People just do not believe it. People are so used to Labour running Wales that they cannot believe that a Rainbow Coalition, led by Plaid Cymru's Ieuan Wyn Jones is taking over. I'm sure it will take many people several weeks to accept that it has happened, even after Ieuan has been sworn in. People just don't believe that Rhodri Morgan will resign in the next few days - after being consigned to opposition - and Welsh Labour will implode as ambitious AMs launch leadership bids. I don't think Sarah Dickin believed it when she interviewed on the BBC's Good Morning Wales this morning.But they had better believe it. Because its for real.
I will be offering my odds on who will take over from Rhodri Morgan in a post tomorrow. There will be a lot more runners now that it is a battle to be 'Leader of the Opposition' than had it been to take over as First Minister, if Rhodri had gone on for another two years, as he had hoped.
It is just great to see Labour become the party that no other party can afford to work with - because of the negative public response it would attract. That used to be the Tory Party. Over the last Assembly term, we managed to change the perception of our party enough to make us an acceptable coalition partner. The next step is to build on what we have achieved and make us a party of Government in our own right.
I was tempted to post on Lembit Opik's decision to record a programme of Have I Got News For You last night, rather than attend what must have been the most important meeting of the Liberal Democrats in Wales for many years. (He is supposed to be their Leader in Wales after all) I wonder what Lord Hooson and Lord Carlile, his greatly respected and distinguished predecessors as Leader in Wales and MP for my beloved old county of Montgomeryshire think of this. But I decided not to make much of this utterly disgraceful act of disrespect to my nation and my constituency - lest people think I am pursuing some personal political advantage.
8 comments:
What are disgraceful are Lembit's attempts to use Deepcut as his excuse for non-attendance. On Patrick Hanans programme on Radio Wales he claimed his non attendance was due to his need to speak in the FOI debate in the commons on Friday morning. Ignore the fact he could easily have travelled to Llandrindod and back to Westminster in time for the debate. The (disgraceful) FOI ammendement bill had no relationship to Deepcut at all but was about MPs corespondance. Lembit did make an intervention about Deepcut to the puzzlement of everyone else in the chamber (see Hansard)...but that was after the shitstorm about his absence had already started. So now he's using the tragedy of a young life lost to explain his own celeb-worshiping greed. It makes me puke.
Could you be any more undignified and gloating?
Being 4000 miles from home am I hearing you right Glyn. Is this a done deal?! I suspect you must be asleep (I hope) as I write
I heard him on Patrick Hanan - the man is never right Never mind looking to unseat Mike German sort the Cheeky Boy out first.
I too was appalled at his comments
I have no love for Rhodri Morgan – but the alternative Leighton Andrews, Huw Lewis Andrew Davies. ……………………Where’s my passport
Normal mouth - I (usually) value your comments but I really cannot see what was 'undignified and gloating' about my post. Next day, I often wish I'd written something differently. Maybe it will take longer to see this one.
Mike - I do not think it is a completely 'done deal' - but I cannot see how any conclusion except a Rainbow Coalition Government is now possible.
Well, perhaps you may be right. The post simply struck me as so much rasberry blowing, both at Labour and Lembit.
Being hated less than Labour (if that is indeed the case, and I doubt it) is nothing for a Tory to be proud about.
normal mouth, I see what you're getting at now. As it happens, I accept your point. It not that I am particularly anti-Labour - more anti the party that has been in power in Wales for a century. Though I remain deeply anti-Rhodri Morgan and Peter Hain because of the dual candidacy issue.
Mike - the Welsh media think its a done deal.
Thanks to Iain Dale I have seen your blog for the first time and could not agree more on your views on the LibDem Member for this beautiful area (resident of Meifod). As a long time LibDem voter I switched to Dan at the last election because I liked what he had to say and because I could see how the Cheeky Boy was putting entertainment before representation. This latest epidode merely confirms my thoughts and, I am sure, the thoughts of many. There are rumblings in the LibDems too with an undercurrent of talk on deselection. Interesting times ahead methinks.
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