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Talks about talks

Betsan Powys
8 May 07, 08:41 PM

So now the proper talking kicks off.

Rhodri Morgan plans to speak to Ieuan Wyn Jones this morning, though the mood of yesterday's Labour group meeting seems to have shifted the odds firmly in favour of the Lib Dems. A deal with them may be 'unpalatable' but the suggestion coming from some quarters is that far more could stomach that thought than a deal with Plaid.

There are hints from some that Labour had been thinking strategically about the effect a deal with Plaid Cymru would have on Plaid's chances come the 2011 election. Why give them a platform? The 'inedible' deal hasn't been spat out yet though so we'll keep listening.

In the meantime over to Mike German and his group: what will they demand and as crucial, what can they deliver?

I hear too that Gwenda Thomas has not been persuaded to take on the role of Deputy Presiding Officer. Step up Rosemary Butler?

Divine Intervention?

Mark Devenport
8 May 07, 05:38 PM

Amidst all the VIPs, few noticed a delegation of humanists who visited Stormont today to discuss the need for our politicians to respect diversity in their decision making. They presented the Alliance's Stephen Farry with a copy of Richard Dawkins' bestseller "The God Delusion".

I'd like to be a fly on the wall should they be able to arrange a meeting with our First Minister who began his speech with the phrase â€œHow true are the words of Holy Scripture, â€˜We know not what a day may bring forthâ€™ before going on to quote King Solomon.

Step forward Margo

Brian Taylor
8 May 07, 05:23 PM

More re: the Presiding Officer. Margo MacDonald, who was returned as an Independent MSP for the Lothians, has offered to occupy the post, perhaps for a year.

It's said that would allow Parliament time to decide for the longer term.

Margo is being backed by, among others, the Conservatives (partly because they don't want to give up one of their number to this neutral post.) Others are less keen.

The pressure is on the Tories to give ground (and give up one of their members) because they have declared that they won't enter coalition.

All the other parties - SNP, Labour, LibDem and Green - are potential (I stress, potential) partners in government in some form, now or in the near future. To be blunt, they need all the voting members they can muster at Holyrood.

Why does all this matter? Because, one, the post of PO is highly important - a key ambassador for Scotland.

Because, two, a hung Parliament requires an extremely tough PO to chair plenary sessions and sort things behind the scenes, not least in the business bureau which determines what issues are debated at Holyrood.

Job Done

Mark Devenport
8 May 07, 02:51 PM

Spent all morning in a TV studio following the events inside the Assembly Chamber and Great Hall. It definitely feels like the last of those "tents on the lawn" occasions.

Interesting moments in the First Minister's Office when Ian Paisley took a cup of tea with the VIPs. At first it looked as if Peter Hain might not have a seat but then he squeezed in on the sofa next to Tony and Bertie.

There was a heart stopping moment for Gordon Brown when the First Minister and the Prime Minister discussed their different trajectories with one leaving office at 54 and the other taking office at 81. Tony Blair mused whether he should have learned a lesson from Ian Paisley and stayed on until he was 80.

No handshake between Messrs Paisley and McGuinness, but the First Minister did applaud his Deputy First Minister's speech by tapping the bannister on the stairs of the Great Hall with the palm of his hand. And as they walked away a colleague claims to have seen the Deputy First Minister putting his arm on the First Minister's shoulder.

And there's more...

Brian Taylor
8 May 07, 02:24 PM

How about this for a scenario? Alex Salmond forms a minority government - with the Liberal Democrats in opposition.

The SNP put forward their Bill to hold a referendum on independence.

The Bill is heavily defeated.

After a further breathing space, the LibDems enter talks with the SNP - with the issue of a referendum now settled and off the agenda.

The SNP would have to disavow any prospect of revisiting the referendum.

That's the gossip from one or two (soon to be) MSPs.

Snag is it would involve the SNP participating in what some in their party would see as a ruse.

Equally, though, it would confront us all with the arithmetical reality. There is nothing like a majority in Holyrood for a referendum.

PS - Re: the presiding officer, no deal yet. Holyrood authorities will confirm shortly that the vote may have to be deferred until next week.

Some debate as to whether they have the power to do that - but, if the parties agree, it'll happen.

Behind closed doors

Betsan Powys
8 May 07, 01:58 PM

Just a thought.

If the Lib Dems were to agree to a New Zealand type, confidence and supply deal with Labour, that wouldn't have to go before a special conference. Given the strength of feeling in the party - and Peter Black's is brimming with 'strength of feeling' - avoiding a special conference might appeal.

By the way the Labour group began their meeting early and not where we'd been told. Our cameraman can't get a shot of the meeting because someone's gone to the trouble of taping a piece of paper over the glass panel in the door.

Who's paranoid - us or them?

Dancing on ice

Betsan Powys
8 May 07, 12:57 PM

A full house in the Senedd, a full canteen - and a full-on metaphor from Mike German. Think ice rinks.

The party leaders, he says, are skating round each other, circling the ice, gently brushing against each other to see how it feels ... or words to that effect. Talk about dancing on ice.

It takes time to master triple toe loops and so, the suggestion coming from all camps is that nothing will happen in a hurry. That was the suggestion made by Rhodri Morgan on Radio Cymru and in his interview with Today this morning. Mind you we've been told that in the past, only to find out at the last moment that something's been sorted out behind closed doors - and not the ones we were watching.

The Labour group will be meeting this afternoon at 3pm - 'the M4 corridor AMs and the Valleys AMs' - Huw Lewis' distinction, not mine - coming together to argue their case. A deal with the Lib Dems, or a deal with Plaid. Rhodri didn't spell out which was the inedible, which the unpalatable.

At about the same time the Lib Dems will trooping into yet another committee room.

One item on the agenda: who should be Presiding Officer and Deputy PO? That decision must be made tomorrow. What I was 'hearing' seems to be right. The 'Dafydd and Gwenda show' is what Labour, Plaid Cymru and the Conservatives want to see. The Lib Dems favour a Jenny Randerson/Rosemary Butler team.

Skate-off tomorrow.

But does Gwenda Thomas WANT to be Deputy Presiding Officer? She didn't sound so keen this morning ... a case of being pushed and shoved towards the ice?

May 8th

Mark Devenport
8 May 07, 09:16 AM

So it's arrived - restoration day. My colleague Jim Fitzpatrick is busy researching lines for his role presenting our special programme on air on ³ÉÈËÂÛÌ³1 Northern Ireland from 10:30 am. He's discovered that this was restoration day way back in 1660 when the Convention parliament declared that Charles II was the lawful King of England. Of course, that represented a victory for Cavaliers over Roundheads whereas here we have them in coalition.

For the DUP, today's events have been tinged with sadness with the premature death of George Dawson, known for his evangelical principles and business acumen. On his way into the building, Ian Paisley told reporters it was a sad day but also a special day, which he hoped would pave the way towards peace and prosperity.

On his arrival, Martin McGuinness told the press they were about to witness "not hype but history". Echoes of the infamous Blair "hand of history" soundbite there. Will we ever witness the end of the era of awful alliteration?

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This is ³ÉÈËÂÛÌ³ News's election 2007 blog. The political editors from across the UK will report here throughout the Assembly and Parliament elections.