A ban on cigarette vending machines came into force in Wales on February 1st. A similar ban began in England in October, and Northern Ireland is to introduce a ban in March 2012.
The handling of foreign direct investment (FDI) into Wales was criticised in a new report from Cardiff Business School on behalf of Cardiff Business Partnership. Wales has fallen from being the second-best UK nation or region (excluding London) at attracting FDI in 2003...
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Wednesday, 29 February 2012
Monday, 27 February 2012
Plaid Leadership : Visions for Welsh Nationalism
The ballot papers have now gone out, and Plaid members from Bangor to Beacon Hill will be casting votes for a new leader. As this is the last comment from me on the leadership election until the winner is announced, I think it's worth reflecting on Ieuan Wyn Jones's tenure. I wrote an assessment last September, so I don't want to repeat myself too much.
For all his faults – the managerialism, the blandness, the waffling - he was a likable, effective,...
Saturday, 25 February 2012
Do shock tactics work anymore?
Firstly a heads-up – some of the links could be considered distressing, offensive, cripplingly nostalgic or all three.
Now I'm not a fan of the "nanny state", however last year I expressed regret at the loss of the Central Office of Information, which will be wound up at the end of March. I consider myself something of an aficionado of public information films – you could call that "sad" but judging by most of the content on this blog that's...
Thursday, 23 February 2012
Schmallenberg virus - a threat to Welsh farmers?
First some encouraging news.
Deputy Minister for Rural Affairs Alun Davies (Lab, Blaenau Gwent) recently told the National Sheep Association in a keynote speech that sheep farmers have "a lot to be optimistic about". Lamb exports have increased significantly over the years thanks to the success of cooperative ventures like Hybu Cig Cymru. Carwyn Jones has also reportedly discussed possible lamb deals with the Chinese in recent months.
Cases...
Monday, 20 February 2012
Labour delivering (a horrible echo...cho...ho....o...)
Two of my favourite stops on the Welsh blogosphere - Valleys Mam and A Change of Personnel – have both lamented that not much appears to be happening and the Welsh blogosphere is running out of puff. I don't blame them.
Is it our fault for expecting miracles from a pretty weak Assembly with few "juicy" powers that, by and large, just goes through the motions week by week? Or perhaps there's another reason everything seems to trudge on with increasing...
Saturday, 18 February 2012
Welsh Rugby Union : Time for a review?
Welsh rugby is currently on a high. After a relatively successful - if heart-breaking - World Cup last year, the national side have made a great start to the current Six Nations – even managing to draw 10,000 people to an open training session. However, the regional sides have struggled to attract decent crowds, threatening...
Wednesday, 15 February 2012
Plaid Leadership : Where do they want to take Plaid?
In this section, I'm looking in closer detail at what each of the candidates propose for Plaid itself : its policies, relationship with other parties and internal structures.
In the next couple of weeks I'll take a final look at the candidates views on independence and the possible directions Welsh nationalism could take under each potential leader.
Simon Thomas has withdrawn as you already know, so that leaves three other candidates.
Dafydd...
Monday, 13 February 2012
AWEMA - someone in Cardiff needs to own up
More on this at Jac OThe North, Inside Out, National Left, The Western Mail, Betsan Powys, Gareth Hughes and Wales Home.
It's been a point made elsewhere but Martin Shipton and his team at The Western Mail (as well as BBC Wales and the South Wales Evening Post) need to be congratulated for this excellent piece of investigative journalism. It's shows the true value a solid national press has for Wales and the vital role it plays in holding TPTB...
Thursday, 9 February 2012
Welsh Government makes a splash on school toilets
Lack of supervision, a laissez-faire attitude to defecation and bullying.
I'll be posting on the AWEMA report another time.
(Pic : Time.com)
I like to pride myself on looking at issues in Welsh politics that might get overlooked. Sometimes that means looking under a rock and not finding anything particularly interesting....
Monday, 6 February 2012
The Collective Entrepreneur : Social Enterprise & The Smart State
Last March, a joint report was published by Prof. Kevin Morgan of Cardiff University and Adam Price (no not the Borgen creator) entitled The Collective Entrepreneur – Social Enterprise and the Smart State. Backed by Community Housing Cymru and the Charity Bank, the report looked in detail at the opportunities social enterprise,...
