First Post
Please don't be confused by the name at the top of this entry. It may say Betsan Powys but this is Adrian Masters filling in for the week.
While Betsan suns herself and sips mojitos, here the clocks have gone back and the nights are drawing in. Thanks for the welcoming comments by the way. I'll do my best to keep the blog warm for the next week.
I'm sure the Welsh Labour leadership battle is uppermost in Betsan's mind as she starts her short break. It's certainly uppermost in the minds of the three candidates as they start the next phases of their campaigns.
One of the main things they each surely have to do over the next couple of weeks is highlight their differences from each other. This is always tricky to do for politicians in the same party because it risks opening divisions. Yet not to do so is also risky because it leaves the candidates open to accusations that they're all the same.
That's precisely the charge levelled by Dr. Richard Wyn Jones in last night's Westminster Hour on Radio 4. He blamed the voting system itself, the complicated electoral college that would-be leaders have to win.
"You've got to say nice things about the unions; you've got to say nice things about the Co-operative party; you've got to say nice things about Labour students," he said.
"This is a system designed for blandness and what we're seeing in the election so far is a fairly bland collection of remarks about change and develoopment and reaching out - all kinds of predictable stuff."
I should say that was given pretty short shrift by the three camps when I spoke to them.
A spokesman for Carwyn Jones rejected out of hand the claim that party rules are somehow constraining debate. "Labour's having a great time" he enthused.
A spokesman for Edwina Hart said the contest may have started blandly but clear dividing lines are beginning to show.
And a spokesman for Huw Lewis said that Mr Lewis' policies are the product of more than two years' work. Any blandness in the contest, says the Lewis camp, comes from the other two agreeing with ideas their man has set out.
Another difference could be seen in campaign leaflets received by Labour party members over the weekend.
Carwyn Jones' includes a photograph of the candidate with Gordon Brown and the caption "The Prime Minister thanking Carwyn at Labour Conference 2009 for his work in Wales."
Did this give Mr Jones an unfair advantage I asked the spokesmen? People have raised it with us said the Lewis camp but we're not making an issue of it. Neither are we said the Hart team.
Not an endorsement said the Jones spokesman emphatically. Just a photo at conference. "It's a shame not all three candidates were there (at the conference) to have their pictures taken with him."
I'm Betsan Powys, BBC Wales' political editor. I'll be blogging the inside track on 
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~05~RS~)
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Can we have some policy statements from the 3 candidates so we can see what sort of difference they would make if at all. Perhaps you could post them on the blog.
Not sure being photographed with Gordon is going to be in anyway helpful.
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Adrian....
'....A spokesman for Edwina Hart said the contest may have started blandly but clear dividing lines are beginning to show.....'
What the heck is meant by that?
As these three are supposed to be candidates to lead the SAME bloody party, there should be NO clear dividing lines.
The party should unite behind a candidate for his/her leadership skills, public persona, and charisma, not for representing 'clearly divided' whatever it is seen to be needing,.... what clear division?
They talk in tongues that the guy in the street cannot begin to comprehend.
It is this sort of rubbish emanating from the mouths of politician that has turned the voters off political engagement at the polling booths.
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Welcome Adrian
For me this election is a bit of a non event, no one stands out as something special, or worthy to lead Wales.
It would be great if one of these candidates had the vision to sort out the Assembly, make sure our money was spent to make Wales a better place.
In fact make Devolution work for us, rather than pandering to minority very vocal special interest groups.
But I do agree with Dr Jones comments.
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Re 2
Do you really want clones?
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Welcome Adrian, hope you enjoy the time in Betsan Powys absence....
Now, Thanks for the excellent information that, was provided in your
blog....
=Dennis Junior=
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Adrian Said
"A spokesman for Carwyn Jones rejected out of hand the claim that party rules are somehow constraining debate. "Labour's having a great time" he enthused."
I find this comment hard to take on board, as a former life long supporter of the party one always took comfort from the Labour core vote holding up in certain areas of the country so we had traditional Labour policies on a regional or local level.
What is different this time is that Labour has lost touch with its core vote that is why in Wales they face annihilation. They have stood by and watched the Archbishop destroy the credibility of the Party for fear of upsetting a devolution ally. What does it take for the worm to turn?
We have nobody to vote for regarding a devo-realist agenda, by that I mean the reality of its failings must be addressed if it is going to work.
However, having said that once you realise its failings you must then ask people the question do you want to keep it. Do you really want to pay to have 50 third rate politicians put in the way of providing first class public services or is there a better way of doing it.
To say “Labours having a great time” is to deny the reality of the situation, such an over optimistic outlook in such desperate times is inappropriate and a personality characteristic known as a 'pollyanna'.
But then, “A spokesman for Edwina Hart said the contest may have started blandly but clear dividing lines are beginning to show.
If they are showing now what is going to happen when they face melt down.
However, “ a spokesman for Huw Lewis said that Mr Lewis policies are the product of more than two years work. Any blandness in the contest, says the Lewis camp, comes from the other two agreeing with ideas their man has set out.”
So unity is all down to them agreeing with Huw Lewis and the contest is about who is most able to make his policies work!
So if Huw Lewis cannot make his own policies work the other two do not stand a chance! But what policies is he talking about?
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You Gov poll shows what a mess Labour is in at the moment. Tonight the BBC is also broadcasting a programme pointing out that unemployment will be with us for years to come. If as Carwyn Jones argues the UK elction will be fought on the economy then the Tories will walk it. Having your picture taken with Gordon Brown doesn't help anyone at the moment. The Leadership election is a complete distraction from the real task in front of Labour in Wales which is to hold on to as many of its UK Parliamentary seats as possible. At the moment it is sleeping walking towards a repeat of 1983 or could it be even worse with some polls suggesting that the Tories are 23% ahead in England. Perhaps all the candidates need to spell out the cuts in the Assembly budget in the next few years.
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Can Labour activists and grassroot members ever forgive Rhodri and the executive for agreeing to coalition. This issue more than any other has seen the downfall of the party in Wales. Here in the west where we were
used to fighting Plaid we saw the downside of embracing this party we
knew so well, we knew how they would plot and devide as we had seen it
happening many times in local government yet those in areas where they had no or little Plaid opposition i.e Pembrokshire voted for it. With that vote at the west wales hub meeting at Carmarthen's Boars Head Hotel came the beginning of the end as Labour abandoned it's socialist ambition and moved towards the more extreme nationalist agenda of Devolution,welsh language act,AWC,LCO's.
With that betrayal the attendance of the local party fell to just three
as a proud tradition of fighting nationalism dating back to Owain Glyndwr
in the County Town of Carmarthen was surrendered to Plaid by Cardiff(didn't even exist in 1400)
A kick in the teeth that ensured Rhodri's pension for another two years
and those of the betrayers Eluned Morgan(standing down to take up a lucrative post for energy)Jane Davidson(standing down to take up an undisclosed post in the private sector)Brian Gibbon(returning to Ireland)
Glenys Kinnock(retired to Westminster)the list goes on fine weather socialists.Is it any wonder Labour has lost the peoples confidence in
west wales? Can any of these three leaders redress the demise? Huw
Lewis. Will he get the chance? Never.
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Adrian .How can the BBC come to the conclusions that it did as broadcast on todays 1.00pm Welsh News? On the leadership it suggested that Carwyn Jones was the favourite because he appealed to 19% of the Yougov panel yet that panel is made up of numerous political persuasions and most would not be eligible to vote.Vaughan was also mischievous by emphasising Carwyns appeal to welsh speakers and Plaid? Why? Do Plaid have a vote on the Labour leadership? Doesn't Huw Lewis speak welsh?
Lyn Thomas as a Plaid supporter always accuses us of being paranoic
over the BBC's intentions but on this occasion there can be little doubt
that there is deliberate attempt to influence.
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Sorry thegnatswatter you are being paranoid. No evidence of bias.
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10.Lyn the pressures telling in your posts, you're losing the arguments
on every blog and your party's even losing in the polls.Isn't it a shame you couldn't get the referendum through before May? So near yet so far.
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Re 11
More meaningless generalities!
"Lyn the pressures (sic) telling in your posts, you're losing the arguments on every blog"
- any chance you'd like to prove that?
After yesterday, it seems to me the antis have lost it in every way possible. I suppose you'll be telling us next that your collective bad tempers are a sign of confidence.
Converts? Who?
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12. To a 'NO' vote of course.
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Re 13
It doesn't answer the question 'Who'.
So let me try Where?
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14. In the welsh speaking heartlands.
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Re 15
So, no converts then. At least that's clear.
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17. Welsh Speaking doesn't mean Plaid.
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Re 17
I know it's very difficult, but you're making even less sense than usual. Perhaps it's you making a supreme effort to hide that temper of yours.
Lemon and lime is not dandelion and burdock.
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18, Don't make yourself out to be more of an imbecile than you already are.
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