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.

Stage Management: exit stage left (from London)

Today, the Welsh Government (that will sour some faces in certain parts of Wales) comes to Wales.

Gordon Brown and his ministers are heading to Cardiff for the first meeting of a UK government cabinet in Wales, which has been likened to stage management by opposition parties. At the very least they've demonstrated to the Welsh Assembly Government how to make a big policy announcement.

Revolving Welsh Secretary Peter Hain said:

The Wales of the 21st Century has hi-tech industry, world class centres of innovation and a diverse talented workforce that is split almost 50-50 men and women.

Today will be a fantastic opportunity to showcase what Wales has to offer to the rest of the UK and the world.

This is the first time that the cabinet has met in Wales. I am sure that my colleagues will leave Wales today eager to spread the word about what a dynamic and innovative place Wales is.

Shadow Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan said:

The prime minister has barely visited Wales since he took office - and since Conservatives beat Labour in Wales at last month's European elections we're surprised he wants to come at all.

This is a shallow attempt to pretend that Wales matters to him. If Gordon Brown thinks (the) visit will persuade people to forget that Labour is to blame for the difficulties facing Wales today then he will be very disappointed.

Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Kirsty Williams described the event as stage managed and said:

...it would not replace real engagement with Welsh communities and meaningful reform of our damaged democracy.

John Smith MP, the Vale of Glamorgan, and the Gurkhas

Apparently this week's Glamorgan Gem local newspaper has published a photograph of John Smith MP and a few other MPs with Gurkhas. Nice photograph, and not the one above!

However, checking Hansard and the Public Whip you will discover that he voted WITH the Government, against the Gurkha settlement rights [Although this extremely rare Government defeat in an opposition day motion is not binding (has no legal force) a Government minister made a statement later in the day to bring "forward the date for the determination of the outstanding applications to the end of May].

Such double standards seems to be fitting for these troublesome times. We need to remind ourselves of this at election time.

The Brigade of Gurkhas

The history of the service of the Brigade of Gurkhas to the British Crown goes back as far as 1815. Since then the Brigade has conducted itself with distinction during numerous conflicts worldwide. Prior to 1997 the Brigade's focus was in the Far East but following the handover of Hong Kong it moved to the UK which is now its base. The Brigade still maintains a battalion in Brunei and plays a full part in the British Army's operational deployments worldwide - currently, in particular, Afghanistan, Iraq and the Balkans.

The majority of MPs voted in favour of the motion:
This House

• regrets the Government's recent statement outlining the eligibility criteria for Gurkhas to reside in the United Kingdom;


• recognises the contribution the Gurkhas have made to the safety and freedom of the United Kingdom for the past 200 years;


• notes that more Gurkhas have laid down their lives for the United Kingdom than are estimated to want to live here;


• believes that Gurkhas who retired before 1997 should be treated fairly and in the same way as those who have retired since;


• is concerned that the Government's new guidelines will permit only a small minority of Gurkhas and their families to settle whilst preventing the vast majority;


• further believes that people who are prepared to fight and die for the United Kingdom should be entitled to live in the country; and


• calls upon the Government to withdraw its new guidelines immediately and bring forward revised proposals that extend an equal right of residence to all Gurkhas.

In case you were wondering if any other Welsh MPs votes against the Gurkha settlement rights motion, simply read...

Nick Ainger (Carmarthen West & South Pembrokeshire) Labour
Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West) Labour (minister)

Chris Bryant (Rhondda) Labour (minister)
Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley) Labour

Wayne David (Caerphilly) Labour (minister)
Hywel Francis (Aberavon) Labour

Nia Griffith (Llanelli) Labour (PPS)
Peter Hain (Neath) Labour (former minister)

David Hanson (Delyn) Labour (minister)

Dai Havard (Merthyr Tydfil & Rhymney) Labour

Kim Howells (Pontypridd) Labour (former minister)

Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore) Labour (minister)

Ian Lucas (Wrexham) Labour (minister)

Alun Michael (Cardiff South & Penarth) Labour (former minister)

Madeleine Moon (Bridgend) Labour

Jessica Morden (Newport East) Labour (PPS)

Paul Murphy (Torfaen) Labour (minister)

Albert Owen (Ynys Môn) Labour

Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd) Labour

Mark Tami (Alyn & Deeside) Labour (minister)

Don Touhig (Islwyn) labour

Alan Williams (Swansea West) Labour

Martin Caton (Gower) Labour - absent
Paul Flynn (Newport West) Labour - absent

Siân James (Swansea East) Labour (PPS) absent

Martyn Jones (Clwyd South) Labour - absent

Betty Williams (Conwy) Labour - absent

Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire) Liberal Democrats - absent

Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire) Liberal Democrats (front bench) absent

The Westminster Way v The Welsh Way

On 24 January 2008 Peter Hain resigned as Secretary of State for Wales and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. That same day he was replaced by James Purnell.

On 18 July 2008 Rhodri Glyn Thomas 'resigned' as Minister for Heritage in the Welsh Assembly Government.

We're still waiting...

Raking over the bones of blame and Peter Hain's career

The former Work and Pensions, and Welsh Secretary Peter Hain has spoken of his “surreal nightmare”.

It seems that extraordinary evidence has emerged of a dirty tricks campaign to discredit his failed Labour deputy leadership campaign further. Mr Hain resigned from Gordon Brown’s Cabinet in January, when police were called in to investigate his failure to declare donations totalling more than £100,000 to his campaign. But in recent weeks, the text of damaging e-mails purporting to have been sent by members of Mr Hain’s campaign team have been circulated.

Some have been sent to the Western Mail while others have gone to the political blogger Guido Fawkes, who was credited with claiming the first blogging scalp.

It now appears that many of the e-mails have been faked. Mr Hain told the Western Mail yesterday: "Something extremely sinister has been going on here. All sorts of things happened during the campaign which I can’t explain." The RSPCA has this week investigated the content of some of the e-mails which falsely suggests that one of its employees in Wales was using its premises to campaign for Mr Hain.

You can read the full story here. Miss Wagstaff is wondering when our nightmare will end and how long do we have to put up with raking over the old bones of Peter's political career before the facts are fully disclosed.

Senedd Circular: Easter Recess Catch-up

This article appears in The Wardman Wire:

This week, Pippa Wagstaff writes her first column for the Wardman Wire about events at the National Assembly for Wales (the Senedd) in Cardiff. It has been held over from last week. Usually the column will appear on Thursdays.

Cranking the Starting Handle

The Assembly is currently in the middle of its Easter Recess, so I’ve taken the opportunity to bring us up-to-date on what’s hot on the political agenda at the run up to the Assembly’s return to Cardiff Bay.

You can take it as read that there are more important things to life. In my life, at least, there’s family and a new career opportunity that’s taking up so much of my time at the moment. I’ve recently taken a short break away from blogging – part work, part pleasure, part nightmare! Now I’ve found my way back to Cardiff, and eventually back to what lurks down the bay – Welsh politics, or beneath, in the darker areas - the politics of coalition.

I don’t sleep deeply these days, and this can be partly blamed (in equal proportions) on having ‘a little one’ and having ‘a big one’. The little one is self-explanatory. The big one being ‘Miss Wagstaff Presents’, which has always concerned itself with the Government of Wales being more of a ‘first-to-do’ or ‘freebie’ government, that has become affectionately known as a gimmick government. Whether the cause is good or bad, it’s a government that concerns itself with headlines rather than getting down to the bread and butter issues of devolution. Whether it’s the first to appoint a Children’s Commissioner; an Older People’s Commissioner; the introduction of free NHS prescriptions; or even its recent attempt – capturing the attention of the UK public (and probably for the first time) – in starting the ball rolling for free parking at hospitals. You can always rely on the Welsh Government to grab some attention seeking headlines in the name of progress. More will be made of this in future columns.

Senedd Snippets:

• Assembly Members trying to buy their way into heaven
• Senedd proved to be a success
• Possible referendum rift between the cohabiting coalition partners
• History in the making and laws for the taking
• Plaid/Labour coalition – keep your enemies close

Buying a stairway to heaven

There’s rarely an appropriate time to make such an announcement as ‘a more than significant pay rise’, and now is certainly not the best time when we’re all meant to be tightening our belts. This is one to split the opinion of all parties within the Assembly. To the outcry of public sector workers everywhere, Welsh Assembly Members were handed an extra 8.3% in their pay packets (backdated to May 2007). Meant to be endorsed by the Assembly Commission and its membership from all political parties, Plaid Cymru broke ranks, and six members immediately refused to accept the pay rise, which was seen by some as an opportunistic way to buy your way into the hearts of the Welsh public. Their leader, Ieuan Wyn Jones, took this further by stating that he will give most of his rise (that above inflation) to charity in the first year. However, Lord Elis-Thomas, the Assembly’s Presiding Officer and chief diplomat in the making, graciously accepted the pay rise as being a “changing differential in pay”. Whether or nor it is seen as a “slap in the face” to public sector workers, the pay rise is here to stay, and this can be seen as easy political manoeuvring for capital of a different kind. When does a person stop giving the excess to charity? Miss Wagstaff will have to remind certain AMs to set up a standing order in future.

Senedd proved to be a success!

No, not this belated column, or my fellow contributor to Miss Wagstaff Presents, ‘Senedd Whip’, but the leaky Senedd building (well, it is Wales) and its construction, that has been proved to be a Welsh success story according to the Auditor General for Wales.

A report recently published concludes that the landmark debating chamber in Cardiff Bay was delivered “on time and on budget”, which is more than can be said in recent reports of financial flaws and inconsistencies in the way last year's Welsh assembly election was run, which have been identified by the Electoral Commission. Its report shows not all of the £4.5m spent on the election was properly accounted for.

We can’t win them all, so better luck next time.

Cohabiting Coalition Cleavage: Referendum Rift

This was always going to be a major issue between coalition partners in government and a bone for other parties in Wales to chew on. Labour has been accused of working to ensure there is not enough time to secure a referendum on a Welsh Parliament before the next Assembly election in 2011. This month we have been told that the All-Wales Convention, which will judge public support for law-making powers, will not report until late 2009. The powers that this Referendum will give the Assembly are already available through Legislative Competence Orders (a request from the Welsh Assembly Government to legislate in a particular area), and will continue to be available even if a referendum is held and lost. The referendum is far more important to Plaid in being seen as the ‘next stage’ towards independence. Once they clear this hurdle, they can then harp on about a totally independent Wales with the right to its own destiny. However, hurdles are a plenty on this further road to devolution. Being part of the ‘One Wales Agreement’ that binds the coalition government in Cardiff, this could possibly be the section that kills the coalition in the end. A yes vote in a referendum will merely make the whole law-making process simpler.

Those in the red-green coalition are all positive about the prospect of pulling this one off; the rift appears to be in Westminster. However, it has to be said, that this way is the only one, where Labour and Plaid can manage to argue party politics these days and still remain willing partners in Cardiff – hunky-dory in Cardiff Bay and a bit of a kerfuffle in Westminster. Even former Secretary and yes-vote supreme, Peter Hain MP, is getting in on the act: “I set up the Yes For Wales campaign in 1997, but I do not believe the time is right for a further referendum in this Assembly term”. This is much to the annoyance of unofficial Plaid leader and part-time philosopher, Adam Price MP, “Some people in the Labour Party thought Christmas had come early when we agreed to join them in a red/green coalition. But we were very clear-minded and hard-edged in our thinking. If anyone thinks the Labour Party can walk away from an agreement it has signed up to, they are not living in the real political world.”

Someone is going to be disappointed, but not today.

History in the making. Laws for the taking

The word historical is a common one that is widely used in the stages of Welsh devolution. For the first time since May 2007, MPs have debated a Legislative Competence Order, which quietly slipped into the history books. The National Assembly for Wales Legislative Competence (Education and Training) Order 2008 was cleared by Committee and the House of Commons, and is on its way for final approval by Privy Council.

It’s been a long time coming, but the Assembly should be able to legislate in this area before Summer Recess - but don’t hold your breath. Some Welsh politicians were optimistic about the number of Assembly Measures that will be able to be passed in an Assembly term; those original figures now look as believable as a children’s fairy story. The process is time consuming and inefficient when it comes to getting the job done. Many fear that this will play into the hands of the Nationalists who will cry out, “the current devolution settlement isn’t working”. Unionists, on the other hand, need to get the process changed and not wait for the inevitable backlash.

Plaid/Labour coalition. Keep your enemies close

Assembly Government insiders have been suggesting that members of First Minister Rhodri Morgan’s team are trying to undermine Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones.

One allegation is that the Plaid Cymru leader’s diary is being overloaded with engagements, so he is left with no time to think - “There are days when he is working from 8am until 10pm. It seems there could be a subtle game going on, with an attempt to make sure Ieuan gets bogged down in a top-heavy schedule of engagements while having little time to reflect.”

Welsh politicos with long-term memories should remember the fuss that was made when the Deputy First Minister was appointed as he then went on to appoint one of his own political support staff to the civil servant position of Diary Secretary. Sounds like she was also kept too busy to notice what was going on, as surely most political types would’ve seen this coming a long time ago.

And finally…

I’ll have to end it there for a first column article, and as I haven’t even mentioned the upcoming local government election that is on our doorstep, it would be wise of me to make a customer service announcement at this point.

If this doesn’t demonstrate to future would-be councillors the harsh reality of politics, then nothing will… One of Welsh Labour’s rising stars has failed to secure selection as a candidate for his council seat – despite being on a shortlist of one.

Heads down and let’s brace ourselves in anticipation for the build up to May.

Economic Development is lame

Peter Hain (maintaining a low profile) has told BBC Wales he is concerned Welsh Ministers are failing to plough enough investment into boosting private companies:

The assembly government had given too much priority to spending money on public services... I do not think Wales can compete with China and India in the future, let alone with Eastern Europe today, unless we have the best skills.

It's as if the general thought in Wales is one of the Welsh public having short memories. Transport yourself to 2011 and the next Assembly election - surely Peter doesn't think that he's starting the ball rolling when it comes to setting up the current Minister for the Economy and his party for a fall - Welsh Labour have been in power since 1999, and Labour (UK) since 1997.

Civil Servant blogging days may be numbered

A cheeky female civil servant blogger, who has been ridiculing Cabinet members including Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling, and taking the mickey out of civil service mandarins, right up to Cabinet secretary Gus O'Donnell, appears to have gone to ground after the Sunday Times reported that the hunt for her was on in Whitehall. Her blog, The Civil Serf, has been swiftly taken down.


The Serf, who has been blogging with impunity for four months, claimed to be a 33-year-old who was "just senior enough" in her department to allow her to know what's going on though "not senior enough to attract suspicion".

In a recent blog, she claimed that Alistair Darling was desperate to use his first Budget, coming up on Wednesday, to garner "a cheap headline" even if it meant announcing unaffordable new measures. "High up on the list will be both child poverty and incapability benefit," she wrote.

She nicknames Gordon Brown 'Velcro' because of the many negative stories that have stuck to him. But she reserves her sharpest barbs for Whitehall culture and personnel. "I've received a meeting request that probably deserves a mention in the Guinness Book of Records," she writes. "It is for something called the 'People Action Team' (don't ask) and it is scheduled to last a staggering seven hours... Truly there is no God."

She has also complained about drunken advances from the opposite sex. "Trapped" at a conference in Brighton, she wrote, "I was being chased about by some bloke from the Foreign Office who wouldn't listen to me saying I'm engaged - yuk!"

She also tells how her colleagues are frequently "under-utilised", saying: "I know two people within eight desks of me whose jobs could be deleted overnight with no discernible impact on our performance."

Because of various mentions of Peter Hain before he stood down as Work and Pensions Secretary, it is thought the culprit may work in that department. A source told the Sunday Times that while no one has yet been disciplined, there were suspicions about the blogger's identity.

Update 10 March 2008, 16:39

1. Civil servants to get blog and social networking advice (BBC link)
2. There's a curious comment on this post that suggests, "The first civil servant blogger to be sacked was in Wales, however, no one knows his/her name."

Hainless transition

Guess who said this: “If both Welsh living standards and the economic competitiveness which underpins our prosperity is to grow as we all want, the private sector needs to grow very significantly, and at a relatively much faster rate.” No, it wasn’t Nick Bourne, but Peter Hain (reported in the Western Mail today).

If this analysis is true then it will represent a challenge to the Labour-Plaid coalition government which has, so far, not deviated markedly from previous Labour Assembly Government policy besides talk about referendums and conventions, which will die down if Paul Murphy has his way.

Besides more obvious 'unionist' objections one reason Murphy is keen to dampen referendum fever is to refocus Welsh Labour on its self-styled calling as effective public service managers. Welsh Labour’s 2011 appeal will be built on the idea that it is the most responsible service manager, making savings and delivering services efficiently. Plaid, on the other hand, has allowed Labour to get on with this, styling itself as a responsible alternative which will be ready for government on its own at a later date.

This strategy has brought criticism from Plaid’s stronger elements, who are concerned about key Plaid policy areas being ‘watered down’, e.g. not funding Y Byd. The problem brought by Plaid’s approach is that a party building itself as a party of government cannot be seen to in the thrall of any particular minority group, no matter how large that minority is.

Whether any of this will make a difference is still to be seen. Today’s ICM poll results show that around 60% don’t know who runs the Welsh Assembly Government. Curiously, 49% of the survey respondents said they would vote ‘yes’ in a referendum on full powers. These results might show the perils of sample-based surveys rather than reflecting the real views of the Welsh electorate. We can only hope.

Peter Hain MP: Career Plan

Appearing on the BBC's Politics Show this week, Gordon Brown refused to comment on whether or not he'd have Peter Hain MP [backbench] back in the government if he clears his name.

Although some have already offered advice, the little known PR Consultant, Pippa Wagstaff, decides to offer a career plan:

1. Lie low for several months, concentrating on constituents and good causes.



2. Show a little humility and bask in the satisfaction of victory when no charges are brought.



3. Wait for a Cabinet member to cock-up - coincidentally at the same time as a non-government related disaster story hits the headlines.



4. Gently slip Hain back into a different Cabinet post.

Point 5: Pay Miss Wagstaff £10k for good advice.

Gordon Brown MP: Business as usual

27th June 2007. Under Gordon Brown as Prime Minister there would be no more allegations of sleaze or incompetence. Seven months into his long-awaited reign:

• The non-election of 2007.


• Intense criticism of not adhering to the military covenant.


• Alleged to have 'borrowed' three opposition tax policies.


• Controversy about not holding a referendum on the EU Treaty of Lisbon.


• David Abrahams secret donations scandal, losing the party General Secretary in the process.


• Peter Hain donations scandal - his resignation - the accusation of Brown dithering.


• Wendy Alexander donations controversy.


• Harriet Harman donations controversy.


• Handling of the Northern Rock affair.


• Data loss in the HMRC, DVLA, NHS, MOD, and DWP.


• Police Officer pay row and protest.


• The Alan Johnson potential controversy.

Feel free to comment as no doubt I've forgotten something important.

Let's hope that life - after Hain - isn't business as usual.

Peter Hain: Pushed or a matter of honour?

While eating my lunch I happened to turn on the news in my office - Peter Hain has just resigned as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions [no connection with me taking a break]. It seems his deputy leader campaign donations being referred to the Met Police was a step too far.

Nothing was said about his other [minor] role as Secretary of State for Wales.

Update 1: BBC confirms that he has stood down from the Cabinet. Trust me to have watched Channel 4 News.

Miss Wagstaff is wondering if Hain could've saved his reputation if he had made this gesture sooner.

Update 2: Iain Dale's Diary asks "Is Hain's Resignation The First Blogging Scalp?"

Update 3: Guido has his own view on this.

Feeling Hain's Pain: Stop pointing the finger at me!

Some argue that 2007/08 is Plaid's year in Welsh politics. Should Labour allow them to have a scalp? Who will save Peter?

Unless you've been stuck in solitary confinement for several weeks you'll be aware that Peter's in trouble - just take a look at the daily papers - you can take your pick. He's also been getting two jobs done on a wing and a prayer while under constant criticism from other political parties about his dual role.

Will he survive? If the press has got anything to do with it then I think not. I browsed the Internet yesterday and here's what I found:

Western Mail

• Hain says sorry over failure to declare campaign donations, 9th January.
• Hain to make public his accounts in campaign row, 10th January.
• Hain under attack over £103k gifts, 11th January.
• Official Hain donations complaint made, 11th January (icWales).
• It’s inevitable Peter Hain will have to resign, 12th January.
• Hain’s political future in hands of watchdog. 12th January.
• Misery deepens for Peter Hain, 12th January.
• Expensive campaign might cost Cabinet job, 12th January.
• Hain: I am getting on with my job, 12th January (icWales).

That's plenty of coverage in just a few days from one newspaper - Wales' own daily - The Western Mail. If he's collecting cuttings for his scrap book and takes all daily papers he's going to have to stock up on glue.

I remember a time when they talked about his day-job:

• Hain wants claimants to take vacancies
• Peter Hain says pensions plan’s vital to prevent crisis

Will we revert to talking about Peter Hain and his role as Secretary of State, not his predicament of facing three separate inquiries that may seal his fate? Not for a while it seems.

Peter Hain: Cock-up doesn't fit the bill

Yes, I know I said in a previous post this is a Peter Hain free blog, however, the most recent revelation need posting on. To be perfectly honest, I'm now even more annoyed with myself for having to be in complete agreement with Elfyn Llwyd MP - The Secretary of State's position is untenable.

Plaid Cymru has called for Peter Hain's resignation after fresh revelations about the funding of his failed Labour deputy leadership bid. Elfyn Llwyd, Plaid's parliamentary leader, said the work and pensions secretary's position was "untenable".

The call comes after it emerged a trustee of a think tank which channelled £25,000 into Mr Hain's bid was also the campaign's treasurer. The cash in the form of five donations was not declared to the authorities.

Mr Hain, who is also Welsh secretary and MP for Neath, is under fire after failing to declare more than £100,000 in donations to his deputy leadership campaign. More than £25,000 in donations and a further loan of £25,000 were made by individuals through the Progressive Policy Forum, a little-known think tank, which does not have a website and whose registered address is a solicitor's office in London.

A spokeswoman for Mr Hain said that he stands by everything he said in his statement and will not be making any further comment.

Plaid's Mr Llwyd told BBC Wales the latest revelations meant Mr Hain's position was no longer tenable:

John Underwood was treasurer of the campaign - he must have known of donations...Yesterday I didn't say Mr Hain should consider his position, but today's revelations are dynamite...More than sorrow than in anger, I am forced to say his position is untenable...This appears to be playing fast and lose with the law and cabinet ministers can't do that.

Update 1: Peter Hain has been reported to the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner for failing to declare £103,156 in gifts to his Labour deputy leader bid.

Update 2: According to David Cornock (BBC Wales) "One of the actual donors involved may ring a few bells. His name is Steve Morgan. It appears that Peter Hain's campaign manager - the man who claimed to bring order to chaos - failed to declare a donation from himself."

Peter Hain free blog

I have posted far too much in recent weeks on the Rt Hon Peter Hain MP, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions & Secretary of State for Wales. So much has happened - or not happened in the case of declaring donations - that it's easy to get caught up in posting twice a day on the subject.

For regular updates please refer to these two gentlemen on the subject of his helter skelter ride, and to eventually learn of his fate:

Two-jobs - one-job - no job?? Gordon decides.

.

Update: £103k not declared. Keep it under your hat.

Christmas Cheer from Mr Veneer

If you've ever found yourself having a difficult year and can't wait for it to be over, just remember Peter Hain at Christmas time. With more troughs than peaks in 2007, and an eagerness to look forward to 2008, there's only one way to deal with life - remember the good times - put a spin on it - and forget the bad times.

The part-time Secretary of State for Wales has put out his Christmas and New Year message which has also been covered by the Western Mail this morning.

Highs include:

• His other Cabinet job, at Work and Pensions, had allowed him to deliver some “Christmas cheer” for former steelworkers at ASW in Cardiff, who will now have 90% of their lost pensions restored.
• For 2008, I have already announced we will see a radical shift from passive to active benefits in the welfare system, to achieve full employment and help eradicate child poverty,” he said.
• Referring to the decision announced in January to build a huge defence training facility in St Athan, he said, “This massive boost for the Welsh economy is another example of the strong partnership working between Cardiff and London and shows Wales has a world-beating team that can compete at the highest levels.”
• Celebrating anyone and everyone Welsh.

Lows include:

• Take your pick from any blog or national and local newspapers in 2007.

Sometimes Christmas comes early. At other times you have to wait until 25 December.

Merry Christmas!

Administrative Error(s)

I'm in the process of setting up a business and have taken the careful steps of getting the groundwork sorted while remaining in full-time employment. Lessons are always learnt, and I always make sure that I learn from other people's mistakes and judgement as much as I do from my own.

I shall be recruiting two members of staff in the New Year, when I hope to take that leap into full-time self-employment. Administrative skills will be the order of the day.

Administrative Error

I regret to inform you that I have posted a number of times over the last couple of days on a wide range of interesting political topics and unfortunately, as of today, they are nowhere to be found on this blog.

I can only put this down to an "administrative error".

National Assembly needs to do its homework

Wearing his other hat as part-time Secretary of State for Wales, Peter Hain MP, was in the chamber of the Senedd yesterday afternoon to address the Assembly on the Queen's Speech.

Mr Hain rejected claims Westminster was blocking some proposals, but said it should be able to "probe their basis".

Addressing the assembly on the Queen's Speech, he also insisted it would be "disastrous" to lose a referendum on law-making powers for Wales.

Mr Hain said he backed the Labour-Plaid coalition but building consensus on powers would "take time". Plans for a referendum on assembly powers are central to the One Wales deal which formed the basis of the coalition between the two parties after the election.

Calling for a "mature relationship between Wales and Westminster", Mr Hain said:

Parliament cannot rubber stamp or let anything through 'on the nod'... We have no desire to meddle in future policy developments, which are the prerogative of the Welsh Assembly Government and the assembly... But it is an important principle that Parliament and Whitehall departments are allowed to probe the basis of legislative requests, and that in doing so are not presented as 'unreasonable' or 'obstructive.

This must have felt like a personal message for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning & Skills Minister, Jane Hutt AM, who was Minister for Business 2005-07, and should know better. This left me with the thought that there was an underlying message of, "DO YOUR HOMEWORK"