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.

Wales 20:20 A new commission by Karen Sinclair AM

I received an email from a fellow blogger yesterday morning. Don't know why I've published this post as they haven't linked to my blog, and more importantly they seem to have emailed the entire country in the process, but it does make sense - even if the words do follow what other politicians have been saying for some time.

It reads:

Following on from the very successful test-launch of the Wales 20:20 think tank and online forum earlier this year, we are delighted to announce our re-launch today with the publication of a new commission by Karen Sinclair AM.

In her pamphlet Karen Sinclair, By Our Common Endeavours - addresses the current state of links with England across a range of areas and their importance in fostering economic progress. The Labour AM said she hoped to start a comprehensive debate on the importance of the issue across Wales.

You can read Karen's new pamphlet in full, and join in the discussion in our new and improved online forum, simply by logging on to our fully redesigned website. You can also watch Karen being discussing the pamphlet on the Politics Show by visiting here.