Tuesday, February 01, 2011
One Wales Mark Two on the starting blocks already?
Who is going to have the decisive say as to which parties form the next Welsh Government? Well, if this e-mail from the office of the Shadow Wales Office Minister regarding the AV referendum is anything to go by then it seems that the Labour negotiating team will be driven by MPs:
“I am a keen supporter of electoral reform and, in particular, proportional representation. However, I’m very concerned at the way in which the AV issue has been attached to the Parliamentary Constituencies Bill, which will see a disproportionate reduction in the number of Welsh MPs and is essentially tantamount to gerrymandering.
“I’ve also been reflecting on the fact that, as AV and other forms of proportional representation increase the likelihood of coalitions, and as the Lib Dems have revealed themselves as no longer a progressive party, I worry that there is now no obvious political party outside of Wales which Labour could comfortably form a Government with, without similarly compromising our values.”
What happens after the election of course is entirely in the hands of the voters but already Labour are painting themselves into a corner so that the only option in front of them will be another coalition with Plaid Cymru.
No wonder there are rumours of talks going on between the two prior to May 5th and even the possibility of a Labour-Plaid Cymru electoral pact.
“I am a keen supporter of electoral reform and, in particular, proportional representation. However, I’m very concerned at the way in which the AV issue has been attached to the Parliamentary Constituencies Bill, which will see a disproportionate reduction in the number of Welsh MPs and is essentially tantamount to gerrymandering.
“I’ve also been reflecting on the fact that, as AV and other forms of proportional representation increase the likelihood of coalitions, and as the Lib Dems have revealed themselves as no longer a progressive party, I worry that there is now no obvious political party outside of Wales which Labour could comfortably form a Government with, without similarly compromising our values.”
What happens after the election of course is entirely in the hands of the voters but already Labour are painting themselves into a corner so that the only option in front of them will be another coalition with Plaid Cymru.
No wonder there are rumours of talks going on between the two prior to May 5th and even the possibility of a Labour-Plaid Cymru electoral pact.
