So Rhodri Morgan has posted up his team sheet - and we've all had our say. Welsh spin on my blog was best at prediction. Now for the 'shadow' teams. Chance for a bit more fun. Too many new faces for me to predict the full teams - but lets speculate.
Health needs some new faces. Jonathon Morgan (Tory) and Rhodri Glyn Thomas (Plaid) have been terrific in the last Assembly - but this portfolio needs a fresh start. So David Melding (Tory) and Helen Mary Jones (Plaid) it must be. It'll be a love-in with Edwina.
Economy is difficult. It needs people who can actually understand what Brian Gibbons, the new Minister is saying. Top man here is Alun Cairns, but if he is going to be the star I expect him to be, he needs a change. But I come from the 'Its the economy stupid' school of thought - so this portfolio needs the best. So I'll go with Jonathon Morgan and Alun Ffred Jones (Plaid).
Education, Language and Culture. I'd go with Alun Cairns and Rhodri Glyn. What a contest it would be between three top performers.
Sustainability and Rural. Has to be the 'Rainbow Coalition' that performed with such distinction before the election. Brynle Williams (Tory), Elin Jones (Plaid) and Mick Bates (Lib Dem). If they carry on working as a team, they should be too strong for the 'Duchess'.
Social Justice and Public Services. Its Mark Isherwood (Tory) and Dai Lloyd (Plaid) for me - as long as Mark promises to stop going on about Flintshire County Council all the time. There's a case for Leanne Wood here - but its pushing it a bit if Ieuan Wyn Jones wants to be First Minister. After all Leanne's Mrs Windsor who makes the appointment these days.
So that leaves William Graham (Tory) and Jocelyn Davies (Plaid) to shadow Jane Hutt at Business and Budget. Discussion will be awfully polite.
Of course, some of the portfolios will be split - and Plaid will do that to bring Janet Ryder into the top team - but I really can't guess where.
I haven't put any of the new Tories in the top team, but perhaps Nick Bourne will want to make use of Nick Ramsey at Local Government, Andrew Davies to support Brynle, Paul Davies at Language and Culture, Angela Burns at Health and Darren Millar to support William Graham.
The Lib Dems are just impossible to predict - so apart from Mick Bates I haven't bothered. Perhaps we should just toss a coin - or put them in a cockpit to fight it out amongst themselves.
8 comments:
Gareth Jones is a bit of a "new boy" having been absent from the last Assembly, but he was in the first.
Not the most charismatic of AM's when it comes to public speaking, but he does have that headmasters ability to tick those who disagree with him off in a way that makes them feel sorry for being naughty little children.
He is also one of the most knowledgeable AM's in the field of Education and the Welsh Language and just the man to give Carwyn a well deserved caning.
i agree with most of your analysis but it is depressingly predictable. i hope for some surprises
Alwyn - Gareth Jones is a good Centre/Right nationalist - so I'll take him with pleasure.
And anon, I too hope for some surprises. After all the uncertainty, everything seems to be slipping back into the same old rut.
Interesting that it seems three of your new party (the 'anything but Labour Party') to match one of Welsh Labour. I think you will find it may take you more than that to even give Jane Davidson a contest. She is driven, forensic and masterful with a brief - I wouldn't underestimate her.
Dai is lazy and a waste of space. I laughed when you suggested him for Social Justice!
patriot - I don't under-estimate Jane Davidson - but she won't be as good as Carwyn with this particular brief. And the rainbow three got the better of him sometimes, even with the full civil service back-up.
Anon - you are being unfair on Dai Lloyd. I worked with him on the local government brief and he was ok.
Glyn,
I find it tragic that Education should be lumped in with culture and the Welsh language. It needs to be on its own.
As for Jane Davidson , I would not overestimate her, especially after she made that daft comment about class sizes not affecting student performance. Which leads to believe that she did not know what she was talking about.
I think HMJ will ahve health, RGT will have education, Jonath Morgan will have health, agree bates will be in suatainability, cairns will have education,
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