It would be nice to subject the Lib Dems to a proper, rigorous analysis on the issue of bovine TB but their sheer opportunism makes such a thing extremely difficult. New leaflets have emerged in the marginal Ceredigion seat where Lib Dem MP Mark Williams is by all accounts fighting for his life against Plaid. The literature asserts that "contrary to Plaid's reports, the Lib Dems are NOT against a badger cull in west Wales." Williams goes on in the leaflet to argue that "6 Plaid Cymru/Labour Coalition AMs voted against the cull, along with 2 Lib Dems". Now bearing in mind that 2 Lib Dems constitutes a third of their entire group, it is very dishonest to put Plaid Cymru/Labour AMs when in fact only 6 Labour AMs oppose the TB reduction package. So the bizarre situation is that Mark Williams is spinning all kinds of webs to try and defend and support a Plaid Cymru/Elin Jones policy against his own party's AMs!
In other parts of Wales, Peter Black AM has been going out of the way to assure people that some Lib Dems are in fact against the cull. His defence is that "we do not have a policy on the cull". Well that's convenient!
There can be no sympathy for these people. There is nothing wrong with having disagreements within a party, but when Plaid have had such disagreements people like Peter Black have reacted in an extremely childish manner, accusing Plaid of splits, divisions and falling outs. The lesson should be that criticism from the Lib Dems is now meaningless. How are we to take them seriously when they make points about other Welsh Government policies in the future? They have completely undermined their own status as an opposition party and should be frozen out from any negotiations on future coalitions until they prove their maturity. And this is being written as a blog which is generally supportive of most things the Lib Dems argue for.
Labels: Ceredigion, Elin Jones, hypocrisy, Mark Williams, opportunism, Penri James, Peter Black, Plaid, Welsh Lib Dems
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
7 comments:
"How are we to take them seriously when they make points about other Welsh Government policies in the future? They have completely undermined their own status as an opposition party and should be frozen out from any negotiations on future coalitions until they prove their maturity."
Perhaps you could start in Cardiff by getting out of the co-alition there where Plaid are simply voting fodder for LibDem - poor governance and some pretty scandalous planning decisions. Please!
If you sup with the devil make sure your spoon is long enough.
You might well be in the right there Peter, but I can't help but support the way transport has been handled in Cardiff, the pedestrianisation is great. It's also pretty brave as the whole handling of transport has been short-term pain, a thankless task etc but in the long-term will make Cardiff a proper European city.
Doesn't every council get complaints about governance and planning though, regardless of what party is in power? I've long thought that party composition is becoming less and less relevant at council level, which is not a good thing.
Just in case anyone is watching - I am no longer a member of any party - though my political leanings as a Welsh immigrant find me in an unexpected place ... read as you will ..
Your comments about transport whilst generous have to be in the context of a council which looks as though it will have to withdraw its Deposit LDP because it is unsound (for which read so bad as undeliverable). Transport is one of the six areas where Cardiff Civic Society questioned its 'soundness' in June last year.
Yes, every council gets complaints - isn't that what they are for? The issue here is one of competence (and I've no doubt it applies elsewhere). There is a vicious circle of democratic institutions failing (let's start with Westminster, for example ..), disenchantment and disengagement, a reduced 'gene pool' of being being willing and able to become voices (ie councillors) in the failing systems - so the institutions get worse (incompetent), become 'officer-led', become focussed on short-term electoral gains (we repaired your street!) etc ...
Now, maybe, if particularly 'virtuous' political organisation could say it wanted to break that mould: insist on competence as well as willingness for its candidates (what about a job description for a start for local councillors, appraisals and personal development plans? Just like 'real' life). Then, just maybe, we get somewhere.
But supporting co-alitions just because it means some fig leaf of power would be out (and the salaries that go with it, don't forget.)
No surprise that the Lib Dems have different messages for rural and urban Wales on bovine tb. It's funny, because people accuse Plaid of being different in rural Wales but they are the same honest party everywhere.
"How are we to take them seriously when they make points about other Welsh Government policies in the future?"
A very salient point. Why do they insist, time and time again, on fulfilling the stereotypes that their opponents set?
Peter Cox - The issue here is not local authority governance to be fair, its the proposed badger cull in North Pembrokeshire and South Ceredigion. Councils will always make decisions that are unpopular. By their very nature that is what they will do. But I think overall people in Cardiff (which is the authority you particularly mention) approve of the performance of the council.
The Lib Dems are once again guilty of fudging an issue by trying to be all things to all people. Welsh Left is right to point out that the irony is the more they try and wade in to every issue and often take oppositional stances just to prove their difference from other parties, the more they prove the stereotypes.
On a personal level, I think Peter Black is doing this, as he did with the Welsh Lib Dem leadership fiasco a few years ago, to fuel his own massive sense of self importance. He is systematically screwing his (increasingly beleaguered) colleagues in Mid and West Wales, when they have openly declared that they support the pilot bader cull. Why?
"But I think overall people in Cardiff (which is the authority you particularly mention) approve of the performance of the council. "
I know bloggers hate having their posts sidetracked but, whilst I am sad about badgers, I am horrified about Cardiff.
You cannot possibly substantiate that statement (though I am happy to be corrected).
The Plaid chair of its own Scrutiny committee asked the Executive to pause developments in Bute Parks following a 5,000 signatory petition calling for such a moratorium: co-alition executive steamrollered a vote: watch recording here http://tinyurl.com/yf6wokh
Yesterday LibDem planning chair used casting vote to give council retrospective planning consent for buildings outside Grade 1 Listed Cardiff Castle: Guardian stories here http://ow.ly/1h3zE
Frankly, either story would be a disgrace to any political administration: two is unbelievable - but sadly the fact.
Post a Comment
Post a Comment