I took part in a radio discussion today with other Plaid members regarding the House of Lords, all with differing opinions. We can't, for now at least, go back on the decision, so I will of course step in line, and see what can be made of the situation.
Yes, Dafydd Wigley is the likely contender. I have heard Sian Lloyd's name bandied about a bit. I've even heard that she was the one to have started the rumours, but time will tell whether anything will actually materialise from this. For now there is plenty of work for party officials in preparing the timeline for hustings and so on. I can't wait. Jill Evans MEP made the point over the weekend that at least Plaid will be electing our Lords democratically within party structures. I'm not sure that this is much of a comfort to those of us who are opposed to the concept, but it is an argument for the way that we can try and do things differently to other maintstream parties. What's important in all of this is that we continue to campaign for the democratisation of the House of Lords, and that we don't fall in to a comfort zone when we 'elect' our first batch of Lords or Ladies.
I failed to mention last week that Dragon's Eye also carried a piece about Child Poverty, and Huw Lewis's concerns that the Government will not meet its targets. Leighton Andrews rightly pointed out that reaching the target may be challenging, and this due to the fact that Westminster still retains many of the powers with regards to the benefits system- which has an inevitable affect on this particular issue.
Of course, the Assembly will do as much as we can within our remit to reach the target of halving child poverty by 2010, but we must also relay our concerns to Westminster with regards the issues that we have no power over. I suspect that Huw Lewis is coming out with this now as he realises the depth of his responsibility in chairing the specialist working group on Child Poverty in Wales, and is perhaps cynically hinting that there is an issue with Government prioritisation due to his unhappiness with the Plaid/ Labour deal.
What I am certain of is that the Government must work alongside all groups with interest in this area to ensure that we implement ideas that will assist in easing the burden of poverty amongst children, and that WAG voices its opinions loud and clear to the Government at Westminster.
11 comments:
Of course the Liberal Democrats pioneered the concept of electing their nominees for peerages.
oh well done Peter! You manage to take the praise for most things;-)
What's your opinion on Clegg and Huhne on the Politics Show then, while your here...
Of course the Liberal Democrats pioneered the concept of electing their nominees for peerages.
Was that before or after they discovered the wheel, freed the slaves and ended the Cold War?
Bethan - are you suggesting that child poverty is as high on the agenda of the One Wales Government as it was in the Labour policies spelt out before the election? If so you've gone quite mad.
You didn't go as far as taking away the pompous titles thuogh, did you Peter?
In order to be chosen for the Westminster 2nd Chamber from Plaid, you have to be both a party member and be on the approved candidate's list. Sian has still some work to do.
Yes no doubt she does, but it's not bad publicity for her is it?!
What tipped the balance for me to vote for, was the fact that ministers Ieuan, Rhodri and Elin will have to go to Westminster to request approval for the ELCOS and if we had voted no there would be nobody from Plaid in the upper chamber to promote the ELCOs
I voted yes becuase Wales now faces a wall of prejudice in London, stoked up by the media and fanned by English based politicians. Devolution has created a very strong anti-Scottish feeling amongst the English nation and this resentment will inevitably affect Wales. Unless we take every opportunity to counteract this, we will suffer. I share Bethan's dislike of the whole structure of the House of Lords, but I do not believe we are in a position to be so principled.
"You manage to take the praise for most things;-)"
A bit like your "plaid has done everything" rant in your column in this week's Neath Port Talbot Guardian then, eh?
anon- fair point but I am trying to be positive!
Post a Comment