The former Labour leader of Bridgend Council should start his own blog or else get himself a regular column on one such as Wales Home. He is certainly very active commenting on the media or on a succession of blogs and for the most part, even though I do not always agree with him, he is insightful, informed and thought-provoking.
Jeff’s comment today on Alun Davies’ typically vindictive and one-sided analysis of how the new UK Government is treating Wales is a case in point. He writes:
Voters would have more respect for Labour politicians if instead of writing pseudo nationalist nonsense they instead presented a logical rebuttal of the Coalition’s economic policies and offered an alternative. They could start by carefully reading Will Hutton’s article in the Observer and any recent writings from Paul Krugman and David Blanchflower. They could also start to flesh out the recent statement by David Miliband that the budget deficit should be reduced not by a 4 to 1 split in favour of public sector cuts but by a 2 to 1 split.
The town crier stunt was childish and pathetic and whoever thought that up should be given his or her P45 by the Party, Criticising Cheryl Gillan for being an MP in England is also not going to get the Party anywhere. If you use that argument then no Labour MP can ever again be a minister in a UK department such as education. Most people are also not that interested when the referendum will be held. Many will in fact see it as a complete waste of millions of pounds of taxpayers money as services are being hammered and a diversion from the real issues facing ordinary people at this time.
Opposition after 13 years in government isn’t easy. Some of us who have been in the Labour Party since the 1960s remember the aftermath of both 1970 and 1979. Ordinary people in the UK need Labour to return to government as quickly as possible and the Liberal Democrats to return to their senses. This is a time for serious opposition not heckling someone because they happen to make a statement which you might disagree with . An attitude which sadly seems more suited to Student Union politics will not convince the millions who deserted Labour on May 6th to return to the Party I’m afraid.
Labour would do well to listen to him though from my point of view, I am happy if they don’t.
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Is this the same Jeff Jones who was critical of your blog on Alun Cairns remaining as Regional Assembly member ( Missing Assembly Member June 01, 2010).
Although it’s quite alright for them to criticise the likes of Cllr Peter Foley for not giving up his lecturing job when he became a councillor on the rulling rainbow alliance in Bridgend CBC. Or even yourself being criticised by Labour for remaining a Councillor on Swansea Council becoming a Regional AM, although Derek Vaughan remained a Councillor whilst working in Brussels.
One final point, I am just old enough to remember 1979, we had powercuts, rising unemployment, the dead went unburied and rubbish was piling up on the streets. Mind you, with this new recycling scheme introduced in Bridgend, we’ve still got rubbish piling up in the streets, ask any resident of Tudor Park Estate in Caerau!