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.

Comment of the Week

In response to Labour's dossier lifting the lid on Conservative MPs, Welsh Conservative Assembly leader Nick Bourne hits back at the claims:

We’ll take no lessons from Labour on devolution when one of their own candidates describes AMs as part-timers, their First Minister dithers over calling for a referendum, and their Welsh Secretary is lukewarm on holding a referendum in the
first place...

For the last 11 years Conservatives have worked hard to make devolution deliver for the people of Wales. Our criticisms in that time have not been about devolution or the Assembly. They’ve been about the failures of the Assembly Government, led by Labour and now supported by Plaid Cymru.

We have always said it should be the people of Wales who decide on the Assembly’s future powers.

Meanwhile Labour’s First Minister Carwyn Jones couldn’t make his mind up over calling for a referendum, spent the best part of a fortnight before requesting it despite a unanimous Assembly resolution, and Peter Hain left the request on his desk to gather dust because he doesn’t really believe in it. If Labour spent as much time on reducing national debt, cutting unemployment, and fixing our broken economy as they’ve done on compiling this dossier, then perhaps the country wouldn’t be in such a mess.

Mr Bourne’s comment about a Labour candidate describing AMs as part-timers refers to a statement made by Swansea West Labour candidate Geraint Davies in a leaflet distributed in the constituency where he hopes to succeed Alan Williams as MP.

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...

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!

Is Labour winning over the people of Blaenau Gwent?

Blaenau Gwent awarded £35 million for learning

The Welsh Assembly Government has awarded Blaenau Gwent £35 million for new, 21st century learning, training and skills centres at The Works: Ebbw Vale.

The funding for the exciting Blaenau Gwent ‘Learning Works’ programme was announced by Education Minister Jane Hutt AM on Wednesday, 21 October 2009.

‘Learning Works’ includes proposals for:

• new primary and secondary schools
• a special school an integrated children’s centre
• sports centre
• performing arts centre and
• an integrated ‘Learning Zone’ for 16 - 18 year olds.

Consultation on the proposals for the future of education starts in November 2009.

Coun Des Hillman, Leader of Blaenau Gwent Council, said:

This is great news. Our vision to transform education, learning, skills and training for children and young people in the Heads of the Valleys has the full support of the Welsh Assembly Government.

A first tranche of funding of £48 million for ‘Learning Works’ was approved in July 2009. This second tranche of £35 million is additional to this. It is also conditional on the consultations on the re-organisation of education in Blaenau Gwent.

Another AM understandably retires at next election

Karen Sinclair AM, a former cabinet minister in the Welsh Assembly Government is to stand down at the next elections in 2011. She has served as Labour AM for Clwyd South for 10 years, and told her constituency party on Tuesday she would not be seeking re-election.

Last year, Ms Sinclair was diagnosed with the bone marrow cancer myeloma and has been undergoing treatment.

First Minister Rhodri Morgan said Ms Sinclair had always "put others first and not herself".
Ms Sinclair served as business manager in the cabinet between 2003 and 2005, and was chief whip.

She said it had been a "great honour" to represent the constituency, adding: "The recovery from my recent illness is going very well, but I felt the time was now right to announce I will step down and tell my local party I will not seek re-election in 2011.

Miss Wagstaff wishes you well in retirement.

Remembering Jane

A blast from the past while I read my emails. It's good to return from a family holiday, having survived.

Thanks for the photo, Mr Anonymous.

Silly season comes home to leadership battle that hasn't begun

It's what Rhodri Morgan would want and hope for, but only gives journalists something to print during quieter times. Jane Hutt seemingly lays out her stall, however, pundits know that she's nothing to sell, no cash in the till, and not as personable as other stall owners.

EDUCATION Minister Jane Hutt has laid out a vision of how Labour in Wales can fight inequality and win the trust of the electorate ahead of Westminster and Assembly elections.

In a move that will be widely interpreted as setting out her leadership ambitions, the Vale of Glamorgan AM has given a rare interview highlighting the pressing need to narrow the gap between the nation’s haves and have-nots.

Despite remaining tight-lipped about her intentions (good of the Western Mail to prise it out of her most inner thoughts), Ms Hutt is increasingly seen as a contender to succeed Rhodri Morgan as First Minister if, as expected, he announces his retirement in the autumn.

You can't teach an old dog new tricks

Quote of the Week: Labour's All-women shortlist in the Vale of Glamorgan.

A female member of the Vale of Glamorgan Labour party wrote to the South Wales Echo saying:

“I know there is a silent majority of local Labour members who would oppose the imposition of a women-only shortlist for the selection of our candidate to replace John Smith. It is what I can only describe as bullying tactics from the National Executive which forced the local party to succumb to this policy.

“The polls indicate that the fight to return a Labour MP for the Vale of Glamorgan will be extremely difficult. Our chances of success would have been greater if we had the option of selecting a candidate from all our membership and not just from female members. Our candidate should be the best person, not just the best woman or best man.”

It seems you can't teach an old Labour dog new tricks.

Beginning of the end to freebie Welsh policies?

Could this be the end of freebie policies as popularised by the Welsh Assembly Government?

Free bus travel for all pensioners in Wales should be scrapped because of the cost, an advisory group has urged.

The independent ministerial advisory group on transport wants the assembly government to begin an urgent review, arguing it is becoming unaffordable.

Instead, the group suggests a more targeted approach for certain areas or social groups to save £25m a year.

But ministers say there are "no plans whatsoever" to scrap the scheme and they wanted to reassure the public.

Go East for Val-halla

Not the major step-down that I was expecting before recess, however, the Assembly Member for Swansea East has announced she will not contest her seat in the 2011 Welsh Assembly election.

Labour's Val Lloyd told her constituency party of her decision to stand down after what will have been 10 years in the job.

She said she will continue to "give of my all" to her constituents for the next two years.

The First Minister said she helped bring in the smoking ban in Wales.

Rhodri Morgan Appreciation Society revisited

From time to time I keep my eye on Rhodri's fans on Facebook. You may remember my report back in August 2008:

Back in September 2007 a Facebooker set-up the group 'Rhodri Morgan Appreciation Society'. The group had 20 members when the above snapshot was taken in January 2008.

"This group is for people who think that Rhodri Morgan has been a great leader of the Welsh Labour Party and a Brilliant First Minister of Wales. Rhodri Morgan has lead Wales a progressive direction over his years as First Minister. With good socialist policies like free prescriptions, or his support for the Welsh Language, Rhodri Morgan has done a lot to improve Wales, and help the worst off in Wales."

Still at 20 members at today's date, it seems that not many Facebookers agree with the above statement. Glad to see that Alun Davies AM and Joyce Watson AM are members. Are the other Labour AMs trying to tell us something?

On the plus side for our great leader, only 4 Facebookers belong to Rhodri's other group, 'Is it just just me or does Rhodri Morgan need a new suit?'

"A group totally dedicated to the fact old Rhodri has looked shabby in his
suit for years. Surely its high time the old man of welsh politics bought a new
suit?"

In Rhodri's final (depending on expected and unexpected circumstances) year, the membership has risen to 32, and 6 respectively. Makes you wonder why more Labour AM Facebookers haven't joined up with the growing number of fans.

Who'll be the first to set up the Carwyn Jones or Huw Lewis Appreciation Society?

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?

Another AM stepping down

She may not have held the world in her arms. or even Wales for that matter, but she was a fiercely loyal Labour backbencher. The BBC reports that yet another member of the Welsh Assembly has announced that she will not be standing at the 2011 election.

Irene James, the Labour AM for Islwyn since 2003, told her constituency party on Friday night that she will not be seeking re-election.

Mrs James said: "The time has come to make more time in my life for family and friends."

Former Welsh Secretary Paul Murphy paid tribute, saying the AM would be "sorely missed in Welsh politics".

In her statement Mrs James, who is in her late fifties, said she had worked for jobs in Islwyn, for investment in education and in health.

"It has been a pleasure to work with our Welsh Labour First Minister Rhodri Morgan and our great team of representatives in Welsh Labour. I remain fully in support of our work and will give my all until the election arrives in 2011.

Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time

While some dead wood, for which the Assembly has found little use, will be cast adrift at the next Assembly in 2011, Labour has wasted little time in fighting wood rot.

As part of its slow rejuvenation, Welsh Labour have chosen an impressive figure as candidate for Cardiff South and Penarth at the next Assembly election.

Vaughan Gething, a Cardiff solicitor, was Wales TUC's first black president and at 34 was also the youngest. Vaughan Gething lives in Cardiff, is a member of the GMB and a partner at Thompsons Solicitors.

Slow Rejuvenation for Welsh Labour?

With the recent announcement of Local Government and Social Justice Minister Dr Brian Gibbons standing down as an assembly member at the next election, is Welsh Labour looking for new blood to rejuvenate its fortunes?

To date, Cardiff West; Cardiff South and Penarth; Pontypridd; and Aberavon will all be 'fresh' Assembly Members from 2011.


The First Minister has said he is likely to step down around the time of his 70th birthday in September, however, he has been urged to stay on for the sake of the Labour party (apparently he's popular, and a man of the people - suppose it depends what people you ask). He is likely to not seek re-election in 2011 in order to join his wife in retirement from main political activity.

1. Rhodri Morgan (to retire and join his wife at home)


2. Lorraine Barrett (to become a humanist celebrant)


3. Jane Davidson (to move onto a new challenge for the rest of her working life)


4. Brian Gibbons (to return to GP practice)

To be continued...