Here's 2 great videos, one is a Gilbert & Sullivan inspired Obama spoof (H/T to UK Progressive) and the other is artist's Banksy Simpson's Intro - enjoy!
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Friday, October 15, 2010
Quangos, Wales and the WDA
Following the UK Government’s desire to cull 192 Quangos earlier this week there is an interesting article by Professor of Governance at Liverpool University and chairwoman of Sport Wales Laura McAllister writing in Public Service.co.uk on the impact of getting rid of Quangos has in Wales and lesson for the Coalition.
She writes ‘A huge part of the imperative for what became known as the "bonfire of the quangos" was ideological and party political in origin. The non-Conservative parties, who were correctly expected to take the lion's share of seats in the new National Assembly and form its government, balked at the number of Conservative-connected figures in senior positions in many quangos.
Despite the rhetoric, it is significant that it took five years from the establishment of the Assembly for there to be any firm proposal to abolish such bodies.
In 2004, the Welsh government announced plans to abolish three major quangos – the Welsh Development Agency (WDA), the Welsh Tourist Board and ELWA, the body discharging policy for post-16 education and training. First Minister Rhodri Morgan regarded this "bonfire" as a defining project, arguing that it represented an extension of democracy and enhanced accountability over public spending.
Timing often tells us more about the rationale for political decisions than any other factor. At the time, there was speculation that the cull owed as much to the intellectually logical, but politically problematic Richard Commission recommendations with regard to more powers, more assembly members and potential tax-varying functions.
It was significant that the Welsh announcements in 2004 came out of the blue, with no clear evidence base and a lack of serious consultation with interested parties. This jarred with the much-vaunted transparency of the new Welsh politics.
Radical decisions made behind closed doors without weighing up the cons as well as the obvious quick wins are unlikely to achieve their core objectives. What's more, taking an axe to the quangos without regard for their differential sectoral roles and financial sources such as Lottery funding seemed hugely unstrategic.
Bringing in-house the WDA, whose leitmotif was to act in a fast-moving, entrepreneurial manner with business and enterprise, seemed illogical at best and politically spiteful at worst. Civil servants are notoriously and entirely understandably risk averse and can often be process-driven, while successful economic development usually benefits from the spark of a cautious gambler. That Wales's GVA remains below three-quarters of the UK average is one piece of significant evidence for the case against the WDA's abolition.
As the Westminster coalition grapples with a similar dilemma – how to shrink the state and its ancillary organisations, make savings but ensure improved governance and accountability – it would do well to learn lessons from Wales.'
The full article is HERE
She writes ‘A huge part of the imperative for what became known as the "bonfire of the quangos" was ideological and party political in origin. The non-Conservative parties, who were correctly expected to take the lion's share of seats in the new National Assembly and form its government, balked at the number of Conservative-connected figures in senior positions in many quangos.
Despite the rhetoric, it is significant that it took five years from the establishment of the Assembly for there to be any firm proposal to abolish such bodies.
In 2004, the Welsh government announced plans to abolish three major quangos – the Welsh Development Agency (WDA), the Welsh Tourist Board and ELWA, the body discharging policy for post-16 education and training. First Minister Rhodri Morgan regarded this "bonfire" as a defining project, arguing that it represented an extension of democracy and enhanced accountability over public spending.
Timing often tells us more about the rationale for political decisions than any other factor. At the time, there was speculation that the cull owed as much to the intellectually logical, but politically problematic Richard Commission recommendations with regard to more powers, more assembly members and potential tax-varying functions.
It was significant that the Welsh announcements in 2004 came out of the blue, with no clear evidence base and a lack of serious consultation with interested parties. This jarred with the much-vaunted transparency of the new Welsh politics.
Radical decisions made behind closed doors without weighing up the cons as well as the obvious quick wins are unlikely to achieve their core objectives. What's more, taking an axe to the quangos without regard for their differential sectoral roles and financial sources such as Lottery funding seemed hugely unstrategic.
Bringing in-house the WDA, whose leitmotif was to act in a fast-moving, entrepreneurial manner with business and enterprise, seemed illogical at best and politically spiteful at worst. Civil servants are notoriously and entirely understandably risk averse and can often be process-driven, while successful economic development usually benefits from the spark of a cautious gambler. That Wales's GVA remains below three-quarters of the UK average is one piece of significant evidence for the case against the WDA's abolition.
As the Westminster coalition grapples with a similar dilemma – how to shrink the state and its ancillary organisations, make savings but ensure improved governance and accountability – it would do well to learn lessons from Wales.'
The full article is HERE
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Bits & Pieces
The Browne Review has proposed unlimited tuition fees University Students, whether we agree with it or not Tuition fees are here to stay and for all the huffing and puffing about today's report in Wales and Scotland unless our politicians can find alternatives to finance Universities that the public support then they will end up following suit or else Welsh and Scottish Universities will lose out in attracting the brightest and the best students and Research monies, something we will all lose out from in the end.
Then there is the utterly predictable Experian research for BBC Wales that found areas of South Wales namely the Valleys are least able to cope with the public service and benefit cuts to come. I’m amazed that researchers still get paid for this type of penetrating insight and given how much money has been spent on surveys and reports over the years about the Valleys it would have been more beneficial to have given the cash to residence to help them with their day to day living costs.
However as Dylan Jones Evans has said at least part of the discussion on the impact on Welsh communities of the cuts should include WAG performance over the past decade in tackling these problems is, but I wouldn’t hold my breath on that.
Finally on a lighter note news that a BP boiler suit covered in oil has become a Halloween consume hit in America selling more than 10,000 (Photo available on the link)
According to the Telegraph ‘More than 10,000 of the outfits have been sold in the approach to this year's October 31 holiday, which Americans are renowned for celebrating elaborately.
Its manufacturer claimed the success of the costume showed people across the US remained angry at the oil giant for its handling of the Deep Water Horizon earlier this year
An estimated 185 million gallons of oil were spilt into the Gulf of Mexico after an explosion in April on the BP rig, which also killed 11 workers.
"The Halloween business reflects the world we live in," said Alan Geller, the executive vice-president of Fun World. "We like to add a bit of social commentary to the celebrations."
"The holiday is about horror, and people are horrified at BP's actions," he told
The Daily Telegraph. "Several lives and billions of dollars from people's livelihoods were lost."
Mr Geller said the New York firm, which also created the ghost mask used in the Scream films, had been inundated with orders for the costumes from shops and websites across the country.
He promised to donate some of the company's profits from the boiler suits to a charity aimed at helping people who had lost out due to the oil spill.
Then there is the utterly predictable Experian research for BBC Wales that found areas of South Wales namely the Valleys are least able to cope with the public service and benefit cuts to come. I’m amazed that researchers still get paid for this type of penetrating insight and given how much money has been spent on surveys and reports over the years about the Valleys it would have been more beneficial to have given the cash to residence to help them with their day to day living costs.
However as Dylan Jones Evans has said at least part of the discussion on the impact on Welsh communities of the cuts should include WAG performance over the past decade in tackling these problems is, but I wouldn’t hold my breath on that.
Finally on a lighter note news that a BP boiler suit covered in oil has become a Halloween consume hit in America selling more than 10,000 (Photo available on the link)
According to the Telegraph ‘More than 10,000 of the outfits have been sold in the approach to this year's October 31 holiday, which Americans are renowned for celebrating elaborately.
Its manufacturer claimed the success of the costume showed people across the US remained angry at the oil giant for its handling of the Deep Water Horizon earlier this year
An estimated 185 million gallons of oil were spilt into the Gulf of Mexico after an explosion in April on the BP rig, which also killed 11 workers.
"The Halloween business reflects the world we live in," said Alan Geller, the executive vice-president of Fun World. "We like to add a bit of social commentary to the celebrations."
"The holiday is about horror, and people are horrified at BP's actions," he told
The Daily Telegraph. "Several lives and billions of dollars from people's livelihoods were lost."
Mr Geller said the New York firm, which also created the ghost mask used in the Scream films, had been inundated with orders for the costumes from shops and websites across the country.
He promised to donate some of the company's profits from the boiler suits to a charity aimed at helping people who had lost out due to the oil spill.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Is this the reason the Welsh Tories media strategy is unravelling?
It’s not just Cheryl Gillan's commutation strategy that needs work, having seen and heard her on TV and Radio over the past few days, she could be replaced by a cardboard cut out and an IPod on repeat with the line everything is Labour’s fault, it's not me doing these horrible things on purpose and I doubt most people would notice the difference.
It’s also the Welsh Conservatives message that has been lacking punch and direction of late since Tory Head of Media Richard Hazelwood went to work as Special Advisor for Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan and i’m not the only one who has noticed.
BBC Wales Editor Betsan Powys wrote after George Osborne conference speech last week ‘The more astute, strategic thinkers among the Welsh Conservatives have long realised that trying to convey the view that these cuts are effectively Labour's rather than the Tories' is considerably harder in a devolved context. After all, it's the UK Government's budget deficit which is being tackled and the Assembly Government's budget which is being cut as a result.
The task hasn't been made any easier by the post-election departure of the Welsh Conservatives' highly rated director of communications to become a special adviser to Cheryl Gillan at the Wales Office.
But is it really that surprising when Mr Hazelwood, a former journalist at the South Wales Echo was replaced as Head of Communications by Richard John who used to work for Shadow Health Minister Andrew RT Davies in Cardiff Bay and doesn’t have any background working for the media.
Makes you wonder if the Welsh Conservatives are often short of suitable applicants when they advertise jobs.
It’s also the Welsh Conservatives message that has been lacking punch and direction of late since Tory Head of Media Richard Hazelwood went to work as Special Advisor for Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan and i’m not the only one who has noticed.
BBC Wales Editor Betsan Powys wrote after George Osborne conference speech last week ‘The more astute, strategic thinkers among the Welsh Conservatives have long realised that trying to convey the view that these cuts are effectively Labour's rather than the Tories' is considerably harder in a devolved context. After all, it's the UK Government's budget deficit which is being tackled and the Assembly Government's budget which is being cut as a result.
The task hasn't been made any easier by the post-election departure of the Welsh Conservatives' highly rated director of communications to become a special adviser to Cheryl Gillan at the Wales Office.
But is it really that surprising when Mr Hazelwood, a former journalist at the South Wales Echo was replaced as Head of Communications by Richard John who used to work for Shadow Health Minister Andrew RT Davies in Cardiff Bay and doesn’t have any background working for the media.
Makes you wonder if the Welsh Conservatives are often short of suitable applicants when they advertise jobs.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)