The Wardman Wire

1. Smeargate

Smeargate has dominated discussion this side of Offa’s Dyke just as it has in England. The use of dirty tactics by employees of Labour politicians is something we were already familiar with here in Wales. Indeed, it wasn’t exactly the best kept secret in Westminster either.

2. Twittergate

A spin-off of Smeargate here in Wales has been a sudden interest exhibited by the Welsh media in what politicians and their employees are saying on Twitter. Darth David Taylor, the boy man behind Aneurin Glyndwr among other things tweeted an anti-Liverpool FC slogan that was subsequently interpreted as being a reference to the Hillsborough tragedy 20 years ago, despite the fact that the slogan pre-dates Hillsborough by over a decade and the fact that Mr Taylor was still in his nappies when that tragedy took place (I am old enough to recall the tragedy, but didn’t make any such association when I saw the tweet myself some days before it attracted the attention of the press). Shortly afterwards another Welsh tweet caught the attention of the press (well actually it caught Labour AM Lorraine Barret’s attention and she promptly conveyed her distress to the Western Mail). This time it was a tweet by Tory AM Jonathan Morgan who shocked the nation by taking some photos of Cardiff. Really, the depravity of the man is just astounding.

3. Funding-gate

The Assembly Government withdrew its financial support for the Welsh Rally while increasing funding for Further Education. The former of the two attracted some criticism, although nobody seems to have hit upon the fact that it appears to be contrary to some parts of the ‘One Wales’ agreement.

4. Kirstygate

Despite previously voicing her intention to see her party winning 31 Assembly seats sometime in the near future, Welsh Lib Dem leader Kirsty Williams has admitted to the Welsh language weekly Golwg that her party has little hope of sending an MEP to Brussels this year. Stating the obvious perhaps, but nevertheless it is hardly a message that will inspire anyone to vote for the Liberals in June. In 2004 the Liberals came behind UKIP, and there is a real danger that the BNP may be the runners-up this year, especially if the Lib Dem vote doesn’t pick up. Way to go, Kirsty.

5. Heleddgate

Plaid Cymru’s parliamentary candidate for Montgomeryshire, Heledd Fychan, is now the fifth Plaid blogger to answer Paul Burgin’s 20 questions this year. Some sport was made of the fact that she listed Lord-in-waiting Dafydd Wigley as being her favourite Plaid leader to date (rather than Ieuan Wyn Jones), despite the fact that, of the other four Plaid bloggers to be questioned (myself, Bethan Jenkins AM, Plaid’s National Chair John Dixon and Plaid councillor Alun Williams) only I gave the Deputy First Minister a mention.

6. Traingate

The UK government is starting to look seriously at extending high speed rail links within the UK. Just not in Wales.

7. Celyngate

A new ‘Green left’ magazine has been launched in Wales, featuring articles written by members of Plaid Cymru, the Labour Party, the Communist Party and Martin Shipton. Yes, that’s right, Martin Shipton.

8. Senedd-spin-gate

This week saw the shock revelation that the Assembly’s press office actually costs money.

9. Eurogate

Labour AM Lesley Griffiths has discovered that the UK government is trying to hide Wales from European investors.

10. Lib-Dem-gate

The Welsh Liberals are currently staging their spring conference in Cardiff, where Nick Clegg has been boo-ed for making an apparently elitist remark.

11. Cutting-Welsh-MPs-gate

David Cameron has announced that he intends to cut the number of MPs, but there’s a bit of a muddle concerning whether that will happen in Wales.

12. Other-blog-posts-of-interest-gate

Adam Price: Is Labour a Lost Cause?;(Bilingual posts): Cenhedlaeth Newdydd / A New Generation; Gwasanaeth Cenedlaethol Cymreig / Welsh National Service

ORDOVICIUS: The Price of a Poll; Welsh political websites, bilingualism and Europe