Ö÷²¥´óÐã

Another manifesto and another dossier of platitudes from our political masters. I agree Labour have transformed education as they state on page 7 but not many people would boast of such transformation when you end up with falling standards. As with PC, nastY league tables are banished to be replaced with "aspirational targets" not that we should compare school with school of course! As for their previous standards "not being ambitious enough" as male education standards slip - well thats a priceless quote to stand proud alongside other worthies such as "as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike".
Finally as all the elite seem to be offering independent commissions to review government policies, offer advice and point to best practice just what will the elected politicians do with all their spare time now all these quangos can be blamed (sorry delegated with implementation review procedures auditing stakeholder delivery).

Before Tony Blair and the New Conservatives (oops- meant New Labour) were first elected to UK government they made a manifesto promise to give a referendum on proportional representation. I suspect Carwyn Jones is doing similar, working on the principle that most voters forget manifesto promises.

The First Minister is clearly learning from a former Prime Minister who following his election in 1997,and found how difficult it was to "get things done",created his own "delivery department",however it did'nt work and the welsh one will produce the same result. Until the provision of public services are totally changed in wales with more power and responsibility being given to individual recipients of services then the current structures will continue to waste money,and provide poor results. The Labour Party was been in "power" in Westminster from 1997,and in Wales has been either solely,or major part of coalition since 1999 and by any objective analysis we are going backwards,even though we throw money at problems than almost anybody else in UK. We have in effect voted for the "second division",as we are afraid,or a large part of welsh society is to take more responsibility for our individiual lifestyles or provision of services. The "well off" are getting out of wwelsh NHS with proliferation of private practices,both within and without the NHS,however media never touch on this subject as it too sensitive for "you know who"".

You could argue for 'smooth but solid' substitute the 'usual waffle'. Coming from outside the bubble Crick asked the sort of question anyone should ask from even a brief look at the statistics since the Assembly was established. Perhaps the First Minister could explain,for example, who took the policy decision which saw the gap between Wales and England with regard to university funding increase from £20 per student in 2000/01 to £900 in 2008/09. By 2009 the gap with Scotland had reached an incredible £2276 per student. All of this at a time when the UK Labour government was throwing money at the Assembly. It is therefore hardly surprising that Wales hasn't got a university in the world top 200 and that only 14.6% of Welsh university research is considered to be world class.

.......said Mr Jones and where there were fresh challenges, Labour were offering fresh priorities.

The only priority Jones and his cronies have is to con the Welsh electorate into giving failed AM' and failed Ministers another term in Office. A term that will see Wales fall further behind the rest of the UK but will keep our AM's in well paid and comfortable jobs

Where did Plaid Cymru spell iliteracy wrong in their manifesto? I don't see it?

the "International Centre for Aerospace Training" - isn't that where the True Wales air-borne pig was retired to? (you know - the one that never actually got off the ground).

I'm beginning to get the feeling that all these manifestos have been produced in a place called 'Llareggub'.