes - let alone Rhodri's tingle. News trickles in on how CLPs - Constituency Labour Parties - have voted. Tamsin Dunwoody on Good Morning Wales makes clear she was against 'One Wales' but that the local party in Preseli Pembrokeshire have backed it overwhelmingly. Labour Grassroots are backing it and campaigning for it. I wonder how Ieuan Wyn Jones' tingle is doing?
He may have spotted an interesting story in yesterday. While Welsh Labour MPs vent their fury on a deal that includes looking afresh at the Barnett Formula - the funding settlement that decides how much money we get in Wales and Scotland - is Gordon Brown really about to go ahead and sound its death knell anyway?
Do we, for 'fairer system of distributing billions in central government support to the nations and regions of the UK' read 'look Middle England, I can be tough on Scotland (and Wales?)' when needs be?
Gordon rules. Off to talk to programmes about what you'd do If You Ruled Wales.
I'm Betsan Powys, Ö÷²¥´óÐã Wales' political editor. I'll be blogging the inside track on .
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One good thing to come out of the new UK government: As it was announced the other day that Huw Irranca-Davies is now the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Wales there is hope to form a bridge between the Wales Office and Plaid Cymru.
After all, anyone who adopts his wife's maiden name as part of his own surname when they got married must possess excellent diplomatic skills :>D
P.S. Betsan, you really should stop using the word 'tingle' as it conjures up all sorts of images
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Colin Morris' dialogue today certainly left me with a rather perplexing question over his assertion that as a democracy we are all responsible for the decision to go to war in Iraq. What Mr Morris has failed to realise is that the government of the day in this country exists only through a "first past the post basis" and that very often individual constituancies are won on very small majorities. Also, the appallingly low turn out at elections (mostly due to the fact that there is so little for people to actually differentiate between the main parties) gives no real indication as to the true feelings of the UK population.
If we are guilty of anything it is in not voting -the reason why we can have a government commanding a huge majority in the house of commons with about 23% of the electoral vote.
Let us also not forget that even those that do vote for the government are never guaranteed their expected fundamental rights - amply demonstrated by Mr Blair's denial for everyone to have the promised referendum on the EEC treaty ( aka Federal State).
I suspect that when we have very little. democracy sounds pretty enticing, but when things are just about tolerable, we just don't bother to protect what our ancestors fought for in the first place and the politicians begin to dictate rather than govern.
No Mr Morris, I for one, am not guilty of going to war nor for that matter are the many, many friends of mine who also did not want to go to war. Mr Blair can have that one firmly etched on his headstone and he alone should shoulder what he created.
What I'd do if I ruled Wales :
Improve the road and rail systems.
Lower business taxes to encourage investment.
Give full biligual status to the Welsh language.
Boost tourism and develop tourist venues by opening up sites of Welsh struggles etc. to tourists.
Outlaw the dropping of litter and posting graffiti.
Adopt single place-names (no 'translations').
Issue stamps on St David's Day and declare a national holiday.
Mint a coin on transition to a Welsh Parliament.
Enhance self-contained communities by providing necessary services.
Encourage use of domestic micro-energy devices.
Make Wales self-sufficient in alternative non-nuclear power generation and water provision.
Put sensible structures at the entrances to Wales, not gimmicky sculptures.
Encourage small artisan and craft industries.
Reduce the Welsh 'brain drain'.
Built tasteful community-based affordable housing.
Provide sustainable housing by adopting innovative construction techniques.
Provide parks, playgrounds and leisure centres for all communities.
Establish a 'canton' system like Switzerland has.
Alan in Dyfed
I am a little confused. It is said that at a meeting of Welsh MPs there were concerns about the Lab/PC pact document and that Neil Kinnock was particularly angry. Hang on! Is Mr Kinnock a Welsh MP? Is Mr Kinnock an elected representative of the Welsh public in any capacity? If not why not ask Max Boyce, Robbie Savage, Wil Cwac Cwac or the bloke down the newsagents for their input also?
Isn't this the same Kinnock who vehemently opposed Europe but then embraced it and it's Euros wholheartedly.
I suggest Rhodri gives him the timetable for an Assembly Gravy Train then I'm sure he'll jump aboard.
I like Alan Jones' style. Lower taxes AND higher spending? Full bilingualism but no translations? Reduce the brain drain through "craft industries"? LOL!
At 02:16 PM on 02 Jul 2007, Alan Jones wrote:
What I'd do if I ruled Wales :
johnny says......
Improve the road and rail systems.
jf.... Great idea. A four lane highway North to South with access roads. Do the Gogs look the same as we Southerners? I never see them.
Lower business taxes to encourage investment.
jf.... Another great idea provided that the investors are encouraged to conduct their business in the language of their choice.
Give full biligual status to the Welsh language.
jf.... It has enough status already. I would prefer to have my gas bill etc. in English only. What a waste of ink, paper and energy this duplication costs.
Boost tourism and develop tourist venues by opening up sites of Welsh struggles etc. to tourists.
jf.... What a depressing thought. I really can't see tourists flocking to see bridges made of dead bodies and a bunch of miserable people whinging. A decent Fun Fair would attract more.
Outlaw the dropping of litter and posting graffiti.
jf.... We already have such laws. It's just that certain language protesters seem not to care one way or the other.
Adopt single place-names (no 'translations').
jf.... A daft idea. Do you have shares in a road sign company Alan? Just another silly idea to produce Welsh Language compulsion.
Issue stamps on St David's Day and declare a national holiday.
jf.... Oh,go on then. That's not a bad idea.
Mint a coin on transition to a Welsh Parliament.
jf.... That's a non-starter as there won't be a Welsh Parliament if I have anything to do with it.
Enhance self-contained communities by providing necessary services.
jf....Encourage these self-contained communities to open themselves up to the wider world and have these services for all. Too many cousins in the gene-pool is to be discouraged.
Encourage use of domestic micro-energy devices.
jf.... A no brainer.
Make Wales self-sufficient in alternative non-nuclear power generation and water provision.
jf....So that'll be forests of wind turbines and meters and a till on the water pipes leaving Wales.
Put sensible structures at the entrances to Wales, not gimmicky sculptures.
jf....Another good idea. What do you suggest Alan? A big iron gate?
Encourage small artisan and craft industries.
jf....Why not?
Reduce the Welsh 'brain drain'.
jf....That's up to the Welsh people. They have exercised their free choice and have left Wales to seek their fortunes for centuries. I wonder why?
Built tasteful community-based affordable housing.
jf....MMMmmm, sounds like a bit of a sub-agenda there somewhere.
Provide sustainable housing by adopting innovative construction techniques.
jf....Prefabs for all eh?
Provide parks, playgrounds and leisure centres for all communities.
jf....Another no-brainer.
Establish a 'canton' system like Switzerland has.
jf....It's already there in Cardiff, I believe.
Alan in Dyfed
Your pointedly polite pal in the real world.
johnny.
Good to see you are reading Scotland on Sunday - How about covering Scottish and Irish newspapers on Ö÷²¥´óÐã Good Morning Wales's own newspaper review (can easily been done through the internet)? It would be a healthy addition to the Welsh and "London" newspapers covered. Could even give the audience a new view as to how devolution is working in other countries.
Wil Cwac Cwac. I'd forgotten all about him and clearly everyone else had as well. With this new fangled thing of bringing together 'all the talents', let's bring him on board as a rural affairs adviser.
Was that "Hazell David" (Plaid Women's Group)item ~ "Plaid should merge with left Labour" piece carried on Good Morning Wales...actually a hoax? Martin Shipton, the fearless, "Man in the Merthyr Mack", actually...hyped????
Surely NOT! (Adam Price's blog. says..YES!)
I think WE should be told!!!
I'm amazed by the acceptance of section 9 within all news groups. There is an obvious reference to genetic engineering within the document, and there are also statements which must impinge on the racial equalities bill. Why hasn't anyone picked up on this? or are the Ö÷²¥´óÐã Wales team closet nationalists?
While Wil Cwac Cwac's comments are substantially more valuable and welcome than Mr Kinnock's he feels that his views are far too coherent and mature for a cabinet position.
As his agent I can advise that Wil is currently resting and enjoying this summer's weather. He doesn't wish to be portrayed as a redundant, forlorn, unloved, has-been character looking for publicity at any opportunity and making a lot of meaningless noise. He will, however, consider any offers of meaningful, and fulfilling gainful employment. He draws the line at appearing in naff pop videos though.
Changing subject, I suppose it was naive to assume that Mr Kinnock would back the deal. He was hardly going to back it with a "well allright!! well allright!!" was he?
I agree with Jeff Rees. Livin' in England you will possess one opinion, but if you come in Scotland or Wales, your thoughts can change.
I agree with Jeff Rees. Livin' in England you will possess one opinion, but if you come in Scotland or Wales, your thoughts can change.