Friday, December 12, 2008
A "perfectly sensible political party"
There are times when Plaid Cymru's Parliamentary Leader, Elfyn Llwyd is beyond parody. Diplomacy is not his strong point (but then who am I to complain about that?).
In his effort to get the three Plaid Cymru nominees into the House of Lords, Mr. Llwyd has run to the Western Mail once more to cry foul. Apparently, it is all the Prime Minister's fault. The allegation is that Gordon Brown has personally blocked the appointment of Dafydd Wigley to the House of Lords. The government say that Mr. Llwyd has not followed the correct procedure. It seems that Plaid needed to wait to be asked, rather than get all presumptous and pushy.
What a system? The sooner it is reformed the better. At least the voters can be trusted to judge membership of a second chamber on the basis of ability and policies rather than petty personality clashes.
Still it would have been entertaining to watch Mr. Llwyd spluttering in indignation as he told journalists “It seems this is a matter of pure prejudice on the Prime Minister’s part against a perfectly sensible political party. It’s very disappointing and I shall be writing to Gordon Brown asking for a meeting. That seems the only way we can take this forward.”
The debate as to whether Plaid Cymru is a "perfectly sensible political party" will have to wait for another day, especially after their shameful abandonment of democratic principles and kow-towing to Christian Voice yesterday, however it is clear that there is more to this refusal to anoint Dafydd Wigley than procedure.
Labour may have to work with Plaid Cymru in the One Wales Government but they do not have to like it, especially in Westminster. So why aggravate Welsh Labour MPs more by giving the nationalists what they want when you do not have to do so? There is an element of payback in this refusal to act on Plaid's nominations for the Lords and it ain't subtle.
In his effort to get the three Plaid Cymru nominees into the House of Lords, Mr. Llwyd has run to the Western Mail once more to cry foul. Apparently, it is all the Prime Minister's fault. The allegation is that Gordon Brown has personally blocked the appointment of Dafydd Wigley to the House of Lords. The government say that Mr. Llwyd has not followed the correct procedure. It seems that Plaid needed to wait to be asked, rather than get all presumptous and pushy.
What a system? The sooner it is reformed the better. At least the voters can be trusted to judge membership of a second chamber on the basis of ability and policies rather than petty personality clashes.
Still it would have been entertaining to watch Mr. Llwyd spluttering in indignation as he told journalists “It seems this is a matter of pure prejudice on the Prime Minister’s part against a perfectly sensible political party. It’s very disappointing and I shall be writing to Gordon Brown asking for a meeting. That seems the only way we can take this forward.”
The debate as to whether Plaid Cymru is a "perfectly sensible political party" will have to wait for another day, especially after their shameful abandonment of democratic principles and kow-towing to Christian Voice yesterday, however it is clear that there is more to this refusal to anoint Dafydd Wigley than procedure.
Labour may have to work with Plaid Cymru in the One Wales Government but they do not have to like it, especially in Westminster. So why aggravate Welsh Labour MPs more by giving the nationalists what they want when you do not have to do so? There is an element of payback in this refusal to act on Plaid's nominations for the Lords and it ain't subtle.
Comments:
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Perhaps someone could recommend Dafydd Iwan going into the Upper House, with his guitar, he could give a sing-song....
How does that song go again?
"...Chips! Chips! I hope it's Chips, it's Chips!!!"
How does that song go again?
"...Chips! Chips! I hope it's Chips, it's Chips!!!"
# posted by 
: 9:07 AM
: 9:07 AM
Peter- why do you always generalise? I wasn't at the Assembly yesterday but had every intention of attending if I was free.
On the issue of the House of Lords, it does need to be reformed but I'm not surprised that we haven't been given any positions after rightly opposing it for so many years.
On the issue of the House of Lords, it does need to be reformed but I'm not surprised that we haven't been given any positions after rightly opposing it for so many years.
Sorry Bethan. I did not refer to you directly however it is the case that the only public statements I saw from Plaid Cymru AMs were opposed to the Patrick Jones reading.
Given the huge demand for tickets perhaps the Plaid people couldnt get tickets?
Maybe they had come across the poetry before realised it is of such extraordinary poor quality that sitting through a public performance would be painful to say the least and decided to stay away.
Maybe they had come across the poetry before realised it is of such extraordinary poor quality that sitting through a public performance would be painful to say the least and decided to stay away.
Tickets were available and the poetry reading was of a very high quality. Perhaps those who are supportive should make themselves known (Bethan excepted of course) because so far all I have had off them is support for Christian Voice.
Would you list the Plaid AMs who have supported Christian Voice? I think we should be told
# posted by : 4:29 PM
: 4:29 PM
I'm not up and running on this issue. Is Ex AM Janet Davies one of the Plaid nominees for ermine? If so, it makes an absolute farce of it all. She was a total NON entity when she was one of our Regional AMs, just as her successor is proving to be with "it's got nothing to do with me, Dai Lloyd will deal with it" - for £50,000 per annum any fool could do that job!
The AMs I am aware of who have either approached me or the Chief Executive of the Commission or who have put out statements critical of the reading are Dai Lloyd, Janet Ryder, Mohammed Ashgar and Chris Franks.
I cannot recollect all the poems that Patrick Jones read but the controversial one, 'Hymn' was read by an actress.
I cannot recollect all the poems that Patrick Jones read but the controversial one, 'Hymn' was read by an actress.
Green Man- I am active on various campaigns. Dai Lloyd AM deals with most of the Swansea issues, as he is based in Swansea, and I concentrate on the rest of the region. This is an agreement that we have. We work together on large scale campaigns, but I will do the work for Neath, Port Talbot, Bridgend and Ogmore.
Bethan, Green Man is Ioan Richard is he is not worth responding to. The man is a total waste of space and incapable of rational comment.
As for the poetry, the Plaid AMs listed are all committed Christians (or Muslim in Oscar's case) and I do not see why they should be criticised for not being comfortable with this poetry. Nor does it mean that they are in any way supportive of Green and his Christian Voice ring wing bigots. Some of their opinions have to be seen to be believed.
As for the poetry, the Plaid AMs listed are all committed Christians (or Muslim in Oscar's case) and I do not see why they should be criticised for not being comfortable with this poetry. Nor does it mean that they are in any way supportive of Green and his Christian Voice ring wing bigots. Some of their opinions have to be seen to be believed.
# posted by : 11:19 PM
: 11:19 PM
Peter - I note your costs include regular hotel stays costing £180 a night. Can I recommend several very comfortable hotels in Cathedral Road that will only set you back £40-50 a night with a tidy breakfast. You are spending my money after all!
# posted by : 11:36 PM
: 11:36 PM
Most AMs who use hotels stay in the St David's because of the convenience and because they can get special rates. We are literally rolling in there at 9pm or 10pm, doing more work, sleeping and leaving by 7.30am at the latest. There is no time to benefit from any of the facilities apart from breakfast and the internet access which is not available in the sort of hotels you refer to.
It was because I was spending more nights there than I was confortable with that I decided to rent a furnished flat. The expenses involved in that appeared on the first publication. My calculation is that in a normal year, that is one that does not involve set-up costs, this will actually save the taxpayer money. I have not bought any expensive electrical gear or furniture as it is already there and I will not profit from this venture because when I vacate it all goes back to the owner.
It was because I was spending more nights there than I was confortable with that I decided to rent a furnished flat. The expenses involved in that appeared on the first publication. My calculation is that in a normal year, that is one that does not involve set-up costs, this will actually save the taxpayer money. I have not bought any expensive electrical gear or furniture as it is already there and I will not profit from this venture because when I vacate it all goes back to the owner.
We seem to be getting off the point of the blog discussing AMs expenses...
I think this is a diversionary tactics that the Welsh Nationalists have learnt from their Blu Labour masters.
I think this is a diversionary tactics that the Welsh Nationalists have learnt from their Blu Labour masters.
# posted by : 11:26 AM
: 11:26 AM
Ho, ho, ho. "Anonymous" is very rattled. I wonder if he / she has ever had the electoral support some of us - like Peter Black and Myself get from the people who really know both of us - our Ward Neighbours or our local Community. That's the true reflection of any person's character. "Anonymous" is probably either a Swansea Tory Rump member or a Plaid Loser locally. Whichever, he or she can have no Community or Neighbour support whatsoever. I'm quite happy getting massive ward majorities in elections against all comers for over thirty years in very high turn outs.
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