Price: Over-patriotic or playing to the Plaid pack

Here we go again! The Welsh MP for Welsh Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, in Welsh Carmarthenshire, in Welsh Wales - Adam Price -demonstrates that this alone will not be his only poor lack of judgement during his time as an MP.

Just what is it with Price and the Welsh identity?

Mr Price's latest outburst is against the Welsh National Opera company, which has an international reputation built up from years of consistent high achievement in its productions. But why does he attempt to hit yet another high note when it comes down to deciding what's good for Wales and what isn't?

Mr Price doesn't seem to be suitably impressed with its reputation for excellence, high artistic standards (considering the funding), or even the use of superb professional home-grown Welsh talent in Dennis O'Neill, Eric Roberts, Rebecca Evans, Laura Parfitt, Wynne Evans, and Bryn Terfel, to name but a few. He prefers to criticise the Welsh National Opera company for not producing enough Welsh opera. Just where does this small minded obsession come from? Mr Price claims to be a music lover but his actions show that he only wishes to see his type of real Welshness and Welsh identity in most aspects of Welsh life.

Now I'm definately not anti-Welsh, especially as I have roots in these parts ever since coal was merely plant remains (not as much as some though), but even I can fully understand that the Welsh National Opera is a world renown opera company because of its wide repertoire of international works, perfect casting and amazing production crew - both the Welsh and the non-Welsh variety.

Broaden your horizon Mr Price. Just as you saw fit to step outside Wales in your youth and continue to do so as an MP, transform this into your constricting view on the Welsh identity. If you do happen to feel the need to spew out your authority on the Welsh identity and Welshness, use your Welsh-built website in order to nitpick at what's truly Welsh and what isn't (surely a possible name of a future pamphlet of his), and stop filling up the newspapers with stories that knock Wales' achievements. Join national debates that your constituents and the general public are talking about, rather than trying to make up your own.

Wales doesn't stand out on the world stage in many walks of life. Cherish those areas where we do.

Welsh National Opera needs to do much more to prove its Welsh credentials, according to an MP.

Plaid Cymru’s Adam Price says despite the company’s strong reputation for artistic excellence, it doesn’t do nearly enough to encourage Welsh composers.

Mr Price, a music enthusiast who represents Carmarthen East & Dinefwr, said: “To what extent is WNO representative of Wales and Welsh culture? In the whole of its existence, it has not had a musical director who was Welsh.

“I am not so parochial as to suggest that its musical director should always be Welsh – like the coach of the Welsh rugby team you expect to see people from outside Wales doing the job – but as a nation we are not exactly renowned for our lack of musical ability.

“You would think that at some stage in the last half century a Welsh musical director would have had a look in now and then.”

Pointing out that WNO was the only body that received funding from both the Arts Council of Wales and Arts Council England, Mr Price said: “That explains why it spends so much of its time touring England, which is fair enough. But perhaps it would be more accurately called the English and Welsh National Opera, which happens to have its home in Cardiff. One of the problems is that it has been many years since it commissioned an original opera from a Welsh composer. In the Seventies, it commissioned an opera from Alun Hoddinott, arguably the greatest Welsh composer of the 20th century. But although it has since commissioned the occasional choral piece, it is a long time since there was a major commission of a new opera from a Welsh composer.”

In 2004 Hoddinott, who died last year at the age of 78, told the Western Mail: “Their [WNO] performance standards are first class and technically they are excellent. But I wish they would pay more attention to Welsh music.

“Their record in the production of Welsh opera is abysmal. Scottish Opera puts on a couple of works by Scottish composers every year.

“WNO has put on perhaps four or five Welsh operas over 20 years. And the record of the WNO’s orchestra as far as Welsh music is concerned is also bad. I have not seen one work by a Welsh composer in any of its concert programmes. Full stop.

“They just seem to have an anti-Welsh music bias. I am sad that they do not do something for Welsh composers, especially young ones.”

Mr Price said: “It seems clear that for commercial reasons the company chooses to concentrate on performing productions of well-known operas. Is that what we want from our national opera company? Some would say yes, but others, myself included, would like to see more original work commissioned from Welsh composers. Otherwise, doubts will continue about whether we are getting our bang for the buck put into WNO from public funds in Wales.”

WNO chief executive and artistic director John Fisher said: “Welsh National Opera prides itself on being not only a world-class flagship for Wales and Welsh culture, but also one of the world’s major international opera companies. We work with outstanding Welsh creative talent every day of the week, in Wales, England and overseas – and we’re proud to do it.”

WNO was founded in Cardiff in 1946. Annually, it gives more than 120 performances of eight main scale operas. In Cardiff, Bristol, Birmingham, Liverpool, Llandudno, Oxford, Milton Keynes, Plymouth, Southampton and Swansea, it regularly performs to more than 150,000 people in total.

In 2004, WNO acquired its first permanent home with the opening of the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff Bay.

WNO boasts it is Europe’s busiest touring opera company and the largest provider of touring opera in the UK.

The company’s most recent published accounts, covering the 17 months to September 2007, show it had an income of £20.1m, of which £8.7m came from Arts Council England, £6.3m from Arts Council of Wales and the remainder from box office receipts and other sources.

Dead tree press can't see the wood for the trees

At this time of the year we're in need of a good story that not only demonstrates the inconsistency of those running the WAG machine, but also an example of the civil service not getting their own way and promoting one of their own numbers from within.

This story also makes a refreshing change from the media ignoring what other AMs have claimed in expenses. Instead, they choose to turn the rack on the Conservative leader Nick Bourne over a piddling iPod in a desperate attempt to make the story run and run until his resignation as group leader. Hoping then to happily turn the story into a column stocking filler by running another series of leadership election stories that saves them from having to examine and attack the policies and politics of the Welsh Assembly Government.

More effort should be placed on looking into the National Assembly rules and regulations on expenses that allows what may seem by the general public to be inappropriate claims being made by elected politicians. We need to remember that no politician has broken the rules of the Assembly as laid down by Assembly Commission staff.

Have the Western Mail also gone soft on the Assembly Government since coalition? Fear appears to have set in when it comes to taking on the Labour establishment and particularly since forming a coalition with Plaid Cymru. This needs to change.

The Western Mail's latest column filler - iPodGate - should go a long way to guarantee Nick Bourne's short term survival as leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the National Assembly. Welsh politics and political parties are not led by small Welsh media outlets, and no one is going to have the stomach to oust a leader just because a campaign is being run by a Welsh newspaper.

The Welsh Conservative party and group in the Assembly shouldn't follow the Western Mail's lead. It wouldn't be good for party politics in Wales whatever party you support.

Anyway. Enough of my rant before Christmas and back to the other Welsh politics story in the Western Mail that isn't classed as 'iPodGate' or 'a soapbox for Adam Price MP'.

This story of Christmas cheer can be read in the next blog.

New Welsh Blogger: Hywel Williams MP

Hywel Williams MP (Caernarfon)

Fi ydi Aelod Seneddol Caernarfon (neu Arfon ar ol yr etholiad nesaf, a chymeryd
y caf fy ail-ethol!). Rwyf yn AS ers 2001, a fy mhrif ddiddordebau gwleidyddol
yw Polisi cymdeithasol; Diwylliant a Iaith a'r celfyddydau.

Welcome to the blogosphere. This new addition is more welcomed than most due to its uniqueness among the majority of Plaid bloggers - in being a Plaid blog that actually links to a wide variety of non-Plaid blogs.

A rarity in the world of Welsh political blogging, and a new addition that simply doesn't just provide an act of blogging fallatio in a desperate attempt to seek approval from the master.

Most recognised man on the planet

You rarely see them together, and some say that they have merged to a certain degree. I say, if you work together, then why not holiday... I mean, represent Wales together. Yes... the First Minister and Deputy First Minister for Wales have held hands across the pond, and taken in a spot of diplomatic/touristic/joint ministerial venture in the USA.

Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones has presented a tribute from Wales to one of the most famous sportsmen ever - former world heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali.

Muhammad Ali is the ‘favourite son’ of Louisville, Kentucky - location of the 2008 Ryder Cup competition at the Valhalla course - and he and Mrs Lonnie Ali met a Welsh delegation at an official “Muhammad Ali Welcomes the World to Louisville" event.

Mr Jones said:

Muhammad Ali [insert name here when applicable] has been an inspiration to many in my generation - and it is a great privilege to meet him in person.

We have produced our own crop of boxing greats - from Tommy Farr, the 'Tonypandy Terror’, who fought Joe Louis back in 1937 [well done Assembly Researchers], to Joe Calzaghe, a champion in our own days. Wales has followed Muhammad Ali's career in the ring with great excitement and empathy.

The meeting was one of the highlights of an official visit to the United States this week which marks the official handover of responsibility for the Ryder Cup to Wales in 2010. It took place in the Muhammad Ali Centre, Louisville, which promotes his legacy to future generations and shares the stories, and lessons from his life, with the world. During the evening, Mr Jones presented the former champion with a special Muhammad Ali 'Grogg' from Pontypridd.

Muhammad Ali is described as still ‘the most recognizable man on earth’. Over forty years after he burst on to the scene as a gold-medal winner at the 1960 Rome Olympics, he remains a magical figure, known and loved throughout the world.His success as a boxer is widely respected, but Ali's greatest triumph lies in his legacy as a champion, leader, humanitarian, and artist. His work both inside and outside the ring truly makes Muhammad Ali "The Greatest of All Time."

There's only one Plaid member that's hoping to move up/down a weight or two. All rumours and propaganda of course, but the most recognised man in Plaid Cymru, the part-time philosopher-politician himself would make a welcome addition to the corner of Plaid Cymru in most corners of Wales.

Total Politics Results: Top 100 Left of Centre Blogs

Nine Welsh blogs have made it into Iain Dale's Top 100 Left of Centre Blogs list for his Guide to Political Blogging in the UK 2008-9.

19. Ordovicius
35. Bethan Jenkins AM
39. Adam Price MP
47. Cynical Dragon
59. Guerrilla Welsh-fare
60. Welsh Ramblings
73. Blog Menai
87. Amlwch to Magor
90. Paul Flynn

I would never have described The Cynical Dragon as left of centre.

The full list and entire series can be followed by clicking on the following link to Iain Dale's Diary.

Senedd Circular: Local Election Special, 2008

This article appears in The Wardman Wire:

Today is not only Miss Wagstaff’s birthday, but also - by strange coincidence - a day for local elections. I bet some of you thought it would never arrive!

Senedd Snippets:

• Who runs Wales at a local level?
• Decline and fall of Labour?
• What a turn up for the books.

Acting Local

Yesterday saw the last full day of campaigning in the local elections, and many will be wondering whether there will be a sting in the tail for the coalition partners in Cardiff Bay. Will the electorate hold them to account over their performance since this coalition emerged from the ashes of last year’s Assembly election? Will this be an opportunity for a warning shot across the bow of a Labour Government at Westminster? Or will we all vote as usual and wake up with the results not even changing one single part of our lives?

As it currently stands, Labour holds or shares power on nine Welsh county councils, Liberal Democrats on six, Plaid Cymru on five, Conservatives on four, and independent or other groups on 11.

In the not too distant past a decrease in Labour’s vote in Wales would’ve seemed as plausible as a man becoming pregnant [Doesn’t count! Well, I suppose he did ‘used to be’ a woman].

No longer...

Who runs Wales at a local level?

(Map thanks to Matt Wardman . Will need updating. )

Blaenau Gwent: Labour
Bridgend: Liberal Democrat / Conservative / Plaid Cymru / Independent
Caerphilly: Labour
Cardiff: Liberal Democrat
Carmarthen: Labour / Independent
Ceredigion: Independent / Liberal Democrat / Labour
Conwy: Independent / Conservative / Plaid Cymru / Liberal Democrat
Denbighshire: Independent / Conservative / Plaid Cymru
Flintshire: Labour
Gwynedd: Plaid Cymru
Merthyr: Labour / Independent
Monmouth: Conservative
Neath Port Talbot: Labour
Newport: Labour
Pembrokeshire: Independent
Powys: Independent
Rhondda Cynon Taf: Labour
Swansea: Liberal Democrat / Independent
Torfaen: Labour
Vale of Glamorgan: Labour / Plaid Cymru / Independent
Wrexham: Liberal Democrat-led Board
Ynys Mon: Anglesey Forward / Radical Independents

Decline and fall of Labour?

There was a time in Welsh politics when it was said that even a sheep under a Labour banner would get elected in Wales. Times have changed! Before devolution in 1999, Labour remained in control of well over half of Wales' 22 county councils, and was a significant force in a handful of others.

This dominance of ‘red’ councils was dramatically knocked back in 1999, as Plaid Cymru won control of both Caerphilly and Rhondda Cynon Taf in the Valleys. A successful campaign to regain these councils in 2004 was deflated with Labour losing control of Bridgend, Cardiff, Swansea and Wrexham to the Liberal Democrats and their coalition buddies.

In Wales, the Conservatives returned from no-man’s land to control Monmouthshire and the Vale of Glamorgan (for a short period). This was an age that brought an alternative option to Labour in Wales, even if it was to the regular chant of ‘Coalition is King’.

What a turn up for the books

This has been a typical election campaign with the usual nit-picking, back biting, tooing and froing of political ‘worn and new’ tennis balls, with the odd cannon ball thrown in for good measure and extra effect. There’s even been mixed messages from UK party leaders on their election visit to Wales.

We’ve all been expecting this, but what haven’t we been expecting?

Former MP, AM, and Secretary of State for Wales, Ron Davies is hoping to return to politics and is standing as an independent for the third time. Mr Davies is hoping to represent the area - Bedwas and Machen ward - where he was born and where he was first elected as a councillor 39 years ago. The ward elects four councillors. Together with his Independent running mate Colin Hobbs – another former Labour councillor – Mr Davies is up against one Plaid and four Labour candidates.

Popular Lib-Demmer, Vince Cable MP, was in Cardiff rallying the troops this week. Mr Cable said the party had won power four years ago in Cardiff, Swansea, Wrexham and Bridgend on the back of the Iraq war which had disillusioned voters with Labour.

He said: “I think even holding our position will be a good result. Four years ago we were very strong. The Iraq war effect was a factor. If we do make advances that will be a tribute to the way the work of our councils is perceived across Wales. We are starting in a difficult position this time. Four years ago we were in a very strong position on the back of the Iraq effect.” A true definition of ‘fighting’ talk if ever I heard one.

At a more local level, Peter May, a Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate and councillor has been accused of printing election leaflets for his party’s opponents. Today, he will be defending his council seat in the Uplands ward of Swansea, however, an organisation he runs next to his home in the city is printing election literature for independent candidates across Swansea, some of whom are up against Liberal Democrats. You couldn’t make it up.

Usually you have to wait until you’re 18 to cast your first vote, for some it comes surprisingly early. At the other end of the age scale, it seems that certain golden oldie councillors can’t stay away from the ballot box and front line politics. A former councillor who received money to retire under a ‘golden goodbye’ scheme is standing for election again. In 2004 Eunydd Thomas (formerly of the Labour party) accepted a payout designed to encourage long-serving councillors to make way for new blood. He told a newspaper that supporters had persuaded him to stand again this year for Carmarthenshire Council. He will be attempting to spring back into local politics under a different banner – Independent.

An Assembly Government spokesman said: “...However, for legal reasons it was not possible to include in the regulations a provision which would prevent a recipient of an award from standing in a future election."

Keeping an eye on bigger fish, Plaid’s Chief Engineer and bridge builder, Adam Price MP, has outlined Plaid’s greater ambitions in suggesting that “There’s no veto as far as talking to the Conservatives” in the off chance of there being a hung parliament at the next general election.

But at least one AM who opposed Plaid going into a “rainbow coalition” involving the Conservatives following last year’s inconclusive Assembly Election yesterday said she thought Mr Price was right not to rule anything out. Mid and West Wales AM Nerys Evans said: “He is completely right. We need to be keeping all our options open.

I guess power can be an aphrodisiac - Once you’ve tasted it, there’s no going back.

And finally…

Taking a few minutes out and looking at the situation objectively, while taking into account the goings on of UK and Welsh politics over the last year, I predict that the Welsh Conservatives will be the big winners in the local election stakes:

1) They’re doing well at UK level, even if it is partly down to a tired Labour Government.
2) They have the most to gain at local government level in Wales (in terms of improvement).
3) They didn’t enter into a coalition in Cardiff Bay and won’t suffer from the backlash.
4) Even if they had entered into a Cardiff Bay coalition, core members probably wouldn’t have turned against them.
5) They’re generally seen as being an effective opposition in Cardiff Bay and Westminster.
6) The other parties in Wales have more to lose and less to gain after the events of the last 6-12 months (short-term memory of the indecisive voter).

The question is whether the electorate as a whole take this into account, and let those parties that fizz during their campaign go flat overnight.

As a final thought... While we’re all tucked up in our beds with our warm milk and being read a bedtime story by our chosen partners, spare a thought for those tired officials having to count your vote, whether that vote counts or not in your constituency.

Senedd Circular: Easter Recess Catch-up

This article appears in The Wardman Wire:

This week, Pippa Wagstaff writes her first column for the Wardman Wire about events at the National Assembly for Wales (the Senedd) in Cardiff. It has been held over from last week. Usually the column will appear on Thursdays.

Cranking the Starting Handle

The Assembly is currently in the middle of its Easter Recess, so I’ve taken the opportunity to bring us up-to-date on what’s hot on the political agenda at the run up to the Assembly’s return to Cardiff Bay.

You can take it as read that there are more important things to life. In my life, at least, there’s family and a new career opportunity that’s taking up so much of my time at the moment. I’ve recently taken a short break away from blogging – part work, part pleasure, part nightmare! Now I’ve found my way back to Cardiff, and eventually back to what lurks down the bay – Welsh politics, or beneath, in the darker areas - the politics of coalition.

I don’t sleep deeply these days, and this can be partly blamed (in equal proportions) on having ‘a little one’ and having ‘a big one’. The little one is self-explanatory. The big one being ‘Miss Wagstaff Presents’, which has always concerned itself with the Government of Wales being more of a ‘first-to-do’ or ‘freebie’ government, that has become affectionately known as a gimmick government. Whether the cause is good or bad, it’s a government that concerns itself with headlines rather than getting down to the bread and butter issues of devolution. Whether it’s the first to appoint a Children’s Commissioner; an Older People’s Commissioner; the introduction of free NHS prescriptions; or even its recent attempt – capturing the attention of the UK public (and probably for the first time) – in starting the ball rolling for free parking at hospitals. You can always rely on the Welsh Government to grab some attention seeking headlines in the name of progress. More will be made of this in future columns.

Senedd Snippets:

• Assembly Members trying to buy their way into heaven
• Senedd proved to be a success
• Possible referendum rift between the cohabiting coalition partners
• History in the making and laws for the taking
• Plaid/Labour coalition – keep your enemies close

Buying a stairway to heaven

There’s rarely an appropriate time to make such an announcement as ‘a more than significant pay rise’, and now is certainly not the best time when we’re all meant to be tightening our belts. This is one to split the opinion of all parties within the Assembly. To the outcry of public sector workers everywhere, Welsh Assembly Members were handed an extra 8.3% in their pay packets (backdated to May 2007). Meant to be endorsed by the Assembly Commission and its membership from all political parties, Plaid Cymru broke ranks, and six members immediately refused to accept the pay rise, which was seen by some as an opportunistic way to buy your way into the hearts of the Welsh public. Their leader, Ieuan Wyn Jones, took this further by stating that he will give most of his rise (that above inflation) to charity in the first year. However, Lord Elis-Thomas, the Assembly’s Presiding Officer and chief diplomat in the making, graciously accepted the pay rise as being a “changing differential in pay”. Whether or nor it is seen as a “slap in the face” to public sector workers, the pay rise is here to stay, and this can be seen as easy political manoeuvring for capital of a different kind. When does a person stop giving the excess to charity? Miss Wagstaff will have to remind certain AMs to set up a standing order in future.

Senedd proved to be a success!

No, not this belated column, or my fellow contributor to Miss Wagstaff Presents, ‘Senedd Whip’, but the leaky Senedd building (well, it is Wales) and its construction, that has been proved to be a Welsh success story according to the Auditor General for Wales.

A report recently published concludes that the landmark debating chamber in Cardiff Bay was delivered “on time and on budget”, which is more than can be said in recent reports of financial flaws and inconsistencies in the way last year's Welsh assembly election was run, which have been identified by the Electoral Commission. Its report shows not all of the £4.5m spent on the election was properly accounted for.

We can’t win them all, so better luck next time.

Cohabiting Coalition Cleavage: Referendum Rift

This was always going to be a major issue between coalition partners in government and a bone for other parties in Wales to chew on. Labour has been accused of working to ensure there is not enough time to secure a referendum on a Welsh Parliament before the next Assembly election in 2011. This month we have been told that the All-Wales Convention, which will judge public support for law-making powers, will not report until late 2009. The powers that this Referendum will give the Assembly are already available through Legislative Competence Orders (a request from the Welsh Assembly Government to legislate in a particular area), and will continue to be available even if a referendum is held and lost. The referendum is far more important to Plaid in being seen as the ‘next stage’ towards independence. Once they clear this hurdle, they can then harp on about a totally independent Wales with the right to its own destiny. However, hurdles are a plenty on this further road to devolution. Being part of the ‘One Wales Agreement’ that binds the coalition government in Cardiff, this could possibly be the section that kills the coalition in the end. A yes vote in a referendum will merely make the whole law-making process simpler.

Those in the red-green coalition are all positive about the prospect of pulling this one off; the rift appears to be in Westminster. However, it has to be said, that this way is the only one, where Labour and Plaid can manage to argue party politics these days and still remain willing partners in Cardiff – hunky-dory in Cardiff Bay and a bit of a kerfuffle in Westminster. Even former Secretary and yes-vote supreme, Peter Hain MP, is getting in on the act: “I set up the Yes For Wales campaign in 1997, but I do not believe the time is right for a further referendum in this Assembly term”. This is much to the annoyance of unofficial Plaid leader and part-time philosopher, Adam Price MP, “Some people in the Labour Party thought Christmas had come early when we agreed to join them in a red/green coalition. But we were very clear-minded and hard-edged in our thinking. If anyone thinks the Labour Party can walk away from an agreement it has signed up to, they are not living in the real political world.”

Someone is going to be disappointed, but not today.

History in the making. Laws for the taking

The word historical is a common one that is widely used in the stages of Welsh devolution. For the first time since May 2007, MPs have debated a Legislative Competence Order, which quietly slipped into the history books. The National Assembly for Wales Legislative Competence (Education and Training) Order 2008 was cleared by Committee and the House of Commons, and is on its way for final approval by Privy Council.

It’s been a long time coming, but the Assembly should be able to legislate in this area before Summer Recess - but don’t hold your breath. Some Welsh politicians were optimistic about the number of Assembly Measures that will be able to be passed in an Assembly term; those original figures now look as believable as a children’s fairy story. The process is time consuming and inefficient when it comes to getting the job done. Many fear that this will play into the hands of the Nationalists who will cry out, “the current devolution settlement isn’t working”. Unionists, on the other hand, need to get the process changed and not wait for the inevitable backlash.

Plaid/Labour coalition. Keep your enemies close

Assembly Government insiders have been suggesting that members of First Minister Rhodri Morgan’s team are trying to undermine Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones.

One allegation is that the Plaid Cymru leader’s diary is being overloaded with engagements, so he is left with no time to think - “There are days when he is working from 8am until 10pm. It seems there could be a subtle game going on, with an attempt to make sure Ieuan gets bogged down in a top-heavy schedule of engagements while having little time to reflect.”

Welsh politicos with long-term memories should remember the fuss that was made when the Deputy First Minister was appointed as he then went on to appoint one of his own political support staff to the civil servant position of Diary Secretary. Sounds like she was also kept too busy to notice what was going on, as surely most political types would’ve seen this coming a long time ago.

And finally…

I’ll have to end it there for a first column article, and as I haven’t even mentioned the upcoming local government election that is on our doorstep, it would be wise of me to make a customer service announcement at this point.

If this doesn’t demonstrate to future would-be councillors the harsh reality of politics, then nothing will… One of Welsh Labour’s rising stars has failed to secure selection as a candidate for his council seat – despite being on a shortlist of one.

Heads down and let’s brace ourselves in anticipation for the build up to May.

AM:PM Awards 2007 - The Winners

The annual AM.PM Award winners have been announced today in the Senedd, and it looks like they didn't pay attention to my suggestion for categories this year.

The winners this year are:

• Politician of the Year

Ieuan Wyn Jones AM (Ynys Mon), Plaid Cymru Assembly Leader and Deputy First Minister

• Newcomer of the Year

Alun Davies AM (Mid and West Wales - Labour)

• Communicator of the Year

Adam Price MP (Carmarthen East and Dinefwr - Plaid Cymru)

• Campaigner of the Year

Chris Bryant MP (Rhondda - Labour) and Leighton Andrews AM (Rhondda - Labour)

• Most Outspoken

Don Touhig MP (Islwyn - Labour)

My favourite quote from the winners came from Adam Price MP who incidentally still hasn't accepted my friendship request on Facebook. During his acceptance speech he classed himself as the creator of a government. Once the BBC reporter asked if blogging etc is merely a way to become a self publicist, a minute later he changed from creator, to his contribution being of a "small role" - Priceless.

Talking of Facebook, it was nice to see so many 'Facebook friends' trying to get themselves on the tele when Ieuan Wyn Jones was making his acceptance speech. Shameful (lol).

Tinkering, Tailoring, but not Soldiering and Spying

After watching Dragon's Eye last night it seems obvious to me that someone needs to get a tight grip on the reins of Plaid Cymru.

.

As Glyn Davies and Peter Black AM rightly point out in their blogs today - it was awful to watch and just sums up how naive some of their politicians can be with their 'dangerous nonsense'.

With talk of the 'increasing militarisation of Wales', 'pulling out of NATO', and 'St Athan should be stopped until we have a full explanation of who the investors are, what their priorities are, who they're answerable to and who is going to be trained there', Jill Evans MEP seems to be doing damage to the party by pulling it back to its roots of pacifism, which is a narrow minded and idealist outlook to have in this modern world.

John Smith MP (Vale of Glamorgan) responded with:

The very idea that a senior responsible mainstream politician could be questioning [St Athan] at this stage is quite frankly madness... Every senior politician I approached to ask for help, including Plaid Cymru politicians, supported me on this.

Glyn Davies (Conservative PPC Montgomeryshire) posted:

But it does make you wonder what sort of a country Wales would be if Plaid Cymru were to be in charge. I have a message for all those Plaid supporters who must have been holding their heads in despair as Rhun ap Iorwerth was reading out the garbage that their only MEP had written, and watching with disbelief as Arfon made a bad position worse.

The BBC have also covered the story this morning. I know that it's only a proposal report to put to its National Council, but imagine there will be some embarrassed faces this morning as Plaid seem to be pulling in opposite directions - except within the Assembly.

Had a passing thought before I had to get back to work. I'm also beginning to think that Adam Price MP has added 'acting leader of Plaid Cymru' to his Chief Spokesman role since Plaid 'joined' the Labour party in the Assembly. Or have I just been a little slow in coming to this decision?