At last, it seems that Plaid are starting to stir - or at least IWJ is - I was getting worried that with all of the distractions about our thieving grasping MPs (can the DT please hurry up and print Peter Hains....) that Labour would miss the opportunity to vote the referendum through the Senedd and Westminster before calling a UK General Election.
The referendum will have to be held within 12 months of the Senedd vote (I need to check the extact detail on this) which would then be after the Conservatives have won the General Election, which should actually improve our chances of winning the referendum.
It sounds like a plan may be about to come together.
May 29, 2009
May 14, 2009
Agile Government for Fragile Times
Paul Flynn recently commented on his blog about a conversation he had with Rhodri Morgan, which nicely sums up why we should have more powers in Cardiff Bay:
Our First Minister said that it was a manageable task to run a country with three million people. In Westminster there are rubber levers. The ministers pull them and nothing happens.
In Wales decisions can be taken quickly and implemented with certainty. Or as he put it
'It's agile Government for fragile times'
Our First Minister said that it was a manageable task to run a country with three million people. In Westminster there are rubber levers. The ministers pull them and nothing happens.
In Wales decisions can be taken quickly and implemented with certainty. Or as he put it
'It's agile Government for fragile times'
May 6, 2009
Snakes and Ladders
To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the first Welsh Assembly, there has been a lot of related articles published in the mainstream media this week. This included an interview with the Speaker where he suggested that a referendum could be held in 2011 to coincide with the next Assembly election.
I consider this referendum to be a bit like a game of snakes and ladders. We are currently on square 22, and in front of us is a ladder which will take us forward to square 36 in the case of a Yes vote, and also a snake which will take us back to square 18 in the case of a No vote. But there is also another way forward suggested by Emyr Jones Parry – which is to avoid the snake and the ladder altogether by simply not holding a referendum. We could still get to ‘square 36’ eventually but it would need to take a series of smaller steps over a longer period.
This might sound a good risk-free tactic for a diplomat, but I think we have waited long enough for our parliament and it is time for us to roll the dice. I have no doubt that we would comfortably win a Yes vote, and could climb the ladder quickly to give the Assembly the powers that it needs.
UPDATE: It seems that other people have different views on timing.
I consider this referendum to be a bit like a game of snakes and ladders. We are currently on square 22, and in front of us is a ladder which will take us forward to square 36 in the case of a Yes vote, and also a snake which will take us back to square 18 in the case of a No vote. But there is also another way forward suggested by Emyr Jones Parry – which is to avoid the snake and the ladder altogether by simply not holding a referendum. We could still get to ‘square 36’ eventually but it would need to take a series of smaller steps over a longer period.
This might sound a good risk-free tactic for a diplomat, but I think we have waited long enough for our parliament and it is time for us to roll the dice. I have no doubt that we would comfortably win a Yes vote, and could climb the ladder quickly to give the Assembly the powers that it needs.
UPDATE: It seems that other people have different views on timing.
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