Is the former First Minister finally getting down to business?

It appears that the man formerly known as First Minister - Rhodri Morgan - is on the look out for a Political Researcher.

If interested in assisting the FFM in the twilight of his Assembly career, the deadline is 20 January 2010.

Interestingly, to apply send your CV with a covering letter and an explanation as to why you are suited to this role to an 'Assembly assistant' or primarily to a Parliament based assistant.

Is Rhodri already set for the Lords, or does London still have a keen eye when it comes to overseeing his 'work'?

Thought of the Moment... Carwynista

A Changing Wales, and at a Faster Pace?

Not only is Wikipedia showing that Welsh Labour leader and First Minister designate Carwyn Jones is a Rt Hon, and before even becoming First Minister, but I also discover that the Welsh media is abundant with absent script, short sentenced 'new' Welsh speaking AMs who have taken the opportunity to step out into the sunshine for the first time since Autumn has ended and Winter has begun.

Please form an orderly queue before a warm Winter chat and confirmation on the FM's balcony.

Looking back, what surprises me? A large and more than generous donation to the campaign. How desperate can one person be? Surprise? On second thought, no!

Blast from the Past: Wigley on Morgan

Slow-retiring First Minister Rhodri Morgan made two big mistakes during his near decade in office, according to former Plaid Cymru president Dafydd Wigley.

In an article written for Ninnau, the North American Welsh newspaper that is largely complimentary about Mr Morgan, Mr Wigley singles out the scrapping of the Welsh Development Agency (WDA) and the first NHS reorganisation as serious errors.

Mr Wigley stated:

To my mind, one of the decisions taken by Rhodri Morgan back in 2004 undermined
the process of securing economic renewal. He decided, with support from all four
parties in the National Assembly, to axe the WDA. This body, at arm’s length from government, had been leading the work to secure economic development.

Since 1975, wrote Mr Wigley, the WDA had gained for itself a very significant international reputation and a brand image that was helpful for Wales.

Many of us feel that it was a disastrous decision to abolish the WDA and to integrate its work into the civil service of the National Assembly. There are no two ways about it: this decision was down to Rhodri Morgan himself. He had been highly critical of the WDA’s lack of answerability over a couple of decades. That decision, to my mind, was fundamentally flawed and Wales will continue to pay the price until some similar structure is recreated.

Writing about what he sees as the other major mistake during Mr Morgan’s period in office, Mr Wigley stated:

The other disastrous decision was to create 22 Local Health Boards in Wales, a bureaucratic nightmare in a country of only three million people.

It is good that the Labour-Plaid coalition government has recently seen the folly of that decision and has replaced those 22 boards with a slimmed-down seven region structure which came into force in October this year.

Writing about the challenges facing the new First Minister, Mr Wigley states:

The new First Minister will have his or her time cut out in living up to the popularity of Rhodri Morgan. There will be huge economic challenges arising from the recession. The Assembly, as with all UK public sector bodies, will face a financial squeeze.

There will be tensions if, as expected, the next UK Government at Westminster is Conservative, with a very different agenda to that of the Labour-Plaid coalition in Wales.

All this will inevitably lead to calls for an early referendum to give the Assembly full parliamentary powers.

We are entering a new era of uncharted waters.

The Greatest Show on Earth*

The winner of the race to succeed Rhodri Morgan as leader of Labour in Wales and first minister in the Welsh assembly will be announced later.

The result will be announced at about 1730 GMT at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff Bay.

Eligible to vote are Welsh Labour party members, affiliated groups such as trade unions, and its MPs, AMs and MEP.

The candidates are all AMs, with Carwyn Jones widely seen as the front runner, followed by Edwina Hart and Huw Lewis.

Whoever wins is due to be confirmed as first minister just over a week later.

The two-month election campaign began formally when Mr Morgan confirmed on 1 October that he was standing down, shortly after his 70th birthday.

Mr Morgan has held the top job in Wales since February 2000, and said it was the right time to go.

In Mr Morgan's current cabinet, Mr Jones is counsel general, or the assembly government's chief legal adviser, and leader of the house, who is in charge of getting government business through the assembly.

The vote is split equally three ways between:

• Party members
• Labour-affiliated trade unions and other organisations
• Elected AMs, MPs and the party's one MEP for Wales.

Members voted by ranking the candidates in order of preference on the ballot papers.
If one candidate has more than 50% of the vote after the first round of counting, the candidate with the lowest number of votes will be eliminated and their second preferences transferred to the remaining two to decide the winner.

* just watch Facebook profiles, groups, and blogs disappear overnight.

A sign of things to come...

The friend or foe debate

The final Labour party debate between the three candidates hoping to succeed Rhodri Morgan as leader in Wales will take place in Cardiff later.

The winner, announced in December, will also become Welsh First Minister.

Health Minister Edwina Hart, Counsel General Carwyn Jones and and AM Huw Lewis will argue their case before party members at Cardiff County Hall.

The three candidates can also be seen going head-to-head on Dragon's Eye on BBC One Wales tonight.

Voting by Welsh Labour members, local parties, affiliated groups, MPs, AMs and its MEP ends on 26 November.

The victor is due to be declared at around 1600 GMT on Tuesday, 1 December.

But the winner will have to wait around a week after that before her or she is confirmed as head of the Welsh Assembly Government.

The Labour hustings meeting, following four previous events in Rhyl, Narberth, Newport and Swansea, is not open to the wider public or media.

A television audience will also be able to see them taking part in the BBC Wales debate in front of a public audience later on Thursday night. The programme was recorded on Wednesday.

Dragon's Eye Debates, chaired by Betsan Powys, is broadcast at 2245 BST on Thursday BBC One Wales.

Three leg race to replace a three legged duck

Perhaps there are simply three legs to any race, even if three's a crowd:

Leg 1: Speculation surrounding who will put themselves forward for leadership.

Leg 2: Hopefuls dropping out and rallying round their favourite.

Leg 3: One contender entering contest to draw support from one camp in order for another contender to sail through and win.

Don't look at me. You were also thinking it!

Sights you don't see in the Senedd

Part 8:

A breakdown in communication between civil servants and the First Minister (on second thought..,)

"Because I holiday in my caravan in west Wales, I don't delegate authority to anyone else as I'm available to make any emergency decision as and when required." First Minister Rhodri Morgan

Edwina Hart giving an interview (tick). Edwina Hart for First Minister (?)

Those of you that were watching BBC Wales' Dragon's Eye politics programme this evening experienced a rare treat - Edwina Hart, Assembly Member for Gower, and Minister for Health in Rhodri Morgan's Labour-led One Wales Government, giving an interview.

Edwina is a politician that likes, you could even say loves, getting stuck into any portfolio she's given, and with mixed success. It's hardly a Wales-wide secret that she loathes giving interviews. You could even say that she avoids them like the plague, or even an awkward announcement on health policy in South Wales. Sadly, she doesn't even prefer standing at the 'ministerial bench', and prefers to sit and read aloud notes during a plenary session.

Could it be that she's actually seriously considering standing for the Labour leadership?

Is Edwina pondering?

Rhodri Morgan's urges hit American shore

Welsh culture (and our First Minister) will make a huge splash in Washington DC for ten days starting today.

And 80 trade ambassadors will be there to drum up businesses for Wales. The nation will be taking centre stage as the featured country at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in the US capitol. Sights and sounds of Wales will join African American oratory and Latin American music programmes as the main themes of this year’s festival.Wales will put on an exciting programme of activities to an expected million visitors, including concerts by Last Choir Standing winners Only Men Aloud and harpist Catrin Finch.

More than 150 poets, singers, musicians and craftsmen will be showcasing their crafts at a site portraying many aspects of Welsh cultural life, landscape and environment. An installation by Angharad Pearce Jones runs the length of the central festival walkway, and takes some of the more common textures and aesthetics of Wales to Washington - including dry stone walls, kissing gates and rugby posts. Visitors will also be able to sample food from Wales.

First Minister Rhodri Morgan, who will be representing Wales at the festival’s opening ceremony on Wednesday, said:

No longer will Wales be Europe’s best kept secret. With so many ‘experts’ from Wales showcasing their talents at one of the world’s biggest cultural festival events, we have a unique opportunity to raise our profile in Washington and right across North America.

Visitors to the festival will be able to learn more about our traditional and contemporary cultures and we hope that inspires them to visit, study or invest here. To coincide with the festival, we are also taking the biggest trade mission to leave Wales over to the United States. Around 80 companies will be participating in the event with the aim of making contacts with American companies and winning new business.

Let's hope he leaves his urges at home.

What if...

Following on from Senedd Whip's earlier post speculating on Eluned Morgan MEP's gap two-years, my mind started to wonder or even wander over a glass or two of wine.

What if... Welsh Labour have designs on Eluned Morgan becoming leader in Wales. She is a woman and we all know that they prefer equal representation in Welsh democracy (and even in the civil service, moving on to Dame Gillian Morgan from Sir Jon Shortridge).

What if... Jane Davidson AM was persuaded to 'resign' her seat in the National Assembly, after all, it could be for personal reasons and she hasn't got to disclose them if she leaves sooner than expected. No scandal over an unnecessary by-election. She's already forewarned us about her intention to stand down in 2011.

What if... First Minister Rhodri Morgan considers it a good idea to prolong the leadership contest, after all he's feeling better and healthier than he has done for years; and is known for supporting Labour-friends above and beyond the call of duty, as seen with Ministers Jane and Jane.

What if... a by-election was called in Pontypridd before 2011 and a certain leading figure in Welsh Labour and constituent friend of Rhodri's was 'convinced' to stand for the good of the party, and won.

What if... the leadership contest of the Welsh Labour party was then held after a reasonable and respectable amount of time post by-election, and certain 'said constituency friend' of Rhodri Morgan had the backing of the man himself, the Welsh Labour party, and the unions.

This would - of course - annoy quite a few members in the process.

They say that 'What if...' is a game for scholars, of which I am not... but... what if...

First Minister proved wrong within 72 hours

As if by magic, a comprehensive example has been given in today's media which inadvertantly responds to a previous post of mine, and point the finger firmly in the direction of Rhodri Morgan's Welsh Assembly Government.

Just days ago, First Minister Rhodri Morgan was quoted as saying "If you look at our record I have led a government without any scandals" Reacting to an accusation from Mr Bourne that he had "squandered" public money, Mr Morgan said the assembly government had consistently been given a clean bill of health by auditors.

An official report by the Wales Audit Office [note the word AUDIT Mr Morgan] now reports that the £13.5m bail-out of the Wales Millennium Centre followed "severe deficiencies" by assembly officials and ministers. A "Wholly inadequate record-keeping" by the assembly government added to its lack of understanding of the venue's finances.

Former Labour Culture Minister Alun Pugh claims he inherited a "flawed" plan from his Lib Dem predecessor, which has been rebutted by Peter Black in a post earlier today:

What was equally bizarre was the performance of the former Culture Minister, Alun Pugh on the radio this morning. As far as he is concerned it was all the fault of his predecessor, Welsh Liberal Democrat AM, Jenny Randerson. He pointed out quite correctly that the centre's original business plan underestimated the cost of running the facility.

Putting aside the issues of collective responsibility which makes the Labour Ministers at the time as equally culpable for this business plan, any proper examination of the facts reveal that Mr. Pugh is being fairly conservative in his choice of facts.

The Centre opened in November 2004, over a year and a half after Jenny Randerson had ceased to be Culture Minister. Alun Pugh had had ample time to get his feet under the table by then and sort out any problems he may have inherited. According to the auditor's report he clearly failed to do so. Instead he has tried to pass the buck, something that does him no credit at all.

The Auditor General's report on the Wales Millennium Centre reveals some very major weaknesses in the way that the Assembly Government has managed its huge investment in the facility. In particular, Ministers and officials failed to keep an eye on the business risks once it opened:

Auditor General Jeremy Colman reported:

The Wales Millennium Centre was a high-risk, complex project, and although the public bodies funding it followed good practice in many areas, particularly through joint monitoring, there were some fundamental weaknesses. The project would have been better served if the Welsh Assembly Government had paid equal attention to addressing the risks involved in funding a successful business as they did to addressing the risks in funding the construction.

He said the Assembly Government had failed to keep up-to-date records on the WMC’s performance. He added: “The civil servants took a view the material they would otherwise have to hold was commercially sensitive and therefore was at risk of having to be disclosed under the Freedom of Information Act if anyone asked for it.“Well, we think that is an extremely bad reason for not keeping proper records; an extremely bad reason for not carrying out effective monitoring.

Conservative culture spokesman Paul Davies said:

This is a damning report that highlights in no uncertain terms the failings of the assembly government. The report clearly states the assembly government did carry out detailed reviews of the WMC's business plans, plans which highlighted several key risks. But crucially, it then stopped short of assessing and addressing these problems. This beggars belief.

He said the assembly government "effectively washed their hands" of the centre once it had been built, and added: "The assembly government have now got some very difficult questions to answer."

An assembly government spokesperson said:

The Minister for Heritage [Alun Ffred Jones] will consider the Wales Audit Office report on the Wales Millennium Centre, and the recommendations made, and will respond in due course.

Peter Black AM goes on to question on his blog:

This report states: “Although officials told us that they could access records held at the WMC on request, we have seen no evidence that they did so.”

The fact that officials failed to keep proper records because they were afraid of the Freedom of Information Act is just bizarre. How many other projects are they taking the same approach to? We need some answers.

Mr Morgan. The Welsh public will need you to greatly improve, not only in areas of policy proposals, competence and delivery, but also in the area of excuse making.

Define "I have led a government without any scandals"

Scandal:

Offense caused or experienced; reproach or reprobation called forth by what is regarded as wrong, criminal, heinous, or flagrant: opprobrium or disgrace.

Speaking on BBC Radio Cymru discussion programme Wythnos Gwilym Owen, Rhodri Morgan said he had not heard the comments [The 39-page document, ‘Rhodri Morgan: Leadership Without Purpose’] himself but he had "heard from some sources that there is some really unpleasant political stuff going on and you just have to accept that".

"I've chosen to ignore them [the comments] completely," he said.

When pressed to respond to the criticisms, Morgan said his administration compared well with others throughout Europe.

"If you look at our record I have led a government without any scandals," he said.

Reacting to an accusation from Mr Bourne that he had "squandered" public money, Mr Morgan said the assembly government had consistently been given a clean bill of health by auditors.

I suggest the following for starters. I'm sure that others can think of more:

• Morgan speaks out on school buses [Wales urged to pave the way on school bus safety]
• Commissioner fears old people widely abused
• Wales going backwards over affordable housing
• End ‘confusion’ plea over first-time buyer scheme

This is only a conservative [small c] estimate of headlines over the last month. Just don't get me started on Culture, Economy, Education, Environment, Equal Opportunities, Finance, Freebies, Health, Heritage, Housing, Local Government, Policy Performance, Poverty, Quango, and Transport.

What nasty attack?

The Conservatives were accused of being “the nasty party” after marking Rhodri Morgan’s 69th birthday tomorrow by publishing a highly personal attack on every aspect of his leadership – right down to his dress sense and hairstyle [join the queue].

What nasty attack? Rhodri Morgan and his government have never liked criticism, not even constructive criticism, but who does? The Welsh Conservatives are simply describing something as it really is!

The 39-page document, ‘Rhodri Morgan: Leadership Without Purpose’ rakes through the Labour leader’s career, laying into everything including: his stewardship of the economy; unique dress sense and hairstyle; erratic and unusual behaviour; claims he had “undermined the role of First Minister and embarrassed the National Assembly and Wales"; and the fact he once posed for a picture with TV presenter Timmy Mallett.

.

[which was posted HERE orginally and republished above]

A spokeswoman for the First Minister said:

What a shocking state the Welsh Conservatives must be in if they have to stoop to this level to gain attention during what should be the party’s showcase week.

Resorting to petty personal attack, rather than putting forward their policy ideas, seems to suggest that, true to form, they have very little to offer the people of Wales other than negative campaigning.

We recently delivered the most momentous change to early years education in Wales since devolution, with the Foundation Phase, a radical new vision to ensure our youngsters get the very best start to learning. But where were the Tories during this process? Offering support to help make it work?

No, carping from the sidelines as usual.

Talking about the speculation Mr Morgan may stay on after next year, the spokeswoman said:

Perhaps Nick and his colleagues ought to spend less time gossiping in the Bay and more time talking to the people they represent. Perhaps then they might come
up with some serious proposals for Wales’ future. Theresa May, when she was Chairwoman of the Conservative Party, said that they needed to shed their image
as the ‘nasty party’. Nick Bourne has undermined all the good work by his party leader David Cameron since then, by proving that they are, after all, still the nasty party.

The document draws attention to many of Mr Morgan’s gaffes, describing him as the “Clown Prince of Wales”.

It says: “In the last eight years the behaviour and comments of Rhodri Morgan have become increasingly erratic and unusual. “They have added fuel to the fire of critics, both within and outside the Labour Party, who believe he is not up to the job of First Minister”.

It includes his failure to attend the D-Day celebrations in 2004 in favour of a golf tournament and the two occasions he has turned up late to meet the Queen.

It also attacks him for his “unique dress sense and hairstyle” – drawing attention to an occasion four years ago when he failed to take the right shoes to the Labour Conference in Brighton – and for posing for a picture alongside “zany TV entertainer Timmy Mallett”.

And the document single-handedly blames Mr Morgan for Wales’ economic woes in the past nine years, saying the wealth gap between Wales and the rest of the United Kingdom had widened under his leadership and manufacturing jobs were being lost at a faster rate than under the last Conservative government.

Mr Bourne said:

Rhodri Morgan’s time in office has underlined the need for a long-term vision not short-term opportunism to lead us through uncertain times.

His leadership without purpose has held Wales back, and left our country ill-prepared for future challenges.

We have had no big ideas, no vision, and no delivery. What we have had is giveaways, gimmicks and gaffes.

Long after he’s gone people will still be paying the price for his freebie culture. Instead of preparing for the future Rhodri Morgan has looked to the past.

Instead of long-term investment he has squandered record levels of funding for short-term gain. Instead of admitting his own short-comings he has repeatedly blamed others.

What we have seen is a leader storing up trouble for the future, for his successors, and for Wales.

As he celebrates his 69th birthday tomorrow it’s time for Rhodri Morgan to tell us about his plans for the future.

This endless speculation about his future is damaging and destabilising. For the sake of our country he needs to recognise that before it’s too late.

One surprising response was the Welsh Labour spokesperson admitting that David Cameron had turned things around for the Conservative party by making mention of all the good work that they've done.

One day of the year when you can be seen as special

It just happens to be a long solitary walk to retirement and a handsome pension waiting for little achievement, and an even lower public and political respectability from your peers and critics, for one person.

It also happens to be the the First Minister's 69th birthday tomorrow. This blog wishes him a happy birthday. Put your feet up on the office sofa with your glass of orange juice to read your papers. Delegate more to others for just one day. Sit back and enjoy the one day of the year that you can be seen as special.

Are you sitting comfortably? Good.

I have some bad news!

Not only has someone summed up your ministerial career in a way that makes you Wales' very own Gordon Brown:

Damn right: Rhodri Morgan is the biggest disappointment to happen to Welsh Labour devolutionary hopes since Ron Davies had his moment of madness. At least
Ron hasn't given up on politics, which Rhodri clearly has. They sat on him over the Richard Commission, they undermined his ministership at every turn. He was so demoralised and knackered he had to sit back and watch while London Labour
launched its viciously anti-Welsh hacks, and now he's waiting to retire so he can watch some golf. What a waste of undoubted talent. The man has become invisible and irrelevant.

The party had high hopes of him, those of us at least who thought the future was devolution. He's like Gordon Brown: spent all his time wanting the job, then when he gets it is a big soggy squib.

Don't be downhearted, it gets better. In August I reported that Rhodri's Facebook group "Rhodri Morgan Appreciation Society" had remained static in membership. September 2007, 20 members; August 2008, 20 members. There's good news in that the membership has risen to 22 in time for his birthday.

I hear you say there must be a BUT.

The bad news is that Welsh Labour's Communications Officer Martyn Williams, and Luke Ellis 'number two' of Minister Carwyn Jones have both left the society.

Life can sometimes be difficult. Congratulations must be given to Assembly Members, Alun Davies and Joyce Watson for remaining members.

Happy Birthday for tomorrow, First Minister.

Whatever happened to Quid Pro Quo?

Matt Withers has reported on the first day back this week for the Assembly. There weren’t even any good jokes from First Minister Rhodri Morgan, although he did manage an aside at Conservative leader Nick Bourne, who – following an incident with a Croatian shower – turned up in the chamber with a black eye and a large plaster on his head.

I thought it was the Deputy First Minister who was meant to meet Muhammad Ali last week, not you, but I hope you make a full recovery,” said Mr Morgan.

Hardly a great gesture on the floor of the world's greatest democracy. Perhaps Mr Morgan needs reminding of how generous opposition leaders were at a time when it suited him. Hardly comparable, but I seem to recall even Mr Morgan making mention of it at every opportunity for months afterwards.

For heart scare and life threatening/changing moment, read normal procedure that many go through on a daily basis in UK hospitals - but not as quickly arranged as some.

Damn those waiting lists.

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.

Quote of the Week: Party differences

Ministers congratulate Welsh Athlete on Olympic Gold Medal

First Minister Rhodri Morgan and Heritage Minister Alun Ffred Jones have congratulated Nicole Cooke on her historic Gold Medal at the Beijing Olympics.

The First Minister said:

Nicole Cookes' Gold medal is a fantastic achievement. I am so pleased for her because she had been planning this for four years since her disappointment in the Athens Games in 2004 when she was outwitted in the final attack.

She has learnt her lesson and was able to time her efforts perfectly. This has brought her, Wales and Britain the honour of an Olympic Gold - the greatest prize in sport.

Nicole has already been a great example to women in Wales, encouraging them to take up physical exercise. From now on she will be forever be a role model as it has been for a very long time, if ever, since a Welsh woman has taken a Gold medal.

Heritage Minister Alun Ffred Jones said:

This is another incredible achievement for one of our great sporting champions.

Despite such dreadful weather conditions, Nicole's strength and sheer determination secured a victory in China that will be celebrated as a great moment in Welsh sporting history for many years to come.

Nicole is a great ambassador for her sport and for Wales and a role model for aspiring young athletes across our nation.

[August 11 2008]

The forever failing campaign for equal opportunities in the Assembly Government

Back in November 2007 this blog's second post drew attention to the Welsh Assembly Government's poor performance in relation to equal opportunities.

Back then, an assembly government spokesperson said that applicants from ethnic minority groups had risen from 2.1% in 2005-06 to 3.7% in 2006-07. This reflected work that had been done to raise awareness of the assembly government as an employer among ethnic minority groups, the spokesperson added.

It seems that little has been done in terms of improvement.

The Western Mail has recently reported on the issue:

The Welsh Assembly Government was attacked yesterday for failing to put people from ethnic minorities in leadership positions.

The latest figures for April 2007 show just two high-ranking officials come from such backgrounds – the equivalent of 1.4% of senior management.

This is a fall on 2006, when 2.6% of such staff were in this category.

In this time the total number of ethnic minority staff working across the Assembly Government has increased by just one, from 181 to 182.

The information was revealed by First Minister Rhodri Morgan in response to requests by Conservative Assembly leader Nick Bourne.

Mark Isherwood, Tory Shadow Minister for Social Justice and Equality, called on ministers to launch a new drive to recruit more government staff from ethnic minorities.

Ron Davies, former Welsh Secretary and director of the Valleys Race Equality Council, described the findings as “very, very disappointing”.

He said that a high number of ethnic minorities live near Assembly Government headquarters but this is not reflected in staff numbers.

An Assembly Government spokesman said:

We actively pursue an equality agenda, and we are determined that everyone in Wales regardless of their race, gender, sexual orientation or disability are given every opportunity to succeed.

Why do I get the impression that the Head of Human Resources is still meeting all his targets?

Rhodri Morgan: With or without honour

As the South Wales Echo reports, the First Minister Rhodri Morgan has been made a Fellow of Wales’ newest university - Glyndwr University – formerly the North East Wales Institute of Higher Education.

The Cardiff West AM, educated at Oxford and Harvard, attended a ceremony at Glyndwr University, Wrexham, to receive the honour, awarded for his services to higher education in Wales.

I can think of two universities in Wales that would disagree with the 'awarded for his services to higher education in Wales' statement. The University of Wales and Glamorgan.