I'm a bit to busy too blog properly today so here some articles worth reading
Minutes of cabinet committee meeting about Devolution to Wales and Scotland 'to stay secret'.
Tories could put off high-speed rail link for Wales for decades.
Why have the employees bought the West Highland Free Press?
Times Leader piece on David Cameron drifting in to power.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Carwyn and his Cabinet
Today we added another chapter to the growing story of Welsh politics, a new First Minister was sworn in and a new Cabinet appointed – the Carwyn era has officially begun.
Carwyn Jones was officially sworn in as Wales new First Minister in Cathays Park today and chose his first Cabinet, it wasn’t the radical surgery that was promised but there are some new faces and some fresh blood around the Cabinet table as well as some alterations to portfolios and Huw and Edwina are both in the Cabinet although Huw is a Deputy.
On the subject of reshuffles it’s worth saying that different people bring different perspectives to a Ministerial Portfolio, Carwyn should remember that and reshuffle his team more often than his predecessor for the health of our young democracy.
The only one off message today was Edwina Hart who lost out to Carwyn for the leadership but kept the Health brief in the reshuffle she looked far from happy posing for photos of the new Cabinet in Cathays Park standing to one side and refusing to smile, is she missing Andrew Davies already?
The new Cabinet is below
Ieuan Wyn Jones – Deputy First Minister and Minister for the Economy & Transport
Jane Hutt - Business and Budget
Edwina Hart – Health and Social Services
Jane Davidson – Environment, Sustainability and Housing
Leighton Andrews - Children, Education and Lifelong Learning
Carl Sargeant – Social Justice and Local Government
Elin Jones – Rural Affairs
Alun Ffred Jones – Heritage
Deputy Ministers
Lesley Griffiths – Skills, Innovation & Science
Jocelyn Davies - Housing and Regeneration
Gwenda Thomas – Social Services
Huw Lewis - Children
Carwyn Jones was officially sworn in as Wales new First Minister in Cathays Park today and chose his first Cabinet, it wasn’t the radical surgery that was promised but there are some new faces and some fresh blood around the Cabinet table as well as some alterations to portfolios and Huw and Edwina are both in the Cabinet although Huw is a Deputy.
On the subject of reshuffles it’s worth saying that different people bring different perspectives to a Ministerial Portfolio, Carwyn should remember that and reshuffle his team more often than his predecessor for the health of our young democracy.
The only one off message today was Edwina Hart who lost out to Carwyn for the leadership but kept the Health brief in the reshuffle she looked far from happy posing for photos of the new Cabinet in Cathays Park standing to one side and refusing to smile, is she missing Andrew Davies already?
The new Cabinet is below
Ieuan Wyn Jones – Deputy First Minister and Minister for the Economy & Transport
Jane Hutt - Business and Budget
Edwina Hart – Health and Social Services
Jane Davidson – Environment, Sustainability and Housing
Leighton Andrews - Children, Education and Lifelong Learning
Carl Sargeant – Social Justice and Local Government
Elin Jones – Rural Affairs
Alun Ffred Jones – Heritage
Deputy Ministers
Lesley Griffiths – Skills, Innovation & Science
Jocelyn Davies - Housing and Regeneration
Gwenda Thomas – Social Services
Huw Lewis - Children
Can we keep it up?
Today we have another straight talking piece from Denis Campbell over at UK Progressive on advice for the new First Minister that Carwyn Jones and his advisors should read. It follows Gareth Hughes straight talking about former First Minister Rhodri Morgan and is good to see journalists in Wales to telling it like it is and not suffering as a result.
Denis Campbell start his piece by congratulating Carwyn Jones then goes on to say ‘Wales cannot continue with 70% of its jobs, economic development and growth controlled by and coming from the public sector. Without a robust private sector generating jobs and wealth while building things of value, you and your government are destined for failure.
So strap yourself in and place the cries for additional Assembly powers on the backburner. You will earn those powers by demonstrating an ability to lead the nation out of recession. Devolution then is a basketball ‘slam-dunk.’
Sir, it’s time to start from scratch. Build yourself an economic ‘War Cabinet.’ Shake things up and make Assembly members and indeed everyone in government accountable for providing real Return on Investment for every penny requested and the government spends.
To heck with Sir Humphrey’s “Yes, Minister” caustic warnings. 1st Minister, it’s time to be ‘courageous!
A Wales with hard hitting journalism and proper economic development, as the saying goes a journey of a thousand miles start with one step.
Denis Campbell start his piece by congratulating Carwyn Jones then goes on to say ‘Wales cannot continue with 70% of its jobs, economic development and growth controlled by and coming from the public sector. Without a robust private sector generating jobs and wealth while building things of value, you and your government are destined for failure.
So strap yourself in and place the cries for additional Assembly powers on the backburner. You will earn those powers by demonstrating an ability to lead the nation out of recession. Devolution then is a basketball ‘slam-dunk.’
Sir, it’s time to start from scratch. Build yourself an economic ‘War Cabinet.’ Shake things up and make Assembly members and indeed everyone in government accountable for providing real Return on Investment for every penny requested and the government spends.
To heck with Sir Humphrey’s “Yes, Minister” caustic warnings. 1st Minister, it’s time to be ‘courageous!
A Wales with hard hitting journalism and proper economic development, as the saying goes a journey of a thousand miles start with one step.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
All the fun of the fair
So Rhodri Morgan is finally shuffling off into the sunset and rather than repeat the sentiments, its worth reading what the excellent Gareth Hughes says about the First Minster over at his blog I agree entirely with his analysis. For all our sakes lets hope Carwyn Jones is different and can think in broader terms.
Today’s other story about the switch from Plaid Cymru to the Conservatives of Mohammad Asghar is curious to say the least, especially given what Tory Assembly leader Nick Bourne and some of his colleagues and staff have said about Mr Asghar since he was elected to the National Assembly for Wales most of it not very complimentary at all.
It makes you wonder if the Tories in Wales that desperate for candidates that they have to poach them from other parties or whether this is a case of ambition and expediency above principle for all those involved, either way it raises more questions than answers.
Today’s other story about the switch from Plaid Cymru to the Conservatives of Mohammad Asghar is curious to say the least, especially given what Tory Assembly leader Nick Bourne and some of his colleagues and staff have said about Mr Asghar since he was elected to the National Assembly for Wales most of it not very complimentary at all.
It makes you wonder if the Tories in Wales that desperate for candidates that they have to poach them from other parties or whether this is a case of ambition and expediency above principle for all those involved, either way it raises more questions than answers.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Is 22 Welsh MP’s too few or too many?
Interesting post from the Institute of Welsh Affairs (IWA) blog on Conservative Party thinking about representation in the devolved nations from the Conference on Friday.
We already know the Conservatives want less MP’s and a cut of 10% has already been proposed, in Welsh terms that would be mean 36 instead of 40, but according to a Professor speaking at the IWA conference on What a Tory Government would mean for Wales the reduction could be considerably more with just 22 Welsh MP’s remaining.
Professor Robert Hazel Director of the Constitution Unit at University College, London, said “For obvious reasons we cannot expect the Conservatives to disclose their detailed intentions on this policy ahead of next year’s general election,” However, there was no doubt that they were committed to cutting the size of the House of Commons by 10 per cent. “They believe this will be enormously popular with the public at a time when spending cuts are needed and there is so much sentiment against politicians anyway as a result of the expenses scandal”.
Apparently neither Shadow Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan nor Tory Assembly leader Nick Bourne mentioned reducing the number of MP’s in their speeches and I can see why, you can already hear the Tories don’t care about Wales line from the other parties.
But cutting the number of MP’s in the current anti politics mood will no doubt win the Conservative some good press and maybe a few extra votes, my concern is what I haven’t heard on the subject from the Tories and that what powers are going to be devolved to the National Assembly for Wales as a result of the reduction of MP’s which is linked to the number of Assembly members.
As well as that there is also an unwritten agreement between the parties in Cardiff Bay that the reduction of MP’s will happen when powers are transferred, someone needs to ask if the Welsh Conservatives are still signed up to this?
Until then this looks like a cost cutting exercise to please voters in others parts of the UK rather than a serious attempt to sort out the issue of how many elected representatives we need and where they should be.
More on this from Daran Hill over at WalesHome
We already know the Conservatives want less MP’s and a cut of 10% has already been proposed, in Welsh terms that would be mean 36 instead of 40, but according to a Professor speaking at the IWA conference on What a Tory Government would mean for Wales the reduction could be considerably more with just 22 Welsh MP’s remaining.
Professor Robert Hazel Director of the Constitution Unit at University College, London, said “For obvious reasons we cannot expect the Conservatives to disclose their detailed intentions on this policy ahead of next year’s general election,” However, there was no doubt that they were committed to cutting the size of the House of Commons by 10 per cent. “They believe this will be enormously popular with the public at a time when spending cuts are needed and there is so much sentiment against politicians anyway as a result of the expenses scandal”.
Apparently neither Shadow Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan nor Tory Assembly leader Nick Bourne mentioned reducing the number of MP’s in their speeches and I can see why, you can already hear the Tories don’t care about Wales line from the other parties.
But cutting the number of MP’s in the current anti politics mood will no doubt win the Conservative some good press and maybe a few extra votes, my concern is what I haven’t heard on the subject from the Tories and that what powers are going to be devolved to the National Assembly for Wales as a result of the reduction of MP’s which is linked to the number of Assembly members.
As well as that there is also an unwritten agreement between the parties in Cardiff Bay that the reduction of MP’s will happen when powers are transferred, someone needs to ask if the Welsh Conservatives are still signed up to this?
Until then this looks like a cost cutting exercise to please voters in others parts of the UK rather than a serious attempt to sort out the issue of how many elected representatives we need and where they should be.
More on this from Daran Hill over at WalesHome
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