It is indeed an historic day, a landmark moment in time that will be remembered by generations to come.
In future, people will turn to each other and instantly recall exactly where they were when they heard the news - that Peter Hain was "unavailable for comment".
The media-friendly Welsh Secretary has declined an opportunity to appear live on Wales's most-watched news programme, lest he be diverted from a discussion of the Queen's Speech by a cheeky question or two on his views on when there should be a referendum on the National Assembly's law-making powers.
Showing posts with label Queen's Speech. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Queen's Speech. Show all posts
Wednesday, 18 November 2009
Monday, 12 November 2007
Not very grand
Devastating news for political anoraks: this week's meeting of the Welsh Grand Committee, that megastore of talking shops, has been cancelled.
Slightly better news for political anoraks: there's a bit of a row about who is to blame.
[Welsh Secretary] Peter Hain's Wales Office told me [Shadow Welsh Secretary] Cheryl Gillan asked for it to be cancelled.
The Conservatives say the Government called it off after discovering Mr Hain, who is also Work and Pensions Secretary, was double-booked. Ms Gillan is furious at the suggestion she was behind the cancellation.
Mr Hain's office insist that they were told by the Tories that they would vote against the decision to meet to discuss both the Queen's Speech and the Pre-Budget report. They had demanded two separate meetings to discuss both events.
The Wales Office is now looking to schedule a Welsh Grand in December, long enough after both events for no-one to care.
Slightly better news for political anoraks: there's a bit of a row about who is to blame.
[Welsh Secretary] Peter Hain's Wales Office told me [Shadow Welsh Secretary] Cheryl Gillan asked for it to be cancelled.
The Conservatives say the Government called it off after discovering Mr Hain, who is also Work and Pensions Secretary, was double-booked. Ms Gillan is furious at the suggestion she was behind the cancellation.
Mr Hain's office insist that they were told by the Tories that they would vote against the decision to meet to discuss both the Queen's Speech and the Pre-Budget report. They had demanded two separate meetings to discuss both events.
The Wales Office is now looking to schedule a Welsh Grand in December, long enough after both events for no-one to care.
Tuesday, 6 November 2007
Tights and toll roads
Not wearing tights or medals, I do feel slightly under-dressed at state occasions such as the opening of Parliament.
There are no surprises among the Bills read by the Queen in a speech that was the shortest since Labour came to power, but do read on.....
The major flashpoints are likely to occur over anti-terror laws, where the Government wants to allow the police to continue to question suspects who've already been charged - and to give police the power to detain suspects for longer before charging them.
Welsh angle? Most of the Bills apply to Wales, in varying degrees. Three of them will allow the Welsh Assembly to draft laws in areas of education, planning and local transport.
The latter may be the most interesting - it would give the Assembly Government the power to charge motorists for using the new M4 relief road and trunk roads.
There are no surprises among the Bills read by the Queen in a speech that was the shortest since Labour came to power, but do read on.....
The major flashpoints are likely to occur over anti-terror laws, where the Government wants to allow the police to continue to question suspects who've already been charged - and to give police the power to detain suspects for longer before charging them.
Welsh angle? Most of the Bills apply to Wales, in varying degrees. Three of them will allow the Welsh Assembly to draft laws in areas of education, planning and local transport.
The latter may be the most interesting - it would give the Assembly Government the power to charge motorists for using the new M4 relief road and trunk roads.
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