Welsh Politics: Weekly Round-up 10th May 2009

By Simon Dyda • May 10, 2009

1. Devolution decade

The main story this week has been the anniversary of the first Assembly elections in 1999. The Welsh media (ie BBC Wales and Trinity Mirror) has provided us with an abundance of politician reflections and pieces with the words ‘ten years’ and/or ‘devolution’ in the titles.

Welsh blog round-up of related posts:

Vaughan Roderick (Welsh): Penblwydd hapus

Betsan Powys: Casting votes and stones

Tomos Livingstone: A decade of devolution

Dafydd Wigley (Welsh): Cynulliad yn dathlu dod yn 10 oed

Glyn Davies: Fueteventura (sic) – Day 4. Refections (sic) from Distance.

Bethan Jenkins: The Assembly 10 years on

Alwyn ap Huw: The efficiency of devolution

Simon Dyda: Reflections and referenda; Ron reflects; Wales War II; His finest moment

A Change of Personnel: 10 years on…

Freedom Central: Ten years

Valleys Mam: Do we own or tolerate devolution ?; Devolution is there any more to reflect on or say?

Politics Cymru: The two Dafydds 10 years on

2. The Ghost of Margaret Thatcher

This week also saw the thirtieth anniversary of Margaret Thatcher’s victory in the 1979 general election. Needless to say, this particular anniversary was no cause for celebration in Wales.

Welsh blog round-up of related posts:

Leanne Wood: Remembering Thatcher

Dave Raybould: Maggie Thatcher, Brain Snatcher

3. Ask Rhodri

First Minister Rhodri Morgan attended a kind of ‘First Minister’s Question Time’ organized by the Western Mail where Mr Morgan answered questions to the public. About 17 people bothered to turn up.

Welsh blog round-up of related posts:

Vaughan Roderick (Welsh): Hawl i holi

Betsan Powys: Asking Rhodri

Heledd Fychan: Ask Rhodri

4. Leading Labour

More chatter this week concerning the contest (or non-contest) to succeed Rhodri Morgan as First Minister for Wales and leader of Welsh Labour.

Welsh blog round-up of related posts:

Betsan Powys: Rules and reasons

Marcus Warner: A contest for the party – not just the candidates

Guerrilla Welsh-Fare: Lonely At The Top; Labour’s Lack of Leadership

5. Cuts, questions and credit crunchies

More talk this week on ‘efficiency savings’ and Welsh financial and economic woes.

Welsh blog round-up of related posts:

Vaughan Roderick (Welsh): Arafa Don

Tom Bodden: A question of cuts

Carwyn Jones: Credit Crunched

Peter Black: Naughty Schoolboy

Simon Dyda: It’s the economy, boyo

A Change of Personnel: Poorest hit hard by recession

6. Not-so-Welsh Conservatives

Welsh Conservative efforts to be Welsh and devo-friendly have come to naught, putting Nick Bourne’s continued role as leader in doubt. Oh, and it appears that the Tories’ three top candidates for the Euros in Wales all live and vote in England.

Welsh blog round-up of related posts:

Vaughan Roderick: Rhyfel Cartref

Politics Cymru: Civil War

Heledd Fychan: Says it all really…

Freedom Central: Welsh Conservatives you say?

Valleys Mam: Cheryl plays hard to get and Nick has thrown his toys out of his pram

Welsh Ramblings: English National Party challenges for Welsh seats

Guerrilla Welsh-Fare: Vetoing Bourne

Aneurin Glyndwr: Ble Mae Cymru?

7. Child poverty

Statistics released by the Department for Work and Pensions show that the number of children living in poverty in Wales is the highest of any UK nation – and is rising. “Bugger,” said an Assembly government spokesman.

Welsh blog round-up of related posts:

Peter Black: Poverty of achievement

A Change of Personnel: Poverty is everyone’s problem despite the politicians bickering

8. Expenses

A political mass-suicide takes place in Westminster. You may have read about it in the papers.

Welsh blog round-up of related posts:

Cambria Politico: Paul Murphy in Hot Water

Betsan Powys: Rules and reasons

Peter Black: Parliament lags behind

Paul Flynn: Fightback?; Virtuous MP’s ‘high life’.

A Change of Personnel: Boilers and Hissy Fits

Guerrilla Welsh-Fare: Collective Cabinet Responsibility