Blog No 3 tonight. Ffion Hague was in Montgomeryshire this afternoon. She's probably in Montgomeryshire quite often, because this was her home. Anyway today she was at the home of Ieuan and Penny Jones, near Mathrafal, Pontrobert to tell us about her new book 'The Pain and the Privilege' - a book about the women in the life of David Lloyd George. Mrs D had to give me one of my Christmas presents early, because I may easily have bought a second copy - and she wanted Ffion to have signed it. She gave an entertaining and informed talk. When she stopped and asked for any questions, I was in a state of deep contemplation. It seems that the almost all of Lloyd George's Cabinet colleagues were at it, and their wives.
As often happens no-one wanted to ask the first question. I was sitting in the front row so I just started things off - along the lines of;
"At the next General Election, I will be hoping to become an MP, but after hearing about the way in which the entire Cabinet seemed to spend their time, I'm not at all sure that I'm up t0 it."
I will postulate that one reason politicians are not so obsessed with sex today is that its become fashionable to follow a football team. And neurologists at Southern General Hospital in Glasgow have discovered that watching a goal being scored is every bit as arousing as having sex. Clinical Scientist, John McLean of the Institute of Neurological Sciences said "Our results show that the part of the brain associated with intense pleasure, and which has been associated with arousal, is most active at the time a goal is scored." Results of research show that activity in the Anterier Cingulate Cortex (ACC) of the brain was substantially higher when a goal was scored than when chances were missed or in open play. It seems that its this ACC which goes into overdrive during the sexual act. The research was carried out on Rangers season ticket holders. I'm just wondering what sort of condition Rangers fans would be in after a four all draw in the 'Old Firm Derby'!!
Anyway Ffion reassured us that rabid promiscuity isn't compulsory. She also thought that Lloyd George would have abstained from roaming under the gaze of today's prurient media. One final point worth noting is that on his release from hospital well into his sixties, after an operation concerning prostate cancer, Lloyd George's surgeon was forced to make a plea with the randy old Celt that he should restrain himself to as near abstinence as possible for a week or two - and added that if he was tempted, that he should stick a tried and tested partner to avoid over-exciting himself. He was clearly an animal - and all his women loved him for it. I'm looking forwards to reading the book after Christmas.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Santa Run
Second post tonight. This morning I competed in the Newtown Santa Run. This has returned to being more of a 'local' fun event, with between 400-500 Santas running - as opposed to the highly professional event it became a few years ago when it broke the world record, with several thousand Santas running. Its become a bit of a family event for us and there were seven of the Davies clan home from all corners and out today for the 4 mile plus course. No 3 son, Tim has obviously been in secret training, and romped home in just 25 minutes, which matches my best time of a few years ago. I pushed little Ffion around again this year. She was the youngest ever entrant when I did the same thing last year, she being just 8 weeks old at the time. We weren't looking for any media coverage, but my local weekly's photographer was there at the finish, and Fi and I posed with the Mayor and Deputy. So could be a pic in the County Times. Eb and Karen, Fi's parents would really like that - and I wouldn't mind.
Speaking of looking for media coverage, Lembit Opik did the Santa Run on has Segway. I didn't actually notice the huge neon-lit sign on his forehead shouting "I want to be noticed". I'm told that when he motored down the home straight, the crowds on both side didn't clap or cheer at all. I don't think I can repeat what I heard some fellow runners say about this - but I will say that I'm pleased Ffion's vocabulary is still very limited.
A good word for local Assembly Member, Mick Bates though. He's always been a great supporter of the Santa Run, and he ran today - not many months after having a new hip. He had to take it easy, so we'd gone home before he made the finish. I'd like to have cheered him home, so this blog offers him warm congratulations tonight.
Speaking of looking for media coverage, Lembit Opik did the Santa Run on has Segway. I didn't actually notice the huge neon-lit sign on his forehead shouting "I want to be noticed". I'm told that when he motored down the home straight, the crowds on both side didn't clap or cheer at all. I don't think I can repeat what I heard some fellow runners say about this - but I will say that I'm pleased Ffion's vocabulary is still very limited.
A good word for local Assembly Member, Mick Bates though. He's always been a great supporter of the Santa Run, and he ran today - not many months after having a new hip. He had to take it easy, so we'd gone home before he made the finish. I'd like to have cheered him home, so this blog offers him warm congratulations tonight.
Being incorrect in church
Been missing for a while. Too much on. So blogfest coming. Last night, I sung along with a chuchfull of carollers at Welshpool's St Mary's. It was the 17th Welshpool Fire Station Carol Service. Just before going, I'd read in the Telegraph that Christmas carols are being corrected by clergy to make them more "modern and inclusive". It seems that Twelve Days of Christmas has been rewritten to include Aids victims, drug addicts and hoodies. Other churchgoers will not sing 'all in white' during Once in Royal David's City. And one clergyman has removed the word 'virgin' from God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. I believed all this until I couldn't find the word 'virgin' in there anywhere.
I was surprised that the last carol hadn't been changed to God Rest Ye Merry People, as the Dean of Llandaff insisted on a few years ago. I'm sure I've mentioned this on my blog before, but when I objected to such silliness, I was interviewed on Radio Five late on Christmas Eve, and introduced as the Dean of Berriew. At the time, I was sitting in my office with my feet up on the desk and a glass of champagne in my hand - and not the first either. John Pocket has referred to me as the Dean ever since.
Anyway 'merry gentlemen' it was last night - and none of the other carols had been interfered with. Only shock for me was during the short sermon where it was revealed that Christ was actually born in June, and it was decided to celebrate the great event soon after the shortest day of the year to give hope to all his people that there were better days to come. Please tell me its not true.
I was surprised that the last carol hadn't been changed to God Rest Ye Merry People, as the Dean of Llandaff insisted on a few years ago. I'm sure I've mentioned this on my blog before, but when I objected to such silliness, I was interviewed on Radio Five late on Christmas Eve, and introduced as the Dean of Berriew. At the time, I was sitting in my office with my feet up on the desk and a glass of champagne in my hand - and not the first either. John Pocket has referred to me as the Dean ever since.
Anyway 'merry gentlemen' it was last night - and none of the other carols had been interfered with. Only shock for me was during the short sermon where it was revealed that Christ was actually born in June, and it was decided to celebrate the great event soon after the shortest day of the year to give hope to all his people that there were better days to come. Please tell me its not true.
Friday, December 12, 2008
The Daily Sport
Had the media on today, asking me what I think of the decision of my political opponent at the next General Election to become the political columnist of the Daily Sport. I did know about this story already, because I'd seen it on Guido Fawkes' blog. (don't read the comments unless you're at least 18 years old.) What on earth could I say. So I said something like;
"Lembit Opik is entirely within his rights to become the political face of the Daily Sport, but its not something that I would ever want to do. Its obvious that we have a very different approach to politics"
Now, I did once make it to the front page of the Daily Sport myself (and every other newspaper in the land). It was one of those really silly stories that seemed totally innocuous to the central character (me) but capable of presentation in a way that made it one of the biggest media stories to emanate from the National Assembly. It involved a Welsh Conservative politician, who was also a sheep farmer, being stopped by the police while driving a Landrover and a trailer load of sheep, and doing so without trousers. It was nothing more than improvisation on my part, but a deadly combination of innuendo ingredients to everyone else. If you google my name, it'll still be one of the first stories to come up. But the point is that I was horrified that this became a story at all, let alone one for the Daily Sport. To be fair, all the media ran it as the 'silly story' it was, so in the event it did no damage to my reputation.
But to actually agree to become the political correspondent of the Daily Sport, in return for payment, is an entirely different matter. I'll be interested in what the media makes of this one. And the voters of Montgomeryshire for that matter.
"Lembit Opik is entirely within his rights to become the political face of the Daily Sport, but its not something that I would ever want to do. Its obvious that we have a very different approach to politics"
Now, I did once make it to the front page of the Daily Sport myself (and every other newspaper in the land). It was one of those really silly stories that seemed totally innocuous to the central character (me) but capable of presentation in a way that made it one of the biggest media stories to emanate from the National Assembly. It involved a Welsh Conservative politician, who was also a sheep farmer, being stopped by the police while driving a Landrover and a trailer load of sheep, and doing so without trousers. It was nothing more than improvisation on my part, but a deadly combination of innuendo ingredients to everyone else. If you google my name, it'll still be one of the first stories to come up. But the point is that I was horrified that this became a story at all, let alone one for the Daily Sport. To be fair, all the media ran it as the 'silly story' it was, so in the event it did no damage to my reputation.
But to actually agree to become the political correspondent of the Daily Sport, in return for payment, is an entirely different matter. I'll be interested in what the media makes of this one. And the voters of Montgomeryshire for that matter.
Heads Down Time.
Another really bad day for democracy in Wales. Details of Assembly Member's allowances have been made public today. Hell of a hoo-hah. And there really shouldn't have been. The actuality is that the National Assembly has a genuinely accountable and transparent system of member expenses - which is not the case in some other Parliaments. What really depresses me is that no AMs were prepared to face the media to justify their claims. I've never agreed with 'under the desk' approach, which seems to have been by cross party agreement today. As always the media asked me to do the justifying - because for the last few years I've always been willing to do it. However, I'd arranged it so that I couldn't do the Richard Evans Phone-in on Radio Wales today. After watching Dragon's Eye last night, it was obvious that my party was going to be in the firing line. It just didn't seem to be my place to justify things, so I arranged lunch, in order that I could genuinely say I was committed elsewhere. Didn't like it though. Never like ducking the flak.
But I did make a few comments for Radio Cymru - in Welsh. And that's because my excuse of being in a restaurant fell over , because Gwenllian Grigg was happy to do the interview over a mobile phone!! The comments I made were based on two personal principles. Firstly, any politician who makes a claim on the taxpayer should be willing to face the media to justify it. I couldn't hide my disappointment with today's response from AMs. And Secondly, I gave my full support to Sir Roger Jones and his committee as they inquire into what should be an appropriate expenses regime. Of course, some people will not accept that politicians should have any expanses, but Sir Roger must recommend some clear guidelines which the majority of people will support.
I was also deeply unimpressed that the information was published on the day after Assembly Members had left Cardiff Bay for the Christmas recess. It just added to the appearance of politicians not being prepared to stand up and be counted for the way they had used taxpayer's money. OK, so this may be off the front pages by next week - but its been a damaging day for Welsh democracy. Final nail in the coffin of a referendum on law making powers for the National Assembly - not logical I know, but factual nonetheless.
But I did make a few comments for Radio Cymru - in Welsh. And that's because my excuse of being in a restaurant fell over , because Gwenllian Grigg was happy to do the interview over a mobile phone!! The comments I made were based on two personal principles. Firstly, any politician who makes a claim on the taxpayer should be willing to face the media to justify it. I couldn't hide my disappointment with today's response from AMs. And Secondly, I gave my full support to Sir Roger Jones and his committee as they inquire into what should be an appropriate expenses regime. Of course, some people will not accept that politicians should have any expanses, but Sir Roger must recommend some clear guidelines which the majority of people will support.
I was also deeply unimpressed that the information was published on the day after Assembly Members had left Cardiff Bay for the Christmas recess. It just added to the appearance of politicians not being prepared to stand up and be counted for the way they had used taxpayer's money. OK, so this may be off the front pages by next week - but its been a damaging day for Welsh democracy. Final nail in the coffin of a referendum on law making powers for the National Assembly - not logical I know, but factual nonetheless.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Politician of the Year Awards.
I wasn't able to make the black-tie POTY Awards in Cardiff last night. But I had an interest because I was one of the 10 or so judges. Its not proper for me to make any comment whatsoever, but its fair to point out that its probable that each judge disagreed with some of the decisions - and theoretically possible that a judge voted for none of them. So there is no reason for me to be defensive about this list.
The winners were
Politician of the Year.....................Dafydd Elis-Thomas
MP of the Year...............................Paul Murphy
AM of the Year...............................Edwina Hart
MP to watch....................................Jenny Willott
AM to watch....................................Andrew R T Davies
Campaigner of the Year.................Nerys Evans
Local Politician of the Year.............Cllr. John Davies
Lifetime Achievement....................Dafydd Wigley
Personally I'd have liked to have given a Special Award to Rhodri Glyn Thomas as 'Hard done-by Politician of the Year.
Anyway, tell me what you think - and don't just disagree without giving us your preference.
The winners were
Politician of the Year.....................Dafydd Elis-Thomas
MP of the Year...............................Paul Murphy
AM of the Year...............................Edwina Hart
MP to watch....................................Jenny Willott
AM to watch....................................Andrew R T Davies
Campaigner of the Year.................Nerys Evans
Local Politician of the Year.............Cllr. John Davies
Lifetime Achievement....................Dafydd Wigley
Personally I'd have liked to have given a Special Award to Rhodri Glyn Thomas as 'Hard done-by Politician of the Year.
Anyway, tell me what you think - and don't just disagree without giving us your preference.
Wishful Thinking.
Bit knackered again tonight, after another five hours on the road today. In Cardiff - this time in the heart of Welsh democracy, where I was chairing a 'Sustainability Forum'. Our aim is to make recommendations to Darren Millar, Conservative 'sustainability' spokesman - with a view to influencing Conservative policy. I'd been hoping that we would all agree about recommendations, but it will probably prove impossible to come up a form of words on onshore wind. Still, I've been pleased about the large measure of agreement.
There were two big stories centred on the National Assembly today. The first involved some poetry reading which we're told took place in the building. I say 'we're told' because the media were banned from the reading. Interesting that this argument has been about freedom of speech!! Patrick Jones poetry in not for me - but I have to congratulate him on his marketing skills. He might write c*** poetry but he did manage to persuade several Assembly Members to indulge in the sort of public badinage that produced headlines Max Clifford would be proud of.
The second story on every one's lips in tomorrow's release of details about Assembly Member's expenses. I do think that to release the figures on the day after AMs have gone home for Xmas will have wound up the media big-time. So I expect some big headlines tomorrow. I do hope that AMs will be prepared to appear on the media to answer any questions that might be asked about what AMs have spent their access to taxpayer's money on. One person at the heart of things told me today that it will be a rumpus 24 hours, and next week's chip paper. If the details had come out on Monday, as expected, and everybody was willing to stand up and justify them, I could agree. But now, I'm really am not so sure about it.
There were two big stories centred on the National Assembly today. The first involved some poetry reading which we're told took place in the building. I say 'we're told' because the media were banned from the reading. Interesting that this argument has been about freedom of speech!! Patrick Jones poetry in not for me - but I have to congratulate him on his marketing skills. He might write c*** poetry but he did manage to persuade several Assembly Members to indulge in the sort of public badinage that produced headlines Max Clifford would be proud of.
The second story on every one's lips in tomorrow's release of details about Assembly Member's expenses. I do think that to release the figures on the day after AMs have gone home for Xmas will have wound up the media big-time. So I expect some big headlines tomorrow. I do hope that AMs will be prepared to appear on the media to answer any questions that might be asked about what AMs have spent their access to taxpayer's money on. One person at the heart of things told me today that it will be a rumpus 24 hours, and next week's chip paper. If the details had come out on Monday, as expected, and everybody was willing to stand up and justify them, I could agree. But now, I'm really am not so sure about it.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Police Fundraising
I'd been wondering what the Police were going to do to compensate for the loss of income now that speed cameras are being removed in some areas. Well, the Preston Police have come up with a cracking idea. They've started handing out £80 fixed penalty notices for using profane language. Signs and banners are being displayed around the city warning 'No Effin and Jeffin'. I know what Effin means, but I got a clue what 'Jeffin' is. I hesitate to mention this. The last time I sought knowledge of this sort, I remember being very embarrassed when I was told what a 'Milf' was.
This is rather a good ruse by the men in blue. It will raise a lot of money. Just remember the total that Newcastle Manager, Joe Kinnear would have totted up in one minute - £4160-00. I know friends of mine who could rattle up a grand's worth in a single sentence. All the Police would have to do in Powys would be to knock on every one's door and ask for an opinion on the Council's decision to turn street lights off. They would be driving around in Bentleys on the proceeds.
Or the Essex Police could release a sack of rats in the Fire Station at Waltham Abbey. Telegraph tells us today that when a part-time officer opened the building, he ran for it at speed because he saw two mice - and the station was closed down for two hours. I'd bet he let fly with some expletives as he legged it. Just imagine the reaction if the crew found 52 rats nibbling at their lunch boxes. I'm hoping to attend the Welshpool Fire Service's Annual Carol Concert on Saturday night in St Mary's. They'll all be on their best behavior in church.
This is rather a good ruse by the men in blue. It will raise a lot of money. Just remember the total that Newcastle Manager, Joe Kinnear would have totted up in one minute - £4160-00. I know friends of mine who could rattle up a grand's worth in a single sentence. All the Police would have to do in Powys would be to knock on every one's door and ask for an opinion on the Council's decision to turn street lights off. They would be driving around in Bentleys on the proceeds.
Or the Essex Police could release a sack of rats in the Fire Station at Waltham Abbey. Telegraph tells us today that when a part-time officer opened the building, he ran for it at speed because he saw two mice - and the station was closed down for two hours. I'd bet he let fly with some expletives as he legged it. Just imagine the reaction if the crew found 52 rats nibbling at their lunch boxes. I'm hoping to attend the Welshpool Fire Service's Annual Carol Concert on Saturday night in St Mary's. They'll all be on their best behavior in church.
Cancer Survivorship - Living with and Beyond cancer'
Been chairing a Conference organised by 'Positif Politics' for Macmillan Cancer Support in Nantgarw today. You might ask why they asked me. Well, in part because the advertised 'chair' was stuck in the Far East, and I was called in at the last minute. And the clue to the other reason was written there on the agenda - "The event will be chaired by Glyn Davies (Cancer Survivor). I don't think I've ever seen that written down before. I normally try to pretend I'm no such thing, but today's conference was about Cancer Survivorship' so 'fair enough'.
Now if I'm 'chairing' any sort of meeting, I like to make sure everything is just as I want it. My nonchalance about these things is pretence. So I was not content that the 'speaker's table' was placed directly in front of the screen. It was about 10' by 3', covered in a pristine table cloth, and laden with jugs of water, flowers, Fox's glacier mints, maybe ten glasses, several literature packs and Cath Lindley's handwritten notes. I decided to move it about four feet to one side. Unfortunately, as I moved slowly backwards (to avoid disturbing anything), I didn't notice that only one half of the table was following me. Under the pristine tablecloth, there were actually two tables butted up to each other. And unfortunately there was a jug of water resting smack over the join. When the gap between the tables had reached about twelve inches, the weight of the jug caused the tablecloth to slip inwards from both sides. Everything then seemed to happen very quickly.
As the debris was removed, all bundled up in the now not so pristine tablecloth (including all the broken glass) there was a ten square foot water stain on the carpet. I was so impressed with Daran Hill, who's 'set' it was. He batted not an eyelid - just reminded me that the statue remembering Tommy Cooper is but a mile or two up the road - and got on with rebuilding it. And Cath, who was opening the Conference, retained her usual elegance as she carefully laid out her notes to dry.
I really enjoyed the day. Normally I'm not much of a conference man, but there are well over 100,000 cancer survivors in Wales, suffering a range of post treatment conditions, varying from debilitation to the virtually unaffected (which includes me). How we support all these people is an important issue - and of interest to me. It was quite testing, leading a discussion where most of the audience were more knowledgeable than me. But I learned a lot.
Now if I'm 'chairing' any sort of meeting, I like to make sure everything is just as I want it. My nonchalance about these things is pretence. So I was not content that the 'speaker's table' was placed directly in front of the screen. It was about 10' by 3', covered in a pristine table cloth, and laden with jugs of water, flowers, Fox's glacier mints, maybe ten glasses, several literature packs and Cath Lindley's handwritten notes. I decided to move it about four feet to one side. Unfortunately, as I moved slowly backwards (to avoid disturbing anything), I didn't notice that only one half of the table was following me. Under the pristine tablecloth, there were actually two tables butted up to each other. And unfortunately there was a jug of water resting smack over the join. When the gap between the tables had reached about twelve inches, the weight of the jug caused the tablecloth to slip inwards from both sides. Everything then seemed to happen very quickly.
As the debris was removed, all bundled up in the now not so pristine tablecloth (including all the broken glass) there was a ten square foot water stain on the carpet. I was so impressed with Daran Hill, who's 'set' it was. He batted not an eyelid - just reminded me that the statue remembering Tommy Cooper is but a mile or two up the road - and got on with rebuilding it. And Cath, who was opening the Conference, retained her usual elegance as she carefully laid out her notes to dry.
I really enjoyed the day. Normally I'm not much of a conference man, but there are well over 100,000 cancer survivors in Wales, suffering a range of post treatment conditions, varying from debilitation to the virtually unaffected (which includes me). How we support all these people is an important issue - and of interest to me. It was quite testing, leading a discussion where most of the audience were more knowledgeable than me. But I learned a lot.
Congratulation Shane
For the first time in my life, I voted for the BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year. I duly telephoned the advertised number, and cast my vote with the recorded voice of Jason Mohammed. It made no difference of course. It was entirely predictable that Shane Williams would win, and I cannot really argue. He's good. But I voted for Nicole Cooke, because she has been Wales' outstanding performer for each of the last three years. Seems to me that if she ran down Queen Street, sidestepped Daniel Carter, leapfrogged Aneurin Bevin's statue, and then knocked out Joe Calzhage with a right uppercut, she still wouldn't win. Anyway I did my bit. Congratulations Shane all the same.
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
Cameron sets out his stall.
Blog time is short tonight. I've been doing my Xmas cards - and there's a lot of them. That's a consequence of being involved in multiple organisations. And I'm off early tomorrow to chair a conference on 'Surviving Cancer' in Cardiff - and spend lunchtime at a 'brainstorming' session on mental health and dementia at UWIC. Will probably stay up late reading in preparation. Had a quick look at today's news, and have been deeply impressed by what seems to me to be very important positioning by David Cameron - so felt that I wanted to comment. Its a key moment in UK politics, and may well decide who is the next Prime Minister.
Regular readers will know that I was in a state of shock when the Chancellor announced that next year he is planning to borrow £118 billion pounds, and that on the basis of the UK coming out of recession by July. And he also told us that he intends to borrow huge sums of money beyond the foreseeable future. We have four children, and I worry about what is going to happen to them as these horrendous debts fall to be repaid.
Anyway, its obvious that David Cameron and George Osborne are also worried about our four children. Good. But it was a lot more than a speech on the economy. Its a major plank in the platform on which I will be fighting the next General Election. I will be very comfortable campaigning on sound money. And it makes it easier to develop a genuine desire to see Gordon Brown ousted when I so disagree with the way he is gambling with the future of the economy. Its a good job that I have so much to read tonight. I'm so exercised by the sheer idiocy of the way our Government is printing money like confetti, that I could go on about it for hours.
Regular readers will know that I was in a state of shock when the Chancellor announced that next year he is planning to borrow £118 billion pounds, and that on the basis of the UK coming out of recession by July. And he also told us that he intends to borrow huge sums of money beyond the foreseeable future. We have four children, and I worry about what is going to happen to them as these horrendous debts fall to be repaid.
Anyway, its obvious that David Cameron and George Osborne are also worried about our four children. Good. But it was a lot more than a speech on the economy. Its a major plank in the platform on which I will be fighting the next General Election. I will be very comfortable campaigning on sound money. And it makes it easier to develop a genuine desire to see Gordon Brown ousted when I so disagree with the way he is gambling with the future of the economy. Its a good job that I have so much to read tonight. I'm so exercised by the sheer idiocy of the way our Government is printing money like confetti, that I could go on about it for hours.
Monday, December 08, 2008
Guest Review by 'Steffan'
'The Heyday in the Blood' by Geraint Goodwin.
Geraint Goodwin was born in Newtown, Montgomeryshire and made his name as a successful Fleet Street journalist. His ambition,however, was to write creative fiction, and in the 1930s he returned to Powys and produced stories set in that part of Wales. This book, the latest in the excellent 'Library of Wales' series, was first published in 1936, just five years before Goodwin's too early death at the age of thirty eight.
'The Heyday in the Blood' is set in an 'out of the way' community in Montgomeryshire during the 1930s. The local inn, the Red Lion, is the centre of village life and the place where this novel's unruly characters collide.
From its first pages, Goodwin draws one into an almost vanished world, remote but strangely recognisable to anyone familiar with rural Wales. Its passionate cast are poachers, drinkers, fighters, hunters and poets - sometimes all at once. The pub is full of arguments and tall tales and these robust, funny, life-affirming characters are in constant rebellion against authority.
The story centres on the redoubtable Twmi Tudor, the landlord of the pub, his strong willed daughter, Beti, and the two men who pursue her, Evan, the bankrupt miller and tyro poet, and Llew, her bold and sometimes violent cousin. In some delightfully written scenes, among them visits to the nearby markets and fairs, a confrontational foxhunt, and a poaching expedition with its pugilistic aftermath, Beti, Llew and Evan develop their relationships.
While the isolated village seems to offer an unchanging way of life, this is no innocent Eden, and the outside world increasingly impacts on the character's lives. Set against the massive economic and political influences which crashed through Wales in the thirties, neither the rambunctious, instinctively defiant inhabitants of the taproom, nor the young people struggling to make sense of their volatile emotions can remain unaffected by larger forces.
Goodwin was part of that flowering of Welsh writing in the 1930s and his style is recognisably of that time, though this book overflows with humour, unlike the work of one of his major influences, D H Lawrence. By turns comical, lyrical and intense, we may feel nostalgic for the lost world described here, but Goodwin isn't a sentimentalist. He has a sympathy and compassion for his characters - he really seems to like them, and so did I. This is another fine volume from the 'Library of Wales' project, attractively designed, with a useful foreword, and a pleasure to read.
The Book is available from Fuze in Newtown.
Geraint Goodwin was born in Newtown, Montgomeryshire and made his name as a successful Fleet Street journalist. His ambition,however, was to write creative fiction, and in the 1930s he returned to Powys and produced stories set in that part of Wales. This book, the latest in the excellent 'Library of Wales' series, was first published in 1936, just five years before Goodwin's too early death at the age of thirty eight.
'The Heyday in the Blood' is set in an 'out of the way' community in Montgomeryshire during the 1930s. The local inn, the Red Lion, is the centre of village life and the place where this novel's unruly characters collide.
From its first pages, Goodwin draws one into an almost vanished world, remote but strangely recognisable to anyone familiar with rural Wales. Its passionate cast are poachers, drinkers, fighters, hunters and poets - sometimes all at once. The pub is full of arguments and tall tales and these robust, funny, life-affirming characters are in constant rebellion against authority.
The story centres on the redoubtable Twmi Tudor, the landlord of the pub, his strong willed daughter, Beti, and the two men who pursue her, Evan, the bankrupt miller and tyro poet, and Llew, her bold and sometimes violent cousin. In some delightfully written scenes, among them visits to the nearby markets and fairs, a confrontational foxhunt, and a poaching expedition with its pugilistic aftermath, Beti, Llew and Evan develop their relationships.
While the isolated village seems to offer an unchanging way of life, this is no innocent Eden, and the outside world increasingly impacts on the character's lives. Set against the massive economic and political influences which crashed through Wales in the thirties, neither the rambunctious, instinctively defiant inhabitants of the taproom, nor the young people struggling to make sense of their volatile emotions can remain unaffected by larger forces.
Goodwin was part of that flowering of Welsh writing in the 1930s and his style is recognisably of that time, though this book overflows with humour, unlike the work of one of his major influences, D H Lawrence. By turns comical, lyrical and intense, we may feel nostalgic for the lost world described here, but Goodwin isn't a sentimentalist. He has a sympathy and compassion for his characters - he really seems to like them, and so did I. This is another fine volume from the 'Library of Wales' project, attractively designed, with a useful foreword, and a pleasure to read.
The Book is available from Fuze in Newtown.
What a difference a 'C' makes
Had a campaign meeting this morning. Someone suggested that I make an issue of the poor upkeep of Council direction signs and the tardy way in which graffiti is removed. A good example is the defacing of the sign that leads into Canal Road in Newtown. It seems that someone has painted out the 'C'. It might even have been Lower Canal Road.
National Grid Connection.
Sometimes, Government policy is almost beyond understanding. I thought that when the Assembly Government published its 'planning guidance' on renewable energy (TAN8) a few years back. We now discover that it was even worse than I thought at the time.
TAN 8 created 3 separate Strategic Research Areas (SSAs) in and bordering Montgomeryshire, within the boundaries of which it was envisaged several wind farms would be built. You really would have thought that the Government would have considered how the power created was to be transported to the National Grid - to coincide with an anticipated construction timetable. Well you'd be wrong.
Powys County Council are currently considering nine applications to build wind farms - all at least 50 kilometers away from the National Grid, the nearest point of which is in Shropshire. Only now has the National Grid informed us what they propose to do to access these sites. I'll quote from the newly released document.
'.....National Grid, SP Manweb and the wind farm developers, along with the support of Ofgem and the Welsh Assembly Government are working cooperatively to understand better the grid connections and associated grid infrastructure that will be needed........in the case of Mid Wales we will need to invest in new infrastructure to connect to our existing infrastructure.'
In other words, they have to build a 400 kv line (that's the biggest line of all, which hangs on 150' steel pylons) from somewhere in Shropshire to somewhere in West Montgomeryshire. Not many people in East Montgomeryshire have any idea what's going to happen to them.
This is the proposed timetable of this construction.
Before Aug 09 ................... Assess appropriate connection point to the transmission system.
Aug 09 - April 11.................Public Consultation and Environmental Impact Assessment.
Mid 2011..............................Electricity Act (section 37) Application.
Early 2012...........................Application Determination.
May 2012 - Oct 2015............Construction.
October 2015........................Completion.
That's right. Completion of the line to take the power out of Mid Wales to be completed in 7 years time. While nine proposals are already on the table. Now common sense would dictate that these proposals are put on hold until the line is built. But No. Because of the way the Electricity Act is written, Scottish Power are statutorily obliged to build 132 kv lines now to service these sites. You don't need a degree in Electricity Line Construction to see the stupidity of all this. But that's Government for you.
TAN 8 created 3 separate Strategic Research Areas (SSAs) in and bordering Montgomeryshire, within the boundaries of which it was envisaged several wind farms would be built. You really would have thought that the Government would have considered how the power created was to be transported to the National Grid - to coincide with an anticipated construction timetable. Well you'd be wrong.
Powys County Council are currently considering nine applications to build wind farms - all at least 50 kilometers away from the National Grid, the nearest point of which is in Shropshire. Only now has the National Grid informed us what they propose to do to access these sites. I'll quote from the newly released document.
'.....National Grid, SP Manweb and the wind farm developers, along with the support of Ofgem and the Welsh Assembly Government are working cooperatively to understand better the grid connections and associated grid infrastructure that will be needed........in the case of Mid Wales we will need to invest in new infrastructure to connect to our existing infrastructure.'
In other words, they have to build a 400 kv line (that's the biggest line of all, which hangs on 150' steel pylons) from somewhere in Shropshire to somewhere in West Montgomeryshire. Not many people in East Montgomeryshire have any idea what's going to happen to them.
This is the proposed timetable of this construction.
Before Aug 09 ................... Assess appropriate connection point to the transmission system.
Aug 09 - April 11.................Public Consultation and Environmental Impact Assessment.
Mid 2011..............................Electricity Act (section 37) Application.
Early 2012...........................Application Determination.
May 2012 - Oct 2015............Construction.
October 2015........................Completion.
That's right. Completion of the line to take the power out of Mid Wales to be completed in 7 years time. While nine proposals are already on the table. Now common sense would dictate that these proposals are put on hold until the line is built. But No. Because of the way the Electricity Act is written, Scottish Power are statutorily obliged to build 132 kv lines now to service these sites. You don't need a degree in Electricity Line Construction to see the stupidity of all this. But that's Government for you.
Sunday, December 07, 2008
Selina Scott
Probably clumping my feet on politically correct toes here, but I rate Selina Scott as a seriously attractive woman. She was also a very good news presenter, who didn't stoop to as puerile giggly nonsense as is dished up on Breakfast TV today. Ms Scott is 57 years old. Still in the bloom of womanhood in my opinion - but too old according to Channel 5, who reneged on a contract with her to stand in for Natasha Kaplinski, who is going to be otherwise occupied having a baby. It seems that Five preferred the 28 year old Isla Traquair instead. So Selina Scott sued them, and its thought that compensation of £250,000 has been paid. I'm just sorry the case isn't going to an employment tribunal, where Five would be required to answer for its disgraceful age discrimination and prejudice in public.
This is one area of law that I support - and before you cite recently developed personal interest, it always has been. I well recall arguing about a retirement age for councillors - as if youth was in some way a virtue. My neighbour, the late Sydney Pritchard was the best councillor I ever worked with, well into his eighties.
Insurance companies are the worst offenders. I still resent my ejection from the Wales political rugby team. I was the captain until I lost my Assembly seat - and 'guested' in the bloodbath against the Italians afterwards, when the referee was forced to blow the final whistle early to avoid a diplomatic incident. But then the team became affiliated to the Welsh Rugby Union. This resulted in a ban on anyone over the age of 55 playing. It seems that it was a stipulation of some stupid insurance company. I don't think that this discriminatory rule applies to the Westminster team.
Anyway, my regard for Selina Scott has risen even higher than it was.
This is one area of law that I support - and before you cite recently developed personal interest, it always has been. I well recall arguing about a retirement age for councillors - as if youth was in some way a virtue. My neighbour, the late Sydney Pritchard was the best councillor I ever worked with, well into his eighties.
Insurance companies are the worst offenders. I still resent my ejection from the Wales political rugby team. I was the captain until I lost my Assembly seat - and 'guested' in the bloodbath against the Italians afterwards, when the referee was forced to blow the final whistle early to avoid a diplomatic incident. But then the team became affiliated to the Welsh Rugby Union. This resulted in a ban on anyone over the age of 55 playing. It seems that it was a stipulation of some stupid insurance company. I don't think that this discriminatory rule applies to the Westminster team.
Anyway, my regard for Selina Scott has risen even higher than it was.
End of an era.
I'm not a regular churchgoer - but I attended this morning's service at St Mary's in Welshpool. It was both a sad and special day. The service, included the 'laying-up' of the Standard of the Montgomery Branch of the Royal Army Service Corps Association to the Vicar of Welshpool. In other words, after many year's as an independent association, the local branch is merging with the Shrewsbury Branch. At least there's no sillyness about working across Offa's Dyke here. As I become older, those serving in the Armed Forces seem to me to be so young. I think more about the sacrifice that young people have made to protect the freedom that my family enjoys today.
This is what the President actually said during the Laying-up Ceremony;
"I commit this sacred Standard of the Montgomery Branch of the Royal Army Service Corps Association to you as Vicar of Welshpool for safe-keeping in this church for evermore."
During his powerful sermon, the Vicar talked about the meaning of religion. He listed some of the reasons that are given by those who are opposed to the very idea of religion, one being the number of people that have been killed throughout history in it's name. He named Hitler and Stalin. What occurred to me was that Mao had got away with it again. I do not know the accurate figures, and maybe someone will inform us in comments - but the ball park figures in my mind are 1) Mao at 50 million murdered, 2)Stalin at 20 million, and 3) Hitler at 6 million. In my book, that makes Mao Tse Tung (or Zedong if you prefer) the most evil person who ever lived.
This is what the President actually said during the Laying-up Ceremony;
"I commit this sacred Standard of the Montgomery Branch of the Royal Army Service Corps Association to you as Vicar of Welshpool for safe-keeping in this church for evermore."
During his powerful sermon, the Vicar talked about the meaning of religion. He listed some of the reasons that are given by those who are opposed to the very idea of religion, one being the number of people that have been killed throughout history in it's name. He named Hitler and Stalin. What occurred to me was that Mao had got away with it again. I do not know the accurate figures, and maybe someone will inform us in comments - but the ball park figures in my mind are 1) Mao at 50 million murdered, 2)Stalin at 20 million, and 3) Hitler at 6 million. In my book, that makes Mao Tse Tung (or Zedong if you prefer) the most evil person who ever lived.
Saturday, December 06, 2008
Edna's Expenses Gossip
Been trying to contact Edna Mopbucket all week. Ever since the police arrested Damian Green, she been playing hard to get. I wanted a word after hearing that my expenses when I was an Assembly Member are not going to be published on Monday after all. She gasped when I asked. I knew she had some inside info. So I promised to put a 'good word' about her into the ear of Powys Councillor Bob Mills, who she's taken a shine to. My reward was a bit of tittle-tattle that may or may not be true. Trouble with Edna is that you can never be sure that she's not making it up. Anyway, it seems she'd overheard some meeting discussing when the information about Assembly Member's expenses should be made public.
She said she happened to be passing a Committee Room after normal hours last week, when she heard raised voices. Edna can never resist taking a peep at things. Seems she looked through the keyhole, and who should be in the middle of all this furore but the Chair of something called the Assembly Commission - none other than William Graham AM. It seems that this 'Commission' is responsible for the publication of AM's expenses - including mine. Edna swears she heard one panicky raised voice stuttering "It would be bl**dy bonkers to put this stuff out on Monday. We'll be bl**dy crucified all bl**dy week. Shipton and Roderick will be prowling the corridors of the bl***y Senedd all day Tuesday and Wednesday like undertakers in a flu epidemic. Lets publish the end of next week, after the AMs have gone off on their Xmas hols". Edna reckoned she saw the colour draining from William's cheeks as he muttered something like "Constituency weeks please" - but his buttonhole was suddenly started quivering. Someone else then supposedly chipped in with "We'd never get away with it. They'll crucify us - accusing us of trying to find a way of burying bad news. We'll have to do it this week. Can't we just do it after Wednesday, so that most of us can bu**er off home, before the proverbial hits the fan. The heat should be off by next week"
Edna tells me that she then had to run for it. Its seems William's cheeks turned pure white, and his orchid collapsed. He jumped up from his chair saying that he needed a breath of fresh air to recover. Edna reckoned there was one hell of an atmosphere brewing up - so she scarpered. Can't see what the fuss is about myself. Surely no Assembly Member would ever have spent taxpayer's money on anything they would not be entirely happy for their constituents to know about. Anyway, Edna's promised to ring if she hears any more about when all the details that were to be published on Monday are now going to be published. Luckily she's down the Assembly cleaning next week.
She said she happened to be passing a Committee Room after normal hours last week, when she heard raised voices. Edna can never resist taking a peep at things. Seems she looked through the keyhole, and who should be in the middle of all this furore but the Chair of something called the Assembly Commission - none other than William Graham AM. It seems that this 'Commission' is responsible for the publication of AM's expenses - including mine. Edna swears she heard one panicky raised voice stuttering "It would be bl**dy bonkers to put this stuff out on Monday. We'll be bl**dy crucified all bl**dy week. Shipton and Roderick will be prowling the corridors of the bl***y Senedd all day Tuesday and Wednesday like undertakers in a flu epidemic. Lets publish the end of next week, after the AMs have gone off on their Xmas hols". Edna reckoned she saw the colour draining from William's cheeks as he muttered something like "Constituency weeks please" - but his buttonhole was suddenly started quivering. Someone else then supposedly chipped in with "We'd never get away with it. They'll crucify us - accusing us of trying to find a way of burying bad news. We'll have to do it this week. Can't we just do it after Wednesday, so that most of us can bu**er off home, before the proverbial hits the fan. The heat should be off by next week"
Edna tells me that she then had to run for it. Its seems William's cheeks turned pure white, and his orchid collapsed. He jumped up from his chair saying that he needed a breath of fresh air to recover. Edna reckoned there was one hell of an atmosphere brewing up - so she scarpered. Can't see what the fuss is about myself. Surely no Assembly Member would ever have spent taxpayer's money on anything they would not be entirely happy for their constituents to know about. Anyway, Edna's promised to ring if she hears any more about when all the details that were to be published on Monday are now going to be published. Luckily she's down the Assembly cleaning next week.
Are Assembly Members 'Value for money'?
Sir Roger Jones certainly P***ed in the fat on Dragon's Eye this week, when he said that some members of the National Assembly for Wales do not give value for money - or words to that effect. Sir Roger is currently chairing a committee looking into AM's expenses. Anyway, BBC Wales asked me to 'guest' on the Richard Evans phone-in yesterday. Mai Davies was standing in for Richard. I knew I'd have to be on sharp form because my fellow guest was Mark Wallace of the Taxpayer's Alliance - and not many callers were going to be on my side. I was ready for 45 minutes of abuse. And that's a bit how it was - but all reasonably polite. John informed us that he thought the whole lot "should be flattened". I'll cover a few of the issues raised.
Most callers were highly critical of the 8.3% increase in an AM's basic salary, which applied from May 2007. I didn't agree with them. An AM's salary is based on a percentage of an MP's salary, based on relative responsibility, and independently assessed. From May '07, AM's were given new limited law making powers, which inevitably resulted in an increase - nothing to do with inflation. I did say that, in my opinion, there had been a 'political' case for phasing in the increase, because that is what was happened to some public sector workers at the time. Some AMs, very sensibly did this. I did condemn those 'responsibility' increases which were slipped in under the cover of the 8.3% row, and which had not been independently recommended. This was a genuine pork barrel outrage, and not one caller raised it. I blame the media for this. It was sloppy and lazy to stoke up a conflagration about the wholly proper and logical 8.3% increase, while virtually ignoring the unjustified 'responsibility' payments, simply because they were more difficult to report.
Two callers were outraged by the 'Communications Allowance'. I shared their disgust as far as this legalised abuse is concerned - but pointed out that it only applies to MPs - and my party wants to ban what is, in my opinion, the spending of taxpayer's money for political purposes. Its one of this blogger's hobby horses. Easy one for me.
Several callers didn't agree with what is called the 'second homes' allowance. Fair enough, I said. That's what Sir Roger and his committee is looking at. It may be that in future it will be restricted to those AMs who live a long way from Cardiff - say over an hour. We will see. A few seemed to like the idea of the National Assembly buying apartments and allowing AMs to live in them during their term of election. I really cannot see the logic here. What on earth is the difference between the taxpayer spending a certain sum on providing accommodation directly, or allowing an AM to spend the same amount on somewhere of their own choosing? What's the betting that some AM would be claiming a 'responsibility' allowance for 'accommodation management'. And just imagine the rows about who lives where. The petty arguments about allocating offices now are bad enough. One caller thought AMs should stay in a property that costs £30 per night. If Sir Roger was listening, perhaps that's what he'll recommend.
Most callers, plus Mark Wallace thought the salary should be halved - to approx. £25,000. I should have been pleased with this. Since I would be happy to do the job for that amount, it would be advantageous to pay so little that the job would only appeal to those who had other means, and those starting out in employment. It would remove a lot of the competition. I had the feeling that if current pay was £25,000, callers would have wanted it halved to £12,500!
Comments that include profane language will not be allowed!
Most callers were highly critical of the 8.3% increase in an AM's basic salary, which applied from May 2007. I didn't agree with them. An AM's salary is based on a percentage of an MP's salary, based on relative responsibility, and independently assessed. From May '07, AM's were given new limited law making powers, which inevitably resulted in an increase - nothing to do with inflation. I did say that, in my opinion, there had been a 'political' case for phasing in the increase, because that is what was happened to some public sector workers at the time. Some AMs, very sensibly did this. I did condemn those 'responsibility' increases which were slipped in under the cover of the 8.3% row, and which had not been independently recommended. This was a genuine pork barrel outrage, and not one caller raised it. I blame the media for this. It was sloppy and lazy to stoke up a conflagration about the wholly proper and logical 8.3% increase, while virtually ignoring the unjustified 'responsibility' payments, simply because they were more difficult to report.
Two callers were outraged by the 'Communications Allowance'. I shared their disgust as far as this legalised abuse is concerned - but pointed out that it only applies to MPs - and my party wants to ban what is, in my opinion, the spending of taxpayer's money for political purposes. Its one of this blogger's hobby horses. Easy one for me.
Several callers didn't agree with what is called the 'second homes' allowance. Fair enough, I said. That's what Sir Roger and his committee is looking at. It may be that in future it will be restricted to those AMs who live a long way from Cardiff - say over an hour. We will see. A few seemed to like the idea of the National Assembly buying apartments and allowing AMs to live in them during their term of election. I really cannot see the logic here. What on earth is the difference between the taxpayer spending a certain sum on providing accommodation directly, or allowing an AM to spend the same amount on somewhere of their own choosing? What's the betting that some AM would be claiming a 'responsibility' allowance for 'accommodation management'. And just imagine the rows about who lives where. The petty arguments about allocating offices now are bad enough. One caller thought AMs should stay in a property that costs £30 per night. If Sir Roger was listening, perhaps that's what he'll recommend.
Most callers, plus Mark Wallace thought the salary should be halved - to approx. £25,000. I should have been pleased with this. Since I would be happy to do the job for that amount, it would be advantageous to pay so little that the job would only appeal to those who had other means, and those starting out in employment. It would remove a lot of the competition. I had the feeling that if current pay was £25,000, callers would have wanted it halved to £12,500!
Comments that include profane language will not be allowed!
Friday, December 05, 2008
My Stapleton Lecture
It did look a bit like a clandestine, cross-party, anti-Liberal Democrat meeting over dinner. Secreted away in a shadowy corner of the Belle Vue at Aberystwyth, enjoying an intimate dinner, were Penri James, Plaid Cymru candidate for Cereidigion and me. I don't think its presumptuous to claim that both of us are main challengers to incumbent Lib-Dem MPs. We should have arranged a photograph to wind them up a bit. But it was all boringly innocent. Penri's a lecturer at Aber University, and a big wig in the Stapleton Society - and I was delivering last night's Stapleton Lecture. There's a tradition that the visiting lecturer is fed and watered in an effort to improve performance.
I'd been billed as President of the Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales, and that I was going to speak about our approach to wind farms in rural Wales. Actually, I spoke about my personal approach. Perhaps I surprised a few when I said that I actually supported the first major wind farm in Wales, the current Llandinam wind farm. In the early 90s, I still believed we could avoid more nuclear power stations by a full blooded renewable energy policy, and that onshore wind was one of several options we should be looking at. I was not unduly concerned about the odd onshore wind farm - where there was local support. It was the publication of the National Assembly Government's grotesque Tan 8 planning guidelines in 2004, that horrified me. It was brutal vandalism, perpetrated on my home area of Montgomeryshire. Even today, there are but few who understand the full horror of what has been perpetrated. Anyway, I let fly. Let me tell you what was so appalling about TAN 8.
It was a massive strike against local democracy. The document laid out precise boundaries within which wind farms would succeed in winning permission, even if local opinion and planners were opposed. Great for providing certainty for developers, but a case of 'B****cks to local democracy'.
It effectively scrapped the concept of 'cumulative impact'. Even today, I could live with the odd wind farm on sites where the impact of turbines and cables are containable and supported, but this poisonous Assembly Government document presaged wind farm landscapes, destroying something that I hold dear.
It was based on wildly unrealistic targets. The inevitable consequence was that Assembly renewables policy would become based solely on wind farms. The approach to developing other technologies has been abysmal - just as expected.
And the whole presentation of the debate was dishonest. Even today it's dishonest. I still hear people say that when they are weighing up the benefit of renewable energy against the impact of wind farms, on balance they accept them. I can scream "What about the bl00dy cables" as loudly as I like - but it's never part of the consideration. Its an irony that this dishonesty is about to derail the Government's plans. The reality is that the policy is in tatters and utter shambles. Because the cables issue has not been addressed, there are wind farm proposals without affordable access to the National Grid. As far as I can see, they're stuffed until 2015 at least.
No idea what the audience thought of it. I had no notes, and can become a bit theatrical and over-emphatic when I'm in verbal freewheel mode. Anyway, I really enjoyed myself, and I don't think I said anything that will lead to me being ditched as CPRW President.
I'd been billed as President of the Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales, and that I was going to speak about our approach to wind farms in rural Wales. Actually, I spoke about my personal approach. Perhaps I surprised a few when I said that I actually supported the first major wind farm in Wales, the current Llandinam wind farm. In the early 90s, I still believed we could avoid more nuclear power stations by a full blooded renewable energy policy, and that onshore wind was one of several options we should be looking at. I was not unduly concerned about the odd onshore wind farm - where there was local support. It was the publication of the National Assembly Government's grotesque Tan 8 planning guidelines in 2004, that horrified me. It was brutal vandalism, perpetrated on my home area of Montgomeryshire. Even today, there are but few who understand the full horror of what has been perpetrated. Anyway, I let fly. Let me tell you what was so appalling about TAN 8.
It was a massive strike against local democracy. The document laid out precise boundaries within which wind farms would succeed in winning permission, even if local opinion and planners were opposed. Great for providing certainty for developers, but a case of 'B****cks to local democracy'.
It effectively scrapped the concept of 'cumulative impact'. Even today, I could live with the odd wind farm on sites where the impact of turbines and cables are containable and supported, but this poisonous Assembly Government document presaged wind farm landscapes, destroying something that I hold dear.
It was based on wildly unrealistic targets. The inevitable consequence was that Assembly renewables policy would become based solely on wind farms. The approach to developing other technologies has been abysmal - just as expected.
And the whole presentation of the debate was dishonest. Even today it's dishonest. I still hear people say that when they are weighing up the benefit of renewable energy against the impact of wind farms, on balance they accept them. I can scream "What about the bl00dy cables" as loudly as I like - but it's never part of the consideration. Its an irony that this dishonesty is about to derail the Government's plans. The reality is that the policy is in tatters and utter shambles. Because the cables issue has not been addressed, there are wind farm proposals without affordable access to the National Grid. As far as I can see, they're stuffed until 2015 at least.
No idea what the audience thought of it. I had no notes, and can become a bit theatrical and over-emphatic when I'm in verbal freewheel mode. Anyway, I really enjoyed myself, and I don't think I said anything that will lead to me being ditched as CPRW President.
The Winners
Over the last three days, the YFC movement in Montgomeryshire has held a series of inter-club competitions involving various types of public speaking. I adjudicated the 'Seniors' competition, which took the from of a 'Brains Trust'. I've judged 'debates' and straight forward speech making before, but I was a Brains Trust virgin until this week. I found this to be much more difficult than any other form of public speaking to judge - mainly because its an artificial creation. Participants are require to 'compete' against each other at the same time as working as a team. I learnt a lot during the competition, and would value a discussion with other adjudicators about how they approached the task. Anyway, the timetabling did not allow for an adjudication, so in a limited way, this post is it.
First challenge was to find the best 'David Dimbleby'. I was looking for authority, and control of the panel, and a willingness to keep things going when the panel faded a bit - which happened because the three subjects under debate were not known beforehand. There were two outstanding performers, Lyn Pritchard from Berriew, and Gail Lewis from Trefeglwys. I gave it to Gail, but another judge, another day, it could have been Lyn.
Choosing the best panel member was an almost impossible task - because it depends so much on what the judge is looking for. I was looking for eagerness to speak, a good initial contribution (for which there was no opportunity to prepare), engagement with other members of the panel, awareness of the audience, good debating points, and a recognition that the competition needed a balanced performance from all three panel members. There must have been a dozen in the frame, and any of them could have prevailed on another day. My old club, Berriew had two teams, full of wonderful speakers, and there were several others. After much thought, I chose my 'best three' - Roland Davies from Llidiartywaen, Anna Sylvestor and Andy Evans from Llanfair Caereinion. I had to nitpick to help me decide. Andy was a 'big' man in all respects, who dominated his team - but opening contribution tended to be too short. Miss Sylvestor tended to look forward rather than show she was listening to her fellow-panellists, and Roland tended to squeeze out one member of his panel, who was also very good. I think it was Roland's obvious holding back on the third question to compensate which was a crucial factor in me deciding he was the winner. I think some judges may well have gone for Andy.
Final decision was best team. Two worthy winners in my opinion, one of the Berriew teams and Trefeglwys - and it was in large part down to the skill of the two outstanding Chairs. The total of component marks were equal, at 170 out of 200. Again it came down to the approach of the judge. As individuals, the Berriew team were well ahead, but as a team, being attentive to, and stepping in to support each other, Trefeglwys were in front. I could have said equal first, but I really don't like doing this. So I shut my eyes to reflect, and asked myself which had been the best team, in a team competition, and gave it to Tregeglwys.
But the winners were not the star performers. The sheer magnificence of Gary's case for breastfeeding will forever stay with me. "Women are like my sheep, and they're reared mostly on their mothers - and anyway, if they can't feed their own they shouldn't have any kids". And then was the wonderfully libertarian views of Mr Francis from Dyffryn Tanat who defended the rights of an elderly farmer spending a fortune on a flashy new tractor to show off, if that was what he wanted to do. I'd quite like to be asked again.
First challenge was to find the best 'David Dimbleby'. I was looking for authority, and control of the panel, and a willingness to keep things going when the panel faded a bit - which happened because the three subjects under debate were not known beforehand. There were two outstanding performers, Lyn Pritchard from Berriew, and Gail Lewis from Trefeglwys. I gave it to Gail, but another judge, another day, it could have been Lyn.
Choosing the best panel member was an almost impossible task - because it depends so much on what the judge is looking for. I was looking for eagerness to speak, a good initial contribution (for which there was no opportunity to prepare), engagement with other members of the panel, awareness of the audience, good debating points, and a recognition that the competition needed a balanced performance from all three panel members. There must have been a dozen in the frame, and any of them could have prevailed on another day. My old club, Berriew had two teams, full of wonderful speakers, and there were several others. After much thought, I chose my 'best three' - Roland Davies from Llidiartywaen, Anna Sylvestor and Andy Evans from Llanfair Caereinion. I had to nitpick to help me decide. Andy was a 'big' man in all respects, who dominated his team - but opening contribution tended to be too short. Miss Sylvestor tended to look forward rather than show she was listening to her fellow-panellists, and Roland tended to squeeze out one member of his panel, who was also very good. I think it was Roland's obvious holding back on the third question to compensate which was a crucial factor in me deciding he was the winner. I think some judges may well have gone for Andy.
Final decision was best team. Two worthy winners in my opinion, one of the Berriew teams and Trefeglwys - and it was in large part down to the skill of the two outstanding Chairs. The total of component marks were equal, at 170 out of 200. Again it came down to the approach of the judge. As individuals, the Berriew team were well ahead, but as a team, being attentive to, and stepping in to support each other, Trefeglwys were in front. I could have said equal first, but I really don't like doing this. So I shut my eyes to reflect, and asked myself which had been the best team, in a team competition, and gave it to Tregeglwys.
But the winners were not the star performers. The sheer magnificence of Gary's case for breastfeeding will forever stay with me. "Women are like my sheep, and they're reared mostly on their mothers - and anyway, if they can't feed their own they shouldn't have any kids". And then was the wonderfully libertarian views of Mr Francis from Dyffryn Tanat who defended the rights of an elderly farmer spending a fortune on a flashy new tractor to show off, if that was what he wanted to do. I'd quite like to be asked again.
Thursday, December 04, 2008
Young Farmers and Wind
This blogger is suffering a shortage of time. Young farmers and wind are the cause. Always been a deadly combination. For the last two night's I've been judging the Montgomeryshire YFC Senior Brains Trust Competition. I made my decisions earlier tonight, and now I'm wracked with self-doubt, a feeling I'm not that familiar with. There were some fantastic performers. I'll post on it tomorrow night - after the winners have been announced. The competition was held at Cefn Lea Conference Centre and Park, which looks North upon a landscape containing 100 wind turbines at the Llandinam Wind Farm. They've been there getting on for 20 years. So long that I don't suppose anyone at Cefn Lea much notices them. I daresay quite a few of the young farmers don't notice them either. There is a proposal at present to knock them all down, and replace them with much bigger turbines.
This afternoon, I attended (well more hung around really) a presentation by Scottish Power of their proposals to build a 132kv line from the new (replacement) Llandinam wind farm to Welshpool, which was being held in Dolfor Community Hall. Quite a few people turned up to discuss the issue with Steve Edwards, from Scottish Power. While my back was turned, the Department of Energy and Climate Change approved 250 new wind turbines at Gwynt y mor, 8 miles off the North Wales Coast near Llandudno. Its BIG, and will produce 750 megawatts. The new development at Llandinam will produce 90 megawatts (I think).
The Assembly Government had asked for a public enquiry to be held, but DECC contemptuously brushed this request aside. Pity. There was a lot of opposition, brushed aside and flattened by a steamroller. I've not said much about this application - just as I said not much about the wind farm off the coast at Porthcawl a few years back. Of course these massive industrial developments will be an eyesore, but in my opinion, not as much of an eyesore as the equivalent on land. And if I oppose every renewable energy project, my protestations will carry no credibility. But I do wish there had been greater commitment to forms of renewables other than from wind over the last few years.
There's another public meeting about the Llandinam-Welshpool line tomorrow night in Kerry. I expect a good crowd to attend - and I'd like to join them. But I can't. I'm committed to delivering a lecture to students at Aberystwyth University. I'm told that the meeting has been advertised as about CPRW's approach to - you've guessed it - wind farms. Well there should be plenty to talk about. I hope I can perform as well as some of those young farmers, whose efforts I've just finished judging.
This afternoon, I attended (well more hung around really) a presentation by Scottish Power of their proposals to build a 132kv line from the new (replacement) Llandinam wind farm to Welshpool, which was being held in Dolfor Community Hall. Quite a few people turned up to discuss the issue with Steve Edwards, from Scottish Power. While my back was turned, the Department of Energy and Climate Change approved 250 new wind turbines at Gwynt y mor, 8 miles off the North Wales Coast near Llandudno. Its BIG, and will produce 750 megawatts. The new development at Llandinam will produce 90 megawatts (I think).
The Assembly Government had asked for a public enquiry to be held, but DECC contemptuously brushed this request aside. Pity. There was a lot of opposition, brushed aside and flattened by a steamroller. I've not said much about this application - just as I said not much about the wind farm off the coast at Porthcawl a few years back. Of course these massive industrial developments will be an eyesore, but in my opinion, not as much of an eyesore as the equivalent on land. And if I oppose every renewable energy project, my protestations will carry no credibility. But I do wish there had been greater commitment to forms of renewables other than from wind over the last few years.
There's another public meeting about the Llandinam-Welshpool line tomorrow night in Kerry. I expect a good crowd to attend - and I'd like to join them. But I can't. I'm committed to delivering a lecture to students at Aberystwyth University. I'm told that the meeting has been advertised as about CPRW's approach to - you've guessed it - wind farms. Well there should be plenty to talk about. I hope I can perform as well as some of those young farmers, whose efforts I've just finished judging.
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
Montgomeryshire.
Look on this as a brief introduction to Montgomeryshire. I was interviewed for Post Cynta and Newyddion yesterday about what amounts to the redesign of Welshpool. Not that many Welsh speakers in Welshpool! Its big stuff for a comparatively small town - incuding a new livestock market, a new Tesco, a new hotel, a restaurant area, lots more retail space, a new one-way traffic system and a local council redevelment plan on top. Most of it will be finished within two years. I've welcomed the plans, though I admit to concerns about possible impact on current businesses. But a lot of thought's been invested in the design to minimise the downside as far as possible. I was wearing my President of CPRW hat, and the BBC's John Meredith, a fine man, set out to challenge me about the downside. There remains the incorrect perception that the CPRW is always against change. On balance, I think the redesgn is positive.
Most of my visitors are strangers to Montgomeryshire, and don't know her as intimately as I do. I've never lived anywhere else, never will, and am very proud of her. It was a terrible mistake that Montgomeryshire was not established as a unitary authority in 1993 (and it was a Conservative Government wot done it!). I still display my disgust by wearing a Montgomeryshire badge with pride and bloodymindedness. Anyway, let me share a little of her with you.
She's big, with not many more than 50,000 residents - but growing fast. When I was a boy, the population had fallen to around 36,000, mainly as a result of changes in farming practices. There had also been work in lead mining and the handling of sheep wool. Also noteworthy was the employment associated with the presence of one of the world's greatest entrepreneurs, Pryce Pryce-Jones. From the 1970's on, Government intervention encouraged people to move back to Montgomeryshire, particularly Newtown (which was designated under the New Towns Act). I was much involved in this redevelopment of the economy of Mid Wales.
Today, the largest town is Newtown. Next comes Welshpool. Then its Llanidloes and Machynlleth, followed by Llanfyllin and Llanfair Caereinion. Much of the population growth in along the the 'international' border with England, at places like Arddleen, Four Crosses, and Churchstoke. Recently, Montgomeryshire has grown through acquisition - the Tanat Valley being welcomed into her embrace. I was born on a farm near Castle Caereinion, and moved two miles down the road to Cil Farm, Berriew on marriage. From an industrial standpoint, Mongomeryshire is an extension of the West Midlands, and looks to Shrewsbury for many of its services. Dominating Montgomeryshire are mountains and the valleys of the rivers Severn and Vyrnwy. The Severn is born in the West of Montgomeryshire, in the Plynlymon mountains, while the Vyrnwy is best known for the spectacular Lake Vyrnwy, which was built over 100 years ago to supply water to Liverpool. It still supplies 80% of Liverpool's water today. And for as long as even centenarians can remember, Montgomeryshire has sent Liberal Democrats (or their predecessors) to Westminster (except 1979-83). Like 'Old Man River', I finish on a low note.
Most of my visitors are strangers to Montgomeryshire, and don't know her as intimately as I do. I've never lived anywhere else, never will, and am very proud of her. It was a terrible mistake that Montgomeryshire was not established as a unitary authority in 1993 (and it was a Conservative Government wot done it!). I still display my disgust by wearing a Montgomeryshire badge with pride and bloodymindedness. Anyway, let me share a little of her with you.
She's big, with not many more than 50,000 residents - but growing fast. When I was a boy, the population had fallen to around 36,000, mainly as a result of changes in farming practices. There had also been work in lead mining and the handling of sheep wool. Also noteworthy was the employment associated with the presence of one of the world's greatest entrepreneurs, Pryce Pryce-Jones. From the 1970's on, Government intervention encouraged people to move back to Montgomeryshire, particularly Newtown (which was designated under the New Towns Act). I was much involved in this redevelopment of the economy of Mid Wales.
Today, the largest town is Newtown. Next comes Welshpool. Then its Llanidloes and Machynlleth, followed by Llanfyllin and Llanfair Caereinion. Much of the population growth in along the the 'international' border with England, at places like Arddleen, Four Crosses, and Churchstoke. Recently, Montgomeryshire has grown through acquisition - the Tanat Valley being welcomed into her embrace. I was born on a farm near Castle Caereinion, and moved two miles down the road to Cil Farm, Berriew on marriage. From an industrial standpoint, Mongomeryshire is an extension of the West Midlands, and looks to Shrewsbury for many of its services. Dominating Montgomeryshire are mountains and the valleys of the rivers Severn and Vyrnwy. The Severn is born in the West of Montgomeryshire, in the Plynlymon mountains, while the Vyrnwy is best known for the spectacular Lake Vyrnwy, which was built over 100 years ago to supply water to Liverpool. It still supplies 80% of Liverpool's water today. And for as long as even centenarians can remember, Montgomeryshire has sent Liberal Democrats (or their predecessors) to Westminster (except 1979-83). Like 'Old Man River', I finish on a low note.
Monday, December 01, 2008
Big Change in Powys ?
Are we going to see a fundamental change in how Powys County Council is run? At present it's run by an Executive Board, which is made up of all parties. The 15 seats are divvied out on the basis of number of Council seats won. At present the largest group, the Powys Independent Group (or Alliance) decide that one of theirs, Michael Jones serves as Chairman of the Board. But rumours are rife that some of the other councillors have had enough of this.
In particular, I'm told that the Liberal Democrat Councillors, who have 15 seats in total (only 2 in Montgomeryshire) are trying to do a deal with ...well anyone. Had a chat today with a leading Councillor (not Conservative I should add) about how these discussions could end up. I'm told that what are described as 'hush-hush' telephone calls are taking place as I type. I'll post again when the Conservative Group have discussed their response - as long as they're happy for me to tell you that is.
Personally, I would welcome a change from the current Executive Board system, which I've always thought is utterly ridiculous - inevitably leading to officers, rather than Councillors effectively taking all the decisions. I would prefer there to be an official 'ruling' group and an official 'opposition' group. It would provide an injection of accountability. It wouldn't surprise me if the officers would prefer this arrangement.
In particular, I'm told that the Liberal Democrat Councillors, who have 15 seats in total (only 2 in Montgomeryshire) are trying to do a deal with ...well anyone. Had a chat today with a leading Councillor (not Conservative I should add) about how these discussions could end up. I'm told that what are described as 'hush-hush' telephone calls are taking place as I type. I'll post again when the Conservative Group have discussed their response - as long as they're happy for me to tell you that is.
Personally, I would welcome a change from the current Executive Board system, which I've always thought is utterly ridiculous - inevitably leading to officers, rather than Councillors effectively taking all the decisions. I would prefer there to be an official 'ruling' group and an official 'opposition' group. It would provide an injection of accountability. It wouldn't surprise me if the officers would prefer this arrangement.
More on Damian Green
I've posted before (as have many others) of my disquiet at the inadequacy of our Prime Minister and Home Secretary's response to the arrest of Damian Green. There are also serious questions about the behaviour of the Police. I was particularly disgusted by the use of the word 'grooming' during the questioning of Damian Green. This shouldn't be a party issue, and I suspect there are many Labour MPs who share the disquiet. Which is why I was pleased to read this impressive article in today's Telegraph by Labour MP, Denis MacShane.
And now we have an attempt by Labour to stitch up the response by the Speaker to the concern of MPs like Mr MacShane tomorrow. Amusingly, this has become public through a leaked email. If Labour do try any funny business to cover up, we could be in a Watergate situation. And if the Home Secretary is found not to have been entirely truthful, she's toast. This is a very big issue, and the Government knows it. This attempt to 'arrange' things without the involvement of opposition parties is a big mistake.
Tomorrow's statement by the Speaker is going to be a lot more interesting than the Queen's Speech, which is likely to be not much more than a series of transfers of power to the state.
And now we have an attempt by Labour to stitch up the response by the Speaker to the concern of MPs like Mr MacShane tomorrow. Amusingly, this has become public through a leaked email. If Labour do try any funny business to cover up, we could be in a Watergate situation. And if the Home Secretary is found not to have been entirely truthful, she's toast. This is a very big issue, and the Government knows it. This attempt to 'arrange' things without the involvement of opposition parties is a big mistake.
Tomorrow's statement by the Speaker is going to be a lot more interesting than the Queen's Speech, which is likely to be not much more than a series of transfers of power to the state.
Ashley site in Carno.
A very odd story on BBC online today. Montgomeryshire's Assembly Member, Mick Bates is calling on the Assembly Government and Laura Ashley, the fashion and furniture retailer to work together to develop the site of the former headquarters of the company in Carno in Montgomeryshire. I've been trying to discover what this story is based on. And as far as I can tell, its based on nothing much at all.
Reason I was interested in this is that about two years ago, my office was in touch with a developer who made a firm offer of over a million pounds to buy the site for housing and workshops - but at the time Laura Ashley wanted more. I thought the gap between the potential buyer and the company wasn't very significant, and I was deeply disappointed that it fell through. At the time, I thought Laura Ashley would be lucky to receive such an offer again. Perhaps the current AM does have a potential buyer for the site. I hope so. I hope it wasn't just a press release, produced only for publicity.
Reason I was interested in this is that about two years ago, my office was in touch with a developer who made a firm offer of over a million pounds to buy the site for housing and workshops - but at the time Laura Ashley wanted more. I thought the gap between the potential buyer and the company wasn't very significant, and I was deeply disappointed that it fell through. At the time, I thought Laura Ashley would be lucky to receive such an offer again. Perhaps the current AM does have a potential buyer for the site. I hope so. I hope it wasn't just a press release, produced only for publicity.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
What a B****y Mess!
This blog sets out to be reasonable. Occasionally, I let fly at my political opponents in what I must concede is a partisan way. Because I was so stunned by what has looked to me to be shocking and irresponsible mismanagement of our economy by Gordon Brown, I've lost all faith in him as a Prime Minister. I simply cannot understand how he has been allowed to remain in office. Against this backcloth, I've been concerned that I might tend towards being over partisan - until I read Liam Halligan's Economic Agenda piece in today's Sunday Telegraph. Extracts follow, which make my comments seem toothless, with no more bite than an aggressive suck.
"We're being ruled by a clique of irresponsible innumerate charlatans. Brown and his circle of sycophants know little of economics, and even less about responsibility. Under cover of current crisis they've let rip a borrowing binge of such magnitude that it threatens not only our living standards, but the UK's credit rating and status as an 'advanced economy'."
"Next year the UK will borrow a staggering 8% of GDP. The fiscal situation now looks worse than at any time since the Second World War. Brown has managed to surpass even the havoc caused by the deeply incompetent Labour Governments of the 1970s."
"Only a few months ago, Ministers were telling us Britain was 'well placed' to deal with the global slowdown. Now we're seeing extreme measures that throw any notion of prudence, or sound financial management, to the wind."
"Brown is using this crisis as cover - and not only to indulge the high tax fantasies he's nursed his entire adult life. Having hidden extra borrowing costs for years, he sees the current chaos as a chance to get as much of it as possible out in the open."
Ministers claim UK debt is low by international standards. Only Japan and the US have higher debts than us. With its reserve currency status, America can claim to be a special case - for now. But Japan's debts plunged it into a decade long recession"
"The table above suggests that our public sector debt is relatively low - even once it reaches the 57% of national income. But that, alas, is a myth. The UK has become very good at hiding its debt off balance sheet - particularly under Brown. A new study from the respected actuary, Nick Silver, for the Institute of Economic Affairs, suggests that once liabilities relating to pensions and the private finance initiative are included, the UK's national debt is a jaw-dropping 276% of GDP."
The only consolation for the Prime Minister is that Liam Halligan is also dismissive of what he calls the 'Tories' woeful reaction'. But throughout the history of democracy, government is government, and opposition is opposition, and the two are very different.
"We're being ruled by a clique of irresponsible innumerate charlatans. Brown and his circle of sycophants know little of economics, and even less about responsibility. Under cover of current crisis they've let rip a borrowing binge of such magnitude that it threatens not only our living standards, but the UK's credit rating and status as an 'advanced economy'."
"Next year the UK will borrow a staggering 8% of GDP. The fiscal situation now looks worse than at any time since the Second World War. Brown has managed to surpass even the havoc caused by the deeply incompetent Labour Governments of the 1970s."
"Only a few months ago, Ministers were telling us Britain was 'well placed' to deal with the global slowdown. Now we're seeing extreme measures that throw any notion of prudence, or sound financial management, to the wind."
"Brown is using this crisis as cover - and not only to indulge the high tax fantasies he's nursed his entire adult life. Having hidden extra borrowing costs for years, he sees the current chaos as a chance to get as much of it as possible out in the open."
Ministers claim UK debt is low by international standards. Only Japan and the US have higher debts than us. With its reserve currency status, America can claim to be a special case - for now. But Japan's debts plunged it into a decade long recession"
"The table above suggests that our public sector debt is relatively low - even once it reaches the 57% of national income. But that, alas, is a myth. The UK has become very good at hiding its debt off balance sheet - particularly under Brown. A new study from the respected actuary, Nick Silver, for the Institute of Economic Affairs, suggests that once liabilities relating to pensions and the private finance initiative are included, the UK's national debt is a jaw-dropping 276% of GDP."
The only consolation for the Prime Minister is that Liam Halligan is also dismissive of what he calls the 'Tories' woeful reaction'. But throughout the history of democracy, government is government, and opposition is opposition, and the two are very different.
Depressingly Predictable.
Advertisement from today's Mail on Sunday.
RUSSELL BRAND - LIVE STAND-UP.
SOLD OUT. EXTRA DATES ADDED DUE TO PHENOMENAL PUBLIC DEMAND.
RUSSELL BRAND - LIVE STAND-UP.
SOLD OUT. EXTRA DATES ADDED DUE TO PHENOMENAL PUBLIC DEMAND.
Missing the real story.
Watched the leader of the Liberal Democrats being interviewed on the Politics Show today. The BBC have covered the interview on a web page, focusing on a silly little story about someone overhearing him being rude about his colleagues on a mobile phone. What's news about that. Since it wouldn't be a surprise to learn that the Metropolitan Police listen in on all of his calls, I didn't think this story was worth any coverage at all.
But Nick Clegg's response to the question about whether the party is going to return the £2.4 million that was donated to it by Michael Brown was much more worthy of a web page, and much more interesting. Lets recap. Michael Brown came by his wealth dishonestly, and the donation came out of money fraudulently obtained. There's no suggestion that the Liberal Democrats did anything wrong. I'm prepared to accept that the requisite checks were made before accepting the donation. The very reasonable question that Jon Sopel put to Nick Clegg was whether the money was going to be paid back, now that it was known to have been fraudulently obtained. The Times here yesterday thinks it might have to be repaid.
Nick Clegg's opinion was that as long as the proper checks had been made (at least what is required by the Electoral Commission) the money can be kept. By this reasoning, it would be OK if a donation came from a Mr R Biggs, on the grounds that the youngster in charge of the receiving office was too young to have heard of how Ronnie came by his loot. I thought Clegg, who usually tries to present himself as an occupant of moral high ground looked thoroughly discomforted to me. This looked a much bigger story than a bit of tittle-tattle on the mobile.
But Nick Clegg's response to the question about whether the party is going to return the £2.4 million that was donated to it by Michael Brown was much more worthy of a web page, and much more interesting. Lets recap. Michael Brown came by his wealth dishonestly, and the donation came out of money fraudulently obtained. There's no suggestion that the Liberal Democrats did anything wrong. I'm prepared to accept that the requisite checks were made before accepting the donation. The very reasonable question that Jon Sopel put to Nick Clegg was whether the money was going to be paid back, now that it was known to have been fraudulently obtained. The Times here yesterday thinks it might have to be repaid.
Nick Clegg's opinion was that as long as the proper checks had been made (at least what is required by the Electoral Commission) the money can be kept. By this reasoning, it would be OK if a donation came from a Mr R Biggs, on the grounds that the youngster in charge of the receiving office was too young to have heard of how Ronnie came by his loot. I thought Clegg, who usually tries to present himself as an occupant of moral high ground looked thoroughly discomforted to me. This looked a much bigger story than a bit of tittle-tattle on the mobile.
More on Damien Green.
After reading today's papers, and watching the Home Secretary on Andrew Marr's Sunday morning programme, two conclusions have become implanted in this view from rural Wales. The first relates to the prospects for the next General Election. I thought Jackie Smith was frighteningly evasive and complacent this morning. The Government's Home Secretary cannot see anything wrong with using anti-terrorism legislation to arrest an opposition spokesman when he is releasing information that has been secured from a 'leaking' civil servant. And she cannot see anything wrong with the 3 police officers arresting a Shadow Minister in a car park near his home, another 9 police officers entering his home and removing his belongings in plastic bags, yet more marching into his House of Commons office and disabling his computer - for what seems to be 'embarrassing' the Government. And this from a Government which bases its entire behavior pattern on 'leaks'. Everyone should be required to read David Davis' article in today's Mail on Sunday. Combined with last week's still incredible decision by the Chancellor to mortgage the UK economy with the most unbelievable speech I'm ever heard by a senior British politician, the 'Nixonian' tendency of our Home Secretary should ensure that Gordon Brown, probably the worst Prime Minister Britain has had in living memory has a maximum of eighteen months left in office.
My second conclusion, as I sit here before heading off to the kitchen to carve the joint, is that our country is descending rapidly into the equivalent of a police state. The constant attacks on our liberties, the failure of our Home Secretary to even realise what's happening, and her view that the police can treat politicians as they would common criminals, in response to her department's concern about embarrassing leaks, shows just how far things have gone. If the police are going to be allowed to march in and seize private papers, emails etc from a politician's office in the House of Commons, there isn't much point in having one's office there at all.. What has happened is bad enough - but what's really scary is that our Home Secretary thinks its all OK.
My second conclusion, as I sit here before heading off to the kitchen to carve the joint, is that our country is descending rapidly into the equivalent of a police state. The constant attacks on our liberties, the failure of our Home Secretary to even realise what's happening, and her view that the police can treat politicians as they would common criminals, in response to her department's concern about embarrassing leaks, shows just how far things have gone. If the police are going to be allowed to march in and seize private papers, emails etc from a politician's office in the House of Commons, there isn't much point in having one's office there at all.. What has happened is bad enough - but what's really scary is that our Home Secretary thinks its all OK.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Geraint Goodwin at Fuze
Ashamed not to have heard of Geraint Goodwin before today - and then it was only by accident. Russell George, a friend and now a member of the Executive Board of Powys County Council invited me to a book reading at his shop in the centre of Newtown, Montgomeryshire. I called in for a glass of mulled wine, and to see what was going on. The book concerned was 'Heyday in the Blood' by Geraint Goodwin. Extracts were read by Mary Oldham of the local Civic Society, followed by a discussion with the author's daughter, Myfanwy - who lives in Montgomery. Turned out she had been a visitor to our garden at the Cil. Small world!
Geraint Goodwin was born in Newtown in 1903, but went to school in Tywyn. On leaving school, he became an apprentice at the Montgomeryshire Express, which begot today's County Times. He must have been good, because he moved on to Fleet Street, where he worked on the Daily Sketch. When he was 27 he fell ill with Tb, and spent several months in a sanatorium. His experiences inspired him to write his first novel, 'Call Back Yesterday'. It was so good that he commissioned to write two more novels, the first being his most famous work 'Heyday in the Blood'. Today's event was to celebrate this novel being re-printed in the Library of Wales series which was published by Partheon Books this month.
Geraint Goodwin loved Montgomeryshire, and moved back to Newtown, where he died at the young age of 39. His books are set in the rural hinterland of Newtown, and there is a plaque in his honour on the wall of Barclay's Bank in Newtown, next door to Fuze. I've bought a copy of the book. He is probably one of Montgomeryshire's finest authors. I'll review it when I've read it. I hope that he becomes a little less neglected as a result of today's event. Russell has plenty more copies for sale.
Geraint Goodwin was born in Newtown in 1903, but went to school in Tywyn. On leaving school, he became an apprentice at the Montgomeryshire Express, which begot today's County Times. He must have been good, because he moved on to Fleet Street, where he worked on the Daily Sketch. When he was 27 he fell ill with Tb, and spent several months in a sanatorium. His experiences inspired him to write his first novel, 'Call Back Yesterday'. It was so good that he commissioned to write two more novels, the first being his most famous work 'Heyday in the Blood'. Today's event was to celebrate this novel being re-printed in the Library of Wales series which was published by Partheon Books this month.
Geraint Goodwin loved Montgomeryshire, and moved back to Newtown, where he died at the young age of 39. His books are set in the rural hinterland of Newtown, and there is a plaque in his honour on the wall of Barclay's Bank in Newtown, next door to Fuze. I've bought a copy of the book. He is probably one of Montgomeryshire's finest authors. I'll review it when I've read it. I hope that he becomes a little less neglected as a result of today's event. Russell has plenty more copies for sale.
Cymru am Byth
Had company to watch today's game - and she was dressed for it. And what a great game it was. In his post match interview, the Australian coach described the game as "not much of a spectacle". Everyone else thought it was a great game. A bad loser always makes victory more sweet. Shane Williams looked every inch (and there's not many of them) worth his new title of 'World Player of the Year' - and Lee Byrne looked every inch of next year's.But you do have to play the full 80 minutes to beat the Australians. The don't give up without a fight. They were second best today, but when Martyn Williams dropped the ball with a clear path to the line, just after Stephen Jones had missed one sitter and another good chance of three points, I thought it wasn't going to be our day - again.
So a good month for the Welsh boys. Outplayed South Africa (but contrived to lose it), held the All Blacks for 40 minutes, and deservedly beat the Aussies. Only downside of all the excitement was that it caused Ffion a bit of upset. I tend to become a bit noisy when excited. Until she got used to it, she thought it was directed towards her.
Damian Green
I was going to blog this story with humour. Something about me being arrested because Edna Mopbucket rifles through private emails and papers, and listens at keyholes etc. And then there was the case when Powys County Council wasted thousands trying to catch a whistle blower who leaked some embarrassing information to the BBC. I was interviewed by an 'Investigator', (brought in at great cast to the Council Tax payer) who thought I had something to do with it. But in the end I decided that its too serious to laugh about. In fact, the Damian Green arrest is a very important story indeed, which has not been treated with the significance it deserved by the media, though it is building up today. The importance of this issue is now sinking in.
Yesterday a Shadow Minister was arrested, held for nine hours, and his private homes and House of Commons Office were all raided. We've seen television pictures of a police officer taking Mr Green's belonging away in plastic bags for forensic testing. When he was released, he was told that he may be questioned again next year. The Government are trying to claim that this was all done without the knowledge of the Home Secretary, or the Prime Minister. It seems simply incredible to me that such a thing could have happened.
So far the only reason we've been given for these scarcely believable acts, are that Damian Green released information that had been given to him via a leak - information that the Government did not want us to know about. If it turns out to be no more than this, there will have to be a full inquiry, and I would expect people to be sacked or resigning. If the UK has reached a state where opposition politicians are arrested for leaking information that embarrasses the Government, our democracy has been rendered not worthy of the name. This matter cannot be allowed to rest here.
Yesterday a Shadow Minister was arrested, held for nine hours, and his private homes and House of Commons Office were all raided. We've seen television pictures of a police officer taking Mr Green's belonging away in plastic bags for forensic testing. When he was released, he was told that he may be questioned again next year. The Government are trying to claim that this was all done without the knowledge of the Home Secretary, or the Prime Minister. It seems simply incredible to me that such a thing could have happened.
So far the only reason we've been given for these scarcely believable acts, are that Damian Green released information that had been given to him via a leak - information that the Government did not want us to know about. If it turns out to be no more than this, there will have to be a full inquiry, and I would expect people to be sacked or resigning. If the UK has reached a state where opposition politicians are arrested for leaking information that embarrasses the Government, our democracy has been rendered not worthy of the name. This matter cannot be allowed to rest here.
Friday, November 28, 2008
More on Pylons.
Wearing my Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales hat again. And had a bit of success in our campaign to raise awareness of the shambles that underpins the system of electricity cabling to wind farms in Mid Wales. Since Anwen ran the story last Wednesday in the Shropshire Star, starting things off, BBC Online ran it on their Wales site, Sally Williams wrote a two page feature in today's Western Mail, and I did the Richard Evans phone-in between noon and one today.
I was on the phone-in with Gordon James of FoE, who is a great enthusiast for wind turbines. He is entirely honest about his belief that wind farms and the necessary associated pylons are a small price to pay in the battle against climate change. He tells us that the people of Mid Wales had better get used to them. Only irritation I felt was when he attempoted to tell us what the CPRW stands for. I think we know that better than he does. Attempts to re-define opponents arguments is usually a sign of someone not confident in their own. Anyway I didn't take the bait, and stuck to the point.
And the point is that the Assembly Government's policy is a complete shambles, with zilch regard for the landscape. If we are going to have these wind farms, (and the Government has decided that we are), the environmental impact of the cabling should be minimised. Of course Gordon James insisted he agreed with this. But he doesn't know what's actually happening on the ground. Planning permission is being granted to wind farms as they come in, which then require Scottish Power to provide a connection to the Grid to carry the electricity out, all of it on an ad hoc basis. Everyone seems to believe that the National Grid has to be extended into Mid Wales, with a 400kv line being built between somewhere in Shropshire, (The current 400 kv Grid line runs from Chester to Ironbrigde Power Station) and somewhere near Carno in Mid Wales - but no-one seems to know whats happening about this. So we're going to have hideous 132 power lines running all over the place, as these wind warms are being brought into service on an ad hoc basis, while National Grid dithers. Its sacrilege. Its Government sponsored vandalism in the countryside, of a very high order.
I was on the phone-in with Gordon James of FoE, who is a great enthusiast for wind turbines. He is entirely honest about his belief that wind farms and the necessary associated pylons are a small price to pay in the battle against climate change. He tells us that the people of Mid Wales had better get used to them. Only irritation I felt was when he attempoted to tell us what the CPRW stands for. I think we know that better than he does. Attempts to re-define opponents arguments is usually a sign of someone not confident in their own. Anyway I didn't take the bait, and stuck to the point.
And the point is that the Assembly Government's policy is a complete shambles, with zilch regard for the landscape. If we are going to have these wind farms, (and the Government has decided that we are), the environmental impact of the cabling should be minimised. Of course Gordon James insisted he agreed with this. But he doesn't know what's actually happening on the ground. Planning permission is being granted to wind farms as they come in, which then require Scottish Power to provide a connection to the Grid to carry the electricity out, all of it on an ad hoc basis. Everyone seems to believe that the National Grid has to be extended into Mid Wales, with a 400kv line being built between somewhere in Shropshire, (The current 400 kv Grid line runs from Chester to Ironbrigde Power Station) and somewhere near Carno in Mid Wales - but no-one seems to know whats happening about this. So we're going to have hideous 132 power lines running all over the place, as these wind warms are being brought into service on an ad hoc basis, while National Grid dithers. Its sacrilege. Its Government sponsored vandalism in the countryside, of a very high order.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Top-up fees.
Listened to Called to Order' on Radio Wales tonight. I'd allowed myself to be pre-recorded in discussion with Patrick Hannan for the programme. Subject was top-up fees in Wales. If it hadn't been Patrick, (I like his programme) I might just have claimed that I was boarding a plane to Barbados, and couldn't do it. It wasn't going to be straight forward for me. But I did it, and I felt able to report back to Richard Hazlewood, our 'Alistair Campbell' equivalent in Wales that it had gone OK. Now, I'll tell you what I said - conceding that it was tempered by a desire not to rock my own party's boat.
First up was the accusation that when all the opposition parties ganged up in 2004 forcing the Assembly Government to compensate students for their top-up fees, we were putting opportunism before principle. "Not fair or accurate", I responded, as did Dai Lloyd, Plaid Cymru AM, one of Patrick's studio guests tonight. I was probably the most reluctant Conservative (probably the most reluctant AM for that matter) to vote against top-up fees, (that's what it amounted to) but even I had been content to vote with my colleagues to resist them. It was one of those 'on balance' decisions. The desire to help students financially, balanced against concerns about the funding of Welsh universities. And there was the issue of whether it is possible (or desirable) to have two separate funding systems within what is essentially an integrated UK further education system.
Then Patrick moved on to where we are now. As part of the budget agreement four years ago, the funding gap between the income flowing to Welsh and English universities was to be closed. Its actually grown wider. And now, the Labour/Plaid Coalition (yes, its Plaid as well, even if they are hiding under the desk) are proposing to end the compensatory grants to students. This is all being dressed up of course - as directing more help towards poorer students. But there's no disguising that this has been a humiliating climbdown by Plaid Cymru. Dai Lloyd was stuttering like a goldfish out of water. And Patrick kept at him, taunting him, letting him become ever more tangled in his own stream of words. As it turned out, my own contribution was small, but I wouldn't have missed Dai's cameo for anything.
First up was the accusation that when all the opposition parties ganged up in 2004 forcing the Assembly Government to compensate students for their top-up fees, we were putting opportunism before principle. "Not fair or accurate", I responded, as did Dai Lloyd, Plaid Cymru AM, one of Patrick's studio guests tonight. I was probably the most reluctant Conservative (probably the most reluctant AM for that matter) to vote against top-up fees, (that's what it amounted to) but even I had been content to vote with my colleagues to resist them. It was one of those 'on balance' decisions. The desire to help students financially, balanced against concerns about the funding of Welsh universities. And there was the issue of whether it is possible (or desirable) to have two separate funding systems within what is essentially an integrated UK further education system.
Then Patrick moved on to where we are now. As part of the budget agreement four years ago, the funding gap between the income flowing to Welsh and English universities was to be closed. Its actually grown wider. And now, the Labour/Plaid Coalition (yes, its Plaid as well, even if they are hiding under the desk) are proposing to end the compensatory grants to students. This is all being dressed up of course - as directing more help towards poorer students. But there's no disguising that this has been a humiliating climbdown by Plaid Cymru. Dai Lloyd was stuttering like a goldfish out of water. And Patrick kept at him, taunting him, letting him become ever more tangled in his own stream of words. As it turned out, my own contribution was small, but I wouldn't have missed Dai's cameo for anything.
In Maudlin Mood
I rarely look backwards. It makes me 'maudlin'. My last post did - and I am. Looking into the past brings the future into screen. And nothing is the future more than the issue of the issue of my loins, who some day may remember her Taid taking her for a spin on the Brrrm Brrrm. Is it me, or is little Ffion becoming ever cuter. Her parents are going to watch Wales de-cork the Australians on Saturday, and little Miss Gorgeous is stopping over with her Taid and Gran at the Cil.Milestone for Welshpool
Big day for Welshpool today. I live just six miles away at Berriew. As a child I lived seven miles away at Castle Caereinion. The town grew up on the side of the River Severn and it very much the 'gateway' to Mid Wales. Two other significant features of Welshpool are its proximity to the spectacular Powis Castle, and its livestock market which has served as a gathering point for the farms of central Wales, probably for centuries, where buyers from the English lowlands have come to view the bounty produced from the farmlands of my birth. It has a wonderfully preserved, under exploited cockpit as well. Today, we gathered together on the site where a spanking new livestock market is to be built, where local auctioneers, John Jones and Alan Davies together with Welshpool Town Mayor, Anne Holloway cut the first sod.
It rained. Mr Spencer Cooper, a man of epic tenacity was today's MC. For it was he who put the commercial package together. I hope he makes a few bob out of it. Probably no other person in the universe could have pulled the deal off. The Mayor began the speeches, followed by Lembit Opik, MP for Montgomeryshire, followed by Mark Kerr, Chief Executive of Powys County Council. I wasn't shceduled to speak, but was really pleased when Spencer asked me to chip in at the end. So I did.
I remember Welshpool 'Smithfield' (as we called it), as one of the first two locations to which I was taken from the farm when about 3/4 years old. One was to Borth on Sundays to play sandcastles, and the other was with my father to the 'Smithfield'. Pigs and chickens and ducks and geese were traded in those days. My future grandfather-in-law, Harry Ray, owned one of the firms of auctioneers that worked there. My father had once walked cattle to Welshpool for sale - and walked his purchases home. He was a shortish powerful man who worked incredibly hard to provide for my mother and the six of their children. Hard to believe that he died ten years younger than I am now. My grandfather had transported livestock to Welshpool on the train from Llanfair Caereinion. I almost made myself feel nostalgic.
Reason its a 'Big' day is that this was step one of the redesign of Welshpool. When the new market is finished, a new one way road system will be introduced, followed by major redevelopment of the existing market site, which includes a new Tesco - plus a lot more. This is to be followed by a Council sponsored 'Town Redevelopment Plan'. All of this will be done in the next 2/3 years. Also met Felix Gummer, Corporate Affairs Manager - Wales for Tesco, who had been invited. I want to meet him again for a decent chat. I assume he must be a good man because his father was one of the politicians I most respected. And then we all went for tea, as the giant earth movers got down to work.
It rained. Mr Spencer Cooper, a man of epic tenacity was today's MC. For it was he who put the commercial package together. I hope he makes a few bob out of it. Probably no other person in the universe could have pulled the deal off. The Mayor began the speeches, followed by Lembit Opik, MP for Montgomeryshire, followed by Mark Kerr, Chief Executive of Powys County Council. I wasn't shceduled to speak, but was really pleased when Spencer asked me to chip in at the end. So I did.
I remember Welshpool 'Smithfield' (as we called it), as one of the first two locations to which I was taken from the farm when about 3/4 years old. One was to Borth on Sundays to play sandcastles, and the other was with my father to the 'Smithfield'. Pigs and chickens and ducks and geese were traded in those days. My future grandfather-in-law, Harry Ray, owned one of the firms of auctioneers that worked there. My father had once walked cattle to Welshpool for sale - and walked his purchases home. He was a shortish powerful man who worked incredibly hard to provide for my mother and the six of their children. Hard to believe that he died ten years younger than I am now. My grandfather had transported livestock to Welshpool on the train from Llanfair Caereinion. I almost made myself feel nostalgic.
Reason its a 'Big' day is that this was step one of the redesign of Welshpool. When the new market is finished, a new one way road system will be introduced, followed by major redevelopment of the existing market site, which includes a new Tesco - plus a lot more. This is to be followed by a Council sponsored 'Town Redevelopment Plan'. All of this will be done in the next 2/3 years. Also met Felix Gummer, Corporate Affairs Manager - Wales for Tesco, who had been invited. I want to meet him again for a decent chat. I assume he must be a good man because his father was one of the politicians I most respected. And then we all went for tea, as the giant earth movers got down to work.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Edna Again.
When Edna was in Llandrindod yesterday, she heard an almighty row in the Planning Committee. She told me that it was only a little issue, about protocol. But Chairman, Councillor Bob Mills is not a man to mess with. I think Edna fancies him a bit - she likes men of action. Anyway, the application involved locating a portacabin at a school, somewhere near Welshpool - clearly a 'Montgomeryshire' issue. And the protocol is that such an issue should be dealt with when the itinerant Committee is meeting in Montgomeryshire. (It is a Powys Committee, which meets in turn in Monty, Radnorshire and Breconshire.) It seems that officers were not prepared to wait, as every other applicant would have to.
Well, Chairman Mills was having none of it, and after a lot of argy bargy he walked out, not usually an entirely silent process. Edna loved it. "What a man" is what she said. The Deputy Chair then walked out as well - in support. It never does any good though. Powys officers are not used to letting councillors decide things. They just told the remnants of the Committee to elect another Chair, and passed the application anyway. You see, they were dealing with their own application - so protocol is no more than 'guidance'. At least this is what Edna says.
Well, Chairman Mills was having none of it, and after a lot of argy bargy he walked out, not usually an entirely silent process. Edna loved it. "What a man" is what she said. The Deputy Chair then walked out as well - in support. It never does any good though. Powys officers are not used to letting councillors decide things. They just told the remnants of the Committee to elect another Chair, and passed the application anyway. You see, they were dealing with their own application - so protocol is no more than 'guidance'. At least this is what Edna says.
Someone's getting twitchy
Some of you may remember Edna Mopbucket. She used to feed me little snippets - and she's just given me a few details on Assembly Member's expenses that would send my visitor numbers into the stratosphere. Alas, it would land me in boiling water, so you'll have to wait until December 8th, when they are due to be officially unveilled. It might leak though, because if Edna knows........ She's a lovely girl, but keep a secret she can't. I'm told that in school, she was known as 'Anything for five Woodbines'. All I can post on are a couple of snippets from Powys County Council.
Edna's been cleaning some of the computers at County Hall, and couldn't resist sprotting into Councillor's inboxes, and she was tickled by one she found in the inbox of Cllr. Wynne Jones, head honcho on planning issues at the Council. It tickled me too. Here's the background;
A few days ago, I received a letter which had been prepared by a group of agents, builders, etc. complaining about the Powys planning service. They wanted me to make a public fuss about it. I decided not to make it public, but felt that I really should bring such concern to the attention of councillors, on a private basis. So I copied the letter to all the Councillors in Montgomeryshire, except those who belonged to other political parties ( who would have a natural interest in embarrassing me). There are only two of them since the last election. Cllr. Wynne Jones responded to my letter by telephone and email, which he copied to others for their information. It was a fair and well argued response from Cllr. Jones, which I'll now discuss with the original complainers. But just guess what happened next. As reward for his efforts to be open and transparent, Cllr. Wynne's inbox received a snorty little email including these extracts;
Dear Wynne'
We are concerned that the letter from yourself and the forwarding of the response to the 'anonymous' letter which was received via Glyn Davies is giving unfair publicity to the PPC..............Why has this letter been given what appears to be extra priority as it comes from Glyn Davies? We feel this shows a lack of political balance and objectivity, and we feel it is wholly unacceptable.
Cllr Clair Powell and Cllr Liam Fitzpatrick
Bronllys Ward Talybont on Usk
Clair and Liam are Lib Dems. Now its not my fault that an increasing number of Montgomeryshire people are choosing to ask me to help them with issues. All I do is deal with them as best I can. But its obvious that the Liberal Democrats of Powys are becoming very twitchy indeed. I wonder why?
Edna's been cleaning some of the computers at County Hall, and couldn't resist sprotting into Councillor's inboxes, and she was tickled by one she found in the inbox of Cllr. Wynne Jones, head honcho on planning issues at the Council. It tickled me too. Here's the background;
A few days ago, I received a letter which had been prepared by a group of agents, builders, etc. complaining about the Powys planning service. They wanted me to make a public fuss about it. I decided not to make it public, but felt that I really should bring such concern to the attention of councillors, on a private basis. So I copied the letter to all the Councillors in Montgomeryshire, except those who belonged to other political parties ( who would have a natural interest in embarrassing me). There are only two of them since the last election. Cllr. Wynne Jones responded to my letter by telephone and email, which he copied to others for their information. It was a fair and well argued response from Cllr. Jones, which I'll now discuss with the original complainers. But just guess what happened next. As reward for his efforts to be open and transparent, Cllr. Wynne's inbox received a snorty little email including these extracts;
Dear Wynne'
We are concerned that the letter from yourself and the forwarding of the response to the 'anonymous' letter which was received via Glyn Davies is giving unfair publicity to the PPC..............Why has this letter been given what appears to be extra priority as it comes from Glyn Davies? We feel this shows a lack of political balance and objectivity, and we feel it is wholly unacceptable.
Cllr Clair Powell and Cllr Liam Fitzpatrick
Bronllys Ward Talybont on Usk
Clair and Liam are Lib Dems. Now its not my fault that an increasing number of Montgomeryshire people are choosing to ask me to help them with issues. All I do is deal with them as best I can. But its obvious that the Liberal Democrats of Powys are becoming very twitchy indeed. I wonder why?
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Three reasons for 45%
Its been a while since I was in a position to worry about the new 45% tax rate. But it still makes me very cross - and its the reasons for it than so annoys. Today, the Government has admitted that this tax increase is expected to raise £670 million, which is entirely insignificant in the scale of Government borrowing. And even then, its on the assumption that no-one is going to make an effort to rearrange their affairs in order to avoid paying it. I always remember hearing Nigel Lawson, when he was Chancellor claiming that the Government suffered minimal loss of tax revenue when he cut the top rate from 60% to the current 40% way back in the 1980s, because of the relationship between the rate of tax and willingness to pay it.
No, there are other reasons for this tax increase - three of them. The first is that Gordon Brown wanted us to be talking about this, rather than the increase in NIC, which is in effect a rise in Income Tax - and is also widely perceived to be a tax on jobs. The second reason was to feed envy. Labour (at least under Gordon Brown) does not like to see people earning high salaries. They have never understood success. And the third reason is that they want David Cameron to launch a huge attack on this change, so that the Prime Minister can paint the Conservatives in a colour of his choice. Unfortunately for Gordon Brown, his ruse is so obvious and pathetic that we can all see what his little game is. David Cameron will choose his own colours.
And did you see Alistair Campbell on Newsnight tonight. He said (he really did, and with a straight face) that Tony Blair would have introduced the same tax increase if he'd been Prime Minister today. I don't think anyone, including the brutal diarist himself believed that one.
No, there are other reasons for this tax increase - three of them. The first is that Gordon Brown wanted us to be talking about this, rather than the increase in NIC, which is in effect a rise in Income Tax - and is also widely perceived to be a tax on jobs. The second reason was to feed envy. Labour (at least under Gordon Brown) does not like to see people earning high salaries. They have never understood success. And the third reason is that they want David Cameron to launch a huge attack on this change, so that the Prime Minister can paint the Conservatives in a colour of his choice. Unfortunately for Gordon Brown, his ruse is so obvious and pathetic that we can all see what his little game is. David Cameron will choose his own colours.
And did you see Alistair Campbell on Newsnight tonight. He said (he really did, and with a straight face) that Tony Blair would have introduced the same tax increase if he'd been Prime Minister today. I don't think anyone, including the brutal diarist himself believed that one.
The Rape of my Fair Country
Today, I have issued a press statement, in my capacity of President of the Protection of Rural Wales. It is self explanatory, though I have tried to keep my smouldering anger under control.
"Over the last three years, I have opposed and condemned the Assembly Government's policy of imposing clusters of wind farms on rural Wales. My opposition has been based on the cumulative impact on the landscape of these wind farms, and even worse, the scarring of beautiful Montgomeryshire for ever, by hundreds of monstrous pylons carrying a 400 kv cable marching through our lovely valleys in order to provide connection to the National Grid. Very few people have grasped just how horrendous this 400 kv cable is going to be. In addition, the failure to establish any sort of comprehensive plan is likely to make the already dreadful position even worse. At present, we have total shambles. Scottish Power may well be forced to provide extra 132 kv cables (also causing huge environmental damage, and potential health risk) because of the absence of an overall strategy.
The reason I'm raising this matter today is the linked but separate issue of a proposed new 132 kv cable from Welshpool to serve the new wind farm at Llandinam. Already, there is much public concern in the Kerry and Llandyssil areas, through which this cable will pass. I have discussed the proposals and their implications with Scottish Power, and suggest that everyone who lives between Welshpool and Llandinam attend the presentation which is being held at Dolfor Community Hall on 3rd December between 2.00 and 8.00. I'll be there from 2.00 til 6.15.
It is pointless being critical of Scottish Power, who have little choice in the matter. The company is required by statute to offer a service to Llandinam wind farm. The blame for this position must lie with those politicians who have supported these wind farms. Anyone who has supported the creation of wind farms, which will despoil our lovely home here in Montgomeryshire are, by extension, supporting the massive pylons and cables needed to carry the electricity to the National Grid. Anyone who supported the Llandinam wind farm has also, by extension, supported the 132 kv line that will skirt private properties between Welshpool and the Llandinam site, including many in the Kerry area. Anyone who has supported the general policy of wind farms in Mid Wales has, by extension, supported the construction of a 400 kv cable from some point in the Oswestry/Shrewsbury area, to some point in the Carno area. To pretend otherwise is to be dishonest.
I want;
1) In order to minimise impact, its crucial that all wind farm approval and development be suspended until Scottish Power and National Grid have a clear idea of what capacity connection to the grid is needed - rather than the shambolic ad hoc approach which exists at present.
2) No wind farm planning application should be approved without a clear statement of how it is going to be connected to the National Grid.
3) Planning Authorities must require that where these huge cables pass through environmentally important areas, the developer should be required to compensate Scottish Power for the additional costs of burying the cable underground.
Over the last three years whenever I've discussed wind farms in East Montgomeryshire, its usually met with a disinterested shrug because its thought that all the wind farms are to be located in West Montgomeryshire. And my response "What about the b****y cables", has stirred no hackles. Now that reality is kicking in, lets just make sure that we minimise the damage and lay blame where its due.
"Over the last three years, I have opposed and condemned the Assembly Government's policy of imposing clusters of wind farms on rural Wales. My opposition has been based on the cumulative impact on the landscape of these wind farms, and even worse, the scarring of beautiful Montgomeryshire for ever, by hundreds of monstrous pylons carrying a 400 kv cable marching through our lovely valleys in order to provide connection to the National Grid. Very few people have grasped just how horrendous this 400 kv cable is going to be. In addition, the failure to establish any sort of comprehensive plan is likely to make the already dreadful position even worse. At present, we have total shambles. Scottish Power may well be forced to provide extra 132 kv cables (also causing huge environmental damage, and potential health risk) because of the absence of an overall strategy.
The reason I'm raising this matter today is the linked but separate issue of a proposed new 132 kv cable from Welshpool to serve the new wind farm at Llandinam. Already, there is much public concern in the Kerry and Llandyssil areas, through which this cable will pass. I have discussed the proposals and their implications with Scottish Power, and suggest that everyone who lives between Welshpool and Llandinam attend the presentation which is being held at Dolfor Community Hall on 3rd December between 2.00 and 8.00. I'll be there from 2.00 til 6.15.
It is pointless being critical of Scottish Power, who have little choice in the matter. The company is required by statute to offer a service to Llandinam wind farm. The blame for this position must lie with those politicians who have supported these wind farms. Anyone who has supported the creation of wind farms, which will despoil our lovely home here in Montgomeryshire are, by extension, supporting the massive pylons and cables needed to carry the electricity to the National Grid. Anyone who supported the Llandinam wind farm has also, by extension, supported the 132 kv line that will skirt private properties between Welshpool and the Llandinam site, including many in the Kerry area. Anyone who has supported the general policy of wind farms in Mid Wales has, by extension, supported the construction of a 400 kv cable from some point in the Oswestry/Shrewsbury area, to some point in the Carno area. To pretend otherwise is to be dishonest.
I want;
1) In order to minimise impact, its crucial that all wind farm approval and development be suspended until Scottish Power and National Grid have a clear idea of what capacity connection to the grid is needed - rather than the shambolic ad hoc approach which exists at present.
2) No wind farm planning application should be approved without a clear statement of how it is going to be connected to the National Grid.
3) Planning Authorities must require that where these huge cables pass through environmentally important areas, the developer should be required to compensate Scottish Power for the additional costs of burying the cable underground.
Over the last three years whenever I've discussed wind farms in East Montgomeryshire, its usually met with a disinterested shrug because its thought that all the wind farms are to be located in West Montgomeryshire. And my response "What about the b****y cables", has stirred no hackles. Now that reality is kicking in, lets just make sure that we minimise the damage and lay blame where its due.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Longer range reflection.
Been to a presentation of the National Assembly's future agri-environment policy tonight. It required serious concentration. But it didn't work. The shock has been too great. I'm still stunned by what Alistair Darling told us this afternoon. It seems to me to be incredible. Next year's Government borrowing is predicted to be £118,000,000,000. Not only is this way more than ever before, but its based on the recession ending in just over six months time - and West Brom are going to win the Premiership. The Chancellor also told us that this borrowing will continue until (wait for it) .....2015/16. Shadow Chancellor, George Osborne, stood up in front of the open goal, and smashed the ball into the back of the net with aplomb, past the hapless Darling.
Most irritating feature of the Chancellor's speech was his constant and rather pathetic attempts to put all the blame for the UK's problems on the dodgy sub prime loans in America. My feeling (entirely unscientific of course) is that this ruse has run its course. People know that Northern Rock was a British Bank. And anyway, its always a tactic of the coward to dump the blame for failure on your best mate. Made him look like what a friend of mine used to call a 'big girl's blouse'.
The VAT cut will have minimal impact. The only reason this cut was chosen was that its easy to reverse. The sensible and most effective cut would have been to raise income tax allowances, but that couldn't have been reversed so easily. The reason I thought Gordon Brown wouldn't have gone for the VAT cut is that it doesn't help the poorest people, where most essential expenditure is zero rated. Big mistake, and in my opinion will not deliver much financial stimulus.
Perhaps the slimiest trick that the Government tried to pull, was to leak the creation of a higher Income Tax band of 45%. The reasoning was that they wanted us all to concentrate on this, hoping that we wouldn't notice the increase in NICs, effectively a rise in basic rate Income Tax. I do think that this did work for today. There must be some reason for the increase in shares price. I wonder if they'll fall tomorrow, as dealers read the small print.
And then we have the political dimension of all this. I ask myself whether Gordon Brown will call a General Election in 2009. This has been my prediction since I became a Parliamentary candidate 18 months ago. And I still think he will - unless he genuinely believes that we will come out of recession next July. Listened to a lot of discussion today, and conclude that its been a very bad day for the Prime Minister.
UPDATE - Guido explains. There was a general surge in shares across the world after the US Government bailed out Citygroup. The German and French stoch markets rose even more than the UK's. So the surge cannot be taken as approval of yesterday's PBR.
Most irritating feature of the Chancellor's speech was his constant and rather pathetic attempts to put all the blame for the UK's problems on the dodgy sub prime loans in America. My feeling (entirely unscientific of course) is that this ruse has run its course. People know that Northern Rock was a British Bank. And anyway, its always a tactic of the coward to dump the blame for failure on your best mate. Made him look like what a friend of mine used to call a 'big girl's blouse'.
The VAT cut will have minimal impact. The only reason this cut was chosen was that its easy to reverse. The sensible and most effective cut would have been to raise income tax allowances, but that couldn't have been reversed so easily. The reason I thought Gordon Brown wouldn't have gone for the VAT cut is that it doesn't help the poorest people, where most essential expenditure is zero rated. Big mistake, and in my opinion will not deliver much financial stimulus.
Perhaps the slimiest trick that the Government tried to pull, was to leak the creation of a higher Income Tax band of 45%. The reasoning was that they wanted us all to concentrate on this, hoping that we wouldn't notice the increase in NICs, effectively a rise in basic rate Income Tax. I do think that this did work for today. There must be some reason for the increase in shares price. I wonder if they'll fall tomorrow, as dealers read the small print.
And then we have the political dimension of all this. I ask myself whether Gordon Brown will call a General Election in 2009. This has been my prediction since I became a Parliamentary candidate 18 months ago. And I still think he will - unless he genuinely believes that we will come out of recession next July. Listened to a lot of discussion today, and conclude that its been a very bad day for the Prime Minister.
UPDATE - Guido explains. There was a general surge in shares across the world after the US Government bailed out Citygroup. The German and French stoch markets rose even more than the UK's. So the surge cannot be taken as approval of yesterday's PBR.
Darling the Destroyer.
I'm in shock. Yesterday, I blogged in line with what I expected to be my party's response to the Chancellor's Pre-Budget Report - a tax 'Bombshell' to arrive after the next General Election. But my capacity to absorb what the Chancellor was saying failed me when he told us what he predicted the Government's borrowing requirement is going to be. The figure that hit me was £118 billion for 2009 - and only in part by its monstrous size. This figure is based on the totally incredible supposition that the recession will be over by the middle of next year. This figure, already scarcely believable, is going to go up, and up. This is all mindblowingly awful. I'm out tonight, but hope to blog on the speech later - when I've recovered from the shock of listening to a man telling us that our Government has launched itself on a course to financial disaster - which we will all have to pay for.
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