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David Cornock
Parliamentary correspondent, Wales
David Jones appoints English MP as his "eyes and ears"
Eyes and ears - Daniel Kawczynski
David Jones may be busy today meeting the Queen but he has found time to appoint a new parliamentary aide.
Shrewsbury and Atcham MP Daniel Kawczynski will be the new secretary of state's parliamentary private secretary - his eyes and ears around the Commons.
Mr Kawczynski's own website explains the unpaid role: "The new job will see Daniel carry out the important task of helping the secretary of state to implement and formulate policy, progress legislation through parliament, and interact with the Welsh assembly."
The MP himself said: "While my duties will be predominantly focused on the Welsh Office and supporting David Jones MP and Stephen Crabb MP, the parliamentary under secretary of state at the Wales Office, there are a huge variety of cross-border issues that have a direct impact on Shrewsbury.
"I look forward to leveraging my new position to further highlight my constituents' concerns, especially in areas such as health and transport, as well as doing everything in my power to help promote economic growth."
One or two eyebrows may be raised at the choice of a non-Welsh MP (replacing Montgomeryshire's Glyn Davies) but there are few Welsh Conservatives left who have yet to rebel against their own government.
David Jones is not the first Welsh minister to appoint an English PPS at the Wales or Welsh Office. Sir Wyn Roberts employed, if that is the word, English Tories Derek Conway (then a Shrewsbury MP) and David Tredinnick back in the 1990s.
Mr Kawczynski does have a long-standing interest in Welsh politics, thanks to the location of his constituency. You can read his past views here. As PPSes are not expected to speak on their own departmental subject it may be the last time he chooses to air them publicly.
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Comment number 8.
digbic7811th September 2012 - 18:29
another nobody helping another nobody in a position no one really cares about.It must feel amazing being a welsh politician.
When oh when is the state of the economy going to be challenged?do we have any ministers in westmister or the bay who have the ability to make the radical changes in welsh culture to positivley change our economic outlook?
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Comment number 7.
digbic7811th September 2012 - 16:41
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 6.
tredwyn11th September 2012 - 11:08
#4 In France, they say : Vive la difference!
"50 million Frenchmen can't be wrong".
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Comment number 5.
MabionGlyndwr11th September 2012 - 10:27
2 & 4: You are so wrong! Devolution hasn't failed but the zero of ambition of Labour in Cardiff bay and the lack of core economic powers held by Westminster. London holds back Important economic functions to appease the right wing unionist elements of Labour & Tories alike and no moving the furniture about will change our fortunes like full control would over our future. Unionist: see Backwards.
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Comment number 4.
Mrjkilcoyne11th September 2012 - 0:30
Oh yes because Shrewsbury is SO far from Wales... with the number of pupils, patients and employees that live and cross the border every day in both directions he knows the reality of border life (where a large minority of people live in Wales). Good on David Jones, perhaps know we'll have someone shining on a spotlight on the difference for difference sake Devolution has caused here.
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Comments 5 of 8