A cheeky wave
From Aberystwyth - where I am not - comes the news that Lembit Opik is to stand down as Welsh leader of the Lib Dems. He's surrounded by well-wishers as we speak, all taken aback by his announcement and no doubt pleased this particular goodbye wasn't 'leaked' to Hello.
The way ahead, in his view, is to get rid of the job altogether, or at least to amalgamate the Welsh leader's job - his -with that of the Assembly group leader - Mike German's. That surely has to make sense.
My colleague tells me there was a pointed reference in the outgoing leader's speech to a plan to spend more time in Montgomeryshire. I wonder just how much has to do with Lembit's hiraeth for 'home'.
I'm Betsan Powys, ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Wales' political editor. I'll be blogging the inside track on .
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Whatever people may think, in terms of people's behaviour outside their profession - i.e. that it should have no bearing on their competence at their job - the gut feeling would appear to prevail, that if someone appears to be a fool, for whatever reason or excuse, then they should retreat, at least partially and temporarily, from public view. This latest damage-limitation exercise was therefore to have been expected; however, Lembit Opik's Parliamentary seat would appear to be very vulnerable at the next election, whenever it's held, and despite a majority of over 15,000. For the sake of his party, he might even condider standing down .....