Monday, November 10, 2008
So how much trouble is One Wales in?
Although I have blogged on the rumblings about the future of the One Wales Coalition Government I have played down talk that it might be entering a potentially fatal crisis.
In my last entry I concluded that 'if Plaid Cymru get the Welsh Language LCO they will be prepared to accept some form of fudge on the referendum, but if Labour MPs start interfering with that LCO in the same way that they did over affordable housing then all bets are off. A warning shot has been sent across their bows.'
However, this latest post by Plaid Cymru National Chair, John Dixon suggests that I have been too cautious and that things are more dire than I had suggested. He says that I have understated the importance of the position that Plaid Cymru are in on the Housing LCO. He also rejects my supposition that Plaid will accept a fudge on the referendum in return for Labour delivering the Welsh Language LCO:
I remain confident that the referendum will be held - and as I have said before, if I believed that the leadership of Plaid was in any way back-tracking on the commitment to hold a referendum, then I would find my current role impossible to sustain.
Writing about the Housing LCO, Mr. Dixon says: 'the real tension here is not between Plaid and Labour in the Assembly, but between Labour AMs and some Labour MPs – but there is a knock-on danger to relationships between the two parties if Labour fail to achieve a satisfactory resolution of those internal tensions.'
This puts the coalition in a very interesting position. Relations remain reasonably good between the two party's AMs in Cardiff Bay, with both sides focussed on delivering what they can of the One Wales Agreement. However, the message now coming from senior Plaid Cymru figures is that despite this apparent harmony, the future of the coalition rests in the hands of Labour MPs.
If Labour representatives in Westminster continue to frustrate the ambitions of Welsh Ministers in terms of the Housing LCO, the Welsh Language LCO and the referendum then Plaid Cymru will walk. Rhodri Morgan has staked a lot on building this coalition but we are rapidly approaching the point where its future is out of his hands. It is little wonder that rumours abound of senior Labour figures in Wales seeking alternative options just in case the coalition falls apart.
In my last entry I concluded that 'if Plaid Cymru get the Welsh Language LCO they will be prepared to accept some form of fudge on the referendum, but if Labour MPs start interfering with that LCO in the same way that they did over affordable housing then all bets are off. A warning shot has been sent across their bows.'
However, this latest post by Plaid Cymru National Chair, John Dixon suggests that I have been too cautious and that things are more dire than I had suggested. He says that I have understated the importance of the position that Plaid Cymru are in on the Housing LCO. He also rejects my supposition that Plaid will accept a fudge on the referendum in return for Labour delivering the Welsh Language LCO:
I remain confident that the referendum will be held - and as I have said before, if I believed that the leadership of Plaid was in any way back-tracking on the commitment to hold a referendum, then I would find my current role impossible to sustain.
Writing about the Housing LCO, Mr. Dixon says: 'the real tension here is not between Plaid and Labour in the Assembly, but between Labour AMs and some Labour MPs – but there is a knock-on danger to relationships between the two parties if Labour fail to achieve a satisfactory resolution of those internal tensions.'
This puts the coalition in a very interesting position. Relations remain reasonably good between the two party's AMs in Cardiff Bay, with both sides focussed on delivering what they can of the One Wales Agreement. However, the message now coming from senior Plaid Cymru figures is that despite this apparent harmony, the future of the coalition rests in the hands of Labour MPs.
If Labour representatives in Westminster continue to frustrate the ambitions of Welsh Ministers in terms of the Housing LCO, the Welsh Language LCO and the referendum then Plaid Cymru will walk. Rhodri Morgan has staked a lot on building this coalition but we are rapidly approaching the point where its future is out of his hands. It is little wonder that rumours abound of senior Labour figures in Wales seeking alternative options just in case the coalition falls apart.
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What do you think about Labours new council housing rules, concerning Tennant's who get employment will be asked to either purchase the council house they rent or leave and go into housing by buying or rent in the private sector. People like myself who have a serious disability could be told the home I live in could be taken off me and given to somebody else because my wife dies or the other way around, that a person will no longer have a life time tenancy. Sounds more like the Tories then Labour, then again Labour Tories whats the difference these days
Robert, I think it's a wonderful idea that those will jobs should be forced to find alternative accomodation; in addition those applying for local authority housing should provide their own Police National Computer checks, sod the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974).
I also asked Jacqui Smith if I could have an ID card at the earliest opportunity. Although I'm more in favour of RFID chips in the back of the neck. I also hope my biometric data, my bank details, and the personal data of millions of other people gets left on the hard drive of some laptop and sold on eBay.
Regarding the Welsh Language and Housing LCO, do you actually think Plaid will walk; when stuck between a rock and a hard place, they will just procrastinate.
I also asked Jacqui Smith if I could have an ID card at the earliest opportunity. Although I'm more in favour of RFID chips in the back of the neck. I also hope my biometric data, my bank details, and the personal data of millions of other people gets left on the hard drive of some laptop and sold on eBay.
Regarding the Welsh Language and Housing LCO, do you actually think Plaid will walk; when stuck between a rock and a hard place, they will just procrastinate.
# posted by 
: 8:24 AM
: 8:24 AM
The Cardiff Coalition will not collapse because Plaid's leading figures are now hooked on the Ministerial trappings especialy the Salaries. Swansea Council last year was a classic example where Plaid leeched up with Labour and Tories to take all the Chair Allownces only to get kicked out at the elections. This Coalition will last until the electorate kick them out.
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