Plugging in
Making it to the great city of the North - no, not Bangor - is one thing.
Tapping into the message of loyalty, be it for now/ until Glenrothes/until Christmas/until the Spring European elections is easy enough. It's on every corner, in every interview recorded. Plugging into the chat afterwards in the cafes and bars of Manchester - 'he's going, just not yet' - is easy too.
Logging in? Now that's another matter but at last, here we go.
Welsh night, as my colleague David Cornock reports, was an 'up and at 'em' kind of night. A rousing speech from Gordon Brown was followed by a rousing speech from Jane Hutt - not a line you get to type every day.
The Prime Minister's sin of omission - "thanks to our hardworking MPs, MEPs and councillors" - had AMs shifting uncomfortably until "Rhodri and his administration" got a mention. "Thank God for that" whispered one MP who'd seen the official protest coming.
The tribute to Glenys Kinnock was heartfelt. Neil was in tears: "That's why I love 'er!" The man standing just behind me was moved to join in. "We all love 'er Neil!"
The attack? That's easy too - that was directed towards the Tories, the party that hasn't changed, whose commitment to hard-working families, to the NHS is all a scam to win the next election.
"The Tory values may not have changed but, luckily, neither have ours". That was from Huw Lewis, addressing conference this morning but not, let's be clear, in any way inching towards any kind of leadership bid. Neither was Carwyn Jones last night as he worked the room, or should that be marquee. Neither was Leighton Andrews. No sign of Andrew Davies in Manchester, or of Edwina Hart who, the story goes, has heard one simple message from all directions this Summer: she's simply got to stand.
If she does, the race gets intriguing. If she's minded not to? Well then what she does about strikes me as equally intriguing.
But then any attempt at bidding for the leadership has been banned by the Welsh Executive, who spelled out to the entire Labour group of AMs a little while ago that it's the Executive and no-one else who fires the starting gun on that particular race.
I hear they have a meeting on October 18th to thrash out the final rules and regulations surrounding the race for the leadership, the one that hasn't started yet and will only start when they say so ... easier said than done.
I'm Betsan Powys, BBC Wales' political editor. I'll be blogging the inside track on 
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~58~RS~)
CommentsSign in
You need to sign in to contribute to this page. If you're new to BBC Blogs, creating your membership is quick and easy.
Betsan:
Thanks for the blog...
Plugging in, is a great choice of words....
Complain about this comment
Dear Betsan,
Welcome to the second great capital of North East Wales - after Liverpool that is. Must make a change from provincial Cardiff- a second class British city with a third class bunch of politicos and their hangers on from all parties who are ripping us off. The referendum for more powers? Bring it on!
Complain about this comment
Strange, all his chatter from politicians who no longer matter. They can have ther meetings from now until doomsday, it all counts for nothing.
Gordon is dead in the water, and will go as soon as his departure can be achieved with a little dignity. Us Welsh can huff and puff to try and show how important we are, but it's all so pointless.
The English want shot of us, along with the Scots.
Subsidising their northern and western enclaves has become too expensive. The Welsh media has slyly played down the resentment now exploding out from England toward their benefit and subsidy loving 'partners'.
Soon the Tories will be in power, a whole new ball game will begin. Rhodri Morgan will be gone, the next Labour leader will not be nearly so subservient as he has been. Some of us wonder if all along he was some kind of 'sleeper' whose strings were being pulled by Plaid Cymru.
Soon the 'Boy David' will run the show, I doubt he will be so accommodating. Look out Wales, it's going to be a very bumpy ride.
Complain about this comment
I don't think "it's going to be a very bumpy ride". It could be that the "Boy David" might see an opportunity in less government and more democracy.
We might see regions appear, Wales could be the first, counties evaporate, and Whitehall coalesce into small advisory organisations rather than the political drivers.
Less is sometimes more, and it could be when the "Boy David" takes up his sling shot and becomes the "Man David".
Complain about this comment
The only thing I agree with Noah is that Gordon and New Labour are 'dead in the water'.
It was worth watching 'Dispatches' on Channel 4 this evening, which dealt with the issues faced by ordinary people in the UK as a result of the mess that ten years of Blair and Brown's New Labour unregulated credit boom has caused them. An unmitigated disaster. It really is not good enough for Brown and Darling to blame it entirely on events in the US, and to waffle on at the Conference as if anybody except the sycophants there believe they are anything but incompetent.
Wales, already in relative poverty, will suffer much more than the affluent areas across the border, as it always has done during economic downturns. It is unable to protect or defend itself. Wales has never been a 'partner' in the UK. It has a small measure of administrative devolution. The Assembly cannot even legislate on car number plate logos and is otherwise totally dependent on the actions of UK governments more concerned with the well-heeled middle classes of London and the home counties, and of big business, and the rich.
Both main parties have relied heavily on donations from millionaires in recent decades. That is the measure of them, and what matters to them. We all know how well Blair has done financially out of being a Labour Prime Minister.
Wales has very few millionaires, and never will have while we rely on handouts from others - who have taken our taxes, and our resources and left us in a perpetual mess. We must stand on our own feet and take responsibility. Wales is as capable as any other small nation of being successful politically, economically and culturally. We do not need to take part in illegal and immoral wars, or have a new nuclear deterrents, two gigantic aircraft carriers, and a massive ID database to keep track of us from birth to grave. We also do not need hugely overpaid politicians from other people's countries, who only think of their own careers.
Noah's attitude is completely negative. Perhaps he should sail his ark over the border and take his negativity with him. His attitude would probably be as unwelcome wherever he goes. A change of attitude would be better, but he just wants more of the same for us.
Complain about this comment
brynt41 - absolutely correct...
Wales has its language and long history, it has tourist attractions, and tourism brings in a good economy, and international trade, try finding out what the government under plaid are doing to boost Wales' economy.....
referendum 2011 big YES from what i've heared:
39% wanted Wales to have full law making powers, 70% want full/partial devolution....so looks like a chance for a big yes.....
millionaires funding other parties you say...did you hear about JK ROWLING? 1million she gave 1million pounds to the labour party, because she beleives they can do better than sir david of england....
Its sad that random english people who live in Wales (or may i say anti-welsh) dont respect the fact that we are a nation like england and france and have the right to have our own government giving us laws for our nation...
people like stonemason, if you hate the fact Wales is a country what are you doing here? interefearing in our country's politics and making sure it remains a part of Westminster's little governments...
no offence, but people like that are just like davey davies thick! there attitude toward Wales and Welsh is pathetic no-offence, go home to england I say (IN A NICE WAY).....if you cant find one buy 1....its sad that there are narrow minded unionist idiots from england coming into wales brain washing and telling people they no more when they actually dont....if you hate the fact we are welsh and not british...if you hate our language or refuse to respect it......Go over the border....(on the east)
looking at bbc scotland....and scotland's history with the tories.....were going to say bye bye to Scotland.....the Scots oppose the tories and would defo say yes to independence when another tory comes to power! 50% say yes to independence, only 39% say no according to a scottish government poll!!
Its time for Wales to have a government with full law making powers....whats so great about being ruled by england?
what so great about some english goverment in a capital city of england making daft laws over us?
Labour---brain dead...not only BROWN....but all of them includuding Darling....No action from the labour....
Tories....Talk Talk.....i can agree with som of davey's views on geting these dole people back to work and other little rules....but its all the same....maggie had verry interesting policies....but she failed us.....tories are all talk..... agree agree...he never disagrees till he gets he's hands on number 10....
LIBdems....well they keep changing there policies....
why cant we have a Welsh-made party....oh we have 1....there in power.....and are verry influencing....especially to real Welsh people....there policies are really helpful, more helpful than those dumb labour members who are suppose to be working with them...
tories win the general election
BRING IT ON!!!
see our scottish cousins and the big fish smile to independence.....
Complain about this comment
View these comments in RSS