Thursday, May 17, 2007
A contract for Wales?
When I read in the paper about leaked documents I often wonder who has given them to the journalist in question and what their motives are. I suspect that in the case of this story, centring on the leak of the draft terms under which Labour would run the National Assembly as a minority government, neither Rhodri Morgan nor his advisors will be too unhappy to see it in the public domain.
The advantage to Labour of its publication is that it keeps them in the game and enables then to portray themselves as being reasonable in offering a wide ranging agreement to two of the other parties so as to provide stable government. It puts some of the behind-closed-doors talks into the public domain and gives the electorate some hope that we may be making progress.
Some more openness in this process would in fact be welcome, especially for those AMs not involved in talks. Jenny Randerson was on Radio Wales this morning to tell us that everything was going swimmingly. Good progress was being made she said and there were a lot of options on the table for all parties.
No doubt I will learn more at tonight's joint meeting of the Assembly Group and the National Executive. I cannot help but reflect however, that whereas both Labour and Plaid Cymru AMs have had a number of briefing meetings over the last week, where they were able to input into the process, Welsh Liberal Democrat AMs have been left in the dark, twiddling their thumbs.
This style of leadership is far from ideal. It makes the party look like a one-man band. It also makes it far more difficult to get any negotiated deal past the group. We do not like being taken for granted.
The advantage to Labour of its publication is that it keeps them in the game and enables then to portray themselves as being reasonable in offering a wide ranging agreement to two of the other parties so as to provide stable government. It puts some of the behind-closed-doors talks into the public domain and gives the electorate some hope that we may be making progress.
Some more openness in this process would in fact be welcome, especially for those AMs not involved in talks. Jenny Randerson was on Radio Wales this morning to tell us that everything was going swimmingly. Good progress was being made she said and there were a lot of options on the table for all parties.
No doubt I will learn more at tonight's joint meeting of the Assembly Group and the National Executive. I cannot help but reflect however, that whereas both Labour and Plaid Cymru AMs have had a number of briefing meetings over the last week, where they were able to input into the process, Welsh Liberal Democrat AMs have been left in the dark, twiddling their thumbs.
This style of leadership is far from ideal. It makes the party look like a one-man band. It also makes it far more difficult to get any negotiated deal past the group. We do not like being taken for granted.
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Ms Randerson was also attempting to give the impression that you are a lone voice - which is clearly not the case. From my perspective (which is outside the Lib Dem party) your lone voice is having more effect on the overall process than any comment issued by Mr German. Surely that fact alone should register with your colleagues.
# posted by 
: 12:33 PM
: 12:33 PM
The way things are going its fast becoming an issue that the Lib Dems isnt big enough for you and Mike German! With Mike Bates coming out and supporting your agument, jenny randerson seemingly supporting germans a lot of focus may well be on Kirsty and Elinor Burnham.
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