Go West
Some news just in - Mark Drakeford has been chosen as the Labour candidate for Cardiff West for the May 2011 Assembly elections, where he'll be bidding to take over from the former First Minister Rhodri Morgan.
Mr Drakeford was widely seen as providing the intellectual underpinnings for the much vaunted "clear red water" strategy of differentiating Welsh Labour from New Labour.
And that clear red water strategy is certainly popular with the Cardiff West CLP members if the results from this morning's hustings is anything to go by - Mr Drakeford trounced the other two candidates - gaining 102 votes, to Ramesh Patel's 50 and Sophie Howe's 42.
Should he be elected, Mr Drakeford will find the life of an AM rather different to that of a special adviser at the very heart of government. Paying affectionate tribute during his farewell speech in the Senedd in December last year, Mr Morgan came up with this priceless anecdote.
"I also want to thank all the special advisers that I have had. The function of a special adviser is sometimes described as that of a spin doctor, but by and large, our special advisers have not been spin doctors but policy wonks out of the top drawer--professors of sociology, and suchlike.
"I will never forget one moment when Tony Blair was coming to address people in Wales, and making a major speech on Europe in the old library in central Cardiff. He was a little late in arriving, and so the person in charge of his security arrangements turned to me and asked to speak to my senior special adviser.
"I pointed to Mark Drakeford, a professor of sociology, who was wearing his usual sweater and pair of jeans, and after digesting the news that this was my senior special adviser, this chap went over to Mark and asked him, 'Where shall I position my team of rooftop snipers?' I did not think that he had quite understood what a special adviser was."
Around and about the Plaid conference just down the road from Transport House, a few delegates might have been hoping for a Ramesh Patel victory, following his controversial comments regarding Welsh medium education in Cardiff, but In intellectual (and sartorial) terms, it seems Labour plumped for the heir apparent.
I'm Betsan Powys, BBC Wales' political editor. I'll be blogging the inside track on 
~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~06~RS~)
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oscar mohamar dainitin say to Betsan Powys i really like this article but i do not know if the Labour candidate Cardiff West for the May 2011 Assembly elections will be the best. post by oscar mohamar daintin.
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I think you might find it was 110 votes Betsan and that they were all first prefences. I make that 55%. Seems that the leadership election and this one shows that for the members the water is still very clear and very red............
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Presumably the clear red water policies refered to with pride are the same policies that have led Wales to have the worst performing economy in the United Kingdom, the longest healthcare waiting lists and the lowest per capita spend on education. Seems like a track record to be proud of and a demonstration of skills that will doubtless be needed in the referendum for more powers if only to show if there is any difference between red water and green water
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If i had a vote it would have gone to Ramesh Patel as if he has said some thing "controversial" about welsh medium education policy in Cardiff and upset our very FAVOURITE BBC CYMRU PARTY then he's on the side of vast majority of people I know. GO GO RAMESH!!!!The idea that we need another Sociologist in running this little region is ssurely a "JOKE",as its those unrealist people who have destroyed decent working class lives and help in creation of welsh underclass whose lifestyles and unpreparednes to work is permanent drain on hard working taxpayers.
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Professor of sociology. Oh dear.
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It seems that the list of Labour Special Advisers going for safe seats is ever-growing: Owen Smith, Paul Murphy's former spin doctor is reportedly hoping to be selected for another safe seat, probably in Ponty.
I refer you to the Right Honourable Member for Pontypridd's earlier answer regarding the "Assisted Places Scheme for Cabinet Members".
Less desirable even than sociology professors, please could we select someone who has not spent their whole, short lives only in politics and media, please?
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