The ancient Roman God Janus was the god of gates, doors, doorways, beginnings and endings. His most prominent remnant in modern culture is his namesake, the month of January, which begins the new year. He is most often depicted as having two faces or heads, facing in opposite directions. I suspect that Plaid Cymru Leader, Ieuan Wyn Jones must know how he felt.
He has gone on record as supporting the proposed new Wylfa B nuclear power station on Anglesey. He is joined in that endeavour by local politicians of all parties. The difference though is that he leads a party that has an anti-nuclear power policy and therefore is opposed to the Wylfa B development.
As if to add insult to injury the Welsh Government, which Ieuan Wyn Jones jointly leads, has now decided to push for a public inquiry on the proposal to replace Anglesey’s nuclear power station thus delaying it further.
They also disagree with one of their most prominent Ministers saying that greener forms of energy generation mean the nuclear option is unnecessary. It really is lonely at the top.
Related posts:
I was prayed to many centuries ago in the Pantheon as the embodiment of the Sun.
For this i command Ieaun Wyn-Jones to use natural sources of energy and I will permit him to use the Sun (solar) as a way of inducing energy for all of mankind’s needs.
With my two heads I can also look backwards and see into the future that you mere mortal Plaid cannot or will never do. I see that your days Ieaun Wyn-Jones are very much numbered.
Janus,
I think you are the first Roman god to have posted on FC, so thanks for doing so and we hope you will post again soon!
Tell me, do you think Ieuan Wyn Jones will walk out on the One Wales coalition as many have been predicting for several years, or will he be forced out?
I’m not sure Ieuan Wyn Jones needs lecturing on ‘facing two ways’ from a party that opposes the badger cull in urban areas but supports it in rural areas.
Except that your party has a stated policy on nuclear that isn’t being followed.
The welsh liberal democrats do not hold an official policy position on the badger cull. Therefore it is for each individual member to choose his or her position. Hence the difference of opinion
“The welsh liberal democrats do not hold an official policy position on the badger cull. Therefore it is for each individual member to choose his or her position. Hence the difference of opinion”
You do not have a policy on it?
How can you possibly seek to represent rural Wales if you don’t have a position on Bovine TB?
How very convenient.
I saw what you did there. You took the statement that the party does not have a policy on a badger cull and transposed it to one that we do not have a policy on bTB. Well in the latter case we do and it was in our 2007 manifesto:
Aim to eradicate TB in Wales by intensifying the testing programme. Consideration must be given to the immediate slaughter of all animals which are test reactors; and the testing of contiguous farms where TB is confirmed. We will ensure that wildlife on infected farms is subject to full scrutiny and investigation.
That is a reasonable policy and falls short of a cull.
Lib Dem policy falls short of a cull.
Thanks for the clarification.
Yes it does Iltyd luke, a couple of the Lib Dem a.m.’s echo most of the party and have the policy of treating wild animals such as badgers (no threat to humanity) with respect.
The other three parties have shown they are in not in tune with the views of the people of wales (14,000 petition signers) in a small nation.
The only PLaid who did not vote for the cull was bethan jenkins who abstained, it would have been good if she had voted the way her heart wanted her to, party pressure I presume and a misreading of public opinion from the majority of Assembly memebers who at least should try and represent public opinion.
To be accurate Bethan Jenkins did not record an abstention as she was not present for the vote.
I misread it then, she would have probably gone along with the herd
Why then did you issue a leaflet in Ceredigion claiming Plaid Cymru AMs failed to vote for the cull? Complaining about it? Because in Ceredigion you support the cull. Soreknuckles, do you even know about what your MP in Ceredigion is saying?
A number of the Ceredigion members including the MP support the cull and are campaigning in favour of it as is their right. They do not represent party policy though and I believe that they are wrong. I have not seen this leaflet but I suspect it was in response to a misleading leaflet that was circulated by Plaid Cymru to farmers, which I have seen.
So do Lib Dem members in Pembrokeshire also support the cull? I’d argue that they probably don’t, because they don’t hold that seat and are not under a challenge from Plaid Cymru. Quite clearly, the cull is reasonably popular in Ceredigion and Mark Williams would lose the seat if he opposed it.
Isn’t your MP now effectively campaigning in favour of Elin Jones’ policy? He does have a right to, but it makes your points about Plaid splits on nuclear seem pretty weak to anyone that isn’t a Lib Dem.
I have not actually asked them though I understand that they do not and I know that the Lib Dem candidate in Pembrokeshire is opposed to the cull. However, that is not a matter of politics anymore than Mark Williams’ stance is. The community in North Pembrokeshire is split evenly on this matter with famers and landowners on both sides of the argument. The Tory MP supports the cull as does the Tory AM and neither of them consider it an electoral liability though that has yet to be seen.
As for Ceredigion, although the cull may be popular with farmers, especially as they do not actually have to experience it, imagine how it will go down in the large towns or amongst the sizeable student population. I think that both sides of this argument in all parties hold their views sincerely and irrespective of party boundaries and I would not suggest otherwise.
With regards to nuclear power, as I have stated on many occasions, although the Lib Dems have policy on bTB they do not do so on the cull, which is an operational matter. As such although there are differences it is hardly comparable to a party leader opposing a main plank of his own party’s and government’s policy on something as significant as nuclear power. There is no comparision.