Tuesday, March 20, 2007
New powers for all
I was not able to hang around after the Swansea University College Council meeting yesterday to hear the First Minister deliver the National Centre for Public Policy's annual public lecture, but judging by reports in today's Western Mail it was quite a thoughtful talk.
It was good that Rhodri Morgan was able to criticise the initial devolution settlement for Wales and also that he has expressed an intention to make the maximum use of the Assembly's new powers. It is to be hoped of course that if he were to return to his present post then that would involve accommodating measures brought forward by individual AMs and Committees. If we have a resource, we should use it for the benefit of all of Wales and Labour's legendary control freakery should not get in the way of that.
Of course the big obstacle to all of this ambition is the very Order in Council route that Rhodri promotes and the Secretary of State for Wales and his fellow Welsh Labour MPs. How fast we can run and how ambitious we can be depends on what Parliament will allow us to do. If Peter Hain, in his viceroy role decides that he does not like a measure and blocks it, then we may find that the second devolution settlement is as equally as ineffective as the first.
It was good that Rhodri Morgan was able to criticise the initial devolution settlement for Wales and also that he has expressed an intention to make the maximum use of the Assembly's new powers. It is to be hoped of course that if he were to return to his present post then that would involve accommodating measures brought forward by individual AMs and Committees. If we have a resource, we should use it for the benefit of all of Wales and Labour's legendary control freakery should not get in the way of that.
Of course the big obstacle to all of this ambition is the very Order in Council route that Rhodri promotes and the Secretary of State for Wales and his fellow Welsh Labour MPs. How fast we can run and how ambitious we can be depends on what Parliament will allow us to do. If Peter Hain, in his viceroy role decides that he does not like a measure and blocks it, then we may find that the second devolution settlement is as equally as ineffective as the first.
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As you will be aware anti child poverty campaigners have published a ten point plan. these ten points primarilly concentrate on redistributing wealth and using the benefits system to target most needy families. Plaid’s argument is that if the Assembly hasn’t got control over these policy areas, how can Labour in Wales proclaim the 20/20 target as a main Assemblyelection pledge? Child poverty campaigners admit the Assembly doesn’t have the powers to deal with the issue comprehensively.
What will happen once the Tories win in London? They have pledged to skewer the tax system in favour of married families. Wales is the only country in Western Europe where more children are born outside marriage. child poverty levels in Wales would go through the roof.
its not the policy thats the problem, its the fact that Labour are trying to fool people into thinking that you can deliver it if you form the next government of Waels, which anyone with a basic understanding of the issue wil tell you they can’t.
instead of running cap in hand to the Labour party Peter with blogs like this, the Lib Dems might make some progress if you started challenging their nonsensical claims.
What will happen once the Tories win in London? They have pledged to skewer the tax system in favour of married families. Wales is the only country in Western Europe where more children are born outside marriage. child poverty levels in Wales would go through the roof.
its not the policy thats the problem, its the fact that Labour are trying to fool people into thinking that you can deliver it if you form the next government of Waels, which anyone with a basic understanding of the issue wil tell you they can’t.
instead of running cap in hand to the Labour party Peter with blogs like this, the Lib Dems might make some progress if you started challenging their nonsensical claims.
I am not sure that anybody could credibly conclude that this blog runs cap in hand to the Labour Party!
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