Cymrumark's Plaid Blog

try the new blogg

2006-01-06T20:37:00.000Z

Have a new blogg up and running by the name of Cymrumark....struggled to come up with a clever name ...please use that one in future...

Rhondda Boys.......

2005-10-06T16:17:00.000Z

I wonder what the Rhondda did to deserve being represented by Leighton Andrews in Cardiff Bay and Chris Bryant in Westminster? Perhaps it is some form of bizarre punishment for the, sadly brief, period when Rhondda elected a Plaid assembly member and a Plaid Council. Neither seem to have anything worthwhile to contribute to the debates in the institutions to which they are elected.

In the case of Chris Bryant this is only to be expected. In a previous life I was a Lib Dem political assistant in Hackney when Bryant was a Labour councillor and a whip for the Labour group. Before the Labour group split in 1996 they had run the council for 30 years or more and achieved the distinction of the highest council tax in London and arguably the worst services. A group of councillors left the Labour group claiming that the Labour leadership was not willing to back an independent enquiry into the Mark Trotter affair. Trotter was a Labour activist and senior trade union official, who worked for Hackney Social services, against whom three seperate allegations of child abuse were made and never properly investigated. After his death it emerged that merseyside police were investigating him regarding allegations of abuse.

One faction in the Labour group resigned the Labour whip and formed a new group called Hackney New Labour.Eventually this group disbanded and its members found their way into the lib dem and Tory groups. There were various enquiries and attempts to sort out the boroughs problems were made with no great success.

Of all the Labour councillors who remained in the Labour group only Chris Bryant has gone on to hold any form of elected office. Why has he escaped the "curse of Hackney" when no one else did. Anybody who has witnessed his performances in the Commons or in the media would confirm it is unlikely to be purely on ability. Perhaps he just got lucky.

Leighton Andrews on the other hand is a complete mystery to me. His splenetic rants in the Assembly debating chamber are the stuff of legend and there was a fine example in the budget debate the other day. Yet the Leighton Andrews I observed in the Liberal Party in the 80's was a very different character. Always associated with the ALC/Liberator self appointed keepers of the radical flame element he was a fluent persuasive speaker with impeccable anti authoritarian views.

It was astonishing to see him in Welsh Labour and his contributions to the assembly seem utterly at odds with his previously expressed opinions. One of the handful of Lib dems who still speak to me was in Llandudno recently . Over a beer or two he concluded that the only explanation for Leighton Andrews was alien abduction. He had know Leighton well as a member of the Liberal party and was convinced the two people could not be the same. Confronted with photographic evidence he suggested the real Leighton had been kidnapped by aliens. Who can argue with this?

High spot of September....

2005-10-05T17:56:00.000Z

The best part of September just gone was the Plaid conference. This may seem surprising to those who were not able to make it and followed the event in the press. On the eve of the conference there was what seems the annual Lord Ellis Thomas press story that then overshadows the conference.

Anyone who attends conferences knows that the most important parts are what happens away from the prying eye of the press. This conference was about putting in the hard work preparing a policy programme for the post 2007 assembly and improving the party's campaigning and communications skills. The re-launch of the partys youth movement as cymrux is very welcome even if attending their late night gig in the Cwps brought home to some of us that we can no longer do two early morning a day.

Sadly most of the press missed the fact that....the party is now fully united on all issues of substance....that it has realised the key task is to update its approach to campaigning in order to get its message across. We can hardly complain if the media are given negative stories about the party by people who lack the self discipline needed for real political success however we are entitled to a bit of a moan if the media do not also take the trouble to see what else is happening in the party. One journalist ...Tom Boden ....did notice that Adam Price has now taken over responsibility for directing election campaigns and realised how significant it will be. Given that Adam will be working alongside Simon Thomas and Helen Mary Jones who have responsibility for policy and communications, most sensible commentators will conclude that Plaid will present a strong challenge to Labour in 2007.

Back by popular request.....

2005-10-05T17:41:00.000Z

As the political season seems to be back in full swing I was wondering if I should start the blog again. Both my fans have asked me to return to blogging.....Peter Black AM will be happy I am not filling his comments section to the same extent ....and at least one journalist has another blog to look at ......

Have recovered from the general election and was fairly pleased with my own result as our vote actually went up slightly....some important lessons to be learnt at national and local level for Plaid...and quite a few for me if I am a candidate once again......

To all those reaching for the nose pegs....

2005-05-03T18:47:00.000Z

Much as I loathe the Guardian I have been reading it the last few days. The wretched Polly Toynbee has offered to supply nose pegs to those on the left who know the truth about new Labour and Tony Blair but feel the need to "keep out" Michael Howard.

In the 1980s I voted tactically for Labour against the Tories ...it made sense as the Tories were in power. Now I just want to add my thoughts to the millions of others flying round the internet, pubs, coffee bars family gatherings etc.

The so called "nose peg" argument is absed on a giant lie. A lie that sits alongside the famous 45 minutes claim. There is no prospect of Michael Howard becoming prime Minister. A month ago Peter Haid told the guardian that 70 Labour seats were vulnerable to the Tories if Labour voters went elsewhere. This is true. However it will still leave the Tories miles away from power. The Tories are not going to to win.

Today the guardian called for "progressives" to vote to keep out the Tories. Frankly the Guardian is now at the same level as the Sun. It cheers for its tribal "side" without any serious thought.

A vote Labour is a vote to endorse the war in Iraq. You cannot vote Labour and pretend to be against the disastrous occupation of Iraq. 40 people have died in Iraq this month and its only May 3rd. Going onm a March, writing to your MP even resigning your Labour membership means nothing if you go out and vote for them. All they care about is your vote.

If you give them your vote you are giving them a blank cheque to attack another country. march all you want...moan all you want...if you vote for them again you are saying its ok and they will be off to Iran or Syria next.

If you give them your vote the mad privatiser Gordon Brown will continue to inflict PFI on education and the NHS with all the diastrous consequences for future generations. The poverty gap will remain, our government will continue to be utterly dysfunctional.

If you vote Labour on May 5th dont moan about them ever again. Please dont come on a peace march again, or campaign against cuts in public services or privatisation. There is no excuse for voting Labour. The Tories are not going to win. This is the time to send Labour a very clear message. You do that by voting Plaid, SNP, Green or Respect even the real nose peg option of voting Lib dem. There is no reason to vote Labour in this election.

How not to run a government

2005-04-29T20:28:00.000Z

Its quite astonishing that the cabinet never received the full drafts of the Attorny generals advice prior to the cabinet meeting that agreed to support the war. Not to have all the papers well in advance in order to frame appropriate questions is astonishing......and Gordon Brown admitted that he too would have invaded Iraq....so vote Tony get Gordon and another war in the middle east, more privatisation etc....

Now is the moment to switch support to Plaid SNP and whoever you choose in England....

feeling good.........

2005-04-29T20:20:00.000Z

had a very good day today out in Rhyl, then St Asaph then Prestatyn.

In St Asaph got very friendly response and some of our members and leafleters are telling us that people who they never believed would vote Plaid will do so on May 5th for the first time ever.

Have had a very good response to the leaflets we have done with some new members and supporters emerging. Looks like out vote will be up.

Best thing thats happend this week is getting a Labour leaflet that says "lots of people are thinking about voting Plaid" then of course warning that by voting Plaid you may get a tory government.

Interesting because they did not mention the Lib dems or other candidates.......for the tories to win Vale of Clwyd due to a swing from Labour to Plaid....we would need a swing of 18% from Labour to Plaid.....so with a week to go Labour must think we have already achieved an 18% swing....can we get the 7% more we need to win! :) :)

Labour are in a panic.......its quite fun to watch! The Tories are not picking up anything apart from their core and some of them are switching because of the council tax issue...

A better NHS

2005-04-29T20:15:00.000Z

NHS hospitals in Wales have reached crisis point due to the failures of the Labour government in Wales assisted during the coalition years by the Liberal Democrats.The most urgent need for the NHS in Wales is to reduce the immediate pressure on hospitals. We need to ensure that hospital resources are used only where they are the most appropriate and efficient way of responding to people’s needs. At present, hospital beds and staff often have to stand in as substitutes for other forms of care and treatment.Plaid Cymru, the Party of Wales, calls for -

1. The use of existing capacity - and the development of new capacity - in GP surgeries so that more treatments can be carried out there. Facilities in GP surgeries are generally cheaper to provide than equivalent facilities in hospitals, and are generally more convenient for patients to get to and often more appropriate to their needs.2. The establishment of new NHS Walk-in Centres and Diagnostic & Treatment Centres and the full utilisation of the potential of our community hospitals in order to take the pressure off hospital Accident and Emergency departments.3. Steps to be taken to make it easier for people to move out of hospital when their treatment is completed or when hospital is not the best place for them. In particular, there should be a programme of building (or converting existing buildings) of accommodation for care, convalescence, nursing and rehabilitation. It doesn’t always have to be hospital that provides the care. 4. Payments to care/nursing homes by local authorities should be increased by £50 per bed per week. The costs involved will still generally be far less expensive than the use of hospital beds.5. Improved out-of-hospital care for people with disabilities, particularly in their own homes. There should be free home care for the disabled.6. Increased support for carers looking after people in their own homes, so that they do not reach a point where putting someone in hospital comes to look like the only practical option. Carers themselves need some care, support, advice, and respite from their responsibilities.7. A school nurse to be available to every pupil at school so that parents don’t feel it is necessary to involve hospitals in minor problems, but have assessment and treatment for their children easily available.8. More use of the skills of health professionals other than doctors, more availability of training for them; and improved working conditions. This will make it possible to place less reliance on doctors where they are not the most appropriate people for particular tasks, freeing them up for work where they are the most appropriate people.Critically urgent steps have to be taken within hospitals to improve the way they currently operate, so that more patients can be treated. We want to see:9. An increase in the provision of intensive care beds (50 additional beds), to respond more adequately and promptly to the most urgent needs within hospitals.10. There needs to be co-ordinated planning on an all-Wales level to ensure that capacity is used sensibly, with patients being taken off waiting lists and into treatment where the capacity exists to treat them. Medical Assessment Units should be established in every hospital.11. No more operations cancelled on the day. Some are currently being cancelled even after the premedication injection! This upsets not only patients but also their relatives and friends, and undermines confidence in the health service. Guarantees must be introduced to ring-fence elective surgery beds in order to protect patients’ interests in this area.12. A campaign to combat the MRSA “super bugs” – particularly through reversing the privatisation of hospital cleaning services, which have led to a lack of joint working and communication between cleaning staff and medical staff.In the longer term, there need to be changes to the structure and financial organisation of the NHS in Wales; together with public health and health promotion measures to tackle the underlying causes of ill-health; and changes to secure improvements in dentistry, mental health, and specialised services. Our proposals in this document have, however, focused on steps that can achieve results in hospitals in Wales within the next few years.The NHS in Wales – and especially our hospitals – has reached crisis point. Urgent action is essential. What better time to send this message loud and clear than election time?
posted by cymrumark at 7:16 PM

Do nothing budget no use for Wales

Good news from Anglesey

2005-04-22T17:04:00.000Z

The first opinion poll taken in Wales was released this week. NOP asked people on the Isle of Anglesey how they would vote....and the poll put Plaid 4% ahead with the Tories trailing badly. Very good news for Plaid....it was front page of the Daily Post. The Daily Post was nice to us earlier in the week praising our NHS plans and saying they are a serious programme for government. Its fair to say the Daily Post is not usually positive about Plaid....so very good news all round.

Mourning a great leader

2005-04-22T16:57:00.000Z

The news that Plaid Cymru's first ever MP and longest serving Party President(leader) Gwynfor Evans has died has at first deflated many of our workers. Most of them knew Gwynfor personally and had worked with him for years. He is the man who created Plaid Cymru and the party is built in his image.

However over the last two days the mood has slowly changed to one of....lets get the best result ever as a real tribute. The door knocking has produced some surprising results in the last two days. I am astounded by how many people say they dont wish to support Labour or Conservative...we are gently knudging them in our direction.

Rhyl and Bodelwyddan

2005-04-15T16:43:00.000Z

Day of contrasts today. First out and about in Bodelwyddan with local party activist talking to residents businesses etc. Cold and rainy weather not very condusive to conversation but generally the usual friendly response.

Lunch time saw a long planned visit to the Mosque and a chat with some of the worshippers afterwards. Told them about living most of my life in Leicester and my previous contacts with the Muslim community. Explained why we need a parliament and eventual independence and how Plaid seeks to be the party of everyone who lives in Wales. Got a very warm reception indeed.

Had lots of good questions but none on Iraq or the Middle East. Those came later as we chatting less formally. Lots of very positive people and some possible new members.

First Radio Debate

2005-04-15T16:17:00.000Z

Had the first debate of the campaign last night in Denbigh. The four main candidates at the table and the Independent and Legalise cannabis candidates in the audience. Had very nice feed back from both the audience and people who listened to the programme. The first debate is always hard as you try and find your rhythym and the best way to put your ideas across. In fact its the first time I have represented Plaid on a public platform with other candidates so I was quite nervous.

Luckily the Labour candidate went first and he was very agressive attacking the Conservatives in an over the top manner. This brought a response from a local Tory in the audience and everyone is shouting at each other within seconds.

After that it was easy to present our ideas just by being calm and avoiding the slanging match. Sadly didnt manage to get a plug in for Sonowwho but maybe next time.

Out campaigning today a couple of people told me they heard us on the radio and would now vote for me.

During the debate on foxhunting I said the whole debate was a waste of Westminster time and we should have been debating issues such as rural schools housing etc. The Labour candidate talked at length about it being a democracy, blaming the House of Lords, (which Labour failed to reform fully) and that foxhunting was in the manifesto etc. As Simon Law an audience member shouted "So the foxes are safe but the schools are closing" the whole audience laughed and the Labour candidate was confused and wandering.

Simon Thomas launches Plaid Campaign in a Mosque

2005-04-06T21:31:00.000Z

Simon Thomas MP used a visit to a Mosque in Cardiff today to explain how Plaid Cymru seeks to represent all who live in wales. Simon also attacked the Labour and Tory parties for stirring up racism as part of their campaigns.

I have seen the New Labour apologists in the guardian and Observer saying Michael Howards campaign is so bad they have to forget Iraq, tuition fees, the attacks on civil liberties, the transport housing and other crisis and give Blair a blank cheque for the next four years.

I dont like the Tories but i would never refer to another human being as a mongrol as a Labour MP did of Michael Howard. The Labour campaign leaflets in the Hodge Hill by-election attacked the Lib Dems for being supportive of asylum seekers and in Cardiff they put out leaflets about gypsies that the CRE condemned as inflamatory and racist.

I am pleased the Plaid are standing firm on our anti-racist platform. Wales is a small country and we need all who live here to play their part in making it a better country. Three of the five five Muslim county councillors in Wales are Plaid...in Newport, Cardiff and Colwyn Bay.

Denbigh High street

2005-04-06T21:24:00.000Z

Had fun yesterday evening visiting shops and businesses in Denbigh. Am pushing hard the line that we want to abolish national non-domestic rates and replace with a tax on profits. Lots of small business people support this...happy to pay more in a good year but unhappy with a fixed cost in a bad year.

Denbigh is going from strength to strength with successful bids to boost the town as a heritage centre. Much more work needs to be done to boost the south of Denbighshire as a tourist attraction. Some signs from Llandudno would be good for a start and cost pennies in real terms.

There are quite a few empty shops though and more needs to be done to support more business...hence the campaign to scrap national non domestic rates.

Today was spent dealing with the royal mail to approve my election address then delivering leaflets in the rain in parts of Meliden. Its all glamour this politics stuff!

What we will do if elected....

2005-04-04T22:15:00.000Z

We will not support military action without UN sanction

We will continue to campaign for the impeachment of Tony Blair

We will support fair trade

We will support an increase in aid budget to 0.7% of GDP

Will vote for a proper parliament for wales

We will fight for fairer funding for wales

We will support measures to achieve a fairer distribution of wealth from rich to poor

We will fight to increase the capacity of the NHS in Wales

We will vote for the retirement pension to be increased each year in line with average earnings.

We will vote to scrap the council tax and replace it with local income tax.

We will propose changes in the law to boost affordable housing

we will work to protect our high streets and family farms from the excessive domination of supermarkets and major food corporations

We will oppose id cards

We will oppose top up tuition fees

The threat from climate change will be at the heart of our work in parliament .

We will always put the people of Wales first.

Rhys Ifans underpants

2005-04-03T17:26:00.000Z

After a bit of a delay my double cd and dvd from the Alarm turned up yesterday....glorious footstomping tunes, excellent lyrics and astonishing vocals from yer man Mike Peters....

A film is being made about one of the recent incidents in Mike's career....he is quoted being delighted that Rhys Ifans might play him but only " if he ditches the grey underpants from Notting hill".....

Hain admits Tories wont win....

2005-04-01T23:17:00.000Z

Labour's campaign to date has been about scaring people with the prospect of a Tory victory. Writing in the guardian on Monday Peter hain inadvertently let it slip that the Tories have no chance of getting back into government.

Hain claimed that voting for anyone other than Labour will let the Tories in. He quotes John Curtice as saying that the effect of defections from Labour could be the Conservatives gaining 71 seats. Lets imagine for one moment that this actually happens. If they pick up 71 seats from Labour then the Tories will probably make a net gain against the Lib dems...perhaps gaining another nine. So stick 80 seats onto the Tories and .....they have all of 250 seats......still a massive 80(ish) short of a majority. Assuming Labour lose another dozen to the Lib dems ourselves and the SNP Labour would be in a minority government.

Labour losses on this scale would spell the end of Tony Blair and leave Labour dependent in the House of Commons, not on the increasingly right wing Liberal Democrats but on a block of Plaid/SNP MPs. Given that Plaid/SNP policies are directly in line with mainstream Labour MPs on most issues. Thats a result many would be happy with.

The same day he was writing in the guardian Peter Hain was in North Wales frightening people with the prospects of a Tory government. The truth is this election is a golden opportunity for the "left" and all who care about public services, civil liberties, the environment and internationalism to have a free hit on the government and vote for people who put these concerns at the top of their agenda. Peter Hain, in acknowledging the Tories wont win, has given the green light to former Labour supporters to cast their votes elsewhere, safe in the knowledge the Tories will not be back in government any time soon.

Monday Morning feeling...

2005-04-01T16:13:00.000Z

Looks like it will all start on Monday.

Am feeling the usual mixture of excitment, optimisim and sheer panic.

Excitement because here we go at last. I am really looking forward to getting out and about with the voters. All the evidence is that this election is still very open. The big danger is that the election will be "stolen" through dodgy postal vote applications in places such as Birmingham. However this is the chance to show Wales and the wider world our vision for the future and I will keep trying to post as much as possible.

Am optimistic because things look good for Plaid. A BBC/ICM poll put us second recently when people were asked which party's policies were closest to their own priorities. The same poll found 50% of people want a proper parliament in Wales and agree with us that this is the only way we will see improvements in public services and be able to move our economy forward.

A council by-election in highly marginal Clwyd West, in a ward where we finished 9th in June 2004 saw us move to second place and poll double the Labour vote.......straws in the wind but all positive.

Panic of course because there is never enough time..or enough people to help etc.....but we are slowly getting geared up......seeing first draft of my election address today certainly makes the whole thing more real.

Vienna....

2005-04-01T16:01:00.000Z

Have you heard the one about the Welshman, the Austrian, the Peruvian and the Sais.....?

Just got back from a memorable three days in Vienna. Stayed with long standing friends who now make their home there. At least part of the time as Graham works two weeks in London one week in Vienna. Thanks to Graham and Romana for their hospitality almost enough for me to forgive Graham for constantly referring to me as "english".....

Standing waiting in the crowd the Austrian became puzzled by my wife and I wearing Welsh shirts and speaking in Spanish. A friendly conversation followed where I explained my wife Susi is Peruvian....I then pointed out that the other couple in front were an englishman (wearing an Austrian shirt) and an Austrian to general merriment....sitting with the Austrian fans was fun a bit of good natured banter but nothing unpleasent.

Astonished by how many chances Wales managed to miss in the first half.....and of course to lose to an utterly daft goal is just heart breaking....

Axe the Council Tax

2005-03-27T18:08:00.000Z

Over the last week or so the campaign team have been out and about delivering thousands of our a3 leaflet. The leaflet features details of two of our campaigns. The first is about the "right to a home" and gives information about our housing policies. Check out www.plaidcymru.org for more information on this.

The second is our petition to scrap the council tax. We have had "re-banding " in Wales a year or so before it hits England. The assembly has had to throw money at compensating people who have gone up two bands. I guess this is due to the imminent general election as no doubt the money could be put to better use. This campaign seems to be the one that is hurting both Labour and the Conservatives. Labour are beginning to panic in Wales as the full impact of the re-banding is being felt and Plaid steps up its campaigning for Local Income Tax to replace Council Tax.

Labour have had some rather desperate letters in the local press making very bizarre claims about who will pay more etc. It helps give us a bit more publicity on a good issue for us.

Expect a bigger swing away from labour in Wales thanks to the council tax and their mis-handling of the NHS.

Cynon Valley

2005-03-24T20:28:00.000Z

"How many current MPs have left school at 16, been in the forces, lived on a council estate for a large part of their lives, had kids at a young age, been on benefits, been divorced, worked shifts in a factory, been in debt and then tried hard and succeeded at achieving their dream job. Geraint has the credentials and integrity that most of the Westminster mob lack."

Check out www.geraintbenny.co.uk

Looks like Geraint may be starting the fight back in the Valleys....Labour out organised us in 2003 and 2004 but my spies down the RCT tell me that Plaid are getting their act together steadily. Well worth giving Geraint a hand...or a donation ...or at the very least your vote!!

Rap for the Railways!

2005-03-24T20:18:00.000Z

The RMT union are running a series of events to promote bringing rail back into public ownership. Quite rightly they are highlighting how much more it costs the tax payer to run the railways than it did when rail was a nationalised industry. Thats our tax money going into the pockets of shareowners in return for an expensive shoddy service.

As a non-motorist I have to use the railways a lot. On the whole the north wales line is fairly good but could use some serious improvements.

Check out the RMt at www.rmt.org.uk

Prestatyn High Street

2005-03-24T20:12:00.000Z

Had a fine day on Tuesday talking to shop keepers and passers by on Prestatyn High Street.

Very friendly response. However one or two of the obviously Tory supporting business people were smiling through gritted teeth most people were pleased to see me, chatted happily and asked questions…. always a positive sign.

What surprised me though was the level of venom spat at Tony Blair by a couple of people who told me they had always voted Labour. Clearly very, very, angry.

Later in the day I spoke to two other “usually” Labour voters one genuine undecided starting to lean towards us and the other switching for the first time. Even if its only in ones or twos the steady trickle helps.

The whole day was a success mainly due to the energy and diligence of my colleague Sophia Drew who is very well organised and very much at the heart of many community activities. Fun to work with Sophia makes things seem easy.

Now back to writing my election address.

its not just a game......a nation waits..

2005-03-19T10:47:00.000Z

I spent most of yesterday dressed as a dragon.

I was outside an "event" drumming up support. Probably half of the 1000 or so people made comments about needing the dragon at todays rugby match in cardiff.

I will be glued to the tv.....wearing my rugby shirt etc...

All good fun of course but the level of sheer joy at the Welsh performances this year reflect just how important the game is here.

Rugby Union is very different in wales compared to England. RU in England with a few honourable exceptions has never been a peoples or grass roots sport. Largely dominated by the public school ethos few of its professional clubs can balance the books...most attract few supporters (Leicester struggle to get 20,000) even after winning the world cup. In Wales rugby was very much a community game with huge numbers of people watching or involved in some ways. The various steel workers, teachers, miners, vandrivers and doctors enjoyed giving the effete public school boys a good beating on a regular basis.

Although the game was healthy at grass roots level replacing the great teams of the seventies was always going to be difficult. Then came "professionalism". With rugby in england attacting its supporters from the wealthiest parts of society it didnt matter that the clubs didnt break even in most cases. LOts of sponsorship came in (though hardly made on commercial grounds alone) so lots of full time players. In Wales professionalism nearly destroyed the game. The regions have never won the public affections accept perhaps Llanelli which has made much of its welsh speaking history to pull in support from north and west wales.

Rugby has become something of an analogy for the relationship between England and Wales. The English pushed for professionalism because it suited their interests and out look. It wreaked havoc in Wales. The English become the dominant side in the Five later six nations as the home countries are no longer competing on equal terms. As in rugby so in so many spheres of public life. Decisions that benefit some, possibly even a majority in England wreak havoc in Wales.

So we wait with baited breath to see what happens this afternoon. Wales have played some glorious rugby at its best a stunning mixture of the beautiful and the brutal. A victory today sends out a message world wide that Wales are back as a world power in rugby. All across the nation people of every background will be pulling on their red shirts and be ready for the biggest party for many a long year.

Plenty of politicians in Wales seek to play up the regional differences in Wales for their own interests ignoring the fact that our differences are less than in most (independent!) countries in Europe. The national rugby team has just as much support in the North as in the South in the West as in the east and across the language groups. Rugby gives us a sense of what we could be as a nation and, deep down inside, everyone wearing a red shirt and cheering on the welsh team knows it.

Sex and drugs and rock and roll

2005-03-19T10:20:00.000Z

Stunningly original headline I know...bet you have never seen it before etc....

David Blunkett has been in the press again recently....there are few people I have never met who I feel an intense dislike to in politics but he is one of them.

He was an utterly useless Home secretary who has presided over the shambolic collapse of the immigration system thus helping fuel the far right.......working in crime reduction up till a year ago I watched more and more paper work more and more funding streams (why not just one big one with one set of paper work?) more and more stupid short term headline chasing intiatives...

His personal life is an offense to the world. He used to blather on about parental responsibility and personal morality......his repeated interventions are doing nothing to help the children he may or may not have some biological relationship with (so what? they have a family...butt out Blunkett if you want kids have them with someone who is single or married to you ......)

On the drugs front I learn from the local press that the legalise cannabis party will have a candidate in Vale of Clwyd. Not sure the rest of us should be to worried as I guess the people who really care about this issue will be to stoned to vote........still if it provokes an intelligent debate it can do some good.....

Also in our local press I spotted a photo of Mike Peters amongst parents and local dignatories at the opening of a childrens play area. The Alarm front man is one of our local celebreties and he has a good reputation for helping out with community activities. The Alarm are still going strong...check out www.thealarm.com their annual event (the gathering) brings hundreds of people from Britain Europe and the Usa to Llandudno boosting the local economy at a quiet time of year....sound bloke Mr Peters.

Have happy memories of two great Alarm gigs in leicester in the 1989-1991 period.....hot sweaty nights at de montfort hall, de montfort uny student union and then late night drinks in the Attic drinking den......

Job Cuts in North Wales

2005-03-19T10:10:00.000Z

Gordon Browns axe is falling on a number of civil service jobs in North wales. When I first heard about reductions in the civil service I guess my first reaction was the same as most people. A few less mandarins, special advisiors and all those people who think up fantastic new strategies, performance management frameworks etc etc with the intent of sapping the energy (and at times the will to live) of all who work in the public sector.

Of course what we have in said is reductions in front line services. All benefit enquiries will now be done from a call centre. Having been a benefit claiment a few times I know just how ludicrous this is. Benefit forms are a challenge to anyone let alone someone who may have some literacy problems. This will hit some very vulnerable people. The advantage of the old office system was when things inevitably went wrong you could go in and wait till things got sorted. With a call centre it will be easy to fob people off........not a smart move.

Not sure whats happening with the pension service office in Rhyl but rumours abound of a move to Colwyn Bay. The job centres are being reduced in number etc. So lots of money taken out of the local economy and a reduced service.

If you think Gordon Brown is the answer to your prayers...dream on...

Free Speech?

2005-03-17T19:35:00.000Z

Some of the posts below are cut and pasted from party press releases as we have had a bit of a crazy day or two.

Adam Price....what the hell is happening? Under what rule is Adam suspended? The word misled does not appear in the book of rules for the House of Commons...Erskine May...so what gives?

I find this government a mixture of the laughable and the frightening....the bribe to pensioners is a joke... for one year only...clearly labour are well rattled by the campaign for local income tax.....and this stuff with Adam Price a few days after the monstrous new "anti-terror legislation....very scary stuff....

still it cements Plaid position in Wales as the clear alternative to Labour for those people who worry about little things like freedom of speech the right of MPs to call the prime minister to account and say what we all know...Blair misled the house of commons...the cabinet...the Labour party and more importantly the people of britain about the war in Iraq....he is unfit to be prime minister and the public know it....

A better NHS

2005-03-17T19:16:00.000Z

NHS hospitals in Wales have reached crisis point due to the failures of the Labour government in Wales assisted during the coalition years by the Liberal Democrats.

The most urgent need for the NHS in Wales is to reduce the immediate pressure on hospitals. We need to ensure that hospital resources are used only where they are the most appropriate and efficient way of responding to people’s needs. At present, hospital beds and staff often have to stand in as substitutes for other forms of care and treatment.

Plaid Cymru, the Party of Wales, calls for -

1. The use of existing capacity - and the development of new capacity - in GP surgeries so that more treatments can be carried out there. Facilities in GP surgeries are generally cheaper to provide than equivalent facilities in hospitals, and are generally more convenient for patients to get to and often more appropriate to their needs.

2. The establishment of new NHS Walk-in Centres and Diagnostic & Treatment Centres and the full utilisation of the potential of our community hospitals in order to take the pressure off hospital Accident and Emergency departments.

3. Steps to be taken to make it easier for people to move out of hospital when their treatment is completed or when hospital is not the best place for them. In particular, there should be a programme of building (or converting existing buildings) of accommodation for care, convalescence, nursing and rehabilitation. It doesn’t always have to be hospital that provides the care.

4. Payments to care/nursing homes by local authorities should be increased by £50 per bed per week. The costs involved will still generally be far less expensive than the use of hospital beds.

5. Improved out-of-hospital care for people with disabilities, particularly in their own homes. There should be free home care for the disabled.

6. Increased support for carers looking after people in their own homes, so that they do not reach a point where putting someone in hospital comes to look like the only practical option. Carers themselves need some care, support, advice, and respite from their responsibilities.

7. A school nurse to be available to every pupil at school so that parents don’t feel it is necessary to involve hospitals in minor problems, but have assessment and treatment for their children easily available.

8. More use of the skills of health professionals other than doctors, more availability of training for them; and improved working conditions. This will make it possible to place less reliance on doctors where they are not the most appropriate people for particular tasks, freeing them up for work where they are the most appropriate people.

Critically urgent steps have to be taken within hospitals to improve the way they currently operate, so that more patients can be treated. We want to see:

9. An increase in the provision of intensive care beds (50 additional beds), to respond more adequately and promptly to the most urgent needs within hospitals.

10. There needs to be co-ordinated planning on an all-Wales level to ensure that capacity is used sensibly, with patients being taken off waiting lists and into treatment where the capacity exists to treat them. Medical Assessment Units should be established in every hospital.

11. No more operations cancelled on the day. Some are currently being cancelled even after the premedication injection! This upsets not only patients but also their relatives and friends, and undermines confidence in the health service. Guarantees must be introduced to ring-fence elective surgery beds in order to protect patients’ interests in this area.

12. A campaign to combat the MRSA “super bugs” – particularly through reversing the privatisation of hospital cleaning services, which have led to a lack of joint working and communication between cleaning staff and medical staff.

In the longer term, there need to be changes to the structure and financial organisation of the NHS in Wales; together with public health and health promotion measures to tackle the underlying causes of ill-health; and changes to secure improvements in dentistry, mental health, and specialised services. Our proposals in this document have, however, focused on steps that can achieve results in hospitals in Wales within the next few years.

The NHS in Wales – and especially our hospitals – has reached crisis point. Urgent action is essential. What better time to send this message loud and clear than election time?

Do nothing budget no use for Wales

2005-03-17T18:36:00.000Z

This ‘no change’ budget offers nothing for the people of Wales and our economy. It’s clear it was a budget written with conservative middle-England voters in mind. The Chancellor mentioned Britain more than 40 times in his speech but what he really meant was England. The National Sports Foundation is for England only, the free bus passes for pensioners are for English pensioners only, and the proposals for shared equity mortgages only apply in England.

It’s high time that we in Wales got our own Chancellor; someone who will put Wales’ interests first.

The Chancellor’s pre-election sweeteners for pensioners and families will do very little to alleviate poverty levels in Wales. If the government was seriously committed to improving the lives of the elderly they would scrap the unfair council tax all together and replace it with a local income tax based on ability to pay. Plaid Cymru’s proposals for pensioners would guarantee each pensioner a decent standard of living through a citizens’ pension and savings of up to £1,000 per year on their council tax bills.
The £5.3b spent by this government on fighting an illegal war in Iraq would be much better spent on providing more and better quality affordable housing and on improving our schools and hospitals.

This year we have a record £42b trade deficit. With an economy like ours which is heavily reliant on exports, such a large trade deficit is very bad news. Manufacturing output was down in the last two quarters and in general over the next couple of years, growth is expected to slow down. This no change budget fails to address this deficit which leaves the Welsh economy in a very vulnerable position.

This was the Chancellor’s last opportunity to find the missing millions for the ASW workers and he has failed to do so. This is extremely sad news for the ASW workers who have fought for years to claim what is rightfully theirs.”

This was a very disappointing budget in terms of the environment, especially following the Chancellor’s speech yesterday where he claimed he would put the environment at the heart of his economic policy. Increasing the air passenger duty would have been one way for the Chancellor to tackle the environmental damage caused by the rapid growth in air transport but it’s clear the environment is simply not a priority for this New Labour Government.

you must not say misled...

2005-03-17T18:22:00.000Z

Plaid Cymru’s Adam Price MP, who leads the campaign to impeach the UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, has today (Thursday 17 March) been expelled from Parliament for claiming that the Prime Minister ‘misled’ the people and parliament over the Iraq war.
Adam Price MP commented: “Most people now believe that the Prime Minister deliberately deceived parliament and the people. He even deceived members of his own cabinet in taking us to war two years ago. But the rules of the game in Westminster mean we cannot say what most of us think. The Prime Minister misled and MPs must be able to debate the issue.
“We will not let Tony Blair’s lies and deceit be forgotten. One hundred thousand people have died in the course of this conflict. We must take a stand. I will not be gagged and Parliament should not allow itself to be silenced.
“Tony Blair has misled this country time and time again – we cannot let this conduct continue unchecked. It is our duty as Members of Parliament to hold the Prime Minister to account and restore the people's faith in the democratic process.
“The Prime Minister can expel me from the House of Commons, he can try to silence me, but he will never silence those who marched two years ago, those who speak in the ordinary pubs, shops and workplace around the world. They know the truth. They will not be silenced by the authorities, they will speak up and make themselves heard.
"I call on everyone who sees that truth to join our campaign to impeach Tony Blair at www.impeachblair.org” Notes to Editors The Speaker's Office is yet to clarify the exact nature of the Mr Price's ban, according to the Speaker's Office the words used by Mr Price in the Chamber are not covered under the House rules or in Erskine May. Mr Price is expecting to receive confirmation this afternoon of the exact nature of his ban.

Blogging for a Better Wales

2005-03-15T20:50:00.000Z

Wales is really quite a cool place to be. Both the North and the South have a mixture of very lively cultures, are generally friendly places but have a few problems that need addressing.

The Lib/Lab/Con candidates all offer the same thing....managed decline. Under the conservatives Welsh wealth fell by by 0.4% per year under New Labour its been 0.8%

At the same time House prices have soared. In counties like Conwy and Denbighshire prices are massively out of reach for most first time buyers and there is little public housing available for rent. There is a flight of young people from North Wales in particular as people look for something other than minimum wage jobs.

At times I am astonished that a Labour government in Cardiff and a adminstration in Tony's talking shop in Cardiff can care so little about its own people who stuck buy them throughout the 80/90s (misguidedly in my view but I understand why). Apart from the state of the NHs in Wales, the wretched council tax and the declinging economy....there is also the cuts in the supporting people programme the determination to get rid of council housing, and on and on....

So we will be using this election to set our alternative and ask people to support us....tomorrows posts will be on our policies for housing and the NHS and some stuff about the general approach of the Plaid..

Croeso/welcome

2005-03-14T20:55:00.000Z

Greetings. Thanks for stopping by to have a look at my contributions to this site.

I am delighted that John has decided to set up this blog and will keep posting on a regular basis. Whilst it will be mostly political I will probably wander off topic now and again.

I am the Plaid Cymru-the party of Wales candidate for the Vale of Clwyd constituency although the views expressed here will mainly be the party "line" it will be my perspective on it. I hope the blog helps people to understand a bit more about Plaid cymru and what we are about. Hopefully all the bloggers here will contribute to raising the quality of political debate. I am as much a point scorer as anyone and will have a pop at the other parties from time to time. By and large I hope to keep it informative and entertaining.