Assembly Bwletin Cynulliad
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Issue 4—December 2007 Assembly Bwletin Cynulliad On the agenda this month: All‐Wales Convention Taking Shape Greater powers for the Assembly to be discussed Welsh Politician of the Year Awards Christmas comes early for one Welsh politican No Child Kept Behind Are we doing enough to help the most able? A speech too far? And why is this man smiling? ...Find out inside. Assembly Bwletin Cynulliad is a joint initiative between Grayling and the Institute of Welsh Affairs, bringing you the ABC of Welsh politics every month. We would be pleased to receive your feedback: Institute of Welsh Affairs Grayling 1‐3 Museum Place 2 Caspian Point Cardiff, CF10 3BD Cardiff Bay, CF10 4DQ Tel: 029 2066 6606 Tel: 029 2046 2507 www.iwa.org.uk www.grayling.com Issue 4 — December 2007 ALL‐WALES CONVENTIONARTICLE 1 TAKING SHAPE Grayling Political Strategy Emyr appeared in a television interview to back fur‐ ther powers, saying that it was ‘incongruous’ that On 17 December the Steering Committee of the All‐ Scotland had full parliamentary devolution but Wales Wales Convention will meet for the first time in Lon‐ did not. First Minister, Rhodri Morgan, however, has don. This, as Assembly Bwletin Cynulliad covered in the emphasised that the former diplomat will not be in‐ last issue, will be the forum that will assess over the volved in the campaign for a ‘yes’ vote, as Labour and next few years whether or not the Welsh Assembly is Plaid Cymru will be. ready for a referendum on full, Scottish‐style parlia‐ mentary powers. The convention will be chaired by With relations between Westminster and Cardiff Bay Burry Port‐born Sir Emyr Jones Parry, former UK Am‐ already tense from teething problems experienced by bassador to the United Nations (and, before that, to the Legislative Competence Order process of devolv‐ Nato). The Steering Committee itself will be made up ing further powers from Parliament to Assembly, it of four Labour MPs, three Plaid Cymru MPs, four La‐ will be interesting to see how the relationships within bour AMs, four Plaid AMs, and Plaid’s former Ceredi‐ the convention’s Steering Committee pan out. Sir gion MP Cynog Dafis, whom some commentators are Emyr has said that he intends to produce a report on tipping for a peerage now that the party has formally the viability of a Welsh Parliament by the end of 2009. ended its ban upon members entering the House of In the meantime, he said, he wants ‘the widest public Lords. Membership of the Steering Committee is as involvement’ with the convention’s work. The first follows: task, however, will be for him and his political col‐ leagues on the Steering Committee to determine the Labour Plaid Cymru convention’s size and make‐up. Many prominent peo‐ ple, on both sides of the devolutionary fence, will have Nick Ainger MP Elfyn Llwyd MP plenty to say about that. Nia Griffith MP Adam Price MP Ian Lucus MP Hywel Williams MP The convention is a crucial part of the One Wales coali‐ Jessica Morden MP Nerys Evans AM tion commitment to hold a referendum on full parlia‐ Christine Chapman AM Alun Ffred Jones AM mentary powers for the Assembly by 2011. So far the Jeff Cuthbert AM Helen Mary Jones AM Assembly Government has been relatively vague Alun Davies AM Dai Lloyd AM about the convention’s actual duties, other than Lynne Neagle AM Cynog Dafis ‘taking evidence…and exploring how to engage with civil society throughout Wales’. The Steering Commit‐ While it is now ready to start business, the conven‐ tee, meanwhile, will set the timetable, framework and tion’s fledgling days have not been without problems. terms of reference for the convention, beginning with Firstly, Labour MP Don Touhig, who opposed his its first meeting. It will have to strike a balance be‐ party’s agreement of a coalition deal with Plaid in the tween appearing too elitist and of the crachach (Welsh‐ Assembly, criticised the decision to appoint Sir Emyr, speaking elite) on one hand, and looking like an ex‐ saying that he would have preferred someone who pensive, publicly‐funded gravy train on the other. ‘lives in, and pays taxes in, Wales’ to take on the job. The career diplomat, he said, would probably ‘need a Coming soon… sat‐nav’ to find his way around Wales. To this, Sir Emyr responded that ‘anybody who tells me I need a Assembly to Senedd: the Convention and the Move to sat‐nav, I’ll compete with them in a rally around Primary Power Wales without a map’. Spring 2008 Speakers include: Sir Emyr Jones Parry, Rt Rev Dr Furthermore, Conservative MP David Davies, former Barry Morgan and John Osmond. AM and prominent devolution critic, slammed the convention as a ‘publicly‐funded yes campaign’ and Contact the IWA for more details: questioned its neutrality in any future public debate [email protected] or 029 2066 6606. on further powers for the Assembly. His reservations seemed to be fuelled several weeks later when Sir Issue 4 — December 2007 ITV AND BBC WELSHARTICLE POLITICIAN 1 AWARDS, 2007 Grayling Political Strategy Year, meanwhile, was Councillor Aled Roberts, the Liberal Democrat leader of Wrexham County Bor‐ The evening of 11 December saw ITV Wales’ annual ough Council. The ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ political gong‐fest take place at Cardiff’s elegant City went to Lord (Wyn) Roberts of Conwy, a Conserva‐ Hall. The award categories, and this year’s winners, tive peer and tireless Welsh language proponent who were: served as a Welsh Office Minister under Margaret Thatcher and John Major. It is generally agreed that Welsh Politician of the Year – Ieuan Wyn Jones Lord Roberts was a major influence on the Tory Gov‐ AM ernment’s decision to create S4C in 1982 and intro‐ Welsh MP of the Year – Kim Howells MP duce the Welsh Language Act 1993. Welsh AM of the Year – Helen Mary Jones AM ‘One to Watch’ for 2008 – Angela Burns AM Memorable, also, was Welsh Secretary Peter Hain’s Campaigner of the Year – John Smith MP guest speech. BBC Wales’ Betsan Powys described it Local Politician of the Year – Cllr Aled Roberts ‘as though a man with his back to the wall had de‐ Lifetime Achievement Award – Lord Roberts of cided to spray the whole room with bullets’. Lib Dem Conwy AM Peter Black, meanwhile, said it was ‘one of the As expected, Ieuan Wyn Jones was named Welsh most misjudged keynote speeches I have ever heard’, Politician of the Year after leading his party into coali‐ criticising Mr Hain as ‘partisan and personal’ in a tion government with Labour in the Assembly. He ‘series of lame and outdated jokes about the winners’. concluded the deal after forsaking the chance to be‐ Mr Hain’s speech certainly did draw gasps from the come First Minister in a ‘rainbow coalition’ govern‐ crowd, particularly when he labelled Plaid MP Adam ment with the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. Price and Western Mail chief reporter Martin Shipton Outspoken Labour MP Kim Howells, a Foreign Office the ‘Laurel and Hardy of Welsh Politics’ and said that Minister with a special remit in Middle East Affairs, in his opinion former Tory AM Laura Anne Jones was was named MP of the Year. A prominent critic of the in fact the ‘One to Watch’ rather than Ms Burns. Labour‐Plaid Cymru coalition in the Assembly, Mr Howells was awarded for his efforts to broker a peace The Awards closely followed last week’s BBC Wales deal between Israel and the Palestinian Authority in am.pm Awards, where the winners were: the ongoing Middle East conflict. Politician of the Year – Ieuan Wyn Jones AM Plaid’s Helen Mary Jones was named AM of the Year, Newcomer of the Year – Alun Davies AM after successfully recapturing the Llanelli constitu‐ Communicator of the Year – Adam Price MP ency from Labour and then emerging as an opponent Campaigner of the Year – Chris Bryant MP and of the ‘rainbow coalition’ as it would involve entering Leighton Andrews AM a deal with the Tories. Rounding off an excellent year Most Outspoken – Don Touhig MP Ms Jones was recently awarded the chance to intro‐ duce a legislative competence order (LCO) to devolve powers over the introduction of carer information Notably, Rhondda’s MP Chris Bryant, and AM packs. The ‘One to Watch’ for 2008 was the Tories’ Leighton Andrews, were jointly awarded Cam‐ Angela Burns, only elected in May but who has al‐ paigner of the Year for their efforts to save the Bur‐ ready impressed in her intense scrutiny of the coali‐ berry factory in Treorchy. Though ultimately unsuc‐ tion budget as Shadow Finance Minister. cessful in trying to keep the factory open, they were able to secure some concessions from the company Campaigner of the Year was Labour MP John Smith, before it moved production overseas. who has campaigned intensively in his Vale of Gla‐ morgan constituency to win the contract for the Min‐ So, with the gongs duly distributed, and Assembly istry of Defence’s Training Academy to be located at proceedings wrapping up for the festive season until RAF St Athan. With the contract won in January of 13 January 2008, we await the members’ return to this year, Mr Smith has since tirelessly promoted its business as usual in the political bubble of Cardiff benefits to the Welsh public. Local Politician of the Bay… Issue 4 — December 2007 NO CHILDARTICLE KEPT 1BEHIND Nick Morris, Institute of Welsh Affairs Most higher value added jobs tend to be populated, of course, by well‐educated people.