The rapidly shifting plates of UK politics, make it hard to grab a moment of reflection – analyses are rarely current as events move to date them. Peter has already done a quick round up of the Welsh implications.
The hard facts we already have from results have been summed up over on Lib Dem Voice The vote shares of Con 38%, Lib Dem 28% and Lab 23% suggests a disastrous night for the Government tomorrow when the Euro‘s are counted. The only by-election in Wales, in Caerphilly resulted in a Plaid hold – which when it’s Labour challenging you is hardly the most testing of situations. Giving us not much more to go on than that it really doesn’t look like Labour will be getting a second seat. For them, that’s a shame, as their number two candidate, Lisa Stephens is exactly the kind of fresh blood they need.
In Wales, we’ve got Peter Hain back after he made the mistake of trusting anyone else to file reports to the Electoral Commission on his behalf. Glenys Kinnock, takes up the role of a bit of female window dressing Europe Minister, maybe she’ll pick up Caroline Flint’s well bloodied daggers as well.
Meanwhile, back in Westminster, Gordon Brown’s actions can only lead us to question his reforming zeal. His cabinet now features seven unelected members of the House of Lords. The highest number in over 40 years. This comes at a time when Britain’s (non-existent) constitution is in crisis. People feel politics is out of touch with them, that they don’t have a say and Gordon is stuffing his cabinet to the gills with men and women who weren’t even elected. In two cases (Kinnock and Sugar) he’s having to elevate people to the Lords to achieve this.
People left, right and centre have walked out of the cabinet. This is a government that is handpicking unelected people to take decisions on our behalf, by a Prime Minister we didn’t choose who persists to fiddle while Rome burns. This Government has a stench of death about it, I hope and pray it doesn’t continue to spread into our entire political system – for that is how extremist parties gain traction. Something Glenys has told us they want to stop. Maybe its time for a bit of reflection of her own.
(hat tips Paul Canning on the Wardman Wire, Daran Hill of Positif Politics and Nick Speed at ITV Wales)
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Thanks Ali. Still haven’t nailed exactly how far back you have to go to more Lords in the cabinet. It may well be much further than the 1960s ….