Senedd Watch - April 2011

Just because there's an election on, it doesn't mean the wheels of government stopped: The "morning after pill" will now be available in Wales free of charge without a prescription. More controversially, it will also be available to under-16s where there is a clinical need and informed consent. The Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) has called for policing and youth justice to be devolved to the Welsh Assembly. It's believed this stems...

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Election 2011 : The ITV Leaders Debate

Firstly I'd like to praise ITV Wales's coverage of this election. It's been good overall, and it's pleasing that a commercial operation has put effort into it. I also think Jonathan Hill did a fine job as host last night, and was quick to point out if something was devolved or not as well as asking one or two awkward rebound questions. Please don't take this as an endorsement of the Welsh media as a whole, they try their best but we should still...

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Election 2011 : Week Three

Conservatives: Say they would cut the education budget by 12%, but would ensure more funding would go directly to schools and criticised the education record of Labour saying Wales had gone "backwards". They also confirmed they would pursue a tuition fee policy similar to England's. Outlined their "blue belt" policy, which would prevent building on flood plains. Chancellor George Osbourne visited North Wales and said it was time for a change of...

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Election 2011 : The Manifestos - Minor Parties

If you want one last reminder of what I'm grading the policies on, you can find out here. Colonel Blimps, Skinheads and Randroids Click to enlarge Firstly, I'd like to apologise to Llais Gwynedd for including them with such....illustrious....company. In short, Llais Gwynedd are the only right-leaning party who have anything...

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Election 2011 : The Manifestos Part Four - Our Communities

If you want another reminder of what I'm grading the policies on, you can find out here. Culture, Heritage & The Welsh Language Click to enlarge Natural Plaid territory once more, you would think. However, the manifestos threw up a few surprises this time, perhaps from a unlikely quarter. The Conservative manifesto...

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Election 2011 : The Manifestos Part Three - Green Wales

If you want another reminder of what I'm grading the policies on, you can find out here. Energy & The Environment Click to enlarge While control over large scale energy projects remains a reserved matter for Westminster, Wales cannot truly take advantage of its resources to the same extent Scotland has. Each of the...

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Election 2011 : The Manifestos Part Two - Working Wales

If you want another reminder of what I'm grading the policies on, you can find out here. The Economy Click to enlarge It's common knowledge that the Welsh economy has some significant issues. Some of those problems are hangovers from previous recessions, or in some cases, the Great Depression. Others are how the...

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Election 2011: The Manifestos Part One - Public Services

If you want to know what I'm grading the policies on, you can find out here. Health and Social Services Click to enlarge Normally, health is the key concern in Wales. At this election however, it appears to have taken a back seat to education. All of the parties want some sort of flexibility in the way health services...

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Election 2011 : The BBC Machynlleth Debate

Well, that was better than last week. That had more of the feel of an election debate, although I'm becoming annoyed that UK issues are still being dragged in, both by the candidates and the audience. Betsan Powys should well know if something is devolved or not and the questions at least should try and stay within the confines of the election at hand. What's the point of asking a fuel-price question for example? What the Chuckle Brothers are...

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Election 2011 : The Manifestos Examined

Over the next week, I'll be posting my thoughts on the manifestos in detail. I've been making a note of the five key, standout pledges in 10 policy areas, and grading them on 4 factors listed below. For each of the unrepresented parties, I've just picked 5 general standout policies. Ambition (Amb) Policies that "aim high", empower Wales - or the Welsh people - in a positive way, will be graded highly. Those policies that are low-brow, clichéd...

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Election 2011 : Weak Too

Another exciting week of electioneering in the Welsh election campaign. At least things are finally starting to heat up a little bit. The manifestos have been launched, but undue attention seems to be paid to the spelling and grammar in them rather than the meatier contents. No wonder education is such a key issue. Over the next week I'll be looking in detail at what each of the four main parties have put forward, as well as the key pledges from...

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The Western Mail and Unemployment Hysteria

The Western Mail leads with a typical feel-good story of the "dismay" that Wales is the only nation of the UK that has seen an increase in unemployment up to February this year. It's "surged" upwards by a massive 3,000 to stand as a colossus over our brutalised and crippled third-world economy at 126,000 unemployed, or 8.6%....

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