Sunday 16 September 2007

The Leadership Express

Oh to have been a fly on the windscreen.

Liberal Democrat Assembly Members Peter Black and Eleanor Burnham demonstrated their commitment to a carbon-neutral future by sharing a car to Brighton for the party's conference.

The two are so far the only semi-declared candidates for the Lib Dem leadership in the National Assembly. (Although the Lib Dems have yet to adopt the royal practice of never allowing future talent to share the same transport)

Peter Black wants someone to challenge Mike German but will do it himself if he has to; Eleanor Burnham says she has as much to offer as anyone.

So what could they possibly have found to discuss on their journey?

One slight hurdle between the two politicians and the leadership is the need for backing from one of the other five AMs.

If Mike German does stand down, Jenny Randerson says she'd also consider standing.

We may yet end up with 50 per cent of the Assembly group standing nominated by the other 50 per cent, preserving the Lib Dems' reputation for uber-democracy.

Of course, things could change - although I'm told we can discount the rumour that Eleanor Burnham will be hitch-hiking back to Cardiff Bay if she refuses to stand down in favour of Mr Black.

All this idle speculation from the sidelines does pose two rather bigger questions: does it really matter who leads the fourth largest group in the Welsh Assembly - and does anyone care?

1 comment:

Glyn Davies said...

I want to know which one Lem is backing - so that I can put a tenner on someone else