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Crucial forty eight ...

  • Betsan Powys
  • 16 May 07, 03:43 PM

Negotiating teams have been chosen and sent into action. Three of the four sides at least have stopped talking about talking and started talking. Mike German must continue to talk about talking until tomorrow night's National Executive let him and his negotiating team start the real thing.

The Plaid Cymru group had a lengthy meeting this morning and having listened to Ieuan Wyn Jones stressing afterards that Plaid are talking just as intensely to the Lib Dems and the Tories as they are to Labour, it's easier to believe that the rainbow coalition isn't dead after all.

Downstairs a little group is spotted huddled over a copy of the Government of Wales Act: the Presiding Officer Dafydd Elis-Thomas, Ieuan Wyn Jones and Mike German. Were they looking for wriggle room on dates?

What of the Tories? One - who'd have little interest in a cabinet seat - suggests that the group is hostile to a rainbow coalition. The group dynamic is quite different now, with brand new constituency AMs who've just been fighting strong Plaid candidates at the election and who'd rather keep it that way. Better he thinks to watch Rhodri Morgan strike a deal with Ieuan Wyn Jones and then squeeze Plaid's vote for all it's worth come the next election.

But from others in the group - perhaps with more to gain - the mood music is quite different. A formal agreement? No way. A full on rainbow coalition? Yes but only as long as cabinet seats are involved. They'd be in it to govern. No cabinet seats, no need to apply. no other reason. Are there dissenting voices? Yes but no more than that. The group meets tomorrow.

What next? The Lib Dem Executive meet tomorrow night. The Labour group meets again lunchtime Friday, Plaid any time between Friday and the middle of next week.

No swear box here but there's a fine for using the phrase "crucial forty eight hours!"

Comments   Post your comment

  • 1.
  • At 08:58 PM on 16 May 2007,
  • glyn davies wrote:

Its going to be a Rainbow Coalition Betsan. You're supposed to be on the inside track, telling us

  • 2.
  • At 01:04 AM on 17 May 2007,
  • JohnCymro wrote:

I've had a good night out in Gwynedd this evening (Bangor).

It's wonderful to have this blog.

My instinctual reaction, after a few beers (and when sober!), is to observe and realise how the politicians waste our money.
Is it two months holiday they've had
now at the Welsh Assembly? The political correspondents are not doing too badly either!!

What struck me today when sober (and after a night out) is how much we've got to learn from Scotland and Ireland.

Scotland on their way. Fantastic. No language problem. Country first. So long as they can communicate the language is unimportant.That will come later.

Ireland too. It's wonderful to see them free again. They put their country before their language. Loved all over Europe. Justly so. Reminds me of when I lived in Belgium and Paris. I remember the posters there telling me that Welsh is the oldest living language in Europe. How pathetic! But Wales is behind Ireland, Scotland and England on everything else.

The Welsh are merrily drunk on the fact that our Celtic neighbours copy us on the language issue. We should have copied them. Country first, communication vital,then language later.

I meet so many English people who love Wales. They want to live here. Would indeed like to speak Welsh. They would vote Plaid Cymru if that party didn't have their linguistic priorities.

We have currently four excellent leaders in Cardiff. We in Wales have decades to catch up on. It is vital these leaders work together. A lot of catching up to do.

We have a wonderful opportunity, not to be missed. Rhodri, Ieuan, Nick,and Mike. Extremely intelligent men, too intellectual for politics!

They all love Wales. It's wonderful to see Nick Bourne so relaxed and smiling. Indeed today I was struck by a poster in my local Labour office in Bethesda. It said "Smile and beautiful things will happen"

So get on with it down there in Cardiff. Communicate. English is a global language.

Personally, I'm a senior citizen.
All the women I fancied didn't fancy me. All the women who fancied me I found a bit ........!

I love to see the females getting on though. Absolutely. But it's going to take time.....

Meanwhile,come on gentlemen in Cardiff Bay. Get on with it. Rhodri deserves to be the leader. He is in a prime position, with the other parties also wanting the best for Wales.

Don't let us down. You must meet your responsibilities and work TOGETHER.


  • 3.
  • At 03:56 PM on 17 May 2007,
  • geraint morgan wrote:

How come you've been taken off the list of Blogs. You are much harder to find now, espcially as the link on the Welsh news page doesn't actually take you here

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