Just watching Dragon's Eye. My first look at Sir Emyr Jones Parry. Liked the look of him. I really liked the way he responded to Labour MP, Don Touhig's childish accusations that he might need some navigational aids to find his way around Wales. And then Don Touhig was wheeled out to make even sillier comments. He really does make it obvious that devolution is a dish that doesn't appeal to him one bit.
But back to the smooth, ultra relaxed Sir Emyr. He 'admitted' that he had thought it incongruous that Wales was not granted the same powers as Scotland in 1999. Well that seemed pretty clear to me - and I agreed with him. But then he went on to emphasise that by today, he has an open mind about law making powers. I was having a bit of a job to hang onto his logic here. Perhaps he just about got away with this - which shows us what a very good diplomat he must be.
The interesting thing about this though, is that Sir Emyr thinks that expressing a clear opinion about whether the National Assembly should have law making powers is inappropriate for the Chair of the All Wales Convention. Its logical that he would think this uncertainty should also apply to the other members of his Convention. Damn! That rules me out - which is a pity. I'd rather fancied being involved in this Convention. Ah well, my own fault for being so damned opinionated. Too late to backtrack now.
7 comments:
Sir Emyr was leaning over backwards to appear to be impartial, though we can deduce his real feelings. Interesting that he mentioned that he was from the place where I now reside. Don Touhig on the other hand personifies the antithesis of a true Welshman and the sooner he goes the better.
Alan - no good saying that Don Touhig should go. Its like grey squirrels - there would always be another one to take his place! There is a debate to be won and its important to engage with those who do not want to see real decision making in Cardiff Bay - which is what I see as a key role for the Convention.
What do you expect Glyn from a diplomat? Diplomats by tradition are individuals who are sent abroad to lie and spy on behalf of their country according to one gook on the origins of diplomacy written by the eminent 16th century historian Garrett Mattingley. There is a good assessment of Jones -Parry in John Bolton's new book. Bolton was Bush's representative at the UN. For Bolton Jones-Parry was just another smug Brit who didn't seem to realise that the colonials had won the War of Independence. Of more interest in the long run for more powers for the Assembly was Jane Hutt's performance before the Welesh Select Committee. Any debate about more powers as both the Economist and the Times have pointed out must also include a debate about taxation. Peter Riddell in the Times interestingly turned around the colonists slogan of 1776 of'No taxation without representation' to 'No representation without taxation'.Laws often need to be backed up by finance. Where will the assembly get its money from if it continues to rely solely on a block grant set by a UK Chancellor. Without the Assembly we would have another £46m from the block grant to spend on core services. Just think how that could help the council taxpayers of Powys. We will only have mature politics in Wales when the majority of Welsh expenditure is raised in Wales. It might also encourage a better calibre of individual to put their anmes forward in any future Assembly election and more responsible government and less spin!
anon - To be insulted by John Bolton is a badge of honour. Not that I disliked the man, but he was verging on the Australian in his tactfulness! You raise such an important issue that I intend to post on it when I return home early next week. No time now.
I agree.
John Bolton's comments (and whole approach to the UN) typified the Bush govt's approach to internationalism. The fact that the US are now the world's colonisers has escaped Bolton.
Critics of Emyr Jones Parry always seem to raise Bolton's criticisms of him, as if the views of an imperialist warmonger cast a shadow over EJP.
But Emyr Jones -Parry was only put in the UN by another imperialist warmonger Tony Blair to do his bidding.
Personally, I really don't care what John Bolton thinks or said. We just have to wait and see. It will be soon enough to judge when we have some idea of the remit, which seems to me to be the biggest questiuo of all.
Post a Comment