Prezza

The Western Mail today dutifully reports John Prescott's promotional book tour date in Cardiff. Curiously there is no mention of two of Prezza's comments that had more direct relevance to Wales.

Firstly, and not surprisingly, he hailed the whole devolution project as a success and said that moving power close to the people should be a core Labour principle. The English regions, he said, would probably receive devolved government and that he hoped it would come within 20 years but not at the expense of the UK.

Almost as an aside he mentioned the virtues of regional development agencies and how having development outside the civil service was quite effective. Perhaps Wales could consider doing this. Such an organisation would need a name to capture the essence of its functions. How about 'the Welsh Development Agency'?