Peter Black and Leadership Challenges

I am getting a few emails about Peter Black's Blog today and his encouragement to the winner of last night's 'Politician to Watch' oscar, Kirsty Williams to take the next opportunity to challenge Mike German for the leadership of the Liberal Democrats in the National Assembly. Mike must really love Peter. But it has started me thinking about leadership challenges. The National Assembly could be the first institution to go through the first decade of its existance without any leadership challenge of any sort. We haven't seen any sign whatsoever of the phemenon which seems to grip Westminster politics on a regular basis. Perhaps its a Welsh thing that we never challenge the leader, no matter what.

There have been leadership changes but nothing to do with challenges. Alun Michael was kicked out by the opposition parties, Rod Richards resigned as the result of a personal problem, Dafydd Wigley resigned as a result of ill-health and I never really understood why Ieuan resigned. Something to do with Dai Lloyd telling him that not everybody in his group thought losing 30% of Plaid's Assembly seats at one go was a 'gold star' performance. Anyway, once he'd recovered his balance, he realised that this Welsh loyalty thing would work in his favour and he unresigned himself. It looks as if Peter is impatient to see an internal party election - probably just to liven things up a bit. And it puts a bit of pressure on Mike German to deliver next May.

Lord Roberts of Conwy - Greatest living Welshman

Just catching up with last night's awards at the ITV 'Oscars' ceremoney in Cardiff. Congrats to my colleague, Jonathon Morgan on his AM of the Year oscar and I cannot really argue with the others - except that I would have liked to have seen Lord Roberts of Conwy winning the Lifetime Acheivement Award. I fully accept that Neil Kinnock has risen to high office but I'm not so sure about actual 'acheivement'. After all he was the Labour leader who so spectacularly snatched defeat out of the jaws of victory in 1992 with an ill-judged pre-victory parade at Sheffield. And he was the EU Commissioner charged with cleaning up EU Commission politics only to have the Commission accounts qualified every year he was there. But I suppose he is a terrific entertainer and he made the Labour Party electable. I have always had a tad of sympathy for the unkindly named 'Welsh Windbag' because, in some ways his effort deserved victory in the 1992 Election. And, with hindsight, I think the Conservatives might have been better off if we had lost that one.

Lord Roberts of Conwy did not win the high office that many of us thought he deserved - but he did acheive, big-time. Wyn did more to turn around the decline in the Welsh Language than any other person alive today. Now that's acheivement. But we do live in an age when the ability to generate publicity is more highly regarded than actual delivery. Anyway I don't want to be too churlish. It is probably my political prejudice that is influencing my opinion.

T******, The Finger and Sh***

Parliamentary behaviour is deteriorating. I listened to Prime Minister's Questions earlier today (in the company of Alun Ffred Jones and Adrian Masters) from the comfort of the BBC studio couch on the 4th floor. Our role was to discuss the content of PMQs. Today, Mr John Prescott was standing in for the Prime Minister. William Hague came up with a brilliant ploy to confound poor old Prezza. He asked him questions about foreign policy and pensions which required a modicum of intelligence to answer. Our Deputy Prime Minister was completely snookered. In the end he did what any third rate comedian does and started playing for cheap laughs by swearing. He called the Tories 'Tossers'and the House roared with laughter. Prezza didn't realise that it was directed mostly at him. I haven't seen PMQs for a while and I hadn't realised how far downhill the Labour leadership has slipped.

The Assembly does not like to be outdone and Mick Bates has been on hand to carry the banner for unparliamentary behaviour. In yesterday's Plenary Session he gave someone 'The Finger'. Now, we don't know who it was aimed at but it happened immediately after the Llywydd had snapped out "Order" to the 'unruly' Rhodri Glyn Thomas. Unfortunately for Mick, some enterprising soul videoed it and put it on the internet. Mick's excuse was priceless. Apparantly he was showing Rhodri Glyn which finger he should use to press the voting buttons in the Chamber. Its a good job there aren't two buttons to press at the same time.

And then, (and believe this or believe it not) Mick stood up to speak about 'sh***s'. At least this was an accident. He had meant to say 'sites'. Now this was really rather funny and when I read 'annonomous's' comments on one of my previous posts, I lost control. I haven't been as amused by a slip of the tongue since the great Peter Rogers, wlth the volume pumped up to max. referred to "The Green Willy Brigade" in the middle of an attack on what he saw as over enthusiastic environmentalists. And I was trying to concentrate on serious statements from Carwyn Jones about telecommunications masts and the Marine Bill. An AMs life is varied.

Mysterious Marek

The entire Chamber was reduced to a state of total bewilderment today as John Marek presented the motion that Assembly Members 'approve changes to the National Assembly for Wales Members Salary Rules'. No-one understood a word that he said. None of us have any idea whether our pension entitlements have been improved or not.

A few weeks ago I heard a speech delivered in German in the Austrian Parliament. I do not have a word of German (except that which I have picked up from World War 11 films) but I reckon I understood it rather better than the Marek 'masterpiece' today. There really should be some sort of award for it.

Sandwich Board Man

Mike German’s speeches remind me of the Spittelau Waste Recycling Plant in Vienna – but working in reverse. At Spittelau the city’s rubbish goes in one end and after some hugely technical processing emerges as something useful at the other end.

But sometimes Mike comes up with a good line – and he did yesterday in the Queen’s Speech Debate when he likened Peter Hain to a ‘Sandwich Board Man’. He then went on to spoil his joke by explaining the mechanics of it at such great length, so that every last one of his admirers (and the others) could understand it. The gist of it was that Peter emits one message about devolution to those looking from Westminster and a different message to those looking from London. This is not a particularly acute observation as Peter is fairly shameless about it.

Peter Hain is a very polished performer, made to look even better by Rhodri Morgan’s shambling style. He did seem a touch off yesterday though – no doubt affected by his wife, Elizabeth’s road accident the day before (we all hope she’s back on her feet soon).

The only really daft thing he said was that Westminster would not be prepared to approve any Assembly Measure, using our new powers after May next year, to ‘privatise education’. I think he knew it was daft when he said it. I pointed out that a Westminster Government, led by Tony Blair working on his own legacy, is far more likely to come up with such a ridiculous idea than any combination of AM’s or parties in the National Assembly. But I suppose Peter Hain is looking to a different audience at the moment - the electorate who will choose the next Deputy Prime Minister.

Leighton Andrews, who is rumoured to be Peter Hain’s fancy as Rhodri’s replacement, was in very lively form yesterday, bouncing up and down like a spring chicken and paying homage to his high-powered sponsor by repeating his line about the next election being a contest between Labour and a Tory-led coalition. This suits us fine. Poor old Ieuan must be feeling a bit like Rocky, loosing his title in the 15th round after leading on points for the first 14.

But it was a good debate with several enjoyable backbench contributions. A good day for the National Assembly, I thought.

Supermarket sized U-turn

In Powys this week we are witnessing one of the most humiliating U-turns by a planning authority that I have ever seen. On Friday the Powys Local Planning Authority is being recommended to grant planning permission for a new supermarket for Lidl UK in Newtown, Mid-Wales. This follows many months of implacable opposition to the development - to the extent that Lidl UK was forced to appeal to the National Assembly on the basis of non-determination. Perhaps it is only a coincidence but the BBC's Dragon's Eye programme covered this issue 10 days ago!!

The story so far. Lidl UK put in an application to build a supermarket on the JT Hughes site in Newtown around a year ago. After months of no worthwhile progress, Lidl UK appealed to the Assembly on non-determination grounds - and submitted another similar application at the same time. For months there has been stalemate.

The Council's implacable opposition had been based on two grounds. Firstly, and I concede that I had some sympathy with this, the traffic consequences were unacceptable. The second reason which I thought totally spurious was that the proposed Lidl site was not 'sequentially' the best location for retailing. The Planning Authority went so far as to employ consultants to argue this case for them. (It is a pure coincidence that the 'sequential' site is a piece of land in the Council's ownership which it is rumoured to have provisionally sold to Tesco for £7million.)

The whole issue is tangled up with another proposed supermarket development, 14 miles down the road on the livestock market at Welshpool, where the Council has also been accused of 'dragging its feet'. I do not know how much truth there is in this. It seems that the same consultants are advising the Council that some of the catchment area for the proposed Welshpool development should be regarded as part of the catchment area of the site in the Council's ownership at Newtown, seriously undermining the viability of the Welshpool proposal. Following this week's spectacular U-turn over the Lidl development, can we expect some movement on the Welshpool site now? I only ask the question.

Missionary Work at Shrewsbury

I spoke to Shrewsbury Conservatives over the weekend and decided to talk about my work as an Assembly Member. This turned out to be a 'brave' decision. It seems that the last speaker to talk about the Assembly had concentrated on its failings - or to put it another way, blasted the utter uselessness of the body which should be immediately abolished. Before you ask who, I didn't. But I earned my dinner at the Lord Hill.

The first question was "Why aren't Welsh patients paying the full cost of treatment at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital - which has put 'our' Hospital in debt to the tune of £34 million? Now that was a damn good question to start the ball rolling.

Question two. "How long must 'we' subsidise you Welsh via the Barnett Formula? We have so many problems of our own that it is obscene that 'we' still have to subsidise 'you' and the Scots.

Third question up was "Why are you helping the EU with its plan to destroy the UK by dividing it into 9 seperate regions - and costing the taxpayers a fortune at the same time?

And question four. "if you are doing so much of the work that MPs do here in Shrewsbury, why has Wales still got so many MPs?

The worrying aspect of this is that I was talking to a really pleasant group who were simply asking what a lot of people in England think. The polls over the weekend that suggested growing calls for an English Parliament came as no surprise to me at all.

Mass Closure of Powys Schools - Inevitable

All this talk about the National Assembly budget has made me think about how it is going to work out at local community level. It looks as if the crunch area is going to be education - and I'm not surprised. I live in Powys and I am expecting an announcement about the first phase in the Council's plan for the 'mass closure' of primary schools before Xmas. No school with less than 35 pupils or with 40% unused capacity is safe from closure.
The current Council strategy was put in place some months ago when Coucillors agreed to a new policy without being given any idea of which schools would be affected. In a bizarre consultation exercise, every school was given a reference number to ensure no councillor knew what they were actually talking about. (It does happen from time to time that a councillor is not well-informeed but it takes a special type of council to put the pursiut of ignorance on a statutory basis.) Anyway the policy was approved and we await the inevitable consequence. This year's budget settlement, whereby Councils have been asked to absorb a 1% cut across the board (rather cutely decribed by the Assembly Government as an 'anticipated efficiency saving') has just about made the 'big axe' certain. The poor old Councillors are 'up the creek without a paddle' or at least at the check-out without a credit card. I have not the slightest doubt that my assertion, made a few months back that up to 40 of its schools are to be closed by Powys County Council will turn out to be an under-estimate.
It would be interesting to know what the Council's 'spokesman' would say if this was put to him today. Firstly, I would expect no answer for several hours while officials thrash around for a form of words that dismiss the assertion without denying it. There may even be a plan to put out an announcement on a Friday afternoon, just before Xmas for all that I know. I do not understand why the Council is just not straight with us. Powys has been put in an impossible financial position by the Assembly Government's budget settlement and it is going to close up to 40 small schools. Why not just say so and put the blame where it is deserved.

No Haka - No Sympathy

Was really looking forward to today's game. But the whole atmosphere was ruined by the utterly pathetic 'fun and games' over the Haka. How childish can grown men be. There has never been a game between the All Blacks and Wales without the Haka - and it being performed immediately before kick-off. Seeing the All Blacks dancing the Haka in the changing rooms was just very, very sad and spoiled a great day.
The Welsh Black bull started things off well and let fly with a kick out at an official that Dan Carter would have been proud of. Perhaps he was annoyed about the Haka row as well. The two young singers matched each other - which is more than you can say for the teams. The All Blacks were awesome. No disrespect to our boys but they were not in the same league. McCaw and Collins are fearsome competitors and man-of-the-match Sivivatu was simply electric. I wanted Wales to win (despite the Haka fiasco) but I just watched enthralled by a simply wonderful performance from the Blacks. It was enough to make Graham Henry smile - even though I do not think it did.
My moments of the game were Collins' bonecrunching tackle on Mark Jones (he will never forget that) and Ali Williams 60 yd clearance from the full back position.
Under normal circumstances, I would be filled with sympathy for our boys, who I thought played none-too-badly but then there was the stupidity over the Haka. I hope it never happens again.

Sorry Sue. I'm not convinced.

The biggest political issue of the week has been the Assembly Government's response to the Beecham Review about how to improve the delivery of public services in Wales. It was the main issue on both Waterfront and Dragon's Eye last night.
I'm usually in thrall to the measured and consensual approach of the Local Government and Finance Minister, Sue Essex but in this instance I am not convinced. In fact, I am instinctively suspicious and verging on the hostile to what I see as an attempt in 'incorporate' Local Government into the Assembly Government. Judging by the 'rowing back' we saw on TV last night from the excellent WLGA boss, Steve Thomas it looks as if I am not alone in my suspicions. I was also pleased that our man, Melding was not diving in for a cheap headline on TV last night. I am not even sure that the voice that the Government had put up, Leighton Andrews looked wholly convinced himself.
The problem for me is that no-one can possibly argue with the principle. Looking for ways of persuading all providers of public services to work together and coordinate is obviously common sense. And there is a superficial attraction in creating a forum comprised of all providers to discuss things with each other. Sue Essex makes it sound so innocent. The issue is what these 'Local Service Boards' will become and what control they will have over local councils. And then we have the overarching 'big brother' Unit within the Assembly Government itself which is to be set up.......... to do what?
And there is much talk of 'equalisation' and this change removing the post-code lottery as far as public services are concerned. I'm always suspicious of these fine sounding phrases which are another way of saying "You must not improve because it will show that everyone else is not performing". No Sue, on this occassion, I am not being hoodwinked by your soft and gentle words. As writing this post I have made up my mind, provisionally anyway. These ideas of yours are poison as far as local democracy is concerned.

PS. The best comment on TV last night was from Sue Essex when she said " You don't have to be big to be a good performer". It was just after I had read about the retirement of Ian Thorpe, the greatest swimmer of all time, who was reported to have size 17 feet!!

My Winter Fuel Allowance.

I needed a pick-me-up. It has been a tough week. I had to resolve on Monday to do nothing which might be 'stressful'. This damn infection, Staphylacoccus Aureau took hold last weekend and only now is being mastered. And then today along comes notification that my Winter Fuel Allowance of £200 will be paid directly into my account in the next few days. It is supposed to help us with the cost of our winter fuel bills - and many people will find it a huge help. But I will probably use it to buy trees for the garden and play my part in mitigating the impact of climate change - so helping some of the poorest people in the world. That is as worthy as you can get. I'm not going to 'blow it' on a good night out which in the past I might have been tempted to do. The Polly Toynbee effect is working already.

Is Polly Toynbee really a Tory Idol?

Everyone knows that I'm one of those 'bit soft' - 'bit leftie' Tories. Even though I'm blessed with a fine hairy chest, I'm not one for what Terry Grange calls the 'Hairy chest' approach to politics. For example, I was the only Welsh-speaking Tory that Post Prynhawn could find to explain to Gareth Glyn the merits of the 'Hug-a-Hoodie' speech. And I meant it.
But hang on a minute. There's a limit to what even I will sign up. We Tories claiming Polly Toynbee as some sort of guru, some sort of guiding star!. This cannot be. I read her column like I used to watch Casualty on the BBC. Simply to shout at the tele or the paper and condemn the political tosh being spread about by subversives. But its full the newspapers. And there we were on Newsnight last night speaking with the great lady herself. You've got to hand it to our man for brass neck. He was so lavish in his body language that our new guiding star didn't know what to say. And the Labour Minister, Jim Murphy was simply left opening his mouth with nothing of any note coming out of it. (By the way, Jim is one hell of a footballer and without question the Keepy-uppy King of British football. When he played against Wales in the Parliamentary Shield, he made such a monkey of Gareth Davies, the old Wales stand-off that he grabbed Jim around the throat and had to be dragged off).
For hours I have been in a daze. What am I going to say when David Davies, or his father, or Alun Cairns rings me and says "Isn't it fanfastic to read Polly's new ideas for tower block high taxes and ripping some money off those hard working high-earners"? But Boris Johnson has saved me yet again. He has a unique way of bringing light to the darkest of conundrums.
It seems, according to Boris, that Polly Toynbee lives her life as a Tory - working hard, earning all she can and using her wealth to give the best to her family. And at the same time using her position to influence opinion to persue her very genuine concern for the poorest and most vulnerable in society. I can live with that. So its a warm welcome to Polly Toynbee and thanks to Boris for showing me how to align my fundamental beliefs with my Party's developing policy agenda.

The New Royal Pad.

So The Prince of Wales is to buy his first home in Wales - near Llandovery in Carmarthenshire. This is 'good news' and 'bad news'.
First, the good news. Charles and Carmilla are buying a home in my constituecy. I have always been a big fan of The Prince and I was lucky enough to sit next to Carmilla at a dinner last year. She is a great dinner companion.
Now, the bad news. I had hoped that the Royal Couple would buy a home near Berriew, where we live. For several years they have stayed at Berriew for a few days every summer. Its always been a good party line for us to be sitting out in the garden with friends when the royal helicopter touches down nearby - and just drop in that it is The Prince of Wales touching down. And apart from anything else, it would probably put up the value of our property!!
I notice from a comment on Peter Black's blog that someone thinks Charles is putting off the purchase until after the Assembly Election - just in case Plaid Cymru win and he would qualify for a £5000 grant towards his purchase. If this is the case, Charles was a lot better polo player that he is a political pundit.

Bloggers Under Attack

The non-blogging world seems to becoming incredibly sensitive about what we bloggers post. This week, I hear that three of my blogs are causing unrest. And I hear non-bloggers going around boasting about how they have no time. Or it is too dangerous. Or even that the 'blogosphere' is a place of evil. Actually, I have some sympathy with the last point but like nuclear power, it can't be uninvented.
I accept that I blog 'near the edge'. It wouldn't be worthwhile any other way. No-one would read it and I would not be communicating at all. I just have to be certain that I am completely happy with what I post, that it doesn't cross the edge and that I would be happy to say it on a public platform. So far I've deleted only one - but of course its out there, like a Staphylococcus Aureus infection waiting to strike me down. This creates concern for those who wish me well - but inevitably opportunity for those who wish me ill. But that's politics for you. Anyway I like life near the edge. It makes the job a winner.

Rhodri faces up to public anger over Hospital Closures

There was a huge turnout on the front steps of the Sennedd today at a protest by people from all over Wales concerned about the future of Community Hospitals. It was clear that aside from the admirable Edwina Hart, no member of the Government was willing to face up to the people. Well done Edwina. She wins respect. It was obvious to us all that neither Rhodri Morgan nor Brian Gibbons was willing to face the anger of the hundreds present.
But fate played its hand. There was a photo-op arranged by Amnesty International on the steps just inside the front glass wall of the Sennedd of all the male AMs declaring their opposition to domestic violence at the same time. Rhodri was in the front row smiling (or at least trying) for the camara while 10 yards away 300 placard waving protesters were being conducted by Kirsty 'Barbarolli' Williams chanting his name. I have not yet seen the photographs but I see the word 'rictus' coming to my mind. The sheer oddness of the situation gave the rest of us had a genuine reason to smile.
Someone told me that Brian Gibbons came a touch late for the photo shoot and panicked in the way early settlers did in the Wild West when the Indians appeared over the Horizon. I refuse to believe that he was seen running full tilt across the top floor restaurant area shouting "Circle the Wagons".
It really was a first class protest and I think the Government are on the back foot. This is why they are doing everything they can to push any controversial decisions to the other side of the election.

From success to disaster in 10 in seconds

It is so easy to become carried away by public acclaim. Great 'gaffes' are often not far behind. Today, Leanne Wood had just asked a question about Owain Glyndwr Day - and I was able to make the easily forgotten point that Owain was instinctively and philosophicaly a Conservative. I was still basking in the warm welcome there was in the Chamber for this insisive obsevation - when I suggested that any new National Holiday in Wales should be clearly 'Welsh' and should be on ... May 1st!!. Reaching out to new voters is good strategy for the Conservative Party but this appeal for the Nye Bevan vote is too far even for me. I hope all the bloggers in the Chamber will thank me for presenting them with such rich pickings.

PS I just asked Alun Cairns the correct spelling of 'Bevan' and he tells me that he is of the same family. Now this is even more of a shock than that David Davies is of the same family as Owain Glyndwr.

My First Bribe?

I've often read about bribery in public life - but for some reason I've never been offered one. Until today! An 8 year old young lad from Merthyr offered me a little cuddly toy. I was lucky that my eagle-eyed PA, Phill stepped in to prevent me from committing the crime. Let me recount the circumstances.
A group of people from Merthyr who are fiercely opposed to open cast mining wanted to present a petition to the National Assembly. I accepted it on behalf of and as Chair of the Environment,Planning and Countryside Committee - for onwards transmission to the Petitions Clerk in the Table Office.
The problem for me was that I had to receive the petition and give absolutely no indication whether I supported the petitioners or not - or even whether I had any sympathy with the cause. I am, and for legal reasons I have to remain totally impartial about open cast applications. I was doing OK until the young lad asked me a tough question along the lines of whether I am in favour of protecting the children of Wales. Well, I could hardly say No to that. I think I squirmed my way out of one tricky situation - only to be completely floored when a cute little bag was produced containing a little cuddly toy. We politicians are programmed not to offend people if we can help it. I was searching around for the words when my trusty butler stepped in with "You are not allowed to receive this gift" he snarled. So I had to return the cuddly toy. I remain uncorrupted.

PS A bribe? Don't be daft. It was just my little joke.

Rhodri's Survival Plan. Not For Me

I hear strong rumours that tomorrow's Western Mail is going to report that Rhodri Morgan has decided to soldier on as a 'Minority Government' after next May's Assembly election if Labour manage to scrape 27 seats. They will do well to win 25, let alone 27. This is interesting because even a 27 Labour representation would need a majority of AMs to vote him in as First Minister. I just do not think the other parties would do it. And quite a few Labour AMs wouldn't want to either.
Now, despite Christine Gwyther's uplifting description of me as Nick Bourne's 'right-hand-man' in the Chamber today, I do not have any inside knowledge whatsoever about this. But I would be in favour of refusing to vote him in as First Minister. Coming back with even 27 would be a strong enough message that it is time for a change. And if Labour insist on presenting him as their choice to be First Minister a second time, I would expect the second biggest party (which I anticipate will be the new, modern, reasonable, Welsh Conservatives) to form an Assembly Government instead. Perhaps this is what Christine meant when she described me as a 'right-hand-man'.

Update on Rhodri's Biscuits

I got it wrong in my post on the standard of biscuits that Rhodri Morgan serves at meetings (which Nick Bourne tells us varies depending on the importance of the meeting). When it gets really serious he upgrades to sticky cakes. Apparently this is something to do with Sue Essex, who has always been the power behind Rhodri's throne. Last year when parry leaders were sorting out the budget row, Sue was in control telling Rhodri exactly what he could and could not say. And I daresay that the same applies this year.
She is a hard woman. Like a diamond. Tough as granite on the inside - but with the sparkle of sheer bloodyminded reasonableness on the outside. Its a big loss for the Assembly that Sue is retiring next May. I hope that the people who hand out end-of-year awards recognise the sheer talent of this woman. I supported her as my choice for 'AM of the Year' last year and I do so this year as well.

All Blacks and Welsh Blacks

Forget Kathryn Jenkins (difficult for any red-blooded male I grant). Forget Charlotte Church. Forget Siencyn, the goat. The Welsh Rugby Union are getting serious. An 800 kilo Welsh Black bull will be leading Stephen Jones' boys out onto the pitch at the Millenium Stadium on Saturday.
While Ritchie Macaw's All Blacks will be going through their Haka routine (with or without throat slitting), Cwmcae Brenin 3rd will be staring back at them, reminding them that they are merely mortal. Graham Henry has met the old boy before and will be only too aware of his inspiring influence. If Wales manage to spring a surprise by beating the All Blacks, the demand for Welsh Black meat will rocket. So a victory will put a smile on the face of the nation and put money in the pockets of farmers - a dream combination. Mark Jones must play though. regretably I do not think there is any room for Alfie in the starting 15.