When Lord Lucan is discovered (again) it's time to go on holiday.
I will be back at my PC on September 3.
Wednesday, 8 August 2007
Tuesday, 7 August 2007
Digging for victory?
I've been struggling to keep up with, or rather stay at wake during, the war of e-mails between Labour and the Conservatives over David Anstee's defection.
Not since Winston Churchill and Clement Attlee disputed the last comb in the cabinet room has a political row assumed such relevance.
To bring you up to date, the Conservatives have now withdrawn their threat to report Rhondda AM and junior Minister Leighton Andrews to the standards commissioner.
Indeed, the Welsh Tories' "chief of staff" (don't you love these military titles?) Paul Morris has issued a grovelling apology to Rhondda AM and junior Minister Leighton Andrews.
Anstee himself has given an exclusive interview to Rhondda TV about the reasons behind his defection.
At least, I think he has. I tuned in to Rhondda TV but unfortunately there were technical problems - rather too much wind noise on the microphone and sound out-of-synch with the pictures - so I may have missed the point.
Perhaps the station needs a little guidance in broadcast skills from an unremunerated honorary professor at Cardiff University's School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies?
Not since Winston Churchill and Clement Attlee disputed the last comb in the cabinet room has a political row assumed such relevance.
To bring you up to date, the Conservatives have now withdrawn their threat to report Rhondda AM and junior Minister Leighton Andrews to the standards commissioner.
Indeed, the Welsh Tories' "chief of staff" (don't you love these military titles?) Paul Morris has issued a grovelling apology to Rhondda AM and junior Minister Leighton Andrews.
That hasn't stopped Paul Morris's boss, Nick Bourne, from writing to the Prime Minister to complain about Labour tactics in exaggerating the role played by David Anstee in Welsh Conservative politics.
Indeed, Anstee himself has criticised the way the defection was handled.
Nick Bourne said the claim about Mr Anstee and the manifesto "is totally without foundation and massively overstates the role played by Mr Anstee" - the Tories no longer claim Leighton Andrews was responsible for some of the claims made by Labour.Anstee himself has given an exclusive interview to Rhondda TV about the reasons behind his defection.
At least, I think he has. I tuned in to Rhondda TV but unfortunately there were technical problems - rather too much wind noise on the microphone and sound out-of-synch with the pictures - so I may have missed the point.
Perhaps the station needs a little guidance in broadcast skills from an unremunerated honorary professor at Cardiff University's School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies?
Monday, 6 August 2007
A defective defection?
My inbox has been pinging with claim and counter-claim today as Labour and the Tories do battle over the lastest "defector" between the two parties.
David Anstee, a 26-year-old teacher and former Tory council candidate in Rhondda Cynon Taff, has defected to Labour.
Not exactly the biggest fish in the sea, but this is August and the political parties appear to have noticed a gap in the media coverage between the foot and mouth outbreak and the National Eisteddfod.
Labour claim Anstee (left) was "one of the Tories' brightest young politicians in Wales" and
"a member of a powerful Welsh Conservative Policy Group which wrote the party's 2007 Assembly election manifesto".
Prime Minister Gordon Brown was swift to welcome the conversion. The Conservatives were less impressed: "David Anstee was in no way involved in putting together the 2007 election manifesto."
Ah.
The Conservatives are now threatening to report Labour AM Leighton Andrews to the commissioner for standards unless he apologises for allegedly exaggerating Anstee's role.
The former Tory's conversion does appear to have been a rapid one. This is what he thought of David Cameron (who decided to send his child to a state school) just six months ago:
"A Politician who does what he says, says what he believes and isn't afraid to stand out in the crowd. Could this be a PM in waiting. Cameron should be applauded for taking the education of his child so seriously. He has made an intelligent decision which could have landed him in hot water with certain quarters of the electorate.
"He had nevertheless run rough shod over the insiduous rantings of the anti-faith school faction and has made a good decision for the future of his child. Surely now we can trust the future of our children with someone who puts his own children's futures first!"
Labour's response to the Tory rebuttal?
'The Tories are wrong to say David Anstee played no role in helping draw up Tory policies for the 2007 Assembly election. He even attended a meeting of the Welsh Conservative Policy Forum, run by Tory Policy Co-ordinator David Melding AM, to discuss policies for the 2007 election."
David Melding says he doesn't know Anstee, but that hasn't stopped Gordon Brown interrupting his busy day fighting foot and mouth to say:
"I am pleased that David listened to my call for moderate Conservatives to join the Labour party and help build a better Britain.
"I welcome him to the party and look forward to hearing of his positive contribution in the future."
David Anstee, a 26-year-old teacher and former Tory council candidate in Rhondda Cynon Taff, has defected to Labour.
Not exactly the biggest fish in the sea, but this is August and the political parties appear to have noticed a gap in the media coverage between the foot and mouth outbreak and the National Eisteddfod.
Labour claim Anstee (left) was "one of the Tories' brightest young politicians in Wales" and
"a member of a powerful Welsh Conservative Policy Group which wrote the party's 2007 Assembly election manifesto".
Prime Minister Gordon Brown was swift to welcome the conversion. The Conservatives were less impressed: "David Anstee was in no way involved in putting together the 2007 election manifesto."
Ah.
The Conservatives are now threatening to report Labour AM Leighton Andrews to the commissioner for standards unless he apologises for allegedly exaggerating Anstee's role.
The former Tory's conversion does appear to have been a rapid one. This is what he thought of David Cameron (who decided to send his child to a state school) just six months ago:
"A Politician who does what he says, says what he believes and isn't afraid to stand out in the crowd. Could this be a PM in waiting. Cameron should be applauded for taking the education of his child so seriously. He has made an intelligent decision which could have landed him in hot water with certain quarters of the electorate.
"He had nevertheless run rough shod over the insiduous rantings of the anti-faith school faction and has made a good decision for the future of his child. Surely now we can trust the future of our children with someone who puts his own children's futures first!"
Labour's response to the Tory rebuttal?
'The Tories are wrong to say David Anstee played no role in helping draw up Tory policies for the 2007 Assembly election. He even attended a meeting of the Welsh Conservative Policy Forum, run by Tory Policy Co-ordinator David Melding AM, to discuss policies for the 2007 election."
David Melding says he doesn't know Anstee, but that hasn't stopped Gordon Brown interrupting his busy day fighting foot and mouth to say:
"I am pleased that David listened to my call for moderate Conservatives to join the Labour party and help build a better Britain.
"I welcome him to the party and look forward to hearing of his positive contribution in the future."
Friday, 3 August 2007
Old cricketers never die
Is there a more wonderfully-sponsored sports event than the Dorset Funeral Plan Cricket League?
Wednesday, 1 August 2007
Cancel those phone lines, Eleanor
Brrring, brrring; brrring, brrring. I rush to the mobile. A familiar voice at the other end.
"Hello, this is the Mayor of London." Lembit Opik, for it is he, rings to let me know he won't be running for the Lib Dem nomination for Mayor.
Or does he? Opik uses the familiar phrase "I have no plans to......", a phrase pioneered by Michael Heseltine in the months leading up to his challenge to Margaret Thatcher.
But Opik tells me: "I have no plans to run for Mayor, and if you think that's a way of saying I will stand then you need to get yourself a map.
"There are two conditions under which I would stand. One, that Montgomeryshire becomes a London borough. Two, that Welshpool becomes a station on the Metropolitan line."
"Hello, this is the Mayor of London." Lembit Opik, for it is he, rings to let me know he won't be running for the Lib Dem nomination for Mayor.
Or does he? Opik uses the familiar phrase "I have no plans to......", a phrase pioneered by Michael Heseltine in the months leading up to his challenge to Margaret Thatcher.
But Opik tells me: "I have no plans to run for Mayor, and if you think that's a way of saying I will stand then you need to get yourself a map.
"There are two conditions under which I would stand. One, that Montgomeryshire becomes a London borough. Two, that Welshpool becomes a station on the Metropolitan line."
Latter day Dick Whittington
This may or may not be a silly season story. Lembit Opik is considering running as the Liberal Democrat candidate for London mayor.
The leader of the Welsh Lib Dems says the speculation linking him with the job is "ever so flattering".
"If I was a London MP I would stand like a shot. The only issue is my constituency is 205 miles away."
That may indeed be an issue with local party activists in Montgomeryshire, but Opik is clearly undeterred after positive comments from an aide to party leader Sir Menzies Campbell.
Sir Menzies can expect a call. "I think I might go and have a chat with the boss to see what's going on. The momentum seems to be developing a life of its own."
Is London ready for a fight between Ken Livingstone, Boris Johnson and Lembit Opik?
"Me, Boris and Ken would be a splendid contest. It would get a lot of interest and get the public voting as well."
It's a toss-up who will be more delighted by the news - Tory Montgomeryshire candidate Glyn Davies or would-be Welsh Lib Dem leader Eleanor Burnham AM.
The creation of directly-elected mayors has certainly led to a more presidential politics although this three-way fight could perhaps be less of an election campaign and more of a reality TV series.
The leader of the Welsh Lib Dems says the speculation linking him with the job is "ever so flattering".
"If I was a London MP I would stand like a shot. The only issue is my constituency is 205 miles away."
That may indeed be an issue with local party activists in Montgomeryshire, but Opik is clearly undeterred after positive comments from an aide to party leader Sir Menzies Campbell.
Sir Menzies can expect a call. "I think I might go and have a chat with the boss to see what's going on. The momentum seems to be developing a life of its own."
Is London ready for a fight between Ken Livingstone, Boris Johnson and Lembit Opik?
"Me, Boris and Ken would be a splendid contest. It would get a lot of interest and get the public voting as well."
It's a toss-up who will be more delighted by the news - Tory Montgomeryshire candidate Glyn Davies or would-be Welsh Lib Dem leader Eleanor Burnham AM.
The creation of directly-elected mayors has certainly led to a more presidential politics although this three-way fight could perhaps be less of an election campaign and more of a reality TV series.
Opik's connections with London may not be as strong as those of his rivals - judging by the photograph above he appears a little confused about the concept of a Chelsea tractor.
Still, I can't wait for the Hello! election pull-out.
Thursday, 26 July 2007
Welcome to the silly season (2)
Shadow Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan tries out a new approach to party disclipine at a church fete in Amersham. 
The whack-a-rat stall was apparently rather popular. Further caption suggestions welcome.
The whack-a-rat stall was apparently rather popular. Further caption suggestions welcome.Welcome to the silly season
Today is the last day of term at Westminster, quite possibly the official start of the silly season.
Or has it already arrived? Here are a few tell-tale signs gleaned from reading, watching and listening during the past week:
The prime minister's preference for a Labour government rather than a coalition with Plaid Cymru is presented as news.
Sunday newspaper columns blatantly lift diary stories from other papers without checking them.
The Western Mail devotes a whole page to the Barnett formula.
Or has it already arrived? Here are a few tell-tale signs gleaned from reading, watching and listening during the past week:
The prime minister's preference for a Labour government rather than a coalition with Plaid Cymru is presented as news.
Sunday newspaper columns blatantly lift diary stories from other papers without checking them.
The Western Mail devotes a whole page to the Barnett formula.
Traffic news replaces real news.
Adam Price says he's "demob-happy" on his Facebook profile.
You don't recognise the bylines in newspapers.
I'm blogging about the leadership of the Welsh Lib Dems.
Other tell-tale signs that the silly season is here gratefully received.
Wednesday, 25 July 2007
Another cheeky girl
Eleanor Burnham may want to look away now.
Lembit Opik assures me that he won't be stepping down as leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats despite his promotion to the business brief at Westminster.
Apparently the Welsh Lib Dems elect their leader after every general election and unless Gordon Brown goes to the polls shortly Opik plans to stay in the job.
This may come as a blow to Burnham, the North Wales AM with leadership ambitions. A brief lapse in vocabulary ("the Japs" episode) is unlikely to destroy those ambitions.
There may yet be an election closer to home - there usually is with the Lib Dems' "hyper-democracy".
The leader of the Lib Dems in the National Assembly is elected within a year of every Welsh Assembly election.
Will the long-serving Mike German, having failed to take his party into government after the May elections, really be up for four years of hard grind as the leader of the Assembly's smallest group?
Would anyone else really fancy the job? Don't all rush at once.
Perhaps Ms Burnham will have to be patient and wait for Opik's retirement.
Perhaps not. He assures me he will stay in the job but four years is a long time in Lib Dem politics.
Time to get the phone lines into campaign HQ> Did I just see Eleanor Burnham ringing BT?
Lembit Opik assures me that he won't be stepping down as leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats despite his promotion to the business brief at Westminster.
Apparently the Welsh Lib Dems elect their leader after every general election and unless Gordon Brown goes to the polls shortly Opik plans to stay in the job.
This may come as a blow to Burnham, the North Wales AM with leadership ambitions. A brief lapse in vocabulary ("the Japs" episode) is unlikely to destroy those ambitions.
There may yet be an election closer to home - there usually is with the Lib Dems' "hyper-democracy".
The leader of the Lib Dems in the National Assembly is elected within a year of every Welsh Assembly election.
Will the long-serving Mike German, having failed to take his party into government after the May elections, really be up for four years of hard grind as the leader of the Assembly's smallest group?
Would anyone else really fancy the job? Don't all rush at once.
Perhaps Ms Burnham will have to be patient and wait for Opik's retirement.
Perhaps not. He assures me he will stay in the job but four years is a long time in Lib Dem politics.
Time to get the phone lines into campaign HQ> Did I just see Eleanor Burnham ringing BT?
Tuesday, 24 July 2007
A (very) light grilling
Peter Hain is facing his annual grilling before MPs on Parliament's select committee on Welsh affairs.
Not too much to disturb the airwaves yet. The session actually began with the committee chairman congratulating Hain on the Wales Office annual report. Hopefully other members of this scrutiny committee will fulfil the hardcop function.
Members of the Labour/Plaid Cymru coalition in the Welsh Assembly Government won't have enjoyed the Hain advice on their plans to review the way Wales is funded from Westminster.
In brief, the secretary of state views it as "a perilous exercise" that could lead to a cut in its budget.
He told MPs that public spending per head in Wales is 11 per cent higher than in the UK, and 14 per cent higher than in England.
"I don't think there is any guarantee that replacing the Barnett formula would get a better deal for Wales."
He was also cautious about any calls for corporation tax to be reduced in Wales, as EU rules meant that cut would have to be off-set elsewhere - possibly in "a reduced budget for Wales".
The Wales Office's top civil servant also faced a rare public grilling. Alan Cogbill was questioned about a memo leaked to Dragon's Eye that suggested he was less than chuffed with his department's performance on an improvement programme.
In the memo, Cogbill wrote: "I've been disappointed that despite good efforts and some improvements we have not made decisive progress.
"I'd say reasons are weaknesses in priority and direction, communication, co-ordination and response".
On a couple of occasions the media that have gleaned snippets from inside the office and if they just came and asked me straight they'd get their straight story".
(We did ask to speak to him at the time but the Wales Office turned down our request for an interview).
Cogbill told the MPs he thought the department had had "a decent year and done a good job for Ministers and for Wales."
He confirmed that the Wales Office had spent £37,000 on an improvement programme.
Sadly he wasn't asked about another snippet I've gleaned - the external consultants brought in promised civil servants they would be given "Lego-style" bricks so that officials could make their own ideas on restructuring the office "three-dimensional".
Apparently the bricks never arrived, although any link between their non-arrival and the lack of progress with the improvement programme is coincidental.
Not too much to disturb the airwaves yet. The session actually began with the committee chairman congratulating Hain on the Wales Office annual report. Hopefully other members of this scrutiny committee will fulfil the hardcop function.
Members of the Labour/Plaid Cymru coalition in the Welsh Assembly Government won't have enjoyed the Hain advice on their plans to review the way Wales is funded from Westminster.
In brief, the secretary of state views it as "a perilous exercise" that could lead to a cut in its budget.
He told MPs that public spending per head in Wales is 11 per cent higher than in the UK, and 14 per cent higher than in England.
"I don't think there is any guarantee that replacing the Barnett formula would get a better deal for Wales."
He was also cautious about any calls for corporation tax to be reduced in Wales, as EU rules meant that cut would have to be off-set elsewhere - possibly in "a reduced budget for Wales".
The Wales Office's top civil servant also faced a rare public grilling. Alan Cogbill was questioned about a memo leaked to Dragon's Eye that suggested he was less than chuffed with his department's performance on an improvement programme.
In the memo, Cogbill wrote: "I've been disappointed that despite good efforts and some improvements we have not made decisive progress.
"I'd say reasons are weaknesses in priority and direction, communication, co-ordination and response".
On a couple of occasions the media that have gleaned snippets from inside the office and if they just came and asked me straight they'd get their straight story".
(We did ask to speak to him at the time but the Wales Office turned down our request for an interview).
Cogbill told the MPs he thought the department had had "a decent year and done a good job for Ministers and for Wales."
He confirmed that the Wales Office had spent £37,000 on an improvement programme.
Sadly he wasn't asked about another snippet I've gleaned - the external consultants brought in promised civil servants they would be given "Lego-style" bricks so that officials could make their own ideas on restructuring the office "three-dimensional".
Apparently the bricks never arrived, although any link between their non-arrival and the lack of progress with the improvement programme is coincidental.
Monday, 23 July 2007
For Wales, don't see England
Having spent Saturday dodging showers at Lord's, I'm only just catching up on the weekend papers.
Saturday's Western Mail featured an interview with Tory leader David Cameron, who seems determined that the next Conservative manifesto will reflect the consequences of devolution - and reduce the rights of Welsh and Scottish MPs at Westminster.
Cameron has moved with the times, reflecting the changes that have given the Welsh Assembly law-making powers.
But the principle remains the same as that from the 2005 manifesto (written by D. Cameron).
"Now that exclusively Scottish matters are decided by the Scottish
Parliament in Edinburgh, exclusively Welsh and English matters
should be decided in Westminster without the votes of MPs sitting
for Scottish constituencies who are not accountable to English and
Welsh voters. We will act to ensure that Welsh and English laws
are decided by Welsh and English votes."
Presumably, should a future Conservative Government decide to legislate on Welsh only matters at Westminster (St David's Day, perhaps?) in the interests of consistency it will exclude English MPs from the process.
Saturday's Western Mail featured an interview with Tory leader David Cameron, who seems determined that the next Conservative manifesto will reflect the consequences of devolution - and reduce the rights of Welsh and Scottish MPs at Westminster.
Cameron has moved with the times, reflecting the changes that have given the Welsh Assembly law-making powers.
But the principle remains the same as that from the 2005 manifesto (written by D. Cameron).
"Now that exclusively Scottish matters are decided by the Scottish
Parliament in Edinburgh, exclusively Welsh and English matters
should be decided in Westminster without the votes of MPs sitting
for Scottish constituencies who are not accountable to English and
Welsh voters. We will act to ensure that Welsh and English laws
are decided by Welsh and English votes."
Presumably, should a future Conservative Government decide to legislate on Welsh only matters at Westminster (St David's Day, perhaps?) in the interests of consistency it will exclude English MPs from the process.
The Brown formula
Gordon Brown turned in a predictably solid (clunking?) performance at his first Downing Street news conference this morning.
The new PM may lack the smooth PR skills of his predecessor but he still knows how to avoid answering a question he doesn't want to answer.
His body language is less relaxed than Tony Blair's. Brown would periodically put his hand inside his jacket pocket, although he never seemed to find what he was searching for. Students of jokes about less than generous Scotsmen can fill in their own punchline.
Flooding was the top story today, but he also faced questions about Iraq, Turkey, the Middle East, how he's finding his new job - and the Barnett formula.
The Welsh Assembly's review of the way Wales is funded from Westminster does not appear to have appeared on the Brown radar.
The prime minister confirmed that this autumn's comprehensive spending review will be decided on the basis of the formula and he acknowledged that "difficult choices" lie ahead in deciding how cash is divided between different parts of the UK.
He told reporters: "It is a formula that has been well tested and tried. It's been used by all governments of all political colours and I believe that will be the basis on which the public spending settlement will be signed."
Brown did show more evidence that he can think on his feet - and use humour - when asked about his "puritan" instincts in announcing U-turns on gambling and drugs.
The PM said he'd been in London 24 years and the question reminded him of Mark Twain's arrival from a puritanical church-going background in Nevada, a state where he discovered drinking, gambling and womanising going on.
Twain decided: "This was no place for a puritan and I did not long remain one."
Brown's time in London has been rather less colourfully spent.
The new PM may lack the smooth PR skills of his predecessor but he still knows how to avoid answering a question he doesn't want to answer.
His body language is less relaxed than Tony Blair's. Brown would periodically put his hand inside his jacket pocket, although he never seemed to find what he was searching for. Students of jokes about less than generous Scotsmen can fill in their own punchline.
Flooding was the top story today, but he also faced questions about Iraq, Turkey, the Middle East, how he's finding his new job - and the Barnett formula.
The Welsh Assembly's review of the way Wales is funded from Westminster does not appear to have appeared on the Brown radar.
The prime minister confirmed that this autumn's comprehensive spending review will be decided on the basis of the formula and he acknowledged that "difficult choices" lie ahead in deciding how cash is divided between different parts of the UK.
He told reporters: "It is a formula that has been well tested and tried. It's been used by all governments of all political colours and I believe that will be the basis on which the public spending settlement will be signed."
Brown did show more evidence that he can think on his feet - and use humour - when asked about his "puritan" instincts in announcing U-turns on gambling and drugs.
The PM said he'd been in London 24 years and the question reminded him of Mark Twain's arrival from a puritanical church-going background in Nevada, a state where he discovered drinking, gambling and womanising going on.
Twain decided: "This was no place for a puritan and I did not long remain one."
Brown's time in London has been rather less colourfully spent.
Thursday, 19 July 2007
The hands of history
Here's living proof that Plaid Cymru have indeed travelled on an extraordinary journey.
Years ago hacks like me would mischievously suggest that the party's vocabulary was confined to condemning the regular "slap in the face for Wales" and the occasional "snub to Wales."
No more. In a change of emphasis likely to produce the first ever negative result on my Elfynometer, Plaid have changed their tune under the leadership of Ieuan Wyn Jones, the first Government Minister in the party's 82-year history.
Here's his July 7 analysis of the coalition deal with Labour: "A historic moment in the life of our party, in the life of our politics and the life of our nation".
He said: "Our historic decision today to back the One Wales document will, we believe, deliver a stable government for Wales."
Four days later, accepting the deputy First Minister's job in the Welsh Assembly, he said:
"This is a historic statement for us as a Party and for me personally".
In case we missed the point, he added: "The historic ‘One Wales’ document between Plaid Cymru and Labour offers a new hope for the people of Wales."
On July 16, he stood in for Rhodri Morgan at a British-Irish Council meeting in Stormont. After much thought, Mr Jones decided that the meeting had been, to coin a phrase, "historic".
Today, four Plaid Cymru Ministers including Mr Jones were appointed to the Welsh Assembly Government. The Jones verdict? "This is indeed an historic occasion".
Let's hope the first non-historic day in office, and there may yet be one, doesn't leave Mr Jones lost for words.
Years ago hacks like me would mischievously suggest that the party's vocabulary was confined to condemning the regular "slap in the face for Wales" and the occasional "snub to Wales."
No more. In a change of emphasis likely to produce the first ever negative result on my Elfynometer, Plaid have changed their tune under the leadership of Ieuan Wyn Jones, the first Government Minister in the party's 82-year history.
Here's his July 7 analysis of the coalition deal with Labour: "A historic moment in the life of our party, in the life of our politics and the life of our nation".
He said: "Our historic decision today to back the One Wales document will, we believe, deliver a stable government for Wales."
Four days later, accepting the deputy First Minister's job in the Welsh Assembly, he said:
"This is a historic statement for us as a Party and for me personally".
In case we missed the point, he added: "The historic ‘One Wales’ document between Plaid Cymru and Labour offers a new hope for the people of Wales."
On July 16, he stood in for Rhodri Morgan at a British-Irish Council meeting in Stormont. After much thought, Mr Jones decided that the meeting had been, to coin a phrase, "historic".
Today, four Plaid Cymru Ministers including Mr Jones were appointed to the Welsh Assembly Government. The Jones verdict? "This is indeed an historic occasion".
Let's hope the first non-historic day in office, and there may yet be one, doesn't leave Mr Jones lost for words.
Gone to pot
Jacqui Smith's admission that she has used cannabis has left me worrying that I may have had a misspent youth.
I managed to survive three years at university without smoking anything, legal or illegal.
Clearly, I'll never make it to Home Secretary.
I managed to survive three years at university without smoking anything, legal or illegal.
Clearly, I'll never make it to Home Secretary.
By royal appointment
Reshuffles are great fun for journalists, not so much fun for the victims.
Political correspondents work themselves up into a lather about who's up, who's down from a cast of characters barely known outside the Westminster or Cardiff Bay bubble.
We breathlessly report how someone you've never heard of has been sacked from a job you didn't realise he was doing until he was fired.
I do (almost) feel sorry for those Ministers who beaver away in unglamorous roles for years, making the news only when they are appointed and/or sacked.
Like me, you probably haven't been able to sleep for the excitement of waiting to hear Rhodri Morgan's new Labour/Plaid Cymru line-up in the Welsh Assembly.
Apparently, we won't get the names until they've been approved by the Queen. Welsh Ministers are now Ministers of the Crown, which means that, formally at least, they can't be appointed until Buckingham Palace signals its agreement.
Somehow I can't imagine Her Majesty pondering a list sent by Rhodri Morgan, checking it for balance and possible future coalition tensions, before sending it back with one or two alterations.
At Westminster, the Queen is often the last to hear reshuffle details which leak (sometimes inaccurately) in the run-up to changes, but the Assembly Government is playing it by the book in respecting the protocols introduced by the latest Government of Wales Act.
Apparently we won't get the names until they've been rubber-stamped by the Palace. Devolution may or may not have weakened the Union but it certainly seems to have strengthened the monarchy's role in Wales.
Political correspondents work themselves up into a lather about who's up, who's down from a cast of characters barely known outside the Westminster or Cardiff Bay bubble.
We breathlessly report how someone you've never heard of has been sacked from a job you didn't realise he was doing until he was fired.
I do (almost) feel sorry for those Ministers who beaver away in unglamorous roles for years, making the news only when they are appointed and/or sacked.
Like me, you probably haven't been able to sleep for the excitement of waiting to hear Rhodri Morgan's new Labour/Plaid Cymru line-up in the Welsh Assembly.
Apparently, we won't get the names until they've been approved by the Queen. Welsh Ministers are now Ministers of the Crown, which means that, formally at least, they can't be appointed until Buckingham Palace signals its agreement.
Somehow I can't imagine Her Majesty pondering a list sent by Rhodri Morgan, checking it for balance and possible future coalition tensions, before sending it back with one or two alterations.
At Westminster, the Queen is often the last to hear reshuffle details which leak (sometimes inaccurately) in the run-up to changes, but the Assembly Government is playing it by the book in respecting the protocols introduced by the latest Government of Wales Act.
Apparently we won't get the names until they've been rubber-stamped by the Palace. Devolution may or may not have weakened the Union but it certainly seems to have strengthened the monarchy's role in Wales.
Wednesday, 18 July 2007
Read all about it
Alastair Campbell's diaries may have made it to number three in the Amazon best-sellers chart but he may soon have a literary rival from Welsh politics.
Plaid Cymru MP Adam Price is writing a book on the events of this year that have led his party to government.
So how nervous should leading figures in Plaid about the prospect that the party's director of elections will reveal sensational details of life behind the scenes in Labour's junior coalition partners?
Probably not that nervous. As of yet, the Carmarthen East and Dinefwr MP doesn't have a publisher and his tome may end up as half a book (the other half written on Scotland).
Finding a publisher shouldn't be that difficult given Price's closeness to the action during the negotiations that led Plaid to power.
But having warned his party that Gordon Brown could announce a snap general election within the next year, he's unlikely to include enough salacious details in his book to excite Wales on Sunday, let alone the News of the World.
It may not make the best-seller lists but it could be the book every political anorak hopes to find in his or her Christmas stocking.
Plaid Cymru MP Adam Price is writing a book on the events of this year that have led his party to government.
So how nervous should leading figures in Plaid about the prospect that the party's director of elections will reveal sensational details of life behind the scenes in Labour's junior coalition partners?
Probably not that nervous. As of yet, the Carmarthen East and Dinefwr MP doesn't have a publisher and his tome may end up as half a book (the other half written on Scotland).
Finding a publisher shouldn't be that difficult given Price's closeness to the action during the negotiations that led Plaid to power.
But having warned his party that Gordon Brown could announce a snap general election within the next year, he's unlikely to include enough salacious details in his book to excite Wales on Sunday, let alone the News of the World.
It may not make the best-seller lists but it could be the book every political anorak hopes to find in his or her Christmas stocking.
Tuesday, 17 July 2007
Swim when you're winning
Readers of The Sun's diary column will already have seen this photograph - as will his friends on Facebook. But that's no excuse for this blog not giving Chris Bryant's fans "another chance to see" this shot from a Commons versus Lords swimming contest - which he won. Your tasteful caption suggestions welcome.Mind your language
Labour MPs may have had to admit defeat in their battle to block a coalition deal with Plaid Cymru, but they've served notice that they'll carry on the fight by proxy.
Some backbenchers fear the new coalition government's agenda gives too high a priority to the Welsh language.
Now seven MPs have tabled a Commons motion calling for bilingual announcements at railway stations no longer to be made in Welsh first -if most people in the area speak English as their first language.
BILINGUAL RAIL ANNOUNCEMENT
16:7:07
Chris Bryant
Mr Paul Murphy
Mr Don Touhig
Alun Michael
Ian Lucas
Nick Ainger
* 7
Ann Clwyd
That this House notes that the announcements at all railway stations in Wales are made in Welsh first and then in English; wholly supports the policy of bilingual announcements; but believes that it would be far more sensible and far more convenient for passengers, whether regular commuters or local visitors, if announcements at each station were made first in the language used by the majority of the local population.
Effectively, that would mean English coming first at stations like Cardiff, Newport and Wrexham.
The issue was raised in The Times recently by Matthew Parris, although no-one would accuse him of having a broader agenda.
It's no coincidence that the motion appears shortly after the deal between Plaid and Labour in the Welsh Assembly.
The motion has also been tabled by Chris Bryant and signed by former Welsh Secretaries Paul Murphy and Alun Michael, and former Ministers Don Touhig and Nick Ainger.
Mr Bryant said the Welsh language had its place but if anyone thought his Rhondda constituents were going to be forced to live their life through the Welsh language they were mistaken.
Some backbenchers fear the new coalition government's agenda gives too high a priority to the Welsh language.
Now seven MPs have tabled a Commons motion calling for bilingual announcements at railway stations no longer to be made in Welsh first -if most people in the area speak English as their first language.
BILINGUAL RAIL ANNOUNCEMENT
16:7:07
Chris Bryant
Mr Paul Murphy
Mr Don Touhig
Alun Michael
Ian Lucas
Nick Ainger
* 7
Ann Clwyd
That this House notes that the announcements at all railway stations in Wales are made in Welsh first and then in English; wholly supports the policy of bilingual announcements; but believes that it would be far more sensible and far more convenient for passengers, whether regular commuters or local visitors, if announcements at each station were made first in the language used by the majority of the local population.
Effectively, that would mean English coming first at stations like Cardiff, Newport and Wrexham.
The issue was raised in The Times recently by Matthew Parris, although no-one would accuse him of having a broader agenda.
It's no coincidence that the motion appears shortly after the deal between Plaid and Labour in the Welsh Assembly.
The motion has also been tabled by Chris Bryant and signed by former Welsh Secretaries Paul Murphy and Alun Michael, and former Ministers Don Touhig and Nick Ainger.
Mr Bryant said the Welsh language had its place but if anyone thought his Rhondda constituents were going to be forced to live their life through the Welsh language they were mistaken.
Monday, 16 July 2007
The bigger picture
On a day that the Western Mail takes the BBC to task for allegedly not devoting enough network news to the Welsh Assembly, Nick Robinson eloquently demonstrates an understanding of the changing nature of devolved politics and its impact on UK politics at a time when Britain has a Scottish Prime Minister.
Several Tory MPs are already using question time to highlight the consequences of a Scottish PM dictating policy for his English constituencies that he cannot introduce in his own.
A Google search for "West Lothian question" produced 60,400 results. I'm not a betting man but I'd be prepared to wager a similar search this time next year will produce rather more.
Several Tory MPs are already using question time to highlight the consequences of a Scottish PM dictating policy for his English constituencies that he cannot introduce in his own.
A Google search for "West Lothian question" produced 60,400 results. I'm not a betting man but I'd be prepared to wager a similar search this time next year will produce rather more.
Welsh reject hopes for London job
One of my favourite headlines appeared in the Bristol Evening Post two years ago. No, please do read on.
The Post marked the announcement of the Prince of Wales's wedding plans with the memorable, if tongue-in-cheek: "Tetbury man to wed".
All news is local, and every story has a local angle - see the Welsh angle in the paragraph you've just read!
So how do we in the Welsh media cover the news that Boris Johnson is putting his name forward as a Tory candidate for mayor of London?
Well, Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, as he isn't known, did stand in Clwyd South in 1997, coming within 13,810 votes of unseating the Labour MP Martyn Jones.
Not a strong enough Welsh angle for you? Newspapers have commissioned columns on the basis of flimsier Welsh links.
Still not convinced? Ok. Johnson's biographer Andrew Gimson records how the Henley MP was once related by marriage (through his first wife Allegra Mostyn-Owen) to Owain Glyndwr.
Not a lot of people known that.
p.s. the headline on this post was tongue-in-cheek.
The Post marked the announcement of the Prince of Wales's wedding plans with the memorable, if tongue-in-cheek: "Tetbury man to wed".
All news is local, and every story has a local angle - see the Welsh angle in the paragraph you've just read!
So how do we in the Welsh media cover the news that Boris Johnson is putting his name forward as a Tory candidate for mayor of London?
Well, Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, as he isn't known, did stand in Clwyd South in 1997, coming within 13,810 votes of unseating the Labour MP Martyn Jones.
Not a strong enough Welsh angle for you? Newspapers have commissioned columns on the basis of flimsier Welsh links.
Still not convinced? Ok. Johnson's biographer Andrew Gimson records how the Henley MP was once related by marriage (through his first wife Allegra Mostyn-Owen) to Owain Glyndwr.
Not a lot of people known that.
p.s. the headline on this post was tongue-in-cheek.
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