Election 2011 – Where now?

The dust is beginning to settle, the politicians are rested and refreshed and this is the week in which decisions will be taken which will have long-term consequences for Welsh politics. I expect to see some movement by the end of Monday from Carwyn Jones about how he intends to deal the hand he’s been [...]

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Budget preview

When he stands up to deliver his budget tomorrow (Wednesday), the Chancellor George Osborne will do so in very bleak circumstances. The military is engaged in a new conflict which will have to be paid for whilst at home, the latest figures show inflation is rising and borrowing higher than anticipated. All of which gives [...]

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Ieuan Wyn Jones’ GOATs

Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones has named six business leaders who’ll advise the Assembly Government on economic development. They’ll head six ‘sector panels’ in six areas of the economy that the Labour-Plaid Cymru government has already identified as being crucial to the future development of Wales. It reminded me of Gordon Brown’s effort to [...]

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Sharp End returns

Sharp End is back after its Christmas break to cast its beady eye over Welsh politics once again. It’s raining outside in Cardiff Bay so we’re all very glad to be warm and dry inside our Assembly office. What do we have for you tonight? Well the political year has begun with a blazing row [...]

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War of words over organ donation powers bid

I haven’t heard such angry words exchanged between the governments in London and Cardiff, although I’m sure they use much stronger language in private. The words used in Cardiff Bay: ‘Disrespect’, ‘lack of courtesy’, ‘they’re trying to stop Wales discussing this.’ The words from Westminster: ‘Utter rubbish’, ‘reprehensible’, ‘playing politics.’ Let me try to piece [...]

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Assembly powers bid over organ donation

There may or not be a new way of making laws for the Assembly following the referendum in March, but the current system is still on course to deliver a major change. As you know, the Assembly must request permission from Parliament to make laws under the much-criticised LCO (Legislative Competence Order) system. Well today, [...]

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Welsh Conservatives set out shadow budget

It’s pretty much the last day of term at the Assembly which some have suggested is the reason why the Welsh Conservatives issued their shadow budget with relatively little fanfare today. They say they’re not hiding though and certainly the party’s Director of Policy, David Melding, was making himself available to journalists like me who [...]

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Barnett’s Fair – for the foreseeable future

At Welsh Labour’s special policy conference which was held at the weekend, the party launched its own Yes campaign for next year’s powers referendum. One of the main messages used to win over doubters within Labour was that the UK government would only look at reforming the way Wales is funded – the notorious Barnett [...]

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Budget bits

I won’t even attempt to give you a comprehensive round-up of the Welsh Assembly Government’s Draft Budget: you can get that from Gareth Hughes here. Instead here are a few random notes and snippets from an intense day. * The fact that the Higher Education budget has been cut by nearly £37bn is surely a [...]

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Pre-budget politics

‘Apprehensive.’ That was the answer the Deputy Minister for Children, Huw Lewis, gave when I asked him how he was feeling ahead of the publication tomorrow of the Assembly Government’s draft budget. ‘Anyone who works in the public realm would be apprehensive about spending in the future,’ he added. I had been asking him about [...]

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