The Big Ideas

What now for Labour? The big question. It’s the subject of a 2 page spread in this morning’s Guardian G2 magazine. Journalist John Harris has asked 9 “leftwing thinkers” what “big new ideas” the party should embrace.

Here’s a selection:

Proper voting reform

Focus on fathers

Get more women into politics

Establishing a green investment bank

The thinkers include Will Straw (from Left Foot Forward), Neal Lawson (Chair of pressure group Compass), Sunder Katwala (of the Fabian Society) and a little-known Labour politician called Carwyn Jones.

So amongst the calls to put VAT on private school fees, introducing a 35 hour week and looking at breaking up this big banks, what are the big ideas our First Minister thinks will set the world on fire...

Here’s an extract:

“We need to clamp down on dangerous and nuisance driving. I get this time and time again on the doorstep: people complaining about cars racing up and down roads, a hell of a noise...we should fight the idea that speed cameras are a bad thing. They’ve saved a hell of a lot of lives.

I also this we should investigate the activities of pubcos [big pub companies]. We’ve had a problem over the years with pubs being turned into flats and house - if you take a put out of a small community, you rip its heart out.”

I wonder if these will be the transformational policies the Labour party need to revive their fortunes? You never know...

Dewi Tri

How long does it take to write a letter?

I’m sure as First Minister there’s a lot to do.

Searching for your security pass takes it’s time. And there are all those Plenary sessions to attend on Tuesdays and Wednesdays (not this week though because it is the half-term recess after all).

But amongst all that chaos, one would imagine Carwyn Jones might find an hour in the course of a week to sit down and draft a few pages to Mr Hain at the Wales Office to formally let him know the Assembly have approved a referendum vote on further law-making powers .

I guess not.

Dewi Tri

Le Cabinet

So now for a bit of rampant speculation. Here’s my guess as to the makeup of Carwyn’s Cabinet.

Here’s what it looks like Now:

First Minister: Rhodri Morgan
Deputy and Economy and Transport: Ieuan Wyn Jones
Environment, Sustainability and Housing: Jane Davidson
Finance and Public Service Delivery: Andrew Davies
Social Justice and Local Government: Dr Brian Gibbons
Health and Social Services: Edwina Hart
Children Education Lifelong Learning and Skills: Jane Hutt
Heritage: Alun Ffred Jones
Counsel General: Carwyn Jones
Rural Affairs: Elin Jones

I have no basis for the following breakdown just some gossip and backrooms whispers. Think of it as a bit of fun ( I need to get out more!!)

First Minister: Carwyn Jones (New)
Deputy and Economy and Transport: Ieuan Wyn Jones
Environment, Sustainability and Housing: Jane Davidson
Finance and Public Service Delivery: Leighton Andrews (New)
Social Justice and Local Government: John Griffiths (New)
Health and Social Services: Edwina Hart
Children Education Lifelong Learning and Skills: Huw Lewis (New)
Heritage: Alun Ffred Jones
Counsel General: Removed (or still done by Carwyn / unelected official)
Rural Affairs: Elin Jones

John Griffiths and Huw Lewis could easily be the other way around, to be fair most of the list could be different!

There’s my largely uneducated punt – agree???

Dewi Un

Carwyn Who?

The two remaining Dewis have just spent 5 minutes having a flick through the UK’s national press to find no mentions of Carwyn Jones’ election.

Not one.

Will making a splash on the front page of the Western Mail really be enough to let the people of Wales know who he is? (Let alone letting them know what he wants to do?)

Dewi Tri

PS interesting thoughts from Michael White on Good Morning Wales this morning (2 hours 55 minutes in on iPlayer)
PPS if we missed the story do let us know!

It's Carwyn after all...

Months of speculation, weeks of campaigning and days of guessing and here we are, finally having confirmation that Carwyn Jones has been elected as the next leader of the Welsh Labour party.

Whilst the result wasn’t surprising the scale of his victory certainly was. The man who is now first minister elect received 51% of the first round vote, winning outright and removing the need to worry about second preference votes.

So what’s next? Well there are 2 key questions I suppose:

1) What shape will the cabinet now take? Who’s in, who’s out?
2) What’s his stance on an autumn referendum?

In his interviews post result Carwyn batted all these contentious issues aside and instead focused on the unifying effect of the election. All three candidates expressed their belief that this is now a Labour party united and ready to take the fight to the Tories et al come May/June.

The speculation is now rife as to the future of many things – but for tonight let’s just leave it at the facts.

Carwyn Jones - 51.98 %
Edwina Hart - 29.19 %
Huw Lewis - 18.84 %


Dewi Un