What can I blog about apart from coalitions?!

I must admit that I'm finding it hard to blog at the moment. Its mainly due to the fact that I want to blog about different issues of the day, but then this is overtaken by constant thoughts on the negotiations that are taking place between the political parties this week- a very important week if anyone is to make a decision on who will govern Wales for the next 4 years. I would very much like to put it to the back of my mind, but its impossible given the weight placed upon us as AM's, and us as Plaid members, to finalise agreements by the end of the week.

Some other blogs have noted that I am of course stating the obvious when discussing the fact that any decision must go through Plaid's proper channels. I understand their comments, but I am merely stating that all is not black and white- that a Rainbow coalition is not inevitable at this stage.

Of course, Plaid members are not being silenced on this issue as Alun Cairns suggests on his blog, but I do believe that members are, like myself, thinking all options through clearly, and are cautious to make statements that could jeopordise the progression or stability of any said agreement. I have received many emails in the last few days- some from constituents, some from party members, both for and against the idea of a Rainbow coalition. These messages do little to help me in making a firm decision, but are effective in assessing public perception to what could be an entirely new form of politics here in Wales.

In my opinion, the pressure is on Rhodri Morgan to either cut a good deal with Plaid or face the end of his political career in opposition( and does he really want a seat in opposition to be his lasting legacy??) The question is, does he master enough authority within his own group to be able to deliver any deal with Plaid?

We are the party constantly criticised for having negative thoughts of the Tories due to our 80's Thatcher hang ups, but it would be enlightening if commentators could highlight the fact that many Labour AM's must equally get over their blinkered view of Plaid, so that they too can embrace the consensual politics of 21st century Wales.

A deal with the Lib dems and Labour is dead in the water as far as I can gather from speaking to the likes of Peter Black. Therefore, Rhodri Morgan must come up trumps with Plaid in the next few days, or other options will have to be explored.

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Pynciau heblaw clymbleidiau?

Mae hi yn anodd iawn blogio ar y funud. Rwyf eisiau gwneud sylwadau ar faterion y diwrnod, ond wedyn yn dechrau meddwl am y trafodaethau rhyngbleidiol a fydd yn rhedeg drwy'r wythnos - wythnos hynod o bwysig, yn terfynu gyda phenderfyniad ar bwy fydd yn llywodraethu Cymru am y bedair mlynedd nesaf. Mi fuaswn yn hoffi gallu meddwl am rywbeth gwahanol, ond mae'n amhosib gwneud hyn gyda'r pwysau arnom fel ACau ac aelodau Plaid, i ffurfio cytundeb erbyn diwedd yr wythnos.

Mae rhai blogiau eraill wedi nodi fy mod yn mynegi yr hyn sydd yn amlwg pan yn trafod yr angen i unrhyw benderfyniad gael ei wneud drwy gyfundrefn ffurfiol y Blaid. Rwyf yn cydnabod eu barn, ond mae'n wir nad yw clymblaid Enfys yn anochel. Nid yw'n wir, fel mae Alun Cairns yn awgrymu ar ei flog, fod aelodau Plaid yn cael eu distewi ar y mater, ond mae aelodau, gan gynnwys fy hunan, yn meddwl dros y dewisiadau, ac rydm yn ofalus am fynegi barn a allai beryglu sefydlogrwydd trafodaethau.

Rwyf wedi derbyn nifer o e-byst yn ddiweddar - gan etholwyr ac aelodau'r Blaid, o blaid ac yn erbyn clymblaid Enfys. Dydi rhain ddim yn gynorthwyol i fy mhroses o wneud penderfyniad, ond yn ddefnyddiol i asesu dehongliad cyhoeddus o beth all fod yn fath newydd o wleidyddiaeth yng Nghymru.

Yn fy marn i, mae'r pwysau ar Rhodri Morgan i lunio cytundeb foddhaol gyda Plaid, neu gwynebu diwedd ei alwedigaeth wleidyddol fel gwrthbleidydd (ai dyma beth mae o eisiau fel ei gymynrodd??). Yr unig gwestiwn yw, a oes ganddo ddigon o ddylanwad yn ei grwp i arwain at gytundeb gyda Plaid?

Ni yw'r blaid sydd wedi cael ein cyhuddo o hel meddyliau negatif am y Toriaid, yn sgil trychinebau Thatcher yn yr 80au, ond mi fydd yn oleuol os y bydd rhai gohebwyr yn tanlinellu'r ffaith fod rhaid i lawer o ACau Llafur wynebu eu rhagdybiaethau hwy am y Blaid, fel ein bod yn gallu symud tuag at wleidyddiaeth cyd-weithredol newydd i Gymru yr 21ain ganrif.

Mae cytundeb rhwng y Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol a Llafur yn farw ar ei draed yn ol pobl fel Peter Black. Felly, mae'n rhaid i Rhodri Morgan wneud cynnig da i Plaid yn y dyddiau nesaf, neu mi fydd dewisiadau eraill yn cael eu ystyried.

First day at the Senedd

I'm finally getting settled in at the Assembly. I've been allocated my office, I've been given a mass of information on everything from wages, to staffing information, to research questions. It's a lot to take in today but I'm sure I'll get used to it. We had a group meeting this morning, and the BBC were like paparazzi outside filming the meeting. ( trying, no doubt to pick up any clues to their coalition story)

I've since done a few interviews for the press, followed by attening the first plenary session( I didn't have to vote, so I couldn't 'do a Gibbons'!). It was very exciting to sit in the Senedd with the other AM's, although I am told that you can hear everything everyone says in private conversation due to the acoustics of the place, so I kept quiet- naturally!

Fair play to Jane Hutt, she was the only Labour AM to congratulate all Plaid AM's in turn. The session wasn't very long, but Dafydd Ellis Thomas was re-elected Presiding Officer, and Rosemary Butler as Deputy. Let's hope they both get on better than Dafydd Ellis Thomas and John Marek!

Until we know who will govern at the Assembly, things will be quiet here I predict. It will give me enough time to plan, and to settle in properly...I hope!

still waiting for regional result but great night for Neath

Excuse the tiredness......

It's 10.38am and we still haven't had the South Wales West regional vote. It's looking tight, and I hope that we can clinch the 2nd regional seat.

Very tired, and annoyed that we had to leave without a clear result today.

Neath was an exceptional result, and is definitely winnable in 2011. Well done Alun Llewelyn, you made Labour very scared. Hain looked much more orange than usual, and was trying to comfort Gwenda when she thought she had lost.

Disappointing about Swansea West, but across the region we don't look too bad. Aberavon at constituency level was heartening in second place, but Gibbons has a huge majority to try and hack in to!!!

No television to find out results until early hours of the morning when the Afan Lido put on the televisions in the gym. Bizarre hour of candidates sitting watching Huw Edwards on the screens...and sleeping on cross trainers and running machines!

BNP walking around in matcho crowds all night, while I tried to avoid catching their attention. Communists got in to a bit of a cerfuffle with them. I couldn't even think of looking at Nick Griffin. Very disconcerting that the BNP have picked up votes, that's for sure.

I am getting ready to go out for today and face the world. Our count is at Port Talbot Civic Hall at 2pm. We will learn there how we have done on the regional list.

All in all, Plaid has done exceptionally well. Not the Labour meltdown that we had hoped for, but room for development for Plaid for 2011. Helen Mary winning Llanelli was an election high for me, and my friend Aileen Campbell getting in on the list for the SNP.

See more pictures on my facebook page of the evening.

I'm off to the count...enjoy the results.....

Well I can't say I've taken part in the 'live blogging' activity that's going to happen tonight, but I've posted a few blogs today that should give some sort of taster as to how the day has gone, and the election for Plaid in general terms. I don't want to get nostalgic just yet!

I'm off over to the count very soon so I won't be able to read the wealth of Welsh political blogs this evening. It is a very good idea I must say. I will probably pass any information that I might get to blamerbell, but I don't know why I should either, because I bet he didn't vote Plaid twice!

Oh well, enjoy the evening, the results, the pro-plus to stay awake, and Huw Edwards's take on the election from Cardiff Bay. I'll be over at the Afan Lido in Aberavon all evening at the Neath and Aberavon count.

Fingers crossed it'll be a good night for Plaid!

Nos da!

Election day -Early morning start....

Just arrived back fom distributing ' Good Morning, vote Plaid twice' cards in Swansea West. I didn't mind getting up early as it was a lovely morning, and I wasn't sleeping too well anyway! I have a distinct feeling that the Lib dems and Labour were out as well. ( although Labour were probably just targeting their own voters- can't have taken long then!!..)

Excellent Plaid advert on the front of the Evening Post today as well. The party centrally has really sharpened it's act. Let's hope we can continue this momentum after the election, especially if there is a snap General election, and Council elections around the corner! They've really worked hard at HQ, I have to say.

I'm going to get ready to go out and vote now, then to help out in Neath, where Ted Jones the Plaid blogger thinks that we are in the running to win. I must say we've had an excellent response on the streets in Neath, but I couldn't possibly call it one way or the other. We've worked solidly on the campaign for over a year, and it would be great if Alun Llewelyn could beat Gwenda 'out of her depth at the Assembly' Thomas.

I would also love to predict a Plaid win for Aberavon, as our candidate Linet Purcell is exceptional. She is forward-thinking, keen, is able to communicate Plaid's message effectively, and can win over new supporters in a matter of minutes with the excitement and pleasure that she shows in taking part in the campaign. There is no comparison between her and a dull Brian Gibbons. Support on the streets here have also been very very good.

I'll try and blog later on as well, and give some thoughts on the whole election and how it's gone.

I'm also keeping a keen eye on the Scottish elections, and have already made sure that I have text alerts for Clydesdale and Cumbernauld, where two of my SNP friends are standing. It should be a very eventful night in Scotland, that's for sure! Let's hope we can emulate that here in Wales!

Make a difference! Vote Plaid tomorrow!

All I can say is- I've knocked on as many doors as possible, I've walked all the streets of South Wales West that I could physically reach, I've leafleted, argued, discussed, contemplated and it's finally come to an end!

I've thoroughly enjoyed the campaign. It's been a great experience, and the Plaid team in South Wales West has worked so hard to make this campaign a success. Thank you to everyone who has helped Plaid during this important campaign.

I can only hope now for a Plaid Government on Friday morning. The ideal wake up call!

Don't forget- vote Plaid twice tomorrow!

Tribalism and politics

You must read this excellent article by Patrick McGuiness which was printed in yesterday's Western Mail. While you are doing that, I'm off to read up on the enlightening viewpoint of Gordon Brown in the Observer that next week's Assembly elections, local election in England, and Scottish Parliament are of little importance to him ( !), and to prepare myself mentally for a hard week of campaigning up until Thursday. I will probably watch the BBC Leader's debate tonight, but I must say that I was disappointed earlier with the standard of debate on the Politics Show. Jane Davidson's patronizing smirk was enough of a switch off!

It's getting to the point where I am increasingly nervous about the election. I can't sleep, I can't relax, and I'm so engrossed in this election now that I seriously don't think that I would be able to predict how it goes for fear of cursing the whole affair!

What did make me feel good today though was that on my weekly last minute rush around the supermarket, I overheard two people talking glowingly of Plaid, and how we were a threat to Labour in this election. Made my day!


Tribalism the Enemy- Patrick McGuiness


Politicians will blame everyone but themselves for our cynicism and apathy about politics. But cynicism and apathy are our way of protecting ourselves against the routine deceits and disappointments of the political class in Wales. When the government announced, earlier this month, that it would not meet its own child poverty targets, when Unicef statistics revealed the UK’s children were at the bottom end of the scale in the developed world in terms of welfare, or when New Labour and the Tories voted through billions of pounds for Thatcher’s Trident system, our first reaction was disappointment. Our second was to say to ourselves: ‘What did we expect?’, ‘They’re all the same’, ‘Why bother to vote’. Apathy and cynicism are not always the opposite of political passion and engagement – often they are their flip side. It’s much safer to be cynical – the cynical can never be let down.

But the biggest reason for ordinary people’s apathy and cynicism about Welsh politics is Tribalism. Tribalism is the cancer in our system, and it comes in two forms: the first puts party gain over the both the electorate and the political institutions; the second is negative campaigning, where a party spends more energy and initiative creating fear and suspicion of others than it does creating trust and belief in itself. In Wales we’ve seen plenty of both from our ruling party.

The 2003 Assembly election campaign saw some of the dirtiest politics in recent years waged against Plaid Cymru: extreme emails claiming to come from Plaid members were traced to Labour’s Millbank HQ and accusations of ‘racism’ and ‘xenophobia’ bandied around with chilling abandon. There is nothing nastier than a party on the ropes, but perhaps the lowest point in Welsh Labour’s campaign history is a website called ‘Natwatch’, which mocked not only the Welsh language (we’re never far from the anti-Welsh underbelly here) but attacked a Plaid politician for being English, stooping so low as to mock her North East England accent! To think we were told that the Assembly would put an end to Westminster posturing and bullying. Instead, they are replicated on a smaller scale, like watching charmless children act out adult arguments in a playground.

This time around, Labour’s sole weapon (ironically in a month when used Tory votes to get Trident through parliament) has been ‘Vote Plaid Get Tory’. What is most depressing about this is that Labour is effectively saying: ‘your vote has no positive value, only a negative one’. After all these years in power in Westminster and Cardiff Bay, is this the best a ruling party can offer? They value our vote – our opinion – so little that they only want us to use it negatively.

This strategy looks set to rebound on them with the kerfuffle caused by rumours of possible Labour/Plaid deals. Judging from the overwrought contribution, on Tuesday’s Good Evening Wales, of Huw Lewis, one of Labour’s most obsessive Plaid-bashers, there could be some blood-letting ahead. He was already making serious threats against whoever in his party had the audacity to think in these terms. What! Co-operate with another party? String ‘em up!

But Tribalist ranters aside, do we really think that political co-operation is such a bad idea? After all, there is plenty of common ground between Plaid and Labour voters, and it is a fair bet that many people in Wales would be in favour of some form of Plaid/Labour partnership. It would reflect a large and coherent voting base, and it would reach across different parts of the spectrum.

But Labour won’t hear of it – power is not there for the sharing. They think they’re the natural party of government, and they’re prepared to do some pretty unnatural things to keep it that way. Anyone who dares to challenge Labour on the territory to which it feels entitled – John Marek, Dai Davies or Trish Law, not to mention Plaid – has felt the force of an exceptionally wealthy and ruthless machine that now puts more effort and money into negative campaigning than it does into running things properly.

Much of this obsessive negativity comes from Tribalism. For the Tribalist, any form of co-operation with other parties is an abomination.

But in real life, that strange rumoured realm politicians rarely visit, we are all different. Different people work together at home, in business, in offices every day. Are our politicians so stupid or mean-spirited that they can’t do something similar? Diversity is good, they keep telling us, yet do their utmost to avoid any form of political diversity.

Labour’s Tribalists have succeeded only in damaging the possibility of a progressive consensus in Wales and lowered the esteem in which our new political institutions are held. They have also done untold damage to their own party’s standing as a mature political force, and alienated swathes of voters from the relevance and seriousness of politics. It is sincerely to be hoped that in the post-Rhodri leadership struggle, they are pushed into the margins of the party they have already so badly damaged.

As for May 3, there is a simple solution, and Labour don’t want you to see it: vote for who you want, for the reasons you want. If someone represents what you believe in, vote for them.
Your vote is your expression, not a politician’s means to power. Though they have forgotten that, but next week there’s a chance to remind them.

History on Plaid's Side in Swansea!

Dyma lun o ymgeiswyr Plaid yng nghanol Abertawe heddiw- fi, Dr Dai Lloyd,Ian Titherington gyda'r hanesydd John Davies. Roedd John Davies 'Hanes Cymru' wedi dod i gefnogi ein hymgyrch. Mae hanes ar ein hochr ni! ...Mae'r ymgyrch yn mynd o nerth i nerth. Wythnos i fynd!

Here is a picture of Plaid candidates in the centre of Swansea today. In the picture- me, Dr Dai Lloyd, Ian Titherington alongside John Davies the historian. History is on our side! The campaign is going form strength to strenght. A week to go!

Plaid female AM's and Western Mail poll

In case you don't already know, the Western Mail is carrying out a rating of all AM's this week, and Wales Elects 2007 is doing the maths on what party gets the best ratings.

Currently, Plaid are in the lead, and that's got to be a boost before the election! What's also good to note is that in comparison to Labour's female AM's who are unfortunately rated as low as 2, ( Irene James of Islwyn being one of those!) Plaid female AM's are currently doing rather well, I must say.

Plaid's Helen Mary Jones has been rated 8 out of 10, Elin Jones 7 out of 10, Jocelyn Davies I believe is on 6, Janet Davies on 5.

Although I would agree with the Western Mail in saying that many of the Labour female AM's are total nonentities, I would say that some of the male Labour AM's who have had fairer scores than their female counterparts are equally as ineffective.

Women often have a harder time of it in the world of politics, but it's great to see Plaid AM's up at the top of the scoreboards. Let's hope that the others can keep this level up, and give the men a run for their money!

Plaid Aberavon on the campaign trail...( or Cafe trail!)

Plaid's Linet Purcell in La Cucina- a lovely little Cafe in Skewen, where we have a Plaid Cymru notice board until the election on May the 3rd. We happened to pass by a few weeks ago when out canvassing, and jumped at the opportunity to let the people of Skewen know about all the campaigning that Linet and Plaid Afan are doing in the area- from supporting the planning protestors in Llandarcy, to sorting out the parking issue in Taibach, to collecting thousands of signature for the Neurosurgery petition by cycling around the constituency, and supporting the cleaners of Port Talbot Hospital in their fight against cuts in working hours.

Pop in and have a look if you are in the area... you might as well try a Caramel Latte while you are there!

Coalition. The dirty word of Welsh politics?

All this talk of coalition is really getting under my skin, I must admit. If I try and be the 'Honest John' of Blamerbell Briefs fame, I would say that I am not buying in to the media's obsession with 'coalition'. The reason being that this election has been marred with discussion of coalition, which I think has played a huge part in putting voters off. Many people that I have met on the doorstep don't want Labour back in power, but neither do they ever want to see the Tories in power in Wales again. Nick Bourne's arguments on Radio Wales yesterday don't seem to hold ground as much as he would like, therefore. Yes, voters do not like Labour at the moment, but they definitely do not see the Tories as 'an alternative' in Wales as part of a coalition or not.

To be honest, I don't want to get too embroiled in this coalition debate because I want to campaign to win seats for Plaid, to form a Plaid Government in May. It's frustrating that to say the above is just swept under the carpet and scorned at, as if by stating that I want to win an election on Plaid's own merit is dodging the question of coalition! It is not!

In my opinion, two weeks before an election is not a time to be discussing the ins and outs of coalition or co-operation post election- of who is phoning who, and who will be getting the top jobs. This confusion is only turning potential voters away, and allowing Labour to scaremonger in all their election leaflets about letting the Tories in through the back door.

Yes, I am something of an idealist. Some people say it's because I am young. They say I will soon grow up, be sensible, and realise that it's not a perfect world. Until ' I grown up', I do not sit comfortably with working with the Tories- new image, shiny new leader, whatever. Call me what you like- backward looking, naive etc. I'm not particularly bothered. My politics is driven by my heart, and I don't see the point in being in politics if at the first sniff of power, I sell my principles. Is ousting Labour at any cost a real, legitimate reason for forming a Goverment anyway?

In cases like this, it's better to be honest than to shy away from discussion. I know that there could be difficult decisions to make post May the 3rd, and I will, if elected, be part of such discussions, no doubt. If consensus needs to be reached between certain parties to form a Government, then that shall take place after May the 3rd, and not a minute before that.

Save our Health Service!

Dyma lun o ymgeisydd Plaid Castell Nedd, Alun Llewelyn, fi, Jean Jenkins sydd yn aelod o'r RCN, a Carolyn Edwards sydd ar rhestr rhanbarthol Gorllewin De Cymru. Fe wnaethom lansio'r poster mawr yma ar gyfer Castell Nedd Port Talbot heddiw. Ar ddiwedd y dydd, iechyd yw un o'r materion pwysicaf ym mywydau pobl pob dydd, ac mae'n hen bryd i ni ddod a rheolaeth aneffeithlon Llafur Newydd i ben yn etholiadau'r Cynulliad ar Fai y 3ydd.

Here is a picture of Alun Llewelyn, Plaid candidate for Neath, me, Jean Jenkins, a member of RCN, and Carolyn Edwards who is on Plaid's Regional list for South Wales West. We launched the billboard for Neath Port Talbot today. At the end of the day, health is one of the most important election issues for thousands of people in Wales, and we owe it to them to get Labour out on May the 3rd, after they have made a mess of our health service fo so many years.

Lib dem embrace 'happy meal' politics with free toothbrush

Just thought that it would be interesting to comment that a while back the Lib dems accused Plaid and other parties, of ' Happy Meal politics' - offering 'freebies' to electors in the Manifesto. Now it seems that the Lib dems are happy to follow suit, if a little less adventurous. They are offering all children under 4 years old a free toothbrush.... Perhaps they could include it in the McDonald's Happy Meals to balance out the damage done to our children's health.

Lansiad Maniffesto Plaid Manifesto launch

Rydym wedi lansio ein Maniffesto heddiw. Mae'r prif polisiau 7 4 '07 yn rhan o'r brif ddogfen, yn ogystal a pholisiau newydd eraill fel ymrwymo Plaid at gyflog Cenedlaethol Teg a ffordd newydd o lywodraethu trwy gael nifer o gyfarfodydd cabinet agored,'cynulliadau dinasyddion', a symud mwy o weinidogaethau allan o Gaerdydd i ardaloedd eraill o Gymru.

Polisiau eraill gwerth nodi yw y byddem yn cyflwyno system newydd yn lle TGAU a Safon A- gan gyflwyno system ar ffurf y Bagloriaeth Rhyngwladol. Byddem hefyd yn cyflwyno Awdurdod trafnidiaeth Cenedlaethol, gyda'r bwriad o ail Cenedlaetholi'r system yn yr hir dymor. Mae Deddf Iaith Newydd hefyd ar flaen yr agenda ym Maniffesto Plaid, yn ogystal a chynnig grantiau i bobl i arbed egni yn eu tai. Polisiau newydd, ffres sydd yn mynd i blesio pobl Cymru, dwi'n mawr obeithio!

Os hoffech ddarllen y maniffesto mewn mwy o fanylder, ewch i wefan y blaid.

We launched our Manifesto for the election today. The main 7 4 '07 policies were emphasised again, as well as a plethora of other policies, a main policy being a commitment to a National living wage. We also proposed a new way of governing by having a number of open cabinet meetings, 'citizen assemblies' and the promise to move more Ministeries outside of Cardiff.

Other policies worth noting are that we will replace the GCSE and A Level qualification with a new International Baccalaureate-style qualification. We will also introduce a new National Transport Authority, with a view to re-nationalise the transport system in the long-term. A New Welsh Language Act is also one of our top priorities, as well as energy saving grants for people in their households. These are fresh, new policies that I hope will impress the people of Wales!

If you want to read the Manifesto in detail go to the Plaid website.