Ieuan’s woes

Following Dafydd Wigley was always going to be tough act for any new leader and so it has proved for Ieuan Wyn Jones with questions about his leadership never far away in his time as Party President despite being the first Plaid Cymru leader to take his party into Government so he is probably use to being under pressure however this time it’s his commitment to fellow AM’s and his portfolio that is question.

Lets be clear there are people briefing against Ieuan Wyn Jones to the press and others as well as trying to destabilise the One Wales Coalition for their own personal ends which is not helping him, but even those who support him have to admit he has brought some of the problems he is facing on himself.

As a Government Minister annoying fellow AM’s and Committee Chair’s is never a good idea especially one as important as the Finance committee who are determined not to let him forget it. They are within their right to want to see a report from his ministerial advisory group on his roads strategy when many AM’s have legitimate concerns over the start of the duelling of the Heads of the Valleys Road and withholding it was not good idea especially if you haven’t got a good enough case to silence your critics as appears to be the case.

He has also been getting flack from AM's for leaving the Chamber last week to attend a conference in the Hilton Hotel on Small Nations and can they survive in the 21 Century leaving Deputy Skills Minister John Griffiths to answer the remainder of questions on his Economy Portfolio, to many it showed a lack of respect to an Institution that Plaid Cymru more than any other party places great importance on and you know you’re in trouble when the normally laid back Tory AM David Melding loses his cool over such matters.

The worrying thing for Plaid Cymru (and supporters of the One Wales Coalition) is the problems he faces are quite small and can be put right with relative ease, but they are starting to become something bigger because Ieuan Wyn Jones and his advisers seem unable to deal with them or shake off the growing reputation he is getting for snubbing AM’s in favour of promoting Wales.