Have you ever seen anyone enjoy power as much as Rhodri Glyn Thomas, the Assembly Government's new Minister of Fun. I went to the Eisteddfod yesterday, and was struck by this rising star's of the Welsh firmament's capacity to strut. And it was not the strut of arrogance that so often inflicts those who reach the higher reaches of the greasy pole. It was the strut of pleasure - almost hedonistic in its intensity. Sheer undiluted pleasure. There is something about watching a man realising that he has landed on his feet and then milking his luck for all he's worth. It creates 'sunshine' all around. I wanted to shake his hand and wish him well. And I wanted him to be a success, and smiled inwardly and outwardly as he strutted off, exuding bonhomie like an old 'Puffing Jenny' exuding steam.
And the other Plaid Ministers were there too. Elin Jones, who is such a big friend of mine that I can do no other than wish her well too. Mind you, she was a touch crousty with me yesterday about something I'd said on a previous post. Better leave it there. And then there was Ieuan himself, who needs to learn the art of strutting. I don't think he should walk around with Alan Morris as his sidekick - simply because Alan is about a foot taller than him. Not a good look. No Labour Ministers in sight though. It seems that they had even abandoned having a presence on the Maes - because they were afraid of it being abused by a few activists. Retreat into their S. Wales bunker at the first whiff of cordite. What a load of pathetic wimps.
With all these sweet words about Plaid Ministers, you might think that I will find it difficult to fight a general election campaign against the self-styled Party of Wales. Maybe. All I will say is that when I played rugby around the West Midlands, I was always at my most aggressive when playing against my friends. The more ferocious the fight, the more I enjoyed the pint that followed. Same principle applies. But I have to admit that the sight of the Carmarthen charmer patrolling the Maes yesterday, mixing politics and pleasure as only he can, might mean that I will not be quite as aggressive as I might have been.
11 comments:
Forget Plaid, you have to focus on the Liberals up therer in Montgomeryshire. One thing's for certain, your current MP won't be visiting the Eisteddfod......He's never been very pro Welsh...
anon - fair point. But the best strategy to deal with the Lib Dems is to let them carry on going around opening things and having their photographs taken. I have to engage with the people directly - and ensure that they know that they can depend on me. I don't know whether Lembit Opik attended the Eisteddfod - but I do know that he was talking about learning to speak Welsh some years ago.
Glyn, you are a natural candidate for conversion (to Plaid). You know you belong there. We'll keep a welcome in the hillsides...
Alan - but I am of the centre/right. Even though I am very fond of Helen Mary, I could not be in the same party. This week is going to show up the differences - when Redwood'spolicy review is published (Fri). I will be supportive of it, while Plaid will be opposed
If Redwood is anything to do with it
the majority of Welsh opinion will be opposed to it - sorry, but true.
Redwood was a disaster for Wales as you recall. I hope he has now learned the words of the national anthem!
I understand why you comment the way that you do - but John Redwood is a very able man who argues his case with usually irrefutable logic. I respect that.
One more comment :-
Logic is cerebral;
logic is without feeling.
One has to win hearts as well as minds!
As you're well aware Glyn the Mont LDs are no more than a glorified Action Group e.g. voting to close schools in Council one day only to collect signatures for a petition against closing them on the next!
As for Lembo and learning Welsh that commitment evaporated sooner than his feelings for Sian. Do you remember his speech at the opening of the Meifod Eisteddfod? Some thought it a brave attempt but really it was excruciatingly embarrasing, particularly when you think he'd had 4 years to prepare.
David - just to let you know my favourite movie is also : "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" (Daniel Day-Lewis and Juliette Binoche).
Look at Scotland - very newsworthy stuff there today (see :
http://alanindyfed.blogspot.com/ )
Glyn, thx for hosting this comment
Just commented on Alun Cairn's blog, to the effect that Ieuan deferred the possibility of personal glory now for national glory later.
Not for Ieuan "the Sheer Pleasure of Power"!
David - I have no complaint about anyone who decides not to learn to speak Welsh - it is a free choice. But I do condemn those who claim they can, or that they are going to learn - when they cannot and have no intention of learning.
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