Political Round Up - thoroughly depressing news all round

Maybe it’s the hot weather that’s affecting both myself and our politicans because watching last night’s political programmes was depressing, first we the tax payers learn we are being ripped off by the parties over renting of offices for our AM’s and MP’s and the money is being channelled into party coffers, a good reason to rule out state funding of political parties cos it happening already :).

That was followed by a childish shouting match (or what was supposed to be political debate) over the 2 year anniversary of the One Wales Coalition on Dragon’s Eye between Lib Dem Leader Kirsty Williams, Labour’s John Griffiths, Plaid Cymru’s Helen Mary Jones and Conservative Andrew RT Davies, what’s more depressing is that this is a repeat of what happens in the Assembly Chamber on a weekly basis over a wide range of topics, and our politicians wonder why we don’t respect them or listen to what they have to say when they keep acting like they did last night.

Then news on the grapevine at Sharp End who reckon First Minster Rhodri Morgan wants to stay on so he can open the Ryder Cup in 2012. Does anyone in the Labour Party actually own a spine or understand the damage this man in doing to Wales with his contempt of welsh electorate, probably not. What’s the betting he will get his way and stick around until the Ryder Cup, maybe we should be used to being treated like fools by Rhodri Morgan and the Labour Party because they have being doing it for years.

Tory AM David Melding has been everywhere this week, is it because of his book launch or has the Tory Party woken up to what an assest this man is to them, calm, measured and thoughful, very non Tory.

Finally on to Mike German former Lib Dem leader on Sharp End called the One Wales Coalition ‘Worthy, Dull and Slow to Deliver’, which sounds about right but how is this slow and steady approach ever going to develop substantial support for any type of Government in Wales, especially one that’s devoid of political leadership, answers on a postcard or in the comments section.

Here’s to a nice long weekend to recover before Monday’s Pay and Expense Claims Report is published and the Show goes on.

What is it with the Tories and job adverts for Wales

Following Cheryl Gillian’s gaffe of saying that the applicants didn’t need knowledge of Wales for a post working with her a few months back, you’d think the Tories would learn the lesson

Admittedly this new job advert for a Group Researcher in Cardiff Bay doesn’t include that line that knowledge of Wales isn’t needed but looking at the jobs description it could be an advert for almost any research job. There is no reference to the applicants needing at least some knowledge of the Welsh Political scene that is surely important if you work in the National Assembly for Wales, but maybe Nick Bourne and his group of AM’s have decided there are more important things for any future applicant for this post that knowing your subject matter well.

The advert says
Detailed and accurate research for a range of policy areas; Collation, extraction and analysis of data and the preparation of reports; Reviewing and advising on lengthy reports under time pressure; Advising on and drafting policy documents, articles and speeches.

One Wales 24

Apart from the daft title and a new page on their website to highlight the past 24 months, what has WAG achieved since the One Wales Government was formed, the highlights from their home page are below

We have pioneered new approaches, for example:

The introduction of the innovative ProAct scheme

Joining up policies to secure the greatest positive impact

Wales is using the devolved powers gained ten years ago to counter the impact of the Recession - as well as making good use of initiatives available throughout the UK and our access to European structural funds

The all-Wales Economic Summits have demonstrated the ability of the public, private and voluntary sectors to pull together

The Assembly Government has unveiled plans to strengthen skills across Wales

First off the positives, WAG have avoided defeats on votes in the Chamber and put end to protracted budget negotiations that the minority Labour administration fell foul to before the last Assembly Elections it has meant smoother government whether you support it or not, but given the large numbers on the Government side it has meant the Tories and Lib Dems having to work harder to make any real impact but is stability an achievement?.

So what of the achievements they are modest to say the least even the much trumpeted ProAct Scheme has been accused by AM’s of being overly bureaucratic and the application process needs to be simplified because its putting businesses off applying in a recent Enterprise and Learning Report on the impact of the downturn in the welsh economy. As for the the other big promise from the One Wales Government the All Wales Convention it looks likely to report back and fudge the issue of a referendum and with the LCO’s proving difficult to get past MP’s movement on new laws and measures looks more challenging and we wont even start to mention the Welsh Language failures, the rest can be summed up in what I call Government speak that’s in so many reports, more working together, upskilling workers, efficiency savings and making use of additional resources.

WAG's Report card after 2 years reads like my own from School 'Could do Better'

'We want MP's who can burn down the House'

A really good article in the Times from Sarah Vine on the need for inspirational politicians, the similarities with pop stars and and end to focus group politics, some snippets are below

‘Truly inspirational people, whether they be pop stars or politicians, are the ones who are not afraid to be Marmite, to alienate their audiences. Because to achieve anything worthwhile at all in life you’ve got to be ready to irritate the hell out of your rivals.

Why, for example, is David Lloyd George a hero? Because he fearlessly stuck it to the other side. One hundred years ago, when as Chancellor of the Exchequer he was doing his so-called “people’s budget”, and tearing into the House of Lords, he made no attempt to be reasonable or conciliatory. “A fully equipped Duke costs as much to keep up as two dreadnoughts, and Dukes are just as great a terror and they last longer,” he once said — a statement that would not have gained him many invitations into the stately homes of Edwardian Britain. Listen to the echo of that magnificent piece of class warfare, and you know that the man was truly top class.

It ends ‘On a more serious note, I want Nicolas Sarkozy to tell it like it is on the burka; and frankly, Barack Obama, why did it take you so long to tell the women of Iran that you were on their side? Was the focus group late in that morning?
Politicians (believe me, I know) spend an enormous amount of time worrying about policy detail. But what counts to the voters is the authentic whiff of political passion. Not a bunch of watered-down Traveling Wilburys, but a political Mick Jagger, someone who will strut out on stage, grab the mike and tell us that we can’t always get what we want — but he’s damn well going to give us what we need.

Well said Sarah because here in Wales although there is sharp disagreement by politicians over the past in the Assembly, there is much too much cosy consensus and willingness to please all sides on the way future in all aspects of Welsh life, our politicians should note, doing some of this may get voters to take a second look you never know.

The Two David’s and Devolution

Last week David Cameron said that the Conservatives were’ wrong’ to oppose Scottish Devolution, both welsh Tory bloggers Glyn Davies and Dylan Jones Evans have written this up as real progress for the party, but for me and many others its more pragmatism by a future PM on dealing with the SNP than anything substantial and I have already commented on Glyn’s blog that it amounts to little more than breathing space for David Cameron on the West Lothian question and some good PR for the Tories in Scotland where the Scottish National Party is in Government and look likely to remain there after the 2011 Elections while the Scottish Tories are in the same situation as the Lib Dems in the National Assembly for Wales.

Secondly this policy position doesn’t automatically translate from Scotland to Wales as much as pro devolution welsh Tory members would like it too, the Conservative position in Wales is different and acknowledging this would give Glyn, Dylan and other who share their views more credibility. In the European Elections they topped the poll and expect to do well in the General Elections. Something that won’t happen in Scotland which is why I see David Cameron’s new found enthusiasm for Devolution skin deep. If this was a true policy shift then he would have apologised to Wales as well for his party’s ‘mistakes’. We have seen no evidence of that and nor have we had assurances from him and his inner circle that further powers bids will not be blocked by a future Conservative Welsh Secretary and MP’s, something that creates uncertainly when there may not be and it is exercising the mind of at least one Tory AM.

In to the debate steps Conservative AM David Melding (the one who does the intellectual heavy lifting so to speak) a thinking Welsh Conservative who believed in a Welsh Parliament before it was fashionable, he has recommended federalism as the big idea in his new book ‘Will Britain survive beyond 2020? Launched today to try and settle the position in the party on Devolution in Wales at least for the near future while keeping the UK intact. Maybe someone should tell him the Lib Dems have had that policy for ages and it’s been widely ridiculed and rejected and as the report from the launch said that ‘It is not yet known whether the Tory manifesto will contain a pledge to grant a referendum on new powers for the Assembly if this is requested by a majority of AMs.’, but you have to give David Melding credit for engaging and trying to change minds in his own party, something that Labour seems totally unwilling and unable to do with its members on the issue of further devolution even they will have to confront it at sometime.

Of course this is being brought to the fore because the Tories will be in Government soon and despite the confusion it seems that many in Wales are willing to give the Tories the benefit of the doubt for now at least, even those who want full independence. Those people will have to hope that the David Melding’s and Jonathan Morgan’s of this world win the arguments or the rest of us could be in for a nasty shock after the General Election with a Conservative Secretary of State for Wales and MP’s who are non believers stalling progress on welsh devolution further while the party cosies up to the Scots and the SNP to keep the Union together.

Society’s attitudes to Poverty and Welfare

Last week’s child poverty report from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation stating that 30% of Children in Wales live in poverty was highlighted by Valleys Mam and MH at the Syniadau blog and made depressing reading it should be a wake up call to politicians and policy makers we’ll see.

But the response to it was predictable as the figures themselves. It’s telling that despite the Labour Government taking many families and children out of poverty in the 12 years it’s been in power that attitudes to the poorest in our society and some underlying causes of inequality still remain the same and have been left unchallenged, if anything the debate is moving further towards dispassion with both main parties Conservative and Labour looking to use more stick than carrot to reduce the UK’s overall spend on welfare provision.

However another report from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation on people’s attitudes to economic inequality and welfare policy carried out across the UK and also published last week may challenge some of that thinking and will certainly offer food for thought to our policy makers, its key findings are below and show that although people don’t like ‘scroungers’ they are happy for people being rewarded fairly and to targeted intervention to help those least well off.

Key points

Nearly all the participants in the discussion groups placed themselves in the 'middle' of the income spectrum and interpreted the 'income gap' as the gap between the 'middle' and the 'super-rich'.

Most participants believed that 'deserved' inequalities are fair. They were not opposed to high incomes they perceived to be deserved through high-level ability, performance or social contribution.

Participants often made assumptions about the virtues of those with high incomes in order to justify income inequalities. However, after the start of the financial crisis of autumn 2008, they increasingly questioned whether high salaries were deserved.

Attitudes towards those on low incomes were often more negative than attitudes towards the ‘rich’. Two important factors driving these attitudes were widespread beliefs that there are adequate opportunities to earn a reasonable income and beliefs that benefit recipients will not contribute back to society.

Most participants strongly supported progressive tax and benefit systems. When considering evidence about unequal life chances, they were supportive of targeted interventions to improve life chances for the disadvantaged.

Many participants did not find abstract arguments for greater equality persuasive. They preferred arguments for greater equality framed in terms of fairer rewards for effort and contribution.

Many participants found claims about the possible negative social consequences of income inequality convincing. They showed strong support for a social vision based upon improving quality of life for everyone and were prepared to support certain egalitarian policies in this context.