Betsan Powys, Political editor, Wales

Betsan Powys Political editor, Wales

My take on what's really going on in Welsh politics - updates and analysis on the policies and personalities of Cardiff Bay and beyond

On the road with the Silk Commission

What's a girl to do on a Wednesday afternoon in Abertillery? A haircut at Scissorz? A visit to Conqueror Tattoos? Or perhaps a chat about the future of devolution?

You'll be glad to hear (particularly on the tattoo front I suspect) that yesterday I opted for the last of those. It was day two of the Silk Commission's tour of Wales and on behalf of the viewers of Wales Today, I was there.

Read full article

End of the three-country consensus?

UPDATE

A round of opposition party responses:

Read full article

Betsan added analysis to:

Devolution inquiry hits the road

The commission's already come up with answers to one key question - how should Wales be financed in future?

It's still waiting to find out whether the UK government thinks it got that right.

Read full article

Wales in Europe - via Griffithstown

What's your definition of Wales in Europe?

If your answer is Bonnie in Malmö, then I'd probably stop reading now. If it's 'net beneficiary' or 'best out' then you're in the right place. Read on.

Read full article

Long road to improved global ranking

I was there, back in 2010, when the Education Minister Leighton Andrews, took a long, hard look at Wales' standing in world league tables and said that enough is enough. The Programme for International Student Assessment - or PISA tests - had found Wales' fifteen year old pupils wanting.

Everyone involved, he said, should be "alarmed". The figures were "unacceptable". Wales was spending more than countries that were outperforming us. How come? We were sliding down the tables at a speed bright Finnish teenagers could probably work out given the details about time and distance. Many Welsh pupils, sadly, could not ... even with a calculator.

Read full article

A bucket with holes, or a whole lot?

I'm leaving the reporting on the Queen's Speech to my colleagues in Westminster - but I'll just add two overheard conversations to the debate.

What exactly, came the question first thing this morning, is the status of the draft Wales bill? What's likely to be in it?

Read full article

Warning: Mr Ruthless on the warpath

UPDATE Wed 11.30

"Will they stick together and refuse to sink out of sight this time?" was my question yesterday of Anglesey's independent councillors. The answer, by the looks of things at least, is yes. Talks are now well underway to form a council, led by independents, with support from the three Labour members.

Read full article

Betsan added analysis to:

Lobbyist register ruled out in Wales

Lobbyists say that what they do helps improve policy and legislation. Their critics dismiss them as parasites.

But the standards committee in Cardiff Bay has decided that while some rules around contact between AMs and lobbyists need tightening, there is no need for a register.

Read full article

Full implementation, full explanation

I know what you're going to say.

Please can you stop banging on in this blog about the Silk Commission, about who's saying what to whom about constitutional reform and devolving tax and borrowing powers. Can't you go back to writing about missed targets in the health service and pressures on public services and shenanigans about smacking and organ donation, the things we really care about?

Read full article

Carwyn and George: the odd couple

You've heard of George and Mildred, and Gilbert and George perhaps. I give you another partnership - a short-term collaborative duo with a common purpose: George and Carwyn, or Carwyn and George, take your pick.

The common purpose? To help scupper the pro-independence campaign in Scotland.

Read full article

Tories take on Labour in Cardiff Bay

Last year they gave it a miss. This year they gave it some welly.

The Welsh Conservative conference was less short and sweet than brief and brutal.

Read full article

Six of the best from the Chief Whip

Back from Anglesey - the mother of Wales, and in the past at least, the naughty child of Welsh local government. I admit I was going to make that metaphor work hard in today's blog entry, weave in naughty steps, slap downs and so on. But you may be relieved to know that there's no need.

The metaphor is strangely apt, but the story that's got AMs hot under the collar is quite different. And yes, you'll argue the GDP figures are much more significant - but you'll read about those elsewhere. You won't read about this.

Read full article

Mystery creases in the Silk road?

I don't know how closely Welsh Government ministers normally watch Welsh Liberal Democrat conferences. Not very, I suspect. A rare day out in the sun with the family - or stay in and watch a succession of speakers attack your alleged complacency and incompetence from the podium? A no-brainer surely.

Over the weekend, though, the Lib Dems gathering in Cardiff certainly sparked more interest than usual in the new open plan offices of Cathays Park - in particular, the speech from chief secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander.

Read full article

Re-org? - I wouldn't start from here

"Re-org is not where I want to be".

Who said it? The then Local Government Minister Carl Sargeant.

Read full article

Kind words and empty chairs in the Bay

Instead of questions to the First Minister, this afternoon's session in the chamber will start with tributes to Margaret Thatcher. Only the party leaders have been asked to speak and the list of those who will not be attending is growing.

All four leaders will be there. All four will speak- one in praise of the former Prime Minister, three choosing to concentrate on the impact she had in Wales.

Lines painted in early Spring...

A guest blogpost from @TobyMasonBBC

Let me take you on a journey. One in particular - my morning drive to the Senedd in Cardiff Bay. Why would I want to tell you about my commute? Because I think it's trying to tell me something about the direction politics is moving in - at a local level at least.

Read full article

Yes for Wales or no to Thatcherism?

Ron Davies is not about to give up his title.

I'm talking about the former Welsh Secretary, about his unofficial title as 'the architect of devolution' and a suggestion that it could be bestowed on another - on Margaret Thatcher.

Read full article

Betsan added analysis to:

Welsh tributes to Baroness Thatcher

We've heard both from those who admired her but also from those were very much her adversaries: Dr Kim Howells, the former Labour minister and NUM official, called her a divisive but pretty remarkable woman.

Unlike most politicians she had an agenda, and she managed to achieve it, he said.

Read full article

"Very significant heat in the system"

Nearly every day now, I open my inbox to find an email from someone, somewhere pointing to something that's wrong with the NHS in Wales. A number are from ordinary people whose relatives were in great need and didn't get the sort of emergency care their families still expect, and still believe should be possible to deliver.

Today they can all read the letter, seen by BBC Wales and sent by nearly half of the Wales' A&E consultants jointly to the new Health Minister Mark Drakeford.

Read full article

It's lift-off - at a price of £52m

We were on our way home from Labour's conference in Llandudno and let's face it, it wasn't my finest hour as a driver. Or as the man who came to our aid with two big spades put it: "Stick to the politics in future, cariad!"

I'm unashamedly using the blog to say thank you to Mr Annwyl, Roy and the man in the red 4 x 4 for digging, having a rope handy and towing us out of a hole. We will stick to the politics, Mr Annwyl.

Read full article

About Betsan

Betsan Powys has been BBC Wales' Political Editor since 2006.

Despite her surname, she was born in Cardiff and is a Welsh speaker.

She worked in the newsroom before a stint with flagship Current Affairs series Panorama.

She came back from London, says her predecessor with some feeling, "just as Welsh politics got interesting!"

More correspondents

  • Mark Devenport, Political editor, Northern Ireland Mark Devenport Political editor, Northern Ireland

    Northern Ireland politics and stories from Stormont


  • Brian Taylor, Political editor, Scotland Brian Taylor Political editor, Scotland

    What's happening in the world of Scottish politics


  • Nick Robinson, Political editor Nick Robinson Political editor

    The latest on what’s going on in and around politics


BBC © 2013 The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more.

This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.