A possible return to blogging and keyword activity fun

All bloggers need to take a break from time to time. Have you noticed? I've enjoyed mine and will continue to do so until I feel the compulsive urge to get back into the swing of things and post on a regular basis again.

All main contributors haven't posted for a while by mutual agreement. This has left some thinking that the blog is dead to the world, including the shy and retiring Assembly types (Lol... not dead, but resting). However, there has been a lot of interest lately in one particular post thanks to a link from Betsan Powys of the BBC.

Like Betsan, I was disappointed to hear that Christopher Glamorgan had pulled out of the tribunal against the Welsh Ministers/Welsh Assembly Government. I'm sure he had his reasons, but I can't help thinking that we've missed something special and even I was hoping to attend the hearing as a member of the public. Christopher has yet to answer my email and concern for his case, but I'll keep you posted when I return. Remember Christopher, the offer still stands and I'm sure that Matt Wardman also supports my view on this.

I got slightly bored of blogging and if I'm honest, of Welsh politics, although ongoing fiascos and the reckless should inspire posting if I had the time. Family has always been important, and also making a success of business. After all, as a self-employed person no one else is going to support me - right??

Following the large number of hits to the one post, it got me curious about blog stats, so I decided to take a look for myself. Most interest on the Christopher Glamorgan post came from the Assembly itself which was to be expected, and from local government. A look at 'visitor paths' also made me realise how widely read Betsan's blog is in the UK, which was surprising considering the topic of Welsh politics. This must be testament to the blog being hosted by the BBC and Betsan's writing style.

Another blog stat that caught my attention was that of 'keyword activity' and the interesting, sometimes strange, and frankly bizarre search terms used. One slightly controversial search term was 'Tomos Livingstone bias' and made by someone in the office of HSO Trinity Mirror Group.

These are some of the Internet search terms used (in no particular order) which ended up with the inquiring minds clicking on a link to this blog. Some are obvious. Some are amusing. Others are simply mind boggling.

1. Miss Wagstaff
2. Cardiff political issues
3. Pippa Wagstaff
4. One Wales Government
5. Gareth Hall Welsh Assembly Government
6. Leadership of Welsh political party
7. Mike German Jane Hutt affair
8. Biggest wastes of public money
9. Chocolate cheese Switzerland
10. Jolly roger
11. Office relationships
12. Welsh Labour communications officer
13. Jonathan Evans Julie Morgan
14. Cornock Steve Morgan campaign
15. Welsh Assembly Llandudno jobs
16. Swiss known for
17. Welsh civil servant
18. Paul Murphy sentenced Pontypridd
19. 32% of welsh women prefer to do after 18:00
20. Mistress Services Wales
21. Ellis, luke amss carwyn jones
22. Ellis, luke (amss carwyn jones)
23. Carwyn jones luke ellis
24. Carwyn jones luke ellis
25. Petite welsh woman 60
26. Matt Withers surfing
27. Civil service dress code uk foreign office
28. Cocks that don't fit
29. Top ten reasons to limit debate with a troll
30. Martyn Williams Miss Wagstaff
31. Welsh Labour Europe nonentity
32. Jane Wagstaff porn
33. Jane Hutt quote
34. Tomos Livingstone bias
35. Alun Davies AM blog
36. Human Resources email Welsh Assembly
37. Rhodri Morgan dress sense
38. Sacked civil servant
39. Facebook farce blog
40. Failing Welsh civil service

All I can say is keep blogging. At best, we all find it fun and informative, at its very worst... you can guess the rest.

Taking one step closer to a new Welsh Assembly Government

Turnout in the ballot for the new Welsh Liberal Democrat leader is expected to exceed that of the party's other recent leadership elections across the UK.

Not only will the National Assembly have its first female leader but can we expect a new Welsh Assembly Government to be formed in the not too distant future? After all, new leaders come equipped with new bridges and opportunities.

The ballot to replace Mike German closes at noon and the winner will be announced later today.

A total of 62% of ballots had already been returned to the party's Wales HQ in Cardiff Bay by Friday afternoon.

The two candidates are Cardiff Central AM Jenny Randerson and Kirsty Williams, Brecon and Radnorshire AM.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats 'outgoing leader' Mr German welcomed the arrival of a female successor, saying: “I believe it will be very significant and should bring a change of character to the Assembly.”

Mike German takes a bow

The BBC have reported that the Welsh Liberal Democrats leader Mike German is to step down at his party's autumn conference later.

Mr German, 63, who was a former deputy first minister, has been at the helm of his party in Cardiff Bay since the assembly was set up in 1999. He has also been leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats for the last year.

Mr German will warn there is a danger of the Welsh Assembly being left behind by the devolution movement in his speech at Clydach, near Swansea. He will warn that while Wales is grappling with the question of law-making powers, Scotland is racing ahead by pushing for more financial autonomy.

Ahead of the speech, aides said Mr German will declare unionism "dead" and say that in the future the devolution debate will be between supporters of a federal Britain and independence.

Party activists will discuss a long list of amendments to the party's constitution at the two-day conference. These include changes to the way candidates to succeed Mr German, who has vowed to keep out of the contest for next leader, are nominated.

Immediately after the assembly elections in May 2007, Liberal Democrat AM Peter Black called for Mr German to go. He said the party needed a leader with a "fresh mandate".

Fellow assembly member Kirsty Williams has already declared her candidacy for the job and is supported by Peter Black.

Two colleagues in Cardiff Bay, Jenny Randerson and Eleanor Burnham, are deciding whether to stand against Ms Williams.

The BBC asked back in March 2007... Has anyone else at this conference noticed the striking similarity between the Liberal Democrats' assembly member for Brecon & Radnor, Kirsty Williams, and the socialist French presidential hopeful Ségolène Royal? Or is it just that they happen to share the same burning ambition for leadership?

Kirsty will be hoping that she doesn't suffer the same fate.

Welcome to Tomorrow's Wales

Introducing a 'new' Welsh blog that seems to have been around for a while. I haven't noticed it being part of the blogroll of others. Take a look!

Tomorrow's Wales

The Executive Committee of Tomorrow’s Wales is made up of individuals who are serving in a personal capacity, but drawn from sectors such as academia, business, trades unions, the voluntary sector, the legal profession, popular culture, faith communities and all of Wales’ political parties.

A significant amount of work has already been accomplished by Tomorrow’s Wales, engaging over 300 organisations in Wales to ask for their support, and arranging events across Wales in partnership with other institutions.

Members of the Executive Committee reads as a Who's Who in Welsh life: Mr Graham Benfield, Mr Deian Creunant, Mr Cynog Dafis, Ms Catrin Dafydd, Mr Gerald Davies, Ms Philippa Ford, Mr Michael German OBE AM, Ms Meri Huws, Mr Hywel Ceri Jones, Mr Saleem Kidwai OBE, Mr David Lambert, Mr Gethin Lewis, Lord Richard Livsey of Talgarth, Ms Katie-Jo Luxton, Mr David Melding AM, Most Rev Dr. Barry Morgan Archbishop of Wales, Ms Sharon Morgan, Lord Elystan Morgan, Mr Jon Owen Jones, Mr Peter Price, Most Rev. Peter Smith Archbishop of Cardiff, Ms Fran Targett, Mr Geraint Talfan Davies, Mr Alan Trench, Mr Paul Valerio.

Rhodri Morgan's "Year of delivery"

Rhodri Morgan has hailed a “year of delivery” following Welsh Labour’s special conference decision to back the One Wales coalition deal with Plaid Cymru.

True to form, the First Minister has blurted out his usual defence:

“Tough choices had to be made this time last year: the choice between forming a coalition with Plaid Cymru or letting the Tories into government in Wales, with the resultant lurch in policy direction that would have been very adverse to the interests of Labour supporters all over Wales.

“I believe we made the right tough choices, voting with our heads not with our hearts, a decision based on the desire to honour Labour’s election pledges and deliver for the people of Wales to the maximum degree possible.”

Mr Morgan’s list of the items delivered during the past 12 months included:

1. New hospitals on their way in Porthmadog, Rhondda, Cynon Valley, Merthyr, Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney Valley; two opened this year in Pembroke Dock and Holywell;
   26 weeks from referral to treatment –– on course to delivering that target by the end of 2009;
2. more than £1bn investment in NHS infrastructure over the next three years;
   free car-parking in NHS hospitals;
3. £91m extra funding for social care, helping people live independent lives in their own homes;
4. a new £92m single investment fund for business;
5. £8m extra funding for Flying Start childcare;
6. £7.5m funding for Airbus R&D into composite wing technology;
7. £150m JEREMIE investment fund for small and medium-size firms being negotiated with the European Union;
8. new Foundation Phase, a pioneering roll-out across Wales of “learn through play”, backed by £30m of investment this year;
9. new law introduced giving 14 to 19-year-olds more choice in their studies;
10. £6.6m new funding for Appetite for Life improvements in school meals;
11. more than £7.5m for early years and schools in Wales to improve basic skill levels;
12. new social partnership agreed between trade unions and government to build world-class public services built on co-operation;
13. council tax rises kept to an average of 3.8%;
14. £9m extra funding for Community Safety Partnerships to help tackle crime;
15. free entry for pensioners and children to Assembly-funded heritage sites;
16. new law to modernise right-to-buy to increase social housing in rural Wales;
17. new £25m fund for the next phase of Communities First;
18. new law placing a duty on public authorities to tackle child poverty;
19. Wales becomes the world’s first Fairtrade nation;
20. a tree planted for every new baby born in Wales;
21. re-opening the Ebbw Valley rail line;
22. free rail travel for pensioners extended;
23. new law introduced to make school buses safer.

I'm positive that each and every individual in Wales has their own individual opinion on what has been a success, and their own distinguishing differences between the measurement of success and failure. Here's what the opposition parties say...

Welsh Conservative Assembly leader Nick Bourne said:

The Labour-Plaid government has been big on targets and low on achievements. It’s hard to judge performance when so little has been achieved and so many policies aren’t scheduled to be implemented for two or more years.

Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Mike German claimed:

...the coalition’s greatest success had been preserving the status quo: Keeping Labour hands on the levers of power in Wales; keeping the powers of the Assembly so limited and stifling initiatives to such a degree that no AM applied to make a law when given the opportunity to do so in the June ballot.