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Bevan Foundation reviewISSUE 13 WINTER 2009 £10 Democracy: where now? All Wales Convention • Electoral reform • MPs’ expenses • Participation • Debate • Engaging ethnic communities • Lobbyists • Coalitions • Entitlement • Petitions • Chartists • Protest and song • Barack Obama • Trades Unions Join the Bevan Foundation Contents ISSUE 13 WINTER 2009 the social justice think tank for Wales Join us and be at the forefront of new thinking to shape the future of Wales. Members of 2-3 Sir Emyr Jones Parry 18-19 John Drysdale the Bevan Foundation come from all walks of life and include businesses, community How the All Wales Convention arrived at its How do we expand direct democracy and findings civic engagement? groups, local authorities, trades unions, politicians from all parties and individuals of all ages. 4-5 David Davies, Elfyn Llwyd and 20-21 Daran Hill Members have a say in what we do and also get: Jenny Willott Coalitions – a formula for success - access to the latest thinking about social justice through our magazine, How the expenses row has changed Bevan Foundation Review, published three times a year; Parliament 22-23 The Rev Aled Edwards - insight into new ideas through our thought-provoking reports and pamphlets; The last Sunday (an extract from his - opportunities to shape policy through our round table discussions and seminars; 6-7 Bethan Jenkins book on the US presidential election) - learning and networking at conferences and lectures The petitions committee could revolutionise Welsh democracy 24-25 Chartism: a celebration Membership rates for 2009-10: 8-9 Vaughan Gething 26-27 Dafydd Iwan - individuals £30 (low waged £15) if paid by cheque, or £25 if paid by standing order Engaging ethnic communities The power of the protest song - small voluntary organisations, trades union branches, £50 - large voluntary organisations and library subscriptions £100 10-11 Annabelle Harle - small corporate bodies £200 We must consider alternative ways of voting 28-29 Union View - large corporate bodies £500 plus Jamie Jenkins on unions and young people 12-13 Wayne David Are we entitled to our public services? Can I would like to join the Bevan Foundation. 30 Unheard Voices we find a Welsh solution Spiro Sueref on coming to terms with sight Name . loss 14-15 Paul Flynn and Robbie MacDuff Organisation . What does lobbying contribute to 31 Talking Point Address . democracy? Victoria Winckler discusses the promise of eco-housing . 16-17 Mary van den Heuvel and Ceri Jackson People with sight problems still face 32 News . Post Code . democratic barriers Email: . Tel:. Fax: . I wish to join as follows (please tick one) From the Editor By the time you read this, you will be fully aware of the contents of the much anticipated report from the All Wales Individual Corporate large/small Convention, chaired by Sir Emyr Jones Parry. The central question remains: do people want more legislative powers – and, by extension, more independence – or don’t they? Voluntary large/small Library subscription Regardless of what the findings are, one thing is certain. Wales has a history of making up its own mind, arriving at its own radical ideas and then stubbornly seeing them through. It could be argued that the country’s movement toward the I wish to pay as follows (please tick one) All Wales Convention began in 1839 with the Newport Uprising, where Chartists took up arms in a bid to win suffrage. The Chartist contribution to democracy was celebrated in a special Bevan Foundation event last month in – where else? – Please invoice me for . Newport. Featuring a range of speakers and performances, it focussed on democracy, and democracy in Wales in particular. Along with the 170th anniversary of the Newport Uprising this year, it’s just over 80 years since universal I enclose a cheque for . suffrage, and a decade since the National Assembly came in to being. To mark those milestones, this issue of the Bevan Foundation Review focuses on democracy. We carry an eye-witness I wish to pay by Standing Order . account of the US election from a member of Obama team, when campaigning was changed forever, as well as speaking to MPs in the wake of the expenses scandal and examining how the Assembly is moving democracy forward in new ways. We also take a light-hearted look at coalitions, democracy in work, engaging ethnic populations and improving access to Please return this form with your payment to The Bevan Foundation voting and decision-making, entitlement, electoral reform, the impact of lobbying, as well as a piece from Sir Emyr on FREEPOST RRKG-YZYE-HBEC, Aneurin Bevan House, 40 Castle Street, Tredegar, NP22 3DQ what he discovered on his travels. 1 FEATURE We all own the Bills. The Welsh Assembly Government agrees with Westminster whether it will include provision for Assembly now Wales in an Act and effectively by-pass the Assembly. The timescale is more predictable, The All Wales Convention on because the UK Government’s legislative programme runs regularly from year to year, and greater powers, due to there is an expectation that Bills will be completed report this month, is one of within a year, at least. the most anticipated events The new possibilities of acquiring primarily in recent Welsh political legislative powers for the Assembly are bedding history. Here, it’s chairman down. But the Government of Wales Act in 2006 provides another way for the powers to come all at Sir Emyr Jones Parry gives a once, for the National Assembly for Wales to have rare insight into its workings, primary law-making powers across all of the 20 and the attitudes he found devolved fields, to correspond to all the areas where the Welsh Assembly Government has P among Welsh people that h o t o executive powers. This could only happen : met with the body P e t following a majority yes vote in a referendum, of e r S l course. If it did happen, LCOs and framework a t e provisions in UK Bills would become a thing of the r hen we talk of devolution, many people’s past. thoughts will return to the 1997 This is where the All Wales Convention comes in. area such as education is devolved to Wales, then and most members of the public are not affected Wreferendum and the creation of the We have had the challenging job of explaining the the Assembly has full responsibility and therefore by ‘processes’, especially the process of getting Assembly in 1999. This, of course, marked the current devolution settlement to the people of law-making powers in that area. But, as we know, powers. It may be the more practical or emotional establishment of a democratically-elected body of Wales, and trying to get a feel as to which way it’s rarely that simple. arguments that touch them, which will in the end there is generally politicians for Wales but, in terms of powers, the people would vote if they were presented with a Those who are against giving the Assembly decide if people vote and how. There are other an ownership of Government of Wales Act 1998 only transferred choice between the current arrangements and law-making powers in the 20 fields all at views on both sides, such as why shouldn’t Wales powers from the Secretary of State for Wales to primary legislative powers across all 20 fields. As ‘the Assembly once believe the current system gives the have the same powers as Scotland? Or those who the newly-formed administration. you can imagine, it has been an eventful journey, among many of the politicians and civil servants time to gradually are afraid that more law-making powers will lead This new National Assembly for Wales inherited full of twists and turns and reminiscent of the public in Wales and get used to dealing with law-making to Wales following the ‘slippery slope’ to the Secretary of State’s executive powers in the 20 A470, which we have travelled along a fair few a feeling that powers. They also feel this provides robust independence. devolved fields, including education and health, so times in the course of our consultation across devolution has scrutiny of any application for powers. Some What we’ve found though is that most people it could formulate and lead on national policy. But Wales. brought politics also think that the Assembly isn’t mature have accepted and support devolution in one way in terms of law-making powers, it could only pass We openly invited everyone in Wales to tell us closer to the enough yet to deal with primary law-making or another. People may not be happy with every secondary legislation. what they think of the Assembly and whether people. powers, and that there isn’t the capacity to decision that the Assembly Government makes, The Government of Wales Act 2006 provided the should it get more law-making powers. Even cope with these powers. but there is generally an ownership of the potential for the Assembly to pass primary though one of the main obstacles has been a For those who want to move to Part 4 of Assembly among many of the public in Wales and legislation. At present, the Assembly is gradually general apathy towards politics in general, we have the Government of Wales Act 2006, where a feeling that devolution has brought politics closer acquiring powers to pass primary legislation. There managed to reach many people in Wales, some of the Assembly would have primary law-making to the people. Whether they feel that sticking with are two ways it can do this, through a Legislative whom haven’t been engaged with politics much in powers, the appeal is in the clarity that this would the current situation is fine or that the Assembly Competence Order (LCO), or asking for powers to the past.