Saturday, October 11, 2008

Changes at the Assembly

Just catching up on today's news, and read of two items of news from the Assembly, one pleasing to my eye, and one not.

Not pleased to see Jane Davidson announcing that she's standing down in 2011. She is a competent Minister with a genuine commitment to the environment. Its always a bit cheeky for a politician to create 'competence lists' of opposing party's representatives. But I'm cheeky like that. I never held back from declaring my opinion that Sue Essex was the best Labour AM by a mile (in my opinion that is). After that there are a few others that I reckoned were well up the all-party competence list. Jane was one of them. I hope she's got something else in mind. Perhaps she's going to the Lords to become a duchess.

I was pleased to see Mike German finally announce that he's relinquishing his grip on the leadership of the Liberal Democrats in Wales. Pleased I was nowhere near when it happened. I hate the sound of fingernails scratching the floor as a reluctant human body is dragged kicking and screaming out through the door by his bootlaces. And there's going to be a contest. Jenny Randerson is taking on Ms Williams from Brecon and Radnorshire. In my opinion, Jenny is another high up on the all party competence list. It looks as if Peter Black doesn't agree. He dismisses Jenny in a rather contemptuous way as just 'more of the same'. I suppose he's got more rights that me to have an opinion on this. Lets just hope its a brutal bloodthirsty battle. Just imagine if AMs had the same sort of Communications Allowance' as MPs. They could both spend thousands of taxpayers money posting out the same sort of glossy self promotion that Lembit Opik is currently doing in Montgomeryshire. Just thought I'd mention it.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yes. I've just seen a copy of Lembit's Communication. Notice it didn't mention the rather imPOrtant debate he didn't attend or vote in (tee hee!). Seems he missed the point that petitions would not carry weight in the PO consultation process too. Still, that photo outside no 10 is very impressive, isn't it.

Glad he acknowledges we have "so many good schools locally". Has he mentioned that to his Lib Dem colleagues on Powys County Council, who seem content to vote to close them?

Did wonder about the Lib Dem insignia in the photo on the back page. These things are supposed to be "party free", aren't they? And has anyone told the Conservative Shadow Sec of State for Northern Ireland that he has a doppelganger? (Unless that really is Owen Paterson on the front of Lembit's literature!)

Out of interest, has Lembit been using his communication allowance to send out postcards saying he's campaigning for a fuel price cut? Roger Williams in Brecon & Radnorshire's been doing just that, even though Vince Cable, as recently as the Lib Dem conference, was recommending for RAISING fuel prices.

Can the communications allowance be used to speak with forked tongue, I wonder?

Anonymous said...

Glyn, Lembit is also quite a popular man. He has an engaging personality and is going to be a hard nut for you to crack.

Could I suggest that you do not underestimate him?

Also, with all respect, why don't you lay off this more powers for the assembly stuff? It's not relevant to what you're trying to do and it really turns Conservatives off. It's also been noticed higher up the pecking order, not entirely with approval.

Just a few friendly suggestions, but you really have got a mountain to climb and there's not long to go.

Anonymous said...

be nice if kirtsy gets her gloosy leaflets produced in wales this time. Using companies in her own constituency may vene be an idea

Penri James said...

Glad to see I am not the only prospective candidate having to suffer the self promoting drivel sent out by the Lib Dems last week, Mark Williams has sent out the worst written piece of political fare I have seen for a while - "Mark has done this...", "Mark has done that...". According to Elfyn Llwyd MP "Mark has done...not much". I shall try to get hold of the Lembit edition (my wife works in Machynlleth) to see whether they have used the same stories - another Liberal Democrat trick. What gets me is that its you, me and every other taxpayer that pays for this. I need not persuade you that we require a 'Standards Board' to deal with this rubbish, we already have one, its called the electorate.

Frank Little said...

A huge amount of Ashcroft and/or Goldsmith money is being spent on glossy promotion of Conservative candidates in marginal seats. (I'd like to think this would dry up in the credit drought, but I fear it is coming from private capital.)

If none of it is coming the way of Montgomery, it just shows that your target is not reckoned to be marginal. ;-)

Glyn Davies said...

suzy - I've had about a dozen copies sent to me - but when i tell people that the taxpayer is paying, they go ballistic - so just tell everyone whats their taxes are being used for.

anon - I acccept your comment in good spirit. I certainly do not underestimate the challenge in any way. I also accept that I have done enough on the Assembly powers issue. I think I have established my position on this - an dthere's no point being repetetive.

penri - spot on.

frank - What's your point. Lord Ashcroft helps the party with private donations, in thre same way that many other donors help all political parties. I would have thought that the Liberal Democrats would not have wished to draw attention to private donations, bearing in mind recent events!

Anonymous said...

Uh, Penri. People in glass parties shouldn't throw stones and all that!

Saying Mark has done this Mark has done that is exactly what the comms allowance is for.

What it is not for is saying

Plaid have done this

Plaid Will do that

In areas the constituency of the MP doesn't even cover.

I've made my point.

Anonymous said...

Penri dont forget that Elfyn Llwyd had to repay £8500 of tax payers money after that Daily Post advert during last years Assembly Election.

Penri James said...

I don't know whether the two 'anonymous' have read Mark's missive but the front page refers to a fuel debate in Parliament in which he didn't speak or table an amendment. Should you use the Parliamentary allowance to tell people about something you haven't done? I think not.

Anonymous said...

C'mon Penri, no welsh lib MP's have had a problem yet Elfyn Llwyd was found guilty of abusing the system last year. Get on with some real campaigning work, or you'll be in the same boat as you were for the council elections.