So this week I expected to be reading lots about the budget, but surprisingly there isn’t much about the massive cut in capital funding in much every department. Apparently that isn’t newsworthy. So here is what is more worthy of discussion.
Oh, and advance warning that there probably won’t be an update next week because it is our conference and I will be too tired/hungover to do this next Sunday. I can tell you’re gutted. If anyone wants to volunteer to take my place for a week, feel free to volunteer!
As pointed out by Glyn Davies, tomorrow is likely to see Mps expenses return to the headlines. The fact that they have pretty much already announced that Gordon Brown will be asked to repay some cash will guarantee it becomes a high profile story even if no new information is revealed. Inside Out suggests that a new batch of MPs could be dragged into the media storm. I wonder who will be looking nervous tomorrow morning?
The soon to be ex MP Adam Price has posted an essay he wrote for the Western Mail, explaining why he thinks that Labour’s best chance is to stick with Plaid and not to ’hook up with some yellow tinged party of the centre’. Should Labour decide to ditch the ‘green stained party of daffodils’ then any yellow tinged party would surely be foolish to consider getting involved with Labour. Such an action would be akin to rats swimming towards a sinking ship, a ship that everyone would be best place in staying well away from. If Plaid want to remain onboard, then please feel free to, but prepare to get very wet.
I think Lee Waters of the Bevan Foundation’s blog ‘This is my Truth’ is getting a little carried away with his assertion that having a week where the Labour leader and First Minister is ‘hardly a recipe for stability’. If it was a long term arrangement, then it wouldn’t work, but for a week? I’m sure people will cope. It will be clear what Rhodri is there for, and clear that his successor will be in charge a week later. What will potentially be more controversial is the make-up of the cabinet. Presumably whoever takes charge will want to shape their team as they see fit, and with the likelihood being that there will be at least one vacancy in the cabinet at the time they won’t have much choice. During that week will Minister’s have to take decisions knowing that the new Labour leader wants to move them?
Cambria Politico are looking for films that can be compared to Plaid Cymru. I have a suggestion: Twilight. Like Twilight, Plaid lack any coherent narrative, point, value and seem to have a number of followers still complete convinced of the positives and showing a blind, unshaking faith in everything about them. Both also fill me with anger based on one point each that I feel needs to be put in capitals IEAUN WYN JONES HAS NOT SAVED THE WELSH ECONOMY and REAL VAMPIRES DO NOT SPARKLE. Ahem.
Guerilla Welsh-Fare seems to think it’s bizarre that Labour aren’t allowing proper scrutiny of their leadership candidates. While I agree with his reasoning as to why they should allow it, it isn’t exactly surprising they aren‘t. We’re talking about a party that puts so much faith in their members that their votes will only count for 1/3 of the final outcome. They do not believe in internal party democracy, which is fine, it’s their party and their choice how they run it. But if I was a Labour member, I would have to question why the hierarchy puts so little faith in my opinion? Maybe being in the Lib Dems has just distorted my view to the extent that I believe democracy should always be the default outcome. And there is a second question, if they are worried about awkward questions from their own members, are they not worried about awkward questions from the media and the other parties?
In the web side of the battle for Labour leadsership, my favourite site has to be Huw Lewis’s. Not only is he showing a sense of humour with bloopers and myths (which I very much approve of, humour has an important part in making politics bearable), he now has five pledges. The one that interests me is his pledge to build ‘more and better affordable housing’. What makes this interesting, is that it’s currently in the control of a Plaid Deputy Minister. Is he suggesting Jocelyn Davies isn’t doing a good enough job? Will he be trying to get her to change her approach to the issue? How exactly does he plan to deliver this promise? Don’t get me wrong, I agree with him, more needs to be done and if he can give credible suggestions on how he will achieve this goal then fair play to him. I hope that we will see exactly what he plans to do in this regard during the contest.
As much as I despise racism, along with everyone who reads this I hope, I don’t think Leanne Wood is right to press the police to ban the protest by the right wing Welsh Defence League. Politicians have to resist the calls to censor viewpoints that are unpopular. Just because you don’t like another organisations view, doesn’t give you any right to call for it not to be aired. What is however concerning is the risk of violence at this protest, a risk which will unfortunately be increased if another protest takes place at the same time and police resources are stretched. Wales Home carries an article this week suggesting similar views about the continued existence of no platform policies.
Right, that’s it for this week.
Actually no. No it isn’t. I need to say it again. Fuck you Stephanie Meyer. I want two hours of my life back and a refund for the cost of my cinema ticket. And an apology. I mean seriously, sparkling vampires? What the hell? How did you think that would work? You just ruined the whole genre of vampire films. Every time I even hear the word vampire I’m going to think of that film and I’m going to be angry. I won’t forgive you for that.
I carry grudges for too long.
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