All it takes is a picket fence to hold up a not-so-rosy Government of Wales

An assembly debate is due to go ahead in the Senedd building later - in the absence of both government parties and has left this photograph as a lasting image of Welsh Assembly Government, and sadly casts a shadow over Welsh politics and devolved government in the UK.

First Minister Carwyn Jones said Labour and Plaid members "would be very concerned" about crossing picket lines of striking PCS union members.

The decision not to attend has been criticised as "silly posturing".

The Tories called it "absurd" and will debate a motion with the Lib Dems that the assembly government's programme is not delivering for Wales.

All assembly government business was moved to Tuesday's plenary session.

Civil and public servants across Wales plan to walk out for a third day of strike action on Wednesday in an ongoing dispute over cuts to redundancy terms.

Labour and Plaid refused to cross the picket line:

The strike, called by the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS), follows a two day strike earlier in March which led to a plenary meeting being postponed. It will again involve jobcentre staff, tax workers, courts staff, driving examiners and Welsh Assembly Government staff among others.

First Minister Mr Jones said:

The whole Labour group and indeed the Plaid Cymru group... would be very concerned about crossing a picket line.

Speaking as far as the Labour party is concerned, its something that is ingrained in party thinking, that you don't cross a picket line.

A Plaid Cymru spokesperson said Plaid's AMs supported the right of the PCS union to withdraw labour during this dispute and would not be crossing their picket lines.

He said the Plaid group would write to Gordon Brown's UK government urging an immediate return to negotiations with the union.

'One Wales' debate

In the assembly government's absence Conservative and Liberal Democrats will debate a wide-ranging motion that the Labour-Plaid administration's 'One Wales' agreement "is not delivering for the people of Wales."

Welsh Conservative Leader Nick Bourne criticised the first minister's stance, accusing him of "silly posturing", and said for his group it would be "business as usual".

He's pushed himself into a ridiculous corner... it's absurd. It looks like he's afraid of coming in as first minister...

We weren't elected to start skulking around the Bay carrying out business from cafes. I think it's farcical but I think they're making themselves look silly and if they want to do that it's up to them.

Labour and Plaid members aren't expected to attend the Weds March 24th plenary session.
Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Kirsty Williams called for all Labour and Plaid members who refuse to cross a picket line to disclose whether they have asked the fees office to deduct sums from their pay as a result.

It is easy for Labour and Plaid Cymru AMs to cancel assembly business but people will rightly expect that as a matter of principle, if they refuse to cross the picket line to work, they should forgo part of their salary in proportion to the amount of time they spent not working, just like everyone else who was on strike.

Sights you don't see in the Senedd

Part 9:

A thorough debate, apparently!

"The contributions so far have been passionate, forceful from all sides."

"We're rarely treated to such cogent, purposeful, flowing debate here [Assembly]? Is it the arena, the issue they're debating, or those debating it?"

You have to admire Betsan. Remind me to order that drink for her next time.

To Blog or Not To Blog Debate Videos

This is the full set of the speech videos kindly recorded by Peter Black.

The event itself provided the answer to the question in the title, when the agenda was partly changed due to "advanced feedback" after a debate on the blogs (especially here).

You can read my reflections, and also find a list of articles about the event, in my previous article about the "To Blog or Not to Blog" event.

Introduction

Part 1: Daran Hill, of Positif Politics (and the first bit of Peter Black).



Part 2: Peter Black, and the first part of Eleanor Burnham AM.



Part 3: The rest of Eleanor Burnham AM and Betsan Powys, BBC Reporter and Blogger.



Part 4: More Betsan Powys and the first part of Annabelle Harle of the Electoral Reform Society.



Part 5: More Annabelle Harle of the Electoral Reform Society, and the first part of Matt Wardman



Part 6: More Matt Wardman

and Victoria Winckler, of the Bevan Foundation.

Senedd Blogging Debate Updated Programme

After some kerfuffle last week around the debate on the usefulness (or not) of political blogs organised by the Bevan Foundation, I've been invited to join the panel to give a blogger perspective.

This is the new agenda quoted from the Bevan Foundation website:

To Blog or Not to Blog? !!!! NEW PROGRAMME !!!!

6.00pm to 7.30pm on Tuesday 21st October 2008

Conference Rooms C&D, Ty Hywel, National Assembly for Wales

The line up now is enthusiastic bloggers Peter Black AM, Matt Wardman and Betsan Powys, Political Editor of BBC Wales, along with scepticism and commentary from Eleanor Burnham AM, Annabelle Harle from the Electoral Reform Society, and Victoria Winckler, Director of the Bevan Foundation. The discussion will be chaired by Daran Hill, MD of Positif Politics.

This event is being held in the Assembly with the support of Peter Black AM. Refreshments are provided with the support of Positif Politics. We are trying also to get the discussion streamed.

All welcome - please confirm your attendance can you email Daran Hill on daran@positifpolitics.co.uk

I'll be going down for early afternoon on Tuesday on the train. If anyone is going to be around drop me a line on mattwardman AT gmail DOT com and we can meet up for a coffee.

During the afternoon I may make a couple of videos around the Bay area. If you see someone holding a balloon at arms' length in protective gloves, that will be me trying to find out whether it is a threat to life and limb as reported by Betsan Powys back in the Spring. (*)

I'm also hoping to get cameo interviews with as many Welsh bloggers as possible, and I'll be looking for recommendations of Welsh Blogs that us uncivilised oiks on the other side of Offa's Dyke should be reading for self-improvement purposes.

Unfortunately it is a steam powered video recorder which records to a small 1Gb hard disk. So I won't be attempting to record the debate itself, as I hope that somebody else will be doing that.

In the debate I'll be focusing on specific examples where blogs have achieved things that would not have been possible - or at least would have been very difficult - if they did not exist.

I am told that bookings are OK to give a decent debate, but there is still some room left for more.

(*) For the record, Latex allergy is a problem worth taking very seriously but banning children's balloons is totally wrong-headed in my view, unless you are going to ban a whole lot of other things as well - including stress balls, rubber keyboards on calculators/computers, bananas and the wrong sort of carpet underlay.

Cardiff Political Blogging Debate misses the point

A day after writing a piece about the Slugger Awards celebrating blogs as a tool for creating a greater involvement in politics by ordinary people, I have run across an example that is in the opposite direction.

There will be a debate about the value of political blogging organised by the Bevan Foundation in the Senedd on Tuesday 21st October:

To Blog or Not to Blog?

6.00pm to 7.30pm on Tuesday 21st October 2008
Conference Rooms C&D, Ty Hywel, National Assembly for Wales

You are invited to attend a debate on the value of political blogging.

Speakers are Peter Black AM and Betsan Powys, Political Editor of BBC Wales, and Eleanor Burnham AM and Annabelle Harle from the Electoral Reform Society. In the Chair is Victoria Winckler, Director of the Bevan Foundation. This event is being held in the Assembly with the support of Peter Black AM. Refreshments are provided with the support of Positif Politics.

I think that that list of names for this debate, comprising two professional politicians, a specialist in the political process and a big media journalist, misses the point. It is also a symbol that the most important aspect of political blogging - the potential for engagement in the political conversation by those who would not do it otherwise - may not yet been sufficiently absorbed.

I can't help asking why Valleys Mam (for example) - or somebody (anybody!) using a political blog to comment on politics from below - is not speaking in this debate? It may be that the focus is "the value of political blogging for politicians", in which case the focus itself is in the wrong place.

I'm not trying to show disrespect for the participants - all of whom are excellent in their own right - but it is the wrong group of people.

My suggestion is that there is still a week to go, so why not add a couple of political bloggers into the debate? I'd also invite Mick Fealty to give a 20 minute address + 20 minutes of questions afterwards about what can be done.

Getting on or off your modern soapbox

Not being sure whether this is a public event or selective gathering within the Senedd, Peter Black brings to our attention, the not-so-well-publicized interesting debate [to bloggers anyway] that is taking place on 21 October 2008.

Just a pity that we're not all invited. We could watch, listen, possibly ask questions, raise important points, and most importantly - guess which person in the audience matches their blog persona.

Could be the biggest Welsh public outing this year since the last one was cancelled.

Peter Black AM's To blog or not to blog?

The Bevan Foundation and Positif Politics is to stage a debate in the Assembly from 6pm to 7.30pm on Tuesday 21 October 2008 on the value of political blogging.

Speaking in favour are myself and BBC blogger Betsan Powys. Opposed are Eleanor Burnham AM and Annabelle Harlle from the Electoral Reform Society. In the chair is Victoria Winckler, who is Director of the Bevan Foundation.

One leak, one drip!

A meeting of a Welsh assembly committee has been abandoned after water leaked through the roof of the building.

AMs were taking evidence from teaching unions on education plans for 14-19-year-olds before giving up.

"Very, very embarrassed" chairman Jeff Cuthbert AM called it a "leak in the Welsh assembly of the wrong sort".

With this much fuss over the noise of one leak or drip, it's fortunate that there's not a war taking place - that would bring the wheels of democracy in Wales to a standstill!

A Paralympian Congratulations and Welcome Home

Members of the Welsh contingent of the Great Britain Paralympic team will be attending a welcome home celebration in Cardiff Bay today.

At the games, Dave Roberts equalled Tanni Grey-Thompson's record of 11 golds by winning the 50m freestyle; and 13-year old Eleanor Simmonds, won 2 gold medals and achieved a World Record in the pool.

The event will take place outside the Senedd building in Cardiff Bay at 12 noon, with a procession to the Senedd led by a traditional Chinese Lion. Another excuse to pop down to the bay for a lunch-time coffee.

Another fresh face for the Welsh Blogosphere

The Cwrt

The Cwrt is the place in the Senedd just outside the Members Tea Room where most of the plotting and skullduggery tends to take place.

OK, so I probably should have got out years ago and I probably have an unhealthy appetite for Welsh political gossip. Such is life, there are worse habits.

So, this blog is where I plan to "reveal all" about the murky life we lead in the Cardiff Bay village. Why am I doing it? On the off chance that someone else gives a toss about who's shagging who this week? Partly. It's recess and I'm bored? Yup. Because every ounce of enthusiasm I once had for this place has evaporated and I just don't give a f**k any more? Of course. But my main motivation is simply to try and make life a bit more uncomfortable for the cosy consensual love-in that is Welsh politics.

Obviously, I won't be revealing my identity and you will be getting no clues, other than: I am not one of the "usual suspects", neither am I Arsembly, Seneddwr, Wagstaff or anyone else under a new guise. I am probably the last person anyone would suspect...

He/she started blogging on Saturday, 16 August 2008. Three posts in, and already 18+. Welcome to the Welsh blogosphere, and remember, behave yourself!!!

The rulings of Elis-Thomas, Part I

An odd exchange at the Senedd last Wednesday as two Plaid Cymru members discussed the birds and the bees. Well, the bees at least:

Leanne Wood: This year more than one in five UK bee colonies have been killed off due to a mixture of bad weather, stress and disease, according to the British Beekeepers’ Association. I know that bees are not animals, but if they disappear— [Interruption.] Perhaps that is a matter for another debate—

The Presiding Officer: Order. Bees are definitely animals.

Leanne Wood: Thank you for your ruling, Llwydd [Laughter.]