Are you sitting comfortably?
Tonight the two authors of the best books published in Wales during this past year, both in Welsh and in English, will be named and lauded and given £10,000 , in the hope they manage to buy some time to write another cracker. Then again they might find it comes in useful, as the winner of the Artes Mundi prize did a few years ago, to sort out the damp in the cellar. Why not. Even conceptual artists obviously appreciate dry cellars.
This morning we're starting the day with a narrative, a story that's now being told, honed and retold every week. A comment here a press release there but put them together and what you have is a growing narrative. It's the Welsh Labour party who are doing the telling and the story they're relating is all about the new Secretary of State, Cheryl Gillan, an MP who represents an English constituency but who is now heading up the Wales Office - or as it's been newly re-named, or re-re-named, the Welsh Office.
At least that's where the story begins - with a new Welsh Secretary and with a growing sense amongst Labour MPs that she's seen as weak link and is a character around whom a whole story can be very successfully spun.
There was the town crier who strode back and forth in front of the Senedd a few weeks ago and welcomed 'the Governor General who's dropped in on us here in Wales ... come out and pay your respects'.
She and her party laughed it off as a stunt that made Labour look pathetic.
Pick up the narrative from there.
The Assembly Government joins in. The new Welsh Secretary, they said, had made an announcement about the date of the referendum in the Commons before letting them know.
A letter had been sent but arrived a few hours after the announcement had been made. Not good enough, said WAG. Hardly worth such an eruption, said the Welsh Office.
There was Peter Hain in the House of Commons last week, who came as close as parliamentary rules allow to accusing Cheryl Gillan of lying. She should, he warned, remember where she was and tread very carefully before she made any more claims about what he had - or more significantly - had failed to do on securing a referendum before the General Election.
She came out fighting and pretty much repeated her claims.
Just yesterday, two Labour MPs picked up on a hit delivered in the Western Mail and turned the screw a few more times in letters to the Cabinet Office. Jessica Morden asked for an investigation into the conduct of the Secretary of State, while Owen Smith wanted "an assessment of the additional accommodation costs to the public purse of visits to Wales by a Secretary of State who is an MP representing an English constituency?"
Fair dues, you might say, though the Cabinet Office didn't seem to think so.
Yesterday too the news broke that the Housing LCO is to be allowed on its way without amendment, because David Jones, the Parliamentary Under Secertary of State, had discovered there'd be no time to consider changes and get it through before recess. Have it then, he effectively said ... but bear in mind those reassurances you gave us that you've no intention of using the bit we disagree with.
An exmaple, said Mr Jones, of the new coalition government getting the job done, proof that the Welsh Office intended 'mutual respect' to mean something. "A total humiliating capitulation by the Wales Office" said Shadow Wales Office minister (Labour are sticking to Wales Office) Wayne David. "The Wales Office has become a beleaguered and rudderless Department."
Then this morning's session of the Welsh Grand Committee - watch it here and read about it here.
Along came the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander - something of a surprise, it turns out, for those there. So the narrative moves on. Not, after all, a further sign of transparency but a "humiliation" for the "under-fire Welsh Secretary" said Wayne David, again. Why had she been "dumped ... at the last minute"? Why had the Welsh Secretary's first Welsh Grand Committee "descended into farce."
Then he brought the story bang up to date: "It pains me to say it, but the Wales Office, under Cheryl Gillan's leadership, is becoming a laughing stock in Whitehall."
I don't know how Cheryl Gillan and her team intend to respond this time, if at all. What's clear is that they can't have failed to spot the story in which the boss is starring here, nor how her character's storyline is developing. They must know too that the poltical force driving the story is renowned for very successfully driving home messages that tend to stick. Say it loud enough and often enough and at least some of the people will believe you.
So: where does the story go from here?
UPDATE
This from Cheryl Gillan: "I was delighted when Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander was able to attend Welsh Grand today to address members on the implications of the emergency Budget on Wales.
"But this opportunity to have serious and constructive discussions on the Budget and its implications on Wales was totally wasted by Labour MPs who were more concerned with making political mischief making than serious debate.
"I was disappointed by the playground tactics of Labour members in trying to reduce today's Welsh Grand into a political circus, with no apparent wish to do real work on Welsh issues.
I'm Betsan Powys, BBC Wales' political editor. I'll be blogging the inside track on 
~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~35~RS~)
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Psychologists refer to this as the 'denial phase' it is also known as being a bad loser. They will grow up as time goes by and perhaps explore some avenues of constructive criticism.
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Wow ... children at play when the grown-ups need answers, sad day for Wales.
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Re 2
And a wonderful example of your ever so brilliant Westminster and our wonderful MPs ability to scrutinize!!! Who needs them?
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So children let's all count the ways that Wales is scrutinised shall we?
1. The London Parliament (ruled by parties not voted by the majority of Welsh people)
2. The unelected second tier of the London Parliament (ruled by parties not voted by the majority of Welsh people)
3. A governor General from deepest Englandshire (not elected by anyone in Wales)
4. An unelected hereditary head of state (which the poor of Machynlleth and Connah's Quay subsidises)
What children?
No - I'm afraid 'tis no fairy tale - it's the UK in the 21st century
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It is more fun reading David Cornocks blog.
These people don't want us having more powers. look on the 'read it here' and 'watch it hear' above'.
they are telling us how to run our Country.
Yes well.
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An interesting ITVWales/YouGov poll (sample 1001) published today on ITV Wales News shows support for a Yes vote increasing to 55% and a drop in support for a No vote to 28%.
This is the highest level of support for legislative powers for the Assembly.
It also shows increased support for Labour in Wales, a drop in LibDem and Tory support, and a slight fall in support for Plaid.
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This vote for more powers is now starting to alarm the Plaid/EWPP ruling caste. With the devolution crazed S. African as Welsh SOS, those with proper Welsh names and heritages were hoping to cherry pick their own words to achieve a successful yes vote.
Our Plaid/EWPP coalition are craving a successful yes vote to keep the British folk out of Welsh affairs, so that Westminster would not able to scrutinise the wants of the ruling caste.
I think they're going to be amazed at the large numbers of British folk living within Wales, who'd hate to have the wants of Rhodri kind unsupervised!!
Keep Westminster firmly in charge, and study every syllable of every sentence of every law/measure that Rhodri kind puts forward.
Better still, scrap the money gobbling parasite of devolution, its only function is to encourage sectarian differences, the British Labour movement should be ashamed.
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#3, an absolute disgrace; Betsan, how about asking Wayne David and company why they are acting like jerks when we expect considered opinions from our very expensive representatives ...
... disappointed of Caerphilly.
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Re 8
Why do we need them?
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I note that Welsh Labour - like their Scottish equivalents - seem obsessed with the names of the the different levels of government. What a peculiar obsession! Still, each to their own I suppose.
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#9, democracy needs government ... Westminster is where government resides.
... If our democratic process included recall, I would be looking for signatures to force the Caerphilly MP to stand again and explain to the voters why he considers disruption favourable to doing the work he is being paid for.
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What a shambles - very poor start by the Tories.
More please :)
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Well Mr Jones, are you joining the ranks of the MP for Caerphilly, little to offer the public other than ...
...
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Jack it may come as a surprise to you, and Stonemason, that Westminster does not scrutinise any Assembly Measure. That is not their role.
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Re 14
Quite!!
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I know the difference between a measure and lco LDT, I also believe that every single piece of Welsh legislation and its amendments are examined in detail to ensure a good fit with the United Kingdom model of democracy, the constitution; but you have changed the subject, we have been bemoaning the poor showing at the Welsh Grand Committee, if only Oliver Cromwell had been in attendance, I am sure he would have sent them all packing, telling them to return when they were ready to work on behalf of the public rather than in-spite of the public ...
he might have referred to them as children, badly behaved children one and all.
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The more I read about the events at the Welsh Grand Committee the more amazed I become - according to Tomos Livingstone in the Western Mail today it seems that Cheryl Gillan apparently did not let the members of the committee know who was going to be present; the Chair did not know the names of the committee members; and worse of all they were so inept at Parliamentary procedures that they had to be coached through the meeting with members leaving in disgust and points of order being ignored and brushed aside.
This is, it seems, is democracy - London style.
These are the people who would sit in judgement on the rights of others to form legislation - when they can't even successfully chair a routine internal meeting.
I'd like to say I'm surprised, shocked even by this level of shoddiness, but sadly I'm not - it's the same shabby, amateurish carnival I've come to expect from the London asylum.
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Re: 13
"Well Mr Jones, are you joining the ranks of the MP for Caerphilly, little to offer the public other than ... "
From the Western Mail 28 June:
"THE Conservatives have been accused of a lack of interest in Wales after it emerged only one Tory MP had expressed an interest in serving on the committee which represents Welsh affairs.
The only Conservative who has volunteered to join the Welsh Affairs Select Committee is Redditch MP Karen Lumley – but none of the party’s Welsh MPs has signed up to join her, apart from new chairman David Davies...
...Under the current devolution settlement, the committee plays a crucial role in scrutinising applications for the transfer of lawmaking powers – known as Legislative Competence Orders or LCOs – put forward by the National Assembly."
It appears the Tories in Westminster have little to offer Wales, especially so when it comes to Stonemason's hobby-horse of 'scrutiny' of proposed Welsh laws.
No surprises there..
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Re 14.
I'll say what I think the vote for more powers is all about, then you give your version.
Jack's version.
At present all proposals for new Welsh laws, have to undergo scrutiny by the Welsh affairs committee at Westminster, if they decide a proposal is sound it's given a Legislative competence order, if not it's back to the drawing board.
The proposed new Welsh language law has failed scrutiny on several occasions, because our ruling elite wanted it imposed in a disproportionate and unreasonable way.
The forth coming vote for more powers, is to get Westminster off our elites back, no more scrutiny by the Britishers of Westminster. GIVE THEM THE POWERS TO DO THE JOB!!!.....THEIR WAY?
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Jack once again you fail to grasp that Westminster does not scrutinise Welsh Laws, known as Measures. They scrutinise requests to transfer the powers to make laws within certain subject areas, which is not the same thing again. Go and read the Government of Wales Act 2006.
Stonemason - please note it was Jack that raised this. Glad that you agree that Welsh laws receive full scrutiny - of course that is done in the National Assembly for Wales.
As for the Welsh Grand Committee, it looks from the reports that it was a shambles, caused by poor chairing - who needed considerable help with the process and who didn't know who the members were - in short parachuted in and the shambles was exacerbated by Labour MPs playing up to it, though there also seems to be genuine disgust at the chairing. The Welsh Grand has always been a toothless body, "it exists because Wales is a nation, it has no powers in case Wales starts to act like one".
Having said that the Westminster system seems to actively revel in bad behaviour and childish scenes, witness Prime Ministers questions time - which has very little to do with questioning and far more about posturing.
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Well Betsan;
a story that's now being told, honed and retold every week. A comment here a press release there but put them together and what you have is a growing narrative. It's the Welsh Labour party who are doing the telling
Par for the course - all the labour party have left is black propaganda and character assassination.
Labour have failed Britain every time they Govern - they have always left office with the country bankrupted, private industries decimated and the Public Sector bloated and failing to deliver to the people of Britain. - this time it is worse than ever, and here in Wales catastrophic.
We have Assembly Elections next May - it seems Labour realise they have nothing to offer so negative propaganda is the option chosen.
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Let's try and keep this really simple.
Under the current system the Assembly Government can make its own laws, but only after a Legislative Competence Order is passed by Westminster.
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Indeed, and that legislative competence order gives the National Assembly powers over a specific subject area, but does not detail any laws that may be drawn up under that subject heading, what is more once transferred that power can be used to make laws in 5, 10, or 100 years time. Westminster then has no scrutiny role over any of those laws. Its not a one order per law thing.
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