Ö÷²¥´óÐã

Just as I went on air on last night's evening bulletin, the phone rang.

The story? The Assembly Commission's decision to stop translating speeches made in English in plenary into Welsh for the official record. Pick and mix bilingualism? Maybe but it would save a quarter of a million.

Labour's Alun Davies had already been interviewed, not just because he thought the Commissioners were wrong but because the way they'd taken the decision had left him outraged.

Back to the phone call. Joining him in his outrage was the Conservative, Jonathan Morgan - a non-Welsh speaker as he'd pointed out himself but incredulous that the Commission had felt it within their rights to make a decision that went contrary to the will of the Assembly. That is not what they are there for.

Why was the call significant? Because it signalled that this story would not end up in the High Court despite more than one threat of legal action. It would end with politicians, not barristers, killing it.

Not in our name was the message.

It's been driven home today by Nick Bourne in a letter to Dafydd Elis-Thomas:

"This translation service is something that has occurred in our National Assembly since its inception and I believe is embedded in the way that we approach language issues";

a letter from Cheryl Gillan to Peter Hain:

"If the Welsh Assembly, itself, ceases to treat Welsh and English on the basis of equality in its own publication of proceedings, it would seem to send out a contradictory message about support for the Welsh language";

and for the Liberal Democrats, Jenny Randerson:

"I believe that people all across Wales should have the right to read what their Assembly Members say in the two languages of Wales".

Plaid's Chris Franks, a Commissioner himself, says he objected to the idea all along but that the minutes fail to reflect that.

It's game over - with the Presiding Officer, for once, outmanouvered.

By the way you'll notice I've not blogged very much on this story. Let me come clean and explain why. It's because it's about the Welsh language and part of my reason for steering clear is that I anticipated the kind of responses you'd post in return.

Prove me wrong. Prove thatas I've written elsewhere this week, we can have on this blog a cogent, purposeful, flowing discussion, one that adds something to the debate, whatever your view and however strongly it's held. Let's not have one that causes offence and leads to readers of the blog avoiding the 'Read comments' button like the plague.

Go for the ball - then you can go in as hard as you like. Go for the man and you're off.

• Bookmark with:
• |
• |
• |
• |
• - What's this?