AM to Watch: Andrew RT Davies
MP To Watch: Jenny Willott
Campaigner of the Year: Nerys Evans
Local Politician: John Davies (Independent Councillor)
AM of the Year: Edwina Hart
MP of the Year: Paul Murphy
Politician of the Year: Lord Ellis Thomas
Lifetime Achievement Award: Dafydd Wigley
I was especially interested in three of the categories.
AM of the year Edwina Hart has had a controversial year, what with her plans to place herself and future Ministers for Health slap bang in the middle of the NHS in Wales. This move has caused opposition AMs to openly accuse her of over politicising the body and of expanding the realm of government too far.
But I can totally understand why she won this award. She is a ferocious politician and no matter what the opposition parties threw at her in the chamber she swatted them aside with a glare and some socialist rhetoric. I for one would not like to mess with Edwina Hart when she was angry!
What interested me about this selection was that I wondered why no one is talking up Edwina Hart as a possible successor to Rhodri Morgan? There is a lot of talk about Carwyn Jones and Huw Lewis both of whom don’t appear to carry the profile of Edwina Hart and don’t (as far as I can gather) command the respect that she does amongst fellow politicians. I’m certain that she would be the last pick of a centrist Labour Government in Westminster who would want to avoid having such an out and out lefty in charge of Wales, but I still dont understand why she wouldn’t at least campaign for the leadership? Only time will tell.
MP of the Year went to Paul Murphy which interested me because since he became Secretary of State for Wales, there seems to have been nothing but squabbling going on between the Bay and Westminster. The other MPs cant have done much this year if Mr Murphy took home the title.
Dafydd Wigley was presented with the lifetime achievement award, I wonder if this will help him in his push to become Lord Wigley?
Well those were my main pick ups from the evening, let me know if you agree with the results!
Hwyl am y tro
Dewi Un
P.S Next year I hope we will have an invite
6 comments:
Do you not actually follow other blogs eg Betsan Powys or indeed the welsh political news in general where there has been much discussion of whether Edwina would stand or would act as 'Kingmaker'?
We follow avidly the other blogs and news in general. And i know exactly which blog you refer too (Betsan Powys - "The Hart and Sword")I would argue however that the recent coverage of the Labour leadership debate in the wider press is full of references to Carwyn Jones (See last weekend's Western Mail for example) and Huw Lewis, and far less about Edwina Hart. We all know she's there but so far lessis being said about her.
Incidentally here's the link to Betsan's blog about the odds for the leadership race
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/betsanpowys/2008/12/menywod_bretheren.html
Betsans Blog "The Hart and the Sword"
your a bit slow in this Politics Cymru. The other blogs discussed the winners over a week ago!
I appreciate that the results from the Wales Year Book have been known for some time (and been previously discussed) , however as we cater for a fairly wide audience here at Politics Cymru I believe that some people would not have been aware of the results up until the ceremonies screening on ITV (or indeed even after). Given that the posting was a day after the television screening it was pertinent to blog about the results for those not necessarily au fait with other Welsh Politics blog’s.
Thanks for your comments
Dewi Un
Try these award in stead
head in the sand award & deluded mp of the year & ams of the year for burning your money etc
http://welshpoliticianoftheyearawards.blogspot.com/
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