Move the goalposts and score an own goal

As mentioned in my previous post. 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 yet again promoting one of their own numbers from within.

The Western Mail reports the appointment of a freemason as the head of the NHS in Wales was attacked last night as inconsistent.

Paul Williams left his post as chief executive of Abertawe Bro Morgannwg NHS Trust at the end of last month on a two-year secondment during which he will be in charge of the Welsh health service. He is currently working a handover period with Ann Lloyd, his predecessor, who is retiring.

But a civil servant who contacted the Western Mail contrasted the appointment of Mr Williams with an earlier decision to block the appointment of Gerard Elias QC as the Welsh Assembly’s counsel general – partly because he was a freemason.

In 2004, Mr Elias, one of the best-known barristers in Wales, was personally vetoed by First Minister Rhodri Morgan after he was recommended for the post of top legal adviser at the Assembly by Civil Service Commissioners.

Mr Morgan’s refusal to appoint Mr Elias – and the revelation that he had unsuccessfully sought approval from the commissioners to appoint the candidate who came second, a former Labour parliamentary candidate – created a political storm at the time.

The Western Mail received a typewritten letter saying:

I am afraid this note has to be anonymous as I am a civil servant.

You might find it useful to ask the Welsh Assembly Government why it saw fit to debar Gerard Elias from the counsel general post on the basis of his rather inactive freemasonry but now sees no problem in appointing Paul Williams, a very senior and active freemason, to the post of head of NHS Wales.

No doubt the excuse will be that the counsel general offers advice on legal issues but there is no more sensitive post than head of NHS Wales.

I am not a freemason but I have no quarrel with that organisation. I have no axe to grind for or against Mr Elias, unknown to me, or Mr Williams, known to me but not well-known.

My beef is really with the inconsistency and – let’s face it the dishonesty – around decisions like this which devalue the whole Assembly position.

An Assembly Government spokeswoman said:

We appoint on merit and the best person for the job based on skills and experience. We do not have a policy of excluding individuals based on membership of the freemasons.

Candidates are not obliged to declare membership of the freemasons. The issue of Paul Williams’ membership of freemasons is viewed as a private matter.

I couldn't help but contact one anonymous insider that contacted me a while back on another issue. I was told that "one senior civil servant didn't get what they wanted for Christmas" which I think amusingly falls foul of the tradition of Secret Santa.

Merry Christmas everyone.

[Pippa Wagstaff is currently on a blogging break and hopes to return in the New Year]

The frustrations of an internet Troll

It seems that I owe Sanddef an apology after jokingly not thanking him for the Miss Tory Staff comment. I have discovered the troll behind certain comments on my posts, which are not particularly damning and not even time consuming to delete. Any blogger will be able to tell you that it's very easy to delete comments when managing a blog.

The pointless 'Miss Tory Staff' comments that ended up - several times - in every post over the last few weeks seem to have stopped (more will come my way due to this post) which proves that the said blogger has realised his mistake. Strange to think that The Steamer has referred to me as "a well-known Labour insider". Each blogger has their own opinion of me, which leaves me none the wiser as to who I actually am. Someone will let me know one day.

Anyone who reads this blog will realise that I'm not in the habit of outing a person, but an anonymous blogger on the other hand is different due to the anonymity.

Perhaps it's because I always look for the best qualities in people that I often get disappointed so easily. In truth, I've always liked the nationalist blogger Che Grav-ara of the Guerrilla Welsh-Fare blog. For starters, we may have different political views, but I do enjoy reading his posts, and respect the fact that he includes links to a wide variety of political bloggers on his own blog (which is always a major plus in the blogosphere, and unusual of a Plaid blogger).

Any blogger is welcome to contribute in the comments section. I rarely delete comments, and if I do, I end up publishing them without the bad language and attribute them to their original owner.

Understandably, 'Che' finds it difficult that I tend to criticise the 'One Wales Government', after all, he is a "mainstream Plaidie; wants independence, has no time for New Labour, and backed the red-green when it came to it." Let's hope that he now practices what he preaches. Let's draw a line under this, 'Che', then hug, and make up.

What has been your best blogging experience?

It is always a good experience to have people comment on your blog and to start a active discussion. I have been lucky of late in that my post seem to have been getting a lot more attention. I am unsure if the content has become more thought provoking or just the hoards of bloggers that have nowhere else to go now Blamerbell has retired are choosing to spread their views around the blogs.

Do you have any prejudices that you are prepared to admit to?

What are they? Although my views are pretty fluid I do carry the stigma that all Tories are bad, all liberals say whatever you want them to just to get your vote and all Labourites are Tories. However I am happy to admit this is a generalist view and that there are a number of Tories (especially the Glyn Davies’ of this world) that contradicts that analysis and do the Conservatives a credit. Whilst they are decreasing there are still some dedicated old guard Labour members (i.e Hywel Francis) that go against the grain of Tony Blair’s spin era. The liberals……well you can’t win them all!

N.B. No bloggers were harmed during the making of this post. No slur caused by labelling someone a tory - on the person or the party. This blog has always been, and remains, non-aligned. Readers [particularly those of Labour and Plaid] should note that the blog description remains the same - as always - and can be read at the top of the page.

Contrarian blogging - in somebody else’s comments box (an example)

As it's a quiet Friday in the office and I wasn't planning on a lengthy post myself, thought I'd pick up on what I read in the comments section of a post the other day. Interesting comment made by Matt Wardman in the comments section of "Welsh business not confident in Assembly Government".

The post in question is about the economy and Welsh businesses showing no confidence in the actions of the Welsh Assembly Government.

Number of comments for this post is 33. Number of comments on topic, 8. This leaves the number of comments speculating as to who I am as 25, which is typical given all the rumour and gossip I've been hearing lately.

Matt has posted on a wide range of topics since he first started blogging, particularly in the area of blogging and freedom of speech. Thought I'd share his comment and original post with you. Makes you wonder!

This may sound like a strange idea, but there can be considerable benefit in letting part of your blog be hosted on somebody else’s site - in their comments box. You get the benefit of a possibly wider audience - and therefore lots of attention.

Chris Paul has had a “sceptical about Tories” blog since before I started, and it is hosted in Iain Dale ’s comments box. I reckon that he gets his largest readership from this “alternative” not the real one hosted at Labour of Love; it has something like 350 entries.

The unputdownable Dr Irene Lancaster FRSA has developed a whole series of pro-Israel blogs in the comments of (for example) Ruth Gledhills blog (228 entries to date) and the Spectator (42 entries so far),

There are certain limitations, such as your alternative blog posts having to have some distant relation to the subject under conversation - but that doesn’t seem to slow some people down.

If you select your host correctly, you can even develop an anonymous blog. Guido provides an “anonymous blog hosting service” in his comments box. In this case it is an “anonymous” group blog with more than 4000 entries .

It’s one approach to think about on a Bank Holiday.

There's only one Clive Betts (if signed-in)

I don't mind answering emails while on leave, and today, took time out to answer one that was sent by the journalist Clive Betts of Cambria Politico. He's felt the need - and quite rightly so - to remind everyone that we shouldn't believe all that we read on the internet. He goes into detail in his post 'Forgery on the blogosphere and a lot of internet rubbish' - which is understandable.

Speaking for myself, I only believe the commentary of other bloggers is said with conviction if they've 'signed-in' to leave a comment. The comments made by those that are anonymous are always welcome, and received and taken with a pinch of salt.

This blog always welcomes anonymous comments under our own set of terms - this is done for numerous reasons. Whether those comments are from those that try to help in some way; those that don't; those that have clearly had one drink too many; and even those that are clearly insane (mainly politically).

If I ever decide to come out of the blogging closet, I am sure to agree to meeting up for a coffee with Mr Betts, gladly chatting on life and blogging down the bay.

Now that I've felt the need to write a post of my own on the matter, I can go back to reading my book. Holidays are better spent without internet access!