A Rather Good Idea

My only encounter with George Monbiot occurred at the Hay Festival last year when he was planning to carry out a citizen’s arrest on a leading American neo-con, John Bolton. I was stewarding at the Guardian Stage when I overheard him planning this stunt with another Hay celebrity. I wasn’t too impressed, regarding the whole thing as a monumental waste of effort and a somewhat dubious attack on the freedom of speech.

However, reading his column in today’s Guardian has encouraged me to reassess Monbiot. He is putting forward a rather good idea for the creation of a railway linking North and South Wales, but unlike the hugely inconvenient existing link, this link would run through Wales for its entire length. This idea, together with its proposed branch links, could prove to be a significant driver of regeneration in the sparsely populated rural centre which has tended to be ignored by Labour-dominated administrations based in Cardiff Bay.

If the Labour government comes to its senses and decides to invest in public projects as one of its strategies for energising the economy, then a project such as this is well worth serious consideration.

Freedom of Information and a 'Mills and Boon' Moment

The dominant letter in this week’s Mid Wales Journal purports to come from Cllr Gary Price, it is his name on the bottom, however, the writing style in parts of the letter most definitely points to a different author. It is a general gripe about politicians and their allowances and expenses. What intrigues me is the statement:

“I obtained earlier details myself under the Freedom of Information Act, for politicians in Cardiff Bay; however I was declined the details from Westminster.”

Now answering requests for information in compliance with the Freedom of Information Act is expensive of the public purse, and therefore it is quite legitimate to ask why is Cllr Price wasting public money by putting in requests under the Act for information that he knows full well is put into the public domain on an annual basis?

In the County Times this week we have a follow-up to my previous blog with an account and commentary on what the Western Mail has termed “I-podgate”. One of the comments comes from Cllr Sarah Millington who was so moved by Nick Bourne’s embarrassment that she appeared on a Radio Wales phone-in programme to defend him. Clearly, her adoration of the Welsh Conservative leader knows no bounds – the comment ends: “She claims to have received “nothing but grief” over her radio appearance, but she said it was all made worthwhile after Mr Bourne phoned her to thank her for her loyalty"

"Sarah from Powys"

On Radio Wales at midday, we had Nick Bourne attempting to justify his use of his Assembly Office Expense Allowance for the purchase of the now infamous I-pod. Quite within the rules we are assured, yet somehow difficult to justify as an ‘office’ rather than a ‘personal’ expense.

It is the first time that I have been prompted to consider an I-pod as a piece of office equipment. It was bought for learning Welsh we are told. Hmm, well yes, by a longish stretch of the imagination I suppose it can be used for that purpose, although I must say, there are cheaper devices that could be used for learning Welsh.

“Sarah from Powys” contacts the programme to say that she doesn’t think Nick has done anything wrong, that Nick is good value for money, that he is always available and he is always around etc. I am sure you get the picture. Mai Davies, the presenter standing in for Richard Evans, gets a little suspicious of all this sycophancy and asks “Sarah from Powys” if she knows Nick Bourne – Yes, she does. Is she a Tory activist? Asks Mai – Yes, I’m a Tory Councillor admits Sarah. She's been rumbled!

Could this “Sarah from Powys” be Sarah Millington who represents Llandrindod South on Powys County Council? It certainly sounded like her, those dulcet West Midlands tones. Caught on air as Nick Bourne’s stooge, things must be really desperate in the Nick Bourne camp if they hare having to rely on “Sarah from Powys” to defend the Leader.

However, it’s not really about the I-pod, it’s about judgement – poor judgement, and coming on top of the dirty dossier, this is probably one example of poor judgement too many for the Welsh Conservatives. Perhaps Nick Bourne should fall on his sword and resign as leader while he still has some measure of dignity, then he will have all the time he needs to attend to his Welsh lessons in the Assembly – with or without his I-pod.

A Most 'Unchristian' Voice

I had blogged earlier (15th November)on the matter of Patrick Jones, Waterstones and Christian Voice, and I still think that Patrick Jones is a clever operator who deliberately stirred up controversy to boost sales of his new volume of poetry. His actions were guaranteed to upset the religious fundamentalists and, as a consequence of Waterstones’ mistake in cancelling their arrangements with Patrick Jones, he also succeeded in stirring up those who dogmatically insist that freedom of speech is a fundamental freedom and that any attack on it must be repulsed as firmly as possible.

However, the much vaunted reading has taken place in the National Assembly and I thought I’d check on the Christian Voice website to gauge their reaction to the event. I found this comment from Stephen Green:

Green revealed tonight that he has now emailed new LibDem leader Kirsty Williams asking her to distance herself and her party from the event.
He said: 'As Peter Black is the LibDem's culture spokesman, the LibDems remain the party which insults Jesus Christ until Kirsty Williams comes out against the event. It would be good to know that she recognises that disrespect of Jesus Christ and of Christians is not civilised behaviour, and that culture for her party should not mean adoration of the crass, the coarse and the filthy.'

Now it is a huge insult to me, as a member of the Liberal Democrats, to imply that the independent actions of two AMs, one of whom happens to be a Liberal Democrat, had the full backing of all other Liberal Democrat members. To go further and seek to blackmail the party leader by stating that the Liberal Democrats are the party which insults Jesus Christ until the leader comes out against the event, is nothing short of scandalous. Finally, to imply that I, as a Liberal Democrat member, adore the crass, the coarse and the filthy is an unpardonable slur, not only on me but also on fellow Liberal Democrats.

How dare Stephen Green and his gang of fundamentalist followers make such a sweeping and inaccurate generalisation? How dare they seek to bully Kirsty Williams into distancing herself and the party from this event?

Has Christian Voice nothing better to do than hurl gratuitous insults at those who hold freedom of speech and expression above bigotry and sanctimony? Christian Voice is certainly vocal, but it doesn’t seem to be Christian – at least not according to what I understand as deserving of the description‘Christian’.

A Stunning Victory

Congratulations to Kirsty Williams on becoming the new Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats and on becoming the first woman to lead a party in the National Assembly. Commiserations to Jenny Randerson who has served our party so well over many years.

Now we must make the Welsh Liberal Democrats the party of radical solutions to the many problems that beset Wales, we must recognise that Old Labour is exhausted, that Conservatism cannot be trusted and that narrow nationalism is a road to nowhere.

Well done, Kirsty - you fought an excellent campaign and triumphed - now for the really hard work.