I'm surprised that so little seems to have been made of the resignation of Plaid Cymru's education spokesman, Janet Ryder. Seems to me that this is a significant issue in Welsh politics. Janet has been one of the leading Plaid AMs since the Assembly was established, and was one of the 'curry house four' who decided that it was time for Ieuan Wyn Jones to resign (which he did a lot more quickly than they wanted, and then stood again and won). Anyway, she undoubtedly qualifies as a heavyweight in Plaid Cymru terms. And there are surely others who agree with her.
I'm told this row has been rumbling on for a while. The issue concerns the Coalition Government's proposals to overhaul the education of 14-19 year olds. We know that Janet has been in the Assembly committee dealing with the legislation, when she's been hauled out by Plaid whip, Chris Franks, before a vote. Janet has been voting with the Conservative and liberal Democrats on amendments to improve the legislation. I don't know what the precise disagreements are about, (this report doesn't inform us) but its clear that Janet Ryder thinks the Minister's proposals are so badly flawed that she's resigned rather than vote for them. There's a real split here in the Coalition. Perhaps it should be seen as very worrying for Wales' National Assembly that a resignation of this importance should generate so little comment.
13 comments:
Well done Janet for resigning!
If there were more people like Janet Ryder in Plaid Cymru who were prepared to work with the Tories, the Rainbow would have worked. Janet Ryder is prepared to support sensible Tory policies - and she has paid the price for doing so. You should write to her Glyn and congratulate her. And if she ever finds herself kicked out of Plaid, invite her to join us in the Conservative Party. Not only would she be made welcome, she seemingly would feel quite at home too.
come on Glyn. If your seriously describing Janet as a heavyweight you have lost touch with politics!
This is a great result for Plaid. They have been able to get ride of one of the worst performers they have. There is a lot of talent of the Plaid backbenches.
What happened to Cllr Gary Price, I believe he voted for 3.99% increase.
What was that all about?
As ever Glyn it is left to the blogosphere to discuss the real issues:
http://peterblack.blogspot.com/2009/01/resigning-issue.html
http://freedom-central.blogspot.com/2009/01/educational-discipline.html
Julie - Janet was a panallist at the RESEC Conference I chaired in Bangor last Friday. If i'd known this was brewing up, I'd have asked her about it. I would have also have congratulated her on supporting Conservative amendments.
anon - Janet is a heavyweight in Plaid Cymru terms - at least I thought she was when I was an AM. I'm sure Nerys Evans will do what she's told.
anon - This was probably meant for another post - and its one for Gary to answer himself.
Peter - Agreed. This is an important issue that has been largely ignored by the broadcast media - as far as I know.
"I'm sure Nerys Evans will do what she's told."
A nasty dig Glyn. Whats your problem with Nerys. I think she will do a great job. And considering her past year in campaigning I doubt she will just be cintent to be a quiet voice in the background!
Anon - Sorry if it comes over as 'nasty'. Didn't mean it to. Nerys seems ok to me. And come to think of it, she was one of the 'rebeld' who would not sign up to the 'Rainbow' when it was first discussed after the last Assembly election - so she has got a bit of spirit there.
Janet is a obviously Tory-leaning politician, given how she supports us in Cardiff Bay. Sensible woman! Give her a call Glyn, tell her us Tories will keep a welcome in the hillside for her. She is wasting her time with Plaid Cymru. Everyone knows she will not be an AM in the next Assembly. This will be her last term as Dafydd Wigley will get rid of her from the top of the North Wales list for 2011. So, young Janet may be more open to an approach than you think. Go on Mr Davies - phone a friend!
All this talk about education - when is Plaid going to wake up to the need to protect Welsh jobs - specifically, future Welsh jobs linked to current academic research output? The beauty of protecting future Welsh jobs is that it does not fall foul of WTO rules. Why? Because patents = protection for future jobs ... is an accepted way for any country in the world community of nations to protect its innovation and hence future jobs.
How many future jobs has Wales lost already? If one looks to the former third world state of Singapore one sees a university with five times more registered US patents than held by any Welsh university. Singapore has pulled itself up by cross-hatching entrepreneurial spirit with academic research. There is another university at least as world class as any university in Wales which has no engineering faculty which publishes numerous research findings in learned journals and yet produces more registered patents than all of the universities in Wales combined. Bottom line: filing for patent protection is no hindrance to publishing research findings in learned journals – quite the contrary in fact.
I will be at the BioWales 2009 event; I hope to play my part in bringing high-paying future jobs to Wales. I have spent some ten years now learning the back and front ends, side views, top/bottom views, schematic logic flows, the innards of the US patent system - in short, I will be the only Welsh guy at BioWales 2009 who is authorized to file and prosecute patent applications DIRECTLY before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). My office is so close to the USPTO that I often drive past the USPTO on my way to my office. Hence, I can do face-to-face interviews directly before USPTO patent Examiners without having to fly across the USA and hence save time and money for the client.
The knowledge I have is of strategic value to Wales.
I might be killed in a road accident tomorrow - anyone at the WAG (Welsh Assembly Government) prepared to spare an hour or so after the BioWales 2009 conference?
I am willing to give up time that I would rather spend on talking to potential clients and/or delay my flight back to DC at considerable cost on the off chance that members of the WAG would give up some of their time to meet with me. Though I don't think it is appropriate at this juncture to move away from transparency, if the politicians are nervous/want Chatham House Rules to apply I would be willing to comply with such a request because what I know should be in the minds of senior politicians in the WAG.
Janet Ryder was one of the only spokespeople in the bay not to have any respect from the press at all.
From the coverage, it seems that her boss finally had enought and gave her the push.
SO she's now confined to the Plaid naughty step with Rhodri Glyn Thomas. Poor, poor woman.
Julie - I'd heard that she was thinking of standing in the General Election in Clwyd South!
of course nerys will do what she is told! I agree with you Glyn. She's been trying to claw back support from the leadership since she stood up against the Tory coalition! I don't think she would ever make the same decision again. She has no intention of rocking the boat.
Janet is standing in Clwyd South for Plaid against Tory candidate John Bell and Labours invisible Martyn Jones MP!
I hear from Janet Ryders staff she was stripped of her responsibilities and given the opportunity to resign to save embarrasment.
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