Political statements risk appearing meaingless unless you can imagine the direct opposite being spouted with conviction.
A One Wales Government may make sense as a political slogan but I've yet to discover a Two or Three Wales Government alternative on offer to the voters.
The All Wales Convention may have done what it said on the tin, but there wouldn't really be many votes in a Half Wales Convention.
So when a politician seeks your vote on the basis of there being no room for complacency, do look hard for another insisting there's plenty of room for the same.
The Welsh Conservatives have the phrase on their function keys as surely as Plaid Cymru use "slap in the face" and "snub to Wales".
So what did the party's leader in the Welsh Assembly make of their latest electoral success? Nick Bourne was delighted, but there was "no room for complacency".
His considered verdict a week later remained the same.
What did Professor Bourne make of a recent opinion poll? You can find the answer here - and, yes, the c-word does feature (although of course there is no room for it).
The shadow Welsh Secretary, Cheryl Gillan, was singing from the same hymn sheet when she received yesterday's jobless figures. Funnily enough, she gave an identical reaction to last August's figures.
And this afternoon, the party's Assembly Member Angela Burns has warned that, you've guessed it, there's "no room for complacency" over jobs in her constituency.
Wouldn't it be re-assuring, just the once, if a politician reacted to some news with a defiant message to camera along the lines of "there's plenty of room for complacency here, I'm off down the pub".
Showing posts with label Nick Bourne. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nick Bourne. Show all posts
Thursday, 21 January 2010
Friday, 20 November 2009
The first XI
I do enjoy these surveys of politicians by politicians. The joys of percentages mean small numbers of people can appear as hugely significant masses of opinion.
So Edwina Hart is the "top performer" chosen by 25 per cent of the 30 people sampled by the pollsters (I make that eight).
Lower down the popularity chain, Nick Bourne, Ieuan Wyn Jones and Jocelyn Davies have the support of four per cent - if my maths is correct that means two AMs each rated them.
The consolation for Professor Bourne, Mr Jones and Ms Davies is that they are twice as popular as Nick Ramsay and Jenny Randerson, who were named by two per cent of those asked - I make that one AM each.
The consolation for Mr Ramsay and Mrs Randerson is that still makes them more popular than 49 other AMs, who didn't make the IPSOS-Mori first eleven.
So Edwina Hart is the "top performer" chosen by 25 per cent of the 30 people sampled by the pollsters (I make that eight).
Lower down the popularity chain, Nick Bourne, Ieuan Wyn Jones and Jocelyn Davies have the support of four per cent - if my maths is correct that means two AMs each rated them.
The consolation for Professor Bourne, Mr Jones and Ms Davies is that they are twice as popular as Nick Ramsay and Jenny Randerson, who were named by two per cent of those asked - I make that one AM each.
The consolation for Mr Ramsay and Mrs Randerson is that still makes them more popular than 49 other AMs, who didn't make the IPSOS-Mori first eleven.
Monday, 5 October 2009
Harvey Nicks, the Professor, and Incapacity Benefit
The Harvey Nicks cocktail bar in the conference centre is doing a roaring trade. Perhaps the warnings about complacency have yet to filter through to the massed Tories here. Alan Duncan has apparently been spotted drinking something fizzy.
But enough frivolity. Just occasionally we cover stories that actually affect the lives of our audience. David Cameron's plan to make everyone on Incapacity Benefit take medical tests to prove they really are too sick to work could have a big impact in former industrial areas of south Wales.
No fewer than one in ten of the Welsh workforce - 188,000 people - claim IB and its ESA successor.
In Merthyr, one in six people of working age are on the benefit. The Tories say many of them (400,000 out of the UK's 2.6m) could be in work.
If David Cameron wins power next year, those who are judged fit to work will be expected to look for a job, or have their benefit cut from the £89 a week on IB to the £64 a week job seeker's allowance.
Mr Cameron argues that many on the benefit want to work - although the success of his idea may depend on there being jobs to do in deprived areas.
Nick Bourne, the Tories' leader in the Welsh Assembly, went on Radio Wales to defend the policy. He told Good Evening Wales the numbers claiming the benefit had "swollen" each year under Labour - words such as "remorselessly" appeared alongside "year on year" during the interview.
He may be right. He is a professor, after all. But the official figures here and contempotary ones confirmed by the DWP today suggest numbers have gone down, albeit slightly, under Labour.
But enough frivolity. Just occasionally we cover stories that actually affect the lives of our audience. David Cameron's plan to make everyone on Incapacity Benefit take medical tests to prove they really are too sick to work could have a big impact in former industrial areas of south Wales.
No fewer than one in ten of the Welsh workforce - 188,000 people - claim IB and its ESA successor.
In Merthyr, one in six people of working age are on the benefit. The Tories say many of them (400,000 out of the UK's 2.6m) could be in work.
If David Cameron wins power next year, those who are judged fit to work will be expected to look for a job, or have their benefit cut from the £89 a week on IB to the £64 a week job seeker's allowance.
Mr Cameron argues that many on the benefit want to work - although the success of his idea may depend on there being jobs to do in deprived areas.
Nick Bourne, the Tories' leader in the Welsh Assembly, went on Radio Wales to defend the policy. He told Good Evening Wales the numbers claiming the benefit had "swollen" each year under Labour - words such as "remorselessly" appeared alongside "year on year" during the interview.
He may be right. He is a professor, after all. But the official figures here and contempotary ones confirmed by the DWP today suggest numbers have gone down, albeit slightly, under Labour.
Wednesday, 29 April 2009
Honestly.....
I returned to the news treadmill after two days filming out of the office to discover my inbox bursting with Welsh Conservative indignation over the consequences of Alistair Darling's Budget.
"MINISTERS MUST BE HONEST ABOUT ASSEMBLY BUDGET CUTS" screamed one press release.
Another from the same source quotes the Tories' leader in the Welsh Assembly warning of "cuts which will have damaging consequences for jobs and services across Wales".
The "cuts" in question start to bite next year, by which time David Cameron may be Prime Minister.
The Welsh Tories appear so entrenched in an opposition mentality they find it difficult to adjust to the prospect of government - or Mr Cameron's "government of thrift" message has yet to filter down the M4.
At Westminster, the only Tory spending commitments are to protect the NHS budget and maintain international development spending. Everything else is up for grabs.
It's only honest to point out that, in the current economic climate, whoever wins the election next year the chances are public spending will be squeezed even more in the years to come.
As Andrew Rawnsley writes (from a Westminster perspective): "The politics of the post-New Labour era will be about how to ration a shrinking cake."
And if Nick Bourne rings up George Osborne, he may discover that the next Conservative Government is likely to favour smaller slices all round.
"MINISTERS MUST BE HONEST ABOUT ASSEMBLY BUDGET CUTS" screamed one press release.
Another from the same source quotes the Tories' leader in the Welsh Assembly warning of "cuts which will have damaging consequences for jobs and services across Wales".
The "cuts" in question start to bite next year, by which time David Cameron may be Prime Minister.
The Welsh Tories appear so entrenched in an opposition mentality they find it difficult to adjust to the prospect of government - or Mr Cameron's "government of thrift" message has yet to filter down the M4.
At Westminster, the only Tory spending commitments are to protect the NHS budget and maintain international development spending. Everything else is up for grabs.
It's only honest to point out that, in the current economic climate, whoever wins the election next year the chances are public spending will be squeezed even more in the years to come.
As Andrew Rawnsley writes (from a Westminster perspective): "The politics of the post-New Labour era will be about how to ration a shrinking cake."
And if Nick Bourne rings up George Osborne, he may discover that the next Conservative Government is likely to favour smaller slices all round.
Wednesday, 1 April 2009
An invisible nation no more
Members of the Welsh Assembly have occasionally been known to accuse Fleet Street of ignoring their institution.
There will then be cheers from Cardiff Bay for The Times after the newspaper included two AMs in its list of the nine most outrageous expenses claims ever.
Welsh Tory leader, Nick Bourne, may be less than thrilled to see his taxpayer-funded purchase of an iPod at number 5 (four places behind Jacqui Smith's porn).
The paper doesn't point out that he did pay back the cash, although it's cheeky enough to mention that he also put a trouser press on expenses too.
There will then be cheers from Cardiff Bay for The Times after the newspaper included two AMs in its list of the nine most outrageous expenses claims ever.
Welsh Tory leader, Nick Bourne, may be less than thrilled to see his taxpayer-funded purchase of an iPod at number 5 (four places behind Jacqui Smith's porn).
The paper doesn't point out that he did pay back the cash, although it's cheeky enough to mention that he also put a trouser press on expenses too.
Monday, 29 September 2008
Dave reaches for the off switch
David Cameron was in cheerful mood as he mingled among the Welsh party faithful last night at a conference reception.
There was just the one Gavin and Stacey Joke and just the one teasing Assembly group leader Nick Bourne after his recent shower accident (he's still bearing the scars, prompting his leader to wonder whether he'd been fighting with shadow Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan again).
The overall message was one that's already become a familiar one: "no complacency".
He told representatives they must not give voters a chance to turn their back on the party again. So there's a clampdown on MEP expenses and MPs are told to publish full details of their own claims.
"Get rid of the John Lewis list, get rid of the plasma screen TVs," said Mr Cameron.
Will you tell the AM for Monmouth or shall I?
There was just the one Gavin and Stacey Joke and just the one teasing Assembly group leader Nick Bourne after his recent shower accident (he's still bearing the scars, prompting his leader to wonder whether he'd been fighting with shadow Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan again).
The overall message was one that's already become a familiar one: "no complacency".
He told representatives they must not give voters a chance to turn their back on the party again. So there's a clampdown on MEP expenses and MPs are told to publish full details of their own claims.
"Get rid of the John Lewis list, get rid of the plasma screen TVs," said Mr Cameron.
Will you tell the AM for Monmouth or shall I?
Sunday, 28 September 2008
Chat Show Cheryl
If it's Sunday, it must be Birmingham. Manchester and Bournemouth are disappearing in the rear view mirror as the party conference circus arrives in England's second city.
The Tories are in town "preparing for government" without looking too triumphalist about recent opinion polls.
Conservative conferences are often a struggle for hacks in search of a Welsh policy but there was a hint of one in the conference session just ended.
Tory Assembly leader Nick Bourne told party activists that a Conservative government might lift the ban on candidates standing in both individual constituencies and on regional lists.
Labour introduced the ban "to stop losers becoming winners" after several AMs found themselves elected to Cardiff Bay despite polling poorly in individual seats.
Mr Bourne may have been lulled into letting slip the idea by the comfort of his IKEA-style tub chair, his stage home for a conference session on the nations and regions of the UK.
The idea of re-storing dual candidacy may have been in the Tory manifesto for the last Assembly elections, but there's a big difference between a request to a Labour Government at Westminster and introducing a policy as a UK Government.
It was chaired by Cheryl Gillan, who looked very much at home in the role, more Trisha than Jerry Springer.
"Chat Show Cheryl" clearly has other options should she not find herself around the cabinet table in a Conservative Government.
The Tories are in town "preparing for government" without looking too triumphalist about recent opinion polls.
Conservative conferences are often a struggle for hacks in search of a Welsh policy but there was a hint of one in the conference session just ended.
Tory Assembly leader Nick Bourne told party activists that a Conservative government might lift the ban on candidates standing in both individual constituencies and on regional lists.
Labour introduced the ban "to stop losers becoming winners" after several AMs found themselves elected to Cardiff Bay despite polling poorly in individual seats.
Mr Bourne may have been lulled into letting slip the idea by the comfort of his IKEA-style tub chair, his stage home for a conference session on the nations and regions of the UK.
The idea of re-storing dual candidacy may have been in the Tory manifesto for the last Assembly elections, but there's a big difference between a request to a Labour Government at Westminster and introducing a policy as a UK Government.
It was chaired by Cheryl Gillan, who looked very much at home in the role, more Trisha than Jerry Springer.
"Chat Show Cheryl" clearly has other options should she not find herself around the cabinet table in a Conservative Government.
Friday, 25 July 2008
Changing Times
When I was a lad, the Conservatives were in favour of smaller government, lower taxes and reduced public spending.
Things have changed, although earlier this month, the former Welsh Office Minister Lord Roberts suggested to BBC Wales that a future Conservative government should cut spending, although his comments may have been lost during my futile journey to discover Tory policy on devolution.
Today, Welsh Tory leader Nick Bourne has suggested the formula which effectively decides the level of much public spending in Wales should be replaced with "some updated needs-based top up grant". That would presumably increase public spending in Wales, although he doesn't say whether that would be financed by a cut in spending in Scotland or England.
For all the fuss about the formula in Wales, the strongest pressure for a review comes from England, which perhaps should worry politicians west of Offa's Dyke. Check out how the Northern Echo reported an inquiry into the issue for one English perspective. The debate's still raging on the (London) Evening Standard website.
Lord Roberts will have been chuffed to learn that David Cameron has promised to publish his review of devolution policy when he receives the final report (the interim version was submitted recently).
It's slightly confusing to simple hacks like me why the Tories are reviewing their policy on devolution when their MPs have been promised a free vote on the conclusion.
Never mind, let's just hope Mr Cameron didn't leave his copy of the Roberts review on the back of his bike.
Things have changed, although earlier this month, the former Welsh Office Minister Lord Roberts suggested to BBC Wales that a future Conservative government should cut spending, although his comments may have been lost during my futile journey to discover Tory policy on devolution.
Today, Welsh Tory leader Nick Bourne has suggested the formula which effectively decides the level of much public spending in Wales should be replaced with "some updated needs-based top up grant". That would presumably increase public spending in Wales, although he doesn't say whether that would be financed by a cut in spending in Scotland or England.
For all the fuss about the formula in Wales, the strongest pressure for a review comes from England, which perhaps should worry politicians west of Offa's Dyke. Check out how the Northern Echo reported an inquiry into the issue for one English perspective. The debate's still raging on the (London) Evening Standard website.
Lord Roberts will have been chuffed to learn that David Cameron has promised to publish his review of devolution policy when he receives the final report (the interim version was submitted recently).
It's slightly confusing to simple hacks like me why the Tories are reviewing their policy on devolution when their MPs have been promised a free vote on the conclusion.
Never mind, let's just hope Mr Cameron didn't leave his copy of the Roberts review on the back of his bike.
Tuesday, 15 July 2008
Impressionable politicians
"Politicians want more power" must be up there with "Tour cyclist fails drugs test" as among the more predictable headlines of the summer.
Perhaps it's testimony to the accuracy of the Ipsos MORI survey that the results were as expected - 80 per cent of Welsh Assembly Members want Scottish Parliament-style powers.
The results of the "most impressive AM" were less predictable, perhaps because most of the 36 AMs interviewed refused to give a preference. The "don't knows" totalled 58 per cent - only 15 named AMs.
Of those who did, 17 per cent opted for Health Minister Edwina Hart, 13 per cent for Plaid Housing Minister Jocelyn Davies and 12 per cent for Tory Jonathan Morgan.
Before Mrs Hart starts ordering telephone lines for her leadership campaign, she might care to glance at the raw figures (the percentages are weighted to make the sample more representative).
She was the choice of 6 AMs; 5 AMs mentioned Jocelyn Davies, 4 Jonathan Morgan, and 2 Ieuan Wyn Jones, Nick Bourne and David Melding.
Among UK politicians, Alex Salmond and Adam Price fared well, helped by a disproportionately high number of "don't knows" among Labour AMs curiously reluctant to endorse Gordon Brown.
The representative sample of 36 AMs were interviewed face-to-face last September and October although the results have only just been published.
Perhaps it's testimony to the accuracy of the Ipsos MORI survey that the results were as expected - 80 per cent of Welsh Assembly Members want Scottish Parliament-style powers.
The results of the "most impressive AM" were less predictable, perhaps because most of the 36 AMs interviewed refused to give a preference. The "don't knows" totalled 58 per cent - only 15 named AMs.
Of those who did, 17 per cent opted for Health Minister Edwina Hart, 13 per cent for Plaid Housing Minister Jocelyn Davies and 12 per cent for Tory Jonathan Morgan.
Before Mrs Hart starts ordering telephone lines for her leadership campaign, she might care to glance at the raw figures (the percentages are weighted to make the sample more representative).
She was the choice of 6 AMs; 5 AMs mentioned Jocelyn Davies, 4 Jonathan Morgan, and 2 Ieuan Wyn Jones, Nick Bourne and David Melding.
Among UK politicians, Alex Salmond and Adam Price fared well, helped by a disproportionately high number of "don't knows" among Labour AMs curiously reluctant to endorse Gordon Brown.
The representative sample of 36 AMs were interviewed face-to-face last September and October although the results have only just been published.
Tuesday, 17 June 2008
Opportunism knocks
Tory leader David Cameron is giving up his pay rise this year, following the example set by Gordon Brown and his Government.
Salary sacrifice is quite common in Welsh politics, where Assembly Members were recently offered inflation-busting rises.
Those AMs who declined the cash were accused of "the worst kind of political opportunism" by the Welsh Tory leader, Nick Bourne, who is paid around £90,000 a year as leader of the opposition in Cardiff Bay.
At least today's developments should give Messrs Bourne and Cameron something to talk about other than Alun Cairns's foreign policy when they next discuss political developments.
Salary sacrifice is quite common in Welsh politics, where Assembly Members were recently offered inflation-busting rises.
Those AMs who declined the cash were accused of "the worst kind of political opportunism" by the Welsh Tory leader, Nick Bourne, who is paid around £90,000 a year as leader of the opposition in Cardiff Bay.
At least today's developments should give Messrs Bourne and Cameron something to talk about other than Alun Cairns's foreign policy when they next discuss political developments.
Tuesday, 27 May 2008
Vote Blue, Go Green?
That "Vote Blue, Go Green" message seems rather dated now. In fact, it must be almost four weeks since the Conservatives put environmental concerns high on their campaign agenda for the local council elections.Today, Welsh Tory leader Nick Bourne and fellow Welsh Assembly Member Andrew Davies were on hand to receive a petitition from hauliers.
With fuel costs continuing to rise, the Tories may not be the only party or pressure group to play down their green credentials at the moment.
Even Greenpeace have criticised plans to increase future road tax for vehicles already on the road.
Thursday, 31 January 2008
Off the rails
Today's Western Mail has an interesting feature on favourite childhood toys.
Two politicians feature - both Conservatives, Nick Bourne AM and David Davies MP.
Both say their favourite childhood toy was a train set.
Nick Bourne says it reflects his lifelong passion for trains and railway travel.
David Davies is perhaps more revealing: "I liked setting up crashes on it. I was a destructive little boy....
"I got fed up with it when I was about 15 and I started to take bits of it to the second hand shop for money to spend on less wholesome activities."
Little wonder perhaps that David Davies grew up to be a Conservative MP when he was already privatising his train set at the age of 15.
Two politicians feature - both Conservatives, Nick Bourne AM and David Davies MP.
Both say their favourite childhood toy was a train set.
Nick Bourne says it reflects his lifelong passion for trains and railway travel.
David Davies is perhaps more revealing: "I liked setting up crashes on it. I was a destructive little boy....
"I got fed up with it when I was about 15 and I started to take bits of it to the second hand shop for money to spend on less wholesome activities."
Little wonder perhaps that David Davies grew up to be a Conservative MP when he was already privatising his train set at the age of 15.
Tuesday, 13 November 2007
Tory chain gang caption competition
Peter Hain can relax, for once. This week's photograph features prominent Tories Cheryl Gillan and Nick Bourne digging for victory/digging themselves into a hole/modelling the latest Guantanamo chic look. You decide.
Tuesday, 2 October 2007
DC on DC (II)
David Cameron on making St David's Day a bank holiday:
"I think there is a very strong case for it. It is something we would be prepared to look at very positively."
Asked about the cost to business, he said: "There is a good case to say that if you look at bank holidays we get rather less than some other European countries so I think that maybe there is something we can do there."
(Honestly, you spend thousands to send your boy to Eton and they don't even teach him about the difference between less and fewer).
Questioned about Assembly group leader Nick Bourne's claim that the current devolution settlement is untenable, Mr Cameron said the Tories would look at the case for devolving extra powers from Westminster case-by-case.
"I don't believe in some great leap forward. I think we have got to make this work in a sort of organic way rather than writing some great blueprint."
He seemed rather more relaxed about Nick Bourne's speech to a conference fringe than some MPs are. Cross words have been exchanged in Tory circles after Mr Bourne repeated his commitment to giving the Assembly full law-making powers like the Scottish Parliament.
He didn't use the p-word - Parliament - but more than one MP has been subjecting the speech to heavy textual analysis. The Tories may be united on many things here in Blackpool, after a conference that has been nowhere near as bad as some of them feared, but devolution stretches that unity.
"I think there is a very strong case for it. It is something we would be prepared to look at very positively."
Asked about the cost to business, he said: "There is a good case to say that if you look at bank holidays we get rather less than some other European countries so I think that maybe there is something we can do there."
(Honestly, you spend thousands to send your boy to Eton and they don't even teach him about the difference between less and fewer).
Questioned about Assembly group leader Nick Bourne's claim that the current devolution settlement is untenable, Mr Cameron said the Tories would look at the case for devolving extra powers from Westminster case-by-case.
"I don't believe in some great leap forward. I think we have got to make this work in a sort of organic way rather than writing some great blueprint."
He seemed rather more relaxed about Nick Bourne's speech to a conference fringe than some MPs are. Cross words have been exchanged in Tory circles after Mr Bourne repeated his commitment to giving the Assembly full law-making powers like the Scottish Parliament.
He didn't use the p-word - Parliament - but more than one MP has been subjecting the speech to heavy textual analysis. The Tories may be united on many things here in Blackpool, after a conference that has been nowhere near as bad as some of them feared, but devolution stretches that unity.
DC on DC
Just back from the Derby room at the Imperial Hotel and my allotted five minutes with David Cameron.
I think I must have been only the 29th hack to interview the Tory leader today.
He did look just a little fed up having to switch at five-minute intervals between the various nations and regions of the BBC - from policing in Kent to the Scottish Parliament.
He's a polished performer and I didn't come away with a world exclusive.
But he did have fairly interesting things to say about Tory Assembly leader Nick Bourne's call for the Welsh Assembly to be given more powers and the idea that St David's Day could become a bank holiday. Cameron thinks it's an attractive idea and the UK has too few public holidays.
Will it appear in the Tory manifesto for the next (imminent?) general election? No guarantees.
I also asked this old Etonian if he's too posh for Wales. You can guess the answer.
I think I must have been only the 29th hack to interview the Tory leader today.
He did look just a little fed up having to switch at five-minute intervals between the various nations and regions of the BBC - from policing in Kent to the Scottish Parliament.
He's a polished performer and I didn't come away with a world exclusive.
But he did have fairly interesting things to say about Tory Assembly leader Nick Bourne's call for the Welsh Assembly to be given more powers and the idea that St David's Day could become a bank holiday. Cameron thinks it's an attractive idea and the UK has too few public holidays.
Will it appear in the Tory manifesto for the next (imminent?) general election? No guarantees.
I also asked this old Etonian if he's too posh for Wales. You can guess the answer.
Vote Blue, go Green?
Never let it be said that politicians say different things to different audiences.
Here's Nick Bourne, leader of the Tories in the Welsh Assembly, speaking to a fringe meeting at the party conference in Blackpool last night:
"On reflection the argument the ‘No’ campaign set out about the threat to the Union was, at the very least, over done, possibly even wrong."
And here's Nick Bourne, writing in the Daily Post, last month:
"With reflection I think the argument the ‘No’ campaign set out about the threat to the Union was, at very least, over done, possibly wrong."
David Cameron's been criticised for highlighting the environment but he seems to have persuaded his leader in the Welsh Assembly to start recycling his own speeches.
Here's Nick Bourne, leader of the Tories in the Welsh Assembly, speaking to a fringe meeting at the party conference in Blackpool last night:
"On reflection the argument the ‘No’ campaign set out about the threat to the Union was, at the very least, over done, possibly even wrong."
And here's Nick Bourne, writing in the Daily Post, last month:
"With reflection I think the argument the ‘No’ campaign set out about the threat to the Union was, at very least, over done, possibly wrong."
David Cameron's been criticised for highlighting the environment but he seems to have persuaded his leader in the Welsh Assembly to start recycling his own speeches.
Monday, 1 October 2007
Right turn
Good news for Nick Bourne. The Telegraph adjudges the Tory leader in the Welsh Assembly the 51st most influential person on the Right in the UK.
That's one ahead of Samantha Cameron (Dave's wife), three up on Lord Tebbit and nine ahead of John Redwood.
Nick Bourne is apparently dead chuffed - even if some Tory activists are rather sceptical about his claim to be on the Right.
Roll on the top 50.
That's one ahead of Samantha Cameron (Dave's wife), three up on Lord Tebbit and nine ahead of John Redwood.
Nick Bourne is apparently dead chuffed - even if some Tory activists are rather sceptical about his claim to be on the Right.
Roll on the top 50.
Gardening leave
I spent the morning gardening in Blackpool. Before I'm called before the BBC trust police for deception, I should point out that I spent the morning watching others gardening.
The Welsh Tories unveiled their answer to Groundforce's Charlie Dimmock and Alan Titchmarsh.
Step forward Cheryl Gillan and Nick Bourne, wearing anoraks of Guantanimo Bay orange. The plucky duo helped out at a project to build a community garden in a deprived area of Blackpool - a social action project designed to show how the Conservatives have changed.
Their efforts so far do look impressive, especially since I understand that Cheryl Gillan has a gardener and Nick Bourne doesn't have a garden.
Iain Dale has delivered his verdict on the first conference appearance of this double act:
"There was a time when the opening speech of the conference by the Party Chairman was a must for all those attending. Today the hall is a quarter full. I'm sitting here listening to a discussion chaired by Caroline Spelman with the devolved Tory leaders. Someone really needs to sort the sound out. Truly terrible. Off to a fringe."
Having quoted from Iain's blog, I should probably plug his new Guide to Political Blogging in the UK, not least because I'm in it.
I'm a bit wary of lists and a bit perplexed by some of the top 30s, but if you voted for me - thanks. This blog's only been going since June and lacks a BBC platform so it was refreshing to discover that someone out there is reading it.
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