Was it George Osbourne who said that he didn't take part in any political activity over the weekend? I don't keep to this very often (Saturday night Plaid Neath quiz night as case in point, which was very enjoyable I'd like to add) but sometimes when I watch the Politics Show I start to go for the remote, knowing that there is athletics on the other channel! Its mainly because some of the interviews are, shall we say, a little monontonous, or at best predictable. Take Nick Clegg today for example.
I don't think that I learnt anything new about the Lib dems, only that they still aren't quite sure where they are at, and what they are trying to achieve. Its a little worrying for them, that despite their Cameron puppet leader they are still flatlining in the polls. Clegg was rushing over his words, trying to ensure that he wouldn't have to answer any questions about whether he would go into coalition with the Tories or Labour if it came to the crunch on a Westminster level. Remind you of any past events, anyone?!
As was said in the piece on the Lib dems on the show, there are plenty of ways in which they can seek to offer new ideas, but they don't seem to be grasping this agenda, especially so in Wales where Plaid are already offering and delivering on left of centre policies which coincide with the thoughts of the normal Lib dem voter. What annoyes me most about Lib dems, however, is their insistancy on appearing whiter than white about every policy or debate, despite this being far from the truth in many, but not all cases. Voting with New Labour and the Tories for the selling of student loans to private companies being one of their most recent fault lines in Westminster.
I have read many a Lib dem blogger talk about Labour and Plaid in Government in Cardiff Bay, and it is interesting that their ( one being Peter Black of course) strategy is to hammer in to Plaid at every opportunity, and this despite them failing to take up the opportunity when it arose to go in to Government! Now I know that we have to take hard decisions in Governemnt, and I haven't always agreed with everything that the Government in Cardiff Bay has done, but I enjoy the fact that we can negotiate from inside Government, and that we can influence the more progressive Labour AMs to think in line with Plaid's priorities and policy objectives. You can spin our involvement in Government any way you like, but I believe that this has been a superb opportunity for Plaid to govern, and to enthuse party members and the Welsh people alike.
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