Sunday, September 12, 2010
Labour's "hypocrisy"
Whatever my political differences with Plaid Cymru MP, Elfyn Llwyd he got somethings right with his speech to the nationalists' party conference yesterday:
He said: “I have been astonished, as I’m sure have people across Wales, by the bare-faced hypocrisy we have seen of Welsh Labour since the general election.
“We’ve seen a string of Damascene conversions in the Labour ranks in Westminster.
“Barely a week after the election, the referendum on greater powers for Wales, which many Labour MPs fought hard against, was suddenly a hot topic among previously sceptical MPs.
“’When can we have it?’ they pleaded with David Cameron – forgetting that it was Gordon Brown and Peter Hain who were holding it back in any event.”
Mr Llwyd argued that although Labour had refused to accept that the Barnett formula – the system by which Wales is funded by Westminster – was unfair, the party’s view had quickly changed since losing power at May’s election.
He added: “Now they agree that what we in Plaid said was correct all along.
“Pity that not a single one of them had the backbone and the respect for the people of Wales to speak up during their 13 years in power.
“Plaid Cymru’s been at the forefront of this battle for years, with Labour sitting idly by.
“While I welcome their support, it must be taken with a pinch of salt.
“How can anyone believe them after only 13 years of being in a position of power and when they could have made a difference – only now has Labour found a voice.”
But Mr Llwyd said it would make no difference which candidate won the leadership campaign, which is expected to be a battle between David and Ed Miliband.
But Mr Llwyd said: “Whichever Millibrother wins the leadership contest, they will be cut exactly from the Blair/Brown cloth.
“They were uncritical, uber-loyal disciples of New Labour.
“Ed Balls might well end up one day as Chancellor – he is the biggest supporter of Barnett – Labour seemingly hasn’t learnt any lessons of late.
“The people of Wales are not that gullible. Labour – you may be stealing our policies, you may be stealing our clothes, but you will never steal our integrity.”
“The good people of Wales will remember that you let them down.”
It is worth noting of course that the Welsh Liberal Democrats have consistently suported reform of the Barnett formula and got a commitment to a decisive review put into the coalition document. We have also supported more powers for the Welsh Assembly and were advocating a Welsh Parliament before Plaid Cymru got their first elected representative. Still, it is nice to know that we are not the only one pointing out Labour's many u-turns since they lost power.
He said: “I have been astonished, as I’m sure have people across Wales, by the bare-faced hypocrisy we have seen of Welsh Labour since the general election.
“We’ve seen a string of Damascene conversions in the Labour ranks in Westminster.
“Barely a week after the election, the referendum on greater powers for Wales, which many Labour MPs fought hard against, was suddenly a hot topic among previously sceptical MPs.
“’When can we have it?’ they pleaded with David Cameron – forgetting that it was Gordon Brown and Peter Hain who were holding it back in any event.”
Mr Llwyd argued that although Labour had refused to accept that the Barnett formula – the system by which Wales is funded by Westminster – was unfair, the party’s view had quickly changed since losing power at May’s election.
He added: “Now they agree that what we in Plaid said was correct all along.
“Pity that not a single one of them had the backbone and the respect for the people of Wales to speak up during their 13 years in power.
“Plaid Cymru’s been at the forefront of this battle for years, with Labour sitting idly by.
“While I welcome their support, it must be taken with a pinch of salt.
“How can anyone believe them after only 13 years of being in a position of power and when they could have made a difference – only now has Labour found a voice.”
But Mr Llwyd said it would make no difference which candidate won the leadership campaign, which is expected to be a battle between David and Ed Miliband.
But Mr Llwyd said: “Whichever Millibrother wins the leadership contest, they will be cut exactly from the Blair/Brown cloth.
“They were uncritical, uber-loyal disciples of New Labour.
“Ed Balls might well end up one day as Chancellor – he is the biggest supporter of Barnett – Labour seemingly hasn’t learnt any lessons of late.
“The people of Wales are not that gullible. Labour – you may be stealing our policies, you may be stealing our clothes, but you will never steal our integrity.”
“The good people of Wales will remember that you let them down.”
It is worth noting of course that the Welsh Liberal Democrats have consistently suported reform of the Barnett formula and got a commitment to a decisive review put into the coalition document. We have also supported more powers for the Welsh Assembly and were advocating a Welsh Parliament before Plaid Cymru got their first elected representative. Still, it is nice to know that we are not the only one pointing out Labour's many u-turns since they lost power.
