Leakages in Labour / Llacrwydd Llafur

Perhaps it’s just me, but does anyone else think that its ever so convenient that today, when there has been a leak to the press regarding Rhodri Morgan’s stability pact and its content, Huw Lewis AM miraculously has an opposing response in today’s Western Mail? You are free to make up your own mind, but this particular paragraph is quite telling:

‘Details of a so-called Labour Minority Government Partnership (or Confidence and Supply) Agreement with X (meaning the Liberal Democrats or Plaid Cymru) have been leaked to the Western Mail, together with critical comments from Merthyr Tydfil & Rhymney AM Huw Lewis and circulated to Labour AMs’.

It doesn’t necessarily matter how it reached Martin Shipton’s desk, but it is interesting, yet again, how the most vocal Unionist within the Labour group, Huw Lewis is responding. He is of course vehemently opposed to any deal with Plaid, ( or as he calls us- ‘The Nationalists’- somehow trying to make it a dirty word) and he is doing his utmost to ruin any chances of a Plaid-Labour deal as a consequence.

The contract isn’t very detailed, at least in terms of what policies the two parties prioritise to successfully form an agreement, but it does set out the relationship between the parties.
Nevertheless, Huw Lewis is quick off the mark to attack the document:

‘My main objection to this kind of deal is that if affords power with no responsibility- by failing to tie X into a formal coalition…..’

Failing to tie X into a formal coalition? Surely it was the Labour group that ruled this out after a long meeting last week? If they had wanted to approach other parties with a coalition option, (or if their dealings with the Lib dems had succeeded), then this would have been totally feasible. But the Lib dems have all but refused a coalition with Labour, which leaves Labour with no option but to pursue this ‘contract’ option.

Huw Lewis goes on to say:

‘In addition, the role of the Labour Party Group AMs from the party of government will be restricted and become utterly toothless’.

I think Huw Lewis is living in a different time zone if he thinks that a minority Labour Government, who chooses to govern without some sort of consensus from another party will be any less restricted and toothless!

It is very worrying that he is so willing to talk out against Rhodri Morgan at this very important stage in the discussions. Surely a united front is what Labour needs now, or will a Leadership challenge be upon us earlier than we think?


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Efallai mai dim ond fi sydd yn meddwl hyn, ond oes unrhywun arall wedi sylw ei bod mor gyfleus mai heddiw, pan mae’r cyfryngau wedi cael gafael ar stori am gytuneb sefydlogrwydd Rhodri Morgan a’i gynnwys, yw’r diwrnod pan, yn wyrthiol, mae Huw Lewis AC wedi gwrthwynebu’r holl syniad yn y Western Mail? Mi gewch chi benderfynu eich hunain, ond mae’r dyfyniad yma yn datgelu cryn dipyn:

‘Details of a so-called Labour Minority Government Partnership (or Confidence and Supply) Agreement with X (meaning the Liberal Democrats or Plaid Cymru) have been leaked to the Western Mail, together with critical comments from Merthyr Tydfil & Rhymney AM Huw Lewis and circulated to Labour AMs’.

Efallai nad yw’n bwysig sut y glaniodd hwn ar ddesg Martin Shipton, ond mae yn ddiddorol iawn mai’r Undebwr mwyaf brwd o fewn y gwp Llafur, Huw Lewis, yn ymateb. Wrth gwrs, mae’n gwrthwynebu cytuneb gyda Plaid yn danbaid (neu, fel mae o yn ein galw, “The Nationalists” – fel rhyw air budur), ac o ganlyniad yn ceisio’i orau glas i chwalu unrhyw gyfle am gytundeb Plaid–Llafur.

Nid yw geiriad y cytundeb yn fanwl iawn, yn nhermau blaenoriaethu polisiau i ffurfio cytundeb o leiaf, ond mae o yn gosod y berthynas rhwng y pleidiau ar dir cadarn.

Er hyn, mae Huw Lewis yn chwim i ymuno a’r ffrae dros y ddogfen:

‘My main objection to this kind of deal is that if affords power with no responsibility- by failing to tie X into a formal coalition…..’

Methu clymu X i glymblaid ffurfiol? Ai nid y grwp Llafur a benderfynodd gwrthod y dewisiad hwn mewn cyfarfod hir yr wythnos ddiwethaf? Os oedden am fynd i ddrysau’r pleidiau eraill gyda’r dewisiad o glymblaid (neu os oedd y trafodaethau gyda’r Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol wedi dwyn ffrwyth), mi fuasai hyn wedi bod yn hollol ddichonadwy. Ond gyda’r Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol wedi bron a gwrthod clymblaid gyda Llafur, dilyn y ‘gytundeb’ yw’r unig ddewis iddynt.

Mae Huw Lewis yn ychwanegu:

‘In addition, the role of the Labour Party Group AMs from the party of government will be restricted and become utterly toothless’.

Rhaid bod Huw Lewis yn byw ar blaned arall os yw’n credu y bydd llywodraeth leiafrif Llafur, sydd yn dewis llywodraethu heb unrhyw gytundeb gyda plaid arall, yn fwy weithredol a phwerus!
Mae’n achos o bryder ei fod mor barod i leisio’i barn yn erbyn Rhodri Morgan, yn enwedig mewn amser mor pwysig yn y trafodaethau. Ai nid ychydig o unoliaeth mae Llafur angen nawr, neu a fydd her i arweinyddiaeth Rhodri Morgan yn gynt yn hytrach na hwyrach?