Nick Bourne AM

Thoughts on the Labour/Plaid Cymru deal will be relayed later.  I think a little bit of perspective is perhaps needed before articulating a reaction, though obviously I feel a sense of deep, personal disappointment and disappointment for what may have been for Wales as I believe we could have, together as the three parties of the All Wales Accord done important, innovative and progressive things in government together. 
 

The Labour Deputy leadership battle was a strange affair.  There was certainly no shortage of candidates, and I followed the contest with some interest.  John Cruddas would have certainly been a break with the past and there were many points he was making about contact with the wider party that would have struck a chord with anybody in a large political party.  Hilary Benn was courteous, cerebral and seemed dignified, but, had I been a Labour Party member and looking to the future and trying to project a broad appeal to the British electorate, I think Alan Johnson would certainly have been my choice.  In fact I was stunned when he wasn’t selected.  He seemed to me as a Londoner, admittedly representing a northern constituency, a way to balance Gordon Brown. Given his background and the success he has had this would have been  a marvellous image for the Labour Party. He didn’t seem to me to be at all chippy, and when asked who his favourite Conservatives didn’t, as Harriet Harman did, say that he disliked all Conservatives.  I think that was a silly response and, whether true or dissembled, should have caused alarm amongst Labour voters in the electoral college that elected the Deputy Leader.  If true, it would certainly leave one to question her judgement and general approach to life, and if dissembled, would indicate an alarming ability to say something just to court appeal.  It may, of course, be the latter. 
 

Within hours of being elected to the post of Deputy Leader, Harriet Harmon was saying that she had never said that a public apology for the Iraq war on the part of the Labour government was appropriate.  It is quite clear for those who watched Newsnight, as I did, that in debate amongst the various candidates that when John Cruddas said that it was necessary for suck an apology she simply said that she agreed and thought it was necessary for there to be such a public apology.  The issue is not whether there should be such a public apology or not but the inconsistency in such a short period on an issue of importance to the British people and to voters in the country. 
 

It was also interesting that when asked who their favourite Conservative that not one of the band of candidates selected Quentin Davies (and this was some two weeks ago).  It not known then that he was a potential defector within the Labour Party or was it?  It seems not, or not at least at the level of the candidates for the Deputy post.
 

In the Chamber today Alun Davies quoted from Quentin Davies in seeking to present the Conservative Party’s lack of beliefs and principles.  I must say I was surprised at his gall as one of two very prominent members of the Labour Party who have been members of other parties, in his own case Plaid Cymru, and in the case of Leighton Andrews, the Liberal Democrats.  Perhaps he does speak with some authority.  Like Leighton, Alun is very articulate and very able and I think we are going to hear a lot from him (and indeed from Leighton) in this Assembly.
 

Tomorrow we will see a new Prime Minister entering number ten, but Gordon Brown is anything but new, it will be extremely hard for him to portray himself as a fresh start. 

After 10 years of stealth taxes we know we are going to have to watch him like a hawk to ensure he does not continue to get away with his underhand tactics. 

Over the last decade people we have learned all we need to know about Gordon Brown. He is the man responsible for the pension’s crisis, the spin, the bureaucracy, and the public sector cuts. 

It does not end there though; Gordon’s deputy is extremely old hat. Harriet Harman pipped favourite Alan Johnson and four other MPs to win the ballot of party and union members, Labour MPs and MEPs. 

Ms Harman is the come back kid of the Labour Party; she has had a political career that could easily be compared to a roller coaster, joining Mr Blair’s first cabinet only to be sacked shortly after. 

Despite claiming to want to end the culture of spin, she was speaking with conviction when she dismissed newspaper critics saying “Some are saying I am too right-wing, others are saying I am too left-wing… they haven’t really got it sorted out. I just am what I am.” Clear cut there then. 

She sponsored the cuts for lone parents and sent her son to a grammar school outside of the borough she represents. She no doubt wants to abolish grammar schools but only after her children have completed their elections. 

I have no doubt in my mind that the Gordon Brown and his “new” cabinet will be seen for what they are in no time at all – no change! 

I am extremely concerned to hear about the planned changes to staffing levels at the 999 control centre covering Mid and West Wales, which amount to nothing short of dreadful cuts.  

Our emergency services do a fantastic job at whatever level they work at, be it at a call centre or on the front lines. I am getting increasingly concerned that the Labour Government both here in Cardiff and at Westminster simply do not recognise this in terms of their treatment of these superb workers. 

It is for the people providing these services to tell us what they need in order to do the job and their needs must be met as a priority. I share the staff’s grave concerns about cutting down the night cover to only four people, if the people on the front line think it’s not enough, I fail to see why the Fire authority and politicians can question it. 

In areas such as Mid and West Wales clear information is one of the most important assets the emergency services can have, especially considering the distances our emergency services have to travel. Mistakes cost lives. 

I wanted to blog about this subject because I was extremely concerned to hear that the staff are feeling hugely under-valued. This is not true, I for one admire the work they do and I know from my constituency post bag that many many people from across Mid and West Wales are furious about the poor deal they are getting. They and we deserve better. 

I was filled with a mixture of delight and horror to hear that the LNG pipeline had uncovered a Roman Road dating back to the 1^st century AD. First and foremost this is a fascinating and very important discovery for not only archaeologists but for the general public as well.

 We need to protect this important discovery, while of course not hindering the route of the important LNG pipeline.  I am campaigning for this to be made a feature of the Brecon Beacons National Park and I also want to get the National Museum involved in the project. The road used to connect Abergavenny and Brecon all those years ago and is certainly a site I would like to visit and I think many other people would value such an opportunity.

We are set to have a daily newspaper in Welsh, hopefully launched on the first Monday of March next year. I for one will be subscribing, I have been learning Welsh for a couple of years now and am starting to get the confidence to tackle the Minister in Welsh! It is quite a daunting task and I am sure the newspaper will not only help me to develop my Welsh skills, but will be read by many people from across Wales and beyond.