Thursday, January 29, 2009
New leader, new vision
Interesting article in today's Western Mail about the man who would be First Minister of Wales, Merthyr Tydfil AM, Huw Lewis. We are told that he has been busy reinventing himself in preparation for the contest to succeed Rhodri Morgan:
Probable Labour leadership contender Huw Lewis yesterday morning brandished his business credentials when he set out a vision for innovation in Wales.
Mr Lewis – previously more comfortable taking part in marches alongside his comrades – called for investment in industries such as digital media, while admitting less money will be available to support the public sector.
At a breakfast organised by the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts, he said the recession should be “attacked” and not tamed.
And if Welsh Labour Kremlinologists were looking for a further sign Mr Lewis was serious about taking on Carwyn Jones for his party’s leadership later this year, this was it.
Sightings of the former deputy minister taking Welsh lessons, a more media-friendly persona – and now the Valleys socialist stating he was “gobsmacked” at the way advice from entrepreneurs has been “ignored” in the past.
Officially of course there is no contest and all of the prospective candidates have been busy avoiding any direct reference to the potential vacancy. Nevertheless one cannot help but feel that Huw is building up a good head of steam, though there are others who might say that he needs to do so, given the fact that he has not been a Cabinet Minister and thus has a lower profile than his opponents.
Probable Labour leadership contender Huw Lewis yesterday morning brandished his business credentials when he set out a vision for innovation in Wales.
Mr Lewis – previously more comfortable taking part in marches alongside his comrades – called for investment in industries such as digital media, while admitting less money will be available to support the public sector.
At a breakfast organised by the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts, he said the recession should be “attacked” and not tamed.
And if Welsh Labour Kremlinologists were looking for a further sign Mr Lewis was serious about taking on Carwyn Jones for his party’s leadership later this year, this was it.
Sightings of the former deputy minister taking Welsh lessons, a more media-friendly persona – and now the Valleys socialist stating he was “gobsmacked” at the way advice from entrepreneurs has been “ignored” in the past.
Officially of course there is no contest and all of the prospective candidates have been busy avoiding any direct reference to the potential vacancy. Nevertheless one cannot help but feel that Huw is building up a good head of steam, though there are others who might say that he needs to do so, given the fact that he has not been a Cabinet Minister and thus has a lower profile than his opponents.
Comments:
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Needless to say, am all for fellow Penarth residents getting into high places so leave poor huw, and his missus the AM for Torfaen alone Peter!
# posted by 
: 10:14 PM
: 10:14 PM
If Huw Lewis is to challenge successfully for the leadership, he is going to have to prove that he aspires to improve life in Wales as a whole, not just in the Valleys and the Cardiff-Newport belt.
Question: when he was Minister for Communities, how many communities in North, Mid and West Wales did he physically visit? And how did that number compare with the number of his appearances in the South-east?
Question: when he was Minister for Communities, how many communities in North, Mid and West Wales did he physically visit? And how did that number compare with the number of his appearances in the South-east?
# posted by : 9:13 AM
: 9:13 AM
Well, he's appeared quite a lot in Penarth Wyn - is that west enough to count?
# posted by : 7:00 PM
: 7:00 PM
Hoho. Penarth. Hoho. Brilliant!
Playing the man instead of the ball again? Lovely stuff from the nationalists. I suppose it must get their goat a little that the man they love to hate makes their own Assembly leader look dimmer than a broken lamp.
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Playing the man instead of the ball again? Lovely stuff from the nationalists. I suppose it must get their goat a little that the man they love to hate makes their own Assembly leader look dimmer than a broken lamp.
# posted by : 9:52 PM
: 9:52 PM<< Home
