A government of all the talents

Plaid Cymru leader Ieuan Wyn Jones is likely to be appointed deputy First Minister tomorrow - a remarkable development in Welsh politics.

He'll join Rhodri Morgan's cabinet and is unlikely to run out of things to talk about with his new colleagues.

Back in March, Mr Jones described Mr Morgan's administration as one that "is devoid of ideas and has run out of steam. Across all policy fields we are witnessing an administration that is happy to meander from crisis to crisis."

Rhodri Glyn Thomas may join the cabinet. This is his view of his probable new colleagues, expressed as recently as May 31: "We have here the same old tired faces; it is unlikely this cabinet will contain renewed ambition for Wales to go with the new powers of the Assembly." Presumably life will change once Mr Thomas's youthful, fresh visage joins the "same old tired faces" around the cabinet table.

And this is the assessment of Plaid president Dafydd Iwan on his party's new coalition partners:
“The real choice facing the people of Wales on May the 3rd is a straight choice between a weak, narrow minded, and centralist Labour Party which has run out of steam; or a forward looking Plaid with a vision to build a modern and successful nation."

Having denounced "8 years of incompetence by Labour in Cardiff", Mr Iwan called for "an end to twenty-eight years of right wing rule.”

Here's a headline from an Adam Price press release in February: "Plaid Accuse Labour of Basing Election Campaign on Lies, Smear and Innuendo."

One of the consequences of Plaid's move into government is that the Conservatives become the official opposition, with their leader Nick Bourne netting a 40k pay rise in the process.
Judging by the above material he won't have to work too hard for his money.

Ieuan Wyn Jones told reporters today that he didn't expect there to be a full cabinet meeting before the autumn.

Perhaps that's just as well.