Reasons to be Cheerful and Watchfull
At the end of the first week of the recess– which does not coincide with holiday! We have had some appalling weather. On a balmy Thursday evening in Montgomeryshire it was hard to believe the dire predictions of flash floods and incessant rain for Friday. The forebodings were right and the Royal Welsh tomorrow opens in the aftermath of some dreadful weather.
However at the end of this assembly term the party is in good shape in Wales and throughout the country. Bye-elections come and go and Conservatives have never performed as well in these as we do in national elections. Southall and Sedgefield have not been held by the Conservatives since World War 2. Perhaps expectations were raised but these are scarcely weathervane seats or what the Americans might call swing seats.
In Wales I believe the party in the aftermath of the Assembly elections and the long poker negotiations that went on afterwards is in a strong position and in very good heart. I am fortunate to lead a strong team and to have solid support in our approach to devolved politics from Cheryl Gillan and from David Cameron. David Jones as shadow minister and David Davies and Stephen Crabb provide strong support.
I fear Plaid Cymru have not secured a good deal in their negotiations for cabinet places with Labour. Rhodri Morgan has kept his team intact except for one deputy minister post and the whole thing looks like a Labour mansion ( apologies to Shaun Woodward) with a Plaid Cymru lean-to at the back. It
looks like the cabinet negotiations are pretty much Game Set and Match to Labour. I am surprised that Carwyn has settled for a backwater of a job - as Counsel General even if the Business Manager role is added in. Is this Rhodri keeping his team intact or is it forward planning for the succession? I know that Rhodri had originally intended that the post of Counsel General should not go to a party politician because we discussed it, and I even put forward a name ( non political) Be that as it may this is not a job in the forefront of the day to day bread and butter politics. There are springs in the steps of Andrew Davies and Edwina Hart.
Plaid Cymru could scarcely have not gained one of the three large ministries ( economy, health and education ) and I had assumed they would take the economy slot. The other two ministries would have been exactly what could have been and were predicted. I wish Ieuan (economy), Elin (agriculture) and Rhodri Glyn (heritage- fun) well. We must just hope Rhodri Glyn doesn’t take the fun sub title of his ministerial role too literally.
The Test Match is going well at Lords, mercifully Lewis Hamilton is alright despite that horrendous crash in qualifying for the European Grand Prix. The flooding is, of course, dreadful and must mean that though we need to build more housing we need to ensure that there is no building on flood
plains. Mercifully there has been little loss of life. I see incidentally that the BNP have found a bolt hole to go. to in Croatia if there is apocalyptic breakdown of society and anarchy following the world’s oil running out– how patriotic! (Observer)
We have been very well served by our agriculture officials and our chief vet who must have been working under immense pressure on the TB infected bull. I am hopeful of tomorrow’s decision but whatever it is they deserve our thanks.
