91Èȱ¬

I can only hope that members of the Assembly's Sustainability Committee have a healthy love of irony - and a good book in their overnight bags.

Today they make the most of the Easter break by heading off to Freiburg and Linz to learn all about successful carbon reduction strategies.

That they're going by plane and contributing more than little bit to the committee's own carbon footprint is, I'm sure, a calculated and necessary evil.

But doesn't it feel more than little bit like poetic justice that they're hoping to fly this afternoon from ... Heathrow's Terminal 5?

UPDATE

I can report an official Tory split.

Darren Millar and Brynle Williams flew from Manchester, which means they, at least, have probably arrived - along with their luggage. Given the trip is to Austria and Germany indulging in a bit of Schadenfreude seems fair enough somehow ...

• Bookmark with:
• |
• |
• |
• |
• - What's this?

It's Saturday, it's the last Spring conference, it must be Llandudno ! .

No, it's Newport - more great red sculptural wave than Great Orme.

No truth in the rumours that Plaid Cymru have found a location as far from Gwynedd and the battle over the closure of rural schools as possible, or so I'm told anyway. This, of course, is Plaid reminding you and me that it still wants to be the party of the whole of Wales.

The whole of Wales may then be interested to know that I'm sure I just heard Elin Jones AM using the word 'independence' in her conference speech. Had no-one checked it?

This is Elin Jones, Rural Affairs Minister - that's right, Minister - the first Plaid Minister to attend a conference of European Ministers and the first to tell delegates that it was unacceptable that as the Common Agriculture Policy was being discussed, Welsh and Scottish Minister were kept away from the top table and had no right to contribute to the debate.

They sat 'behind' the UK Minister, who in turn sat in between the Ministers from Malta and Latvia.

"Ten years ago of course Wales wasn't there at all - nor were Latvia or Malta for that matter. But now at least Wales is in the room but the rightful place for Wales is at the table in our own right, with our Agriculture Minister sitting between the Agriculture Ministers of Latvia and England, or Malta and England."

She warmed to her theme.

"I've always been totally confident that Wales is as able as any other country to govern itself and represent itself - as able as Malta, Latvia and England. Though the purpose of my visit to the European Council of Ministers was not to confirm my faith in independece - as a member of Plaid Cymru, that was the result".

I wonder if she's the only Minister who'll venture to use the 'i' word today?

UPDATE

Guess who else has made it to Newport?

Just spotted working the room is Steve Morgan, manager of Peter Hain's campaign for the Deputy Leadership, author of his downfall - take your pick.

Why didn't he make it to Welsh Labour's conference we wonder?

Ah nothing to do with the political party concerned, everything to do with his own wedding rehearsal which happened to be on that very day.

Well at least that particular engagement led to a honeymoon in Madeira.

• Bookmark with:
• del.icio.us |
• Digg |
• Newsvine |
• |
• Reddit
• - What's this?

A few weeks ago a couple of ambassadors from the Assembly came to Broadcasting House in Llandaf. They were on a mission to explain to journalists what the Assembly and the Assembly Government can and can't do.

They happened to mention the inquiry into presumed consent for organ donation: should presumed consent - or perhaps could it be - introduced in Wales.

"So ... are you saying that if presumed donation went ahead in Wales" asked someone who'd been taking copious notes, "that if died here your body would be treated one way but if you happened to die during an away-day to Hereford, you'd be treated ... differently?"

That's devolution for you. It means you could be treated differently in Wales - dead or alive.

You get the feeling that today, NHS staff in Wales will be rather more interested in the latter.

What will they be making of Edwina Hart's rebuffal of plans to offer staff working in Welsh hospitals extra legal protection from violence and abuse, as is being offered to their English colleagues?

Not a lot says Baroness Finlay of Llandaff. Going it alone is 'madness' and will lead to a brain-drain from Welsh hospitals.

Not a lot says Alun Michael MP who - having turned his fire on Whitehall officials for failing to keep Wales in the loop - has had to retrain his fire, rather quickly, on those who wanted to stay out of the loop.

It took her a while but when the Health Minister came out, she came out fighting.

She's not interested in doing things in a particularly 'Welsh' way. She's interested in doing things in the best way possible and that, she says, on this occasion is her way and not Whitehall's.

Who needs new laws? What healthworkers need is real, practical protection, not laws that look good on paper but are rarely used to offer real protection.

What sort of practical protection might she offer then? She'll tell us in a few months' time but let's be clear: Mrs Hart was not for turning.

But hang on a minute. Doesn't this whole story turn on the fact that though health is a devolved matter, criminal justice is not? And so isn't it up to the Justice Department to include Wales in its new legislation, whether the Welsh Health Minister likes it or not?

Yes it is. And as if to underline the point, a statement arrives from the Ministry of Justice. It's not dissimilar to the one they released yesterday.

Spot the small but crucial difference.

Yesterday: "Health is a devolved matter in Wales ... We are discussing the issue of the extension of this provision to NHS premises in Wales with the Department of Health, Wales Office and the Welsh Assembly Government."

Today: "Health is a devolved matter in Wales ... We are discussing the issue of the extension of this provision to NHS premises in Wales with the Wales Office and the Department of Health".

Which means the iron Health Minister might not turn but the UK government will do it for her.

That's devolution for you.

• Bookmark with:
• del.icio.us |
• Digg |
• Newsvine |
• |
• Reddit
• - What's this?

A final mention of that great Grand Slam match on this blog:

If you were at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday a few questions might have come to mind:

How did Warren Gatland do it?

Why didn't your Dad buy that debenture when he had the chance?

What was Gerald Davies so busy scribbling just as eighty minutes were up?

But Dafydd Wigley, who was there, had other questions to ask when he bumped into Kevin Brennan MP. He was, says an avid rugby fan, wondering whether the MP4 guitarist and well-informed Cardiff West MP had any idea when he made finally be made a Lord.

Sadly he didn't ...

The three Plaid nominees - Mr Wigley, Janet Davies and Eurfyl ap Gwilym - have been waiting patiently since the in January to find out what happens next. They've been nominated, are all dressed up but so far, have nowhere to go.

Does the phone ring? Will there be a letter in the post? Or does Black Rod call round with the good news?

The perfect opportunity to answer Mr Wigley's question is about to present itself: his 65th birthday on ... April 1st.

Happy Easter!

• Bookmark with:
• |
• |
• |
• |
• - What's this?

Where have I been?

No, not on cloud 9 but on a course, a 91Èȱ¬ course at that - the kind where you're told within the first few minutes that there are 'no right answers' but you work out for yourself pretty quickly that there are plenty of wrong ones.

It was very good stuff, so good I nearly ignored the texts that arrived every now and then - nearly but not quite.

Bleep: Seen Peter Hain's line in the Western Mail?

This was and the former Secretary of State had made it clear he intends to steer clear of any Yes campaign "set up now". That won't surprise you but it certainly spooked Plaid. Before the morning was out there was an official response from Labour and Plaid ... and another bleep on the mobile:

"Of course for a successful referendum to be held by 2011 this would require a Yes campaign supported by both parties. This will be discussed in due course by the leader of the Wales Labour Party, Rhodri Morgan, and the leader of Plaid Cymru, Ieuan Wyn Jones".

As pledges of any kind go, that's a pretty cagey one but given there were already one or two Labour voices in the Bay suggesting that Plaid were welcome to go for a Yes campaign as soon as they wanted but 'we're not going anywhere near it', Rhodri Morgan's dilemma is clear enough.

In the One Wales Agreement both parties agreed "in good faith" to campaign for a successful outcome in a referendum.

Without a far-reaching, well-organised, dynamic Yes campaign what are the chances of a referendum delivering a 'Yes' vote any time soon?

Remote? You bet.

Without Labour backing a far-reaching, well-organised, dynamic Yes campaign what are the chances of a referendum delivering a 'Yes' vote any time soon?

About the same as Sian Lloyd still being on Lembit Opik's Christmas card list perhaps.

Are there enough Labour AMs and MPs who will back a Yes campaign now? Please feel free to suggest your own analogy.

By the way the results of our St David's Day poll gave the Yes vote 49% and the No vote 42%. 9% didn't know how they'd vote.

This was the Western Mail's take on it last week: "A St David's Day poll for 91Èȱ¬ Wales, excluding don't knows, gave the Yes vote 54% against 46% for a No vote".

I think I'll stick to the official version. I have, after all, just been on a 91Èȱ¬ course.

• Bookmark with:
• |
• |
• |
• |
• - What's this?

Three years ago to 8pm last night my little boy was born.

The look of disbelief at the timing never left his father's face throughout the delivery. He clutched his hard-won ticket to the Wales v Ireland Grand Slam decider in his hand as the midwives popped in to have a peek at "the one who actually had a ticket." It's now framed.

A Charlotte had been born the day before and the ward staff begged us to call our son Gavin.

I spent that night watching the match re-run, feeling - for some reason - that I'd missed a few key moments that afternoon ... I told the baby what a special day this was and that it probably wouldn't happen again for a very, very long time.

Thank you, thank you Mr Gatland, Mr Edwards and every single member of the staff and team for proving me totally, wonderfully wrong.

• Bookmark with:
• |
• |
• |
• |
• - What's this?

What was that about One Wales?

Perhaps and would care to join forces?

• Bookmark with:
• del.icio.us |
• Digg |
• Newsvine |
• |
• Reddit
• - What's this?

Ieuan Wyn Jones arrived as this morning's lobby briefing clutching a copy of the Independent newspaper. Its circulation isn't that great in Wales so in case you missed it, let me fill you in on the double page spread he wanted to show us all, the one which proclaimed: "It's a great time to be Welsh".

Things are going rather nicely on the rugby and football fields, Nefyn girl Duffy's debut album hit number one ... and in the political field, given the "sense of optimism" exuding from the Assembly and the new responsibilities Assembly Members must now shoulder, the paper wonders "who but a churl would begrude AMs their changing differential?"

Well the answer is the man who came into this morning's lobby briefing clutching a copy of the Independent newspaper.

Ieuan Wyn Jones has made a personal decision to accept only 2.5% of his "changing differential" or, in plain English, the 8.3% increase in pay recommended for AMs because of their changing and increasing responsibilities. Bear in mind this is a one off review but all the same, to my mind, a pay increase it is.

So far 11 Plaid AMs have said they'll be taking 2.5% and donating the rest of the increase to charity or in some cases, just not taking it at all. One is 'sleeping on it', others have just kept quiet.

Trish Law AM, the independent member for Blaenau Gwent, will take 2.5% and hand on the rest to a charity she's yet to choose.

How much money are we talking about?

An AMs basic salary has gone up from £46,804 to £50,692. That means they'll be accepting £1170.01 but either turning down or donating to charity a futher £2,718. Ieuan Wyn Jones will give the money to Christian Aid and the Stroke Association. Next year, he says he'll once again donate the difference to a charity. The following year? We must wait and see.

I wonder if Plaid AMs' postbag will start filling up with begging letters. This is, after all, quite a precedent they've set.

The mutterings from Westminster today? That's there has been some "political cost" to Labour from this. I wonder if you agree?

And I wonder if you agree with a complaint from one Labour AM - a polite but firm kind of complaint - that talking about a pay-rise at all is "seriously misleading and wrong"? This is a "salary re-evaluation issue" and we have been guilty of following "a tabloid approach rather than an approach which informs". I'm sure the Presiding Offcier would prefer we talked about "changing differentials" too.

Every interview, every piece I've seen, heard or read on this issue has talked of a pay rise hand in hand with the added responsibilities AMs have taken on.

That is how I think it should be - but you may think differently.

• Bookmark with:
• |
• |
• |
• |
• - What's this?

So the Welsh Rugby Team are still on course to win a Grand Slam, Cardiff City are on the way to Wembley and Councillor Derek Vaughan is on his way to Europe. (What do you mean shoehorning politics into a STUNNING weekend of sport?)

He won't be in shorts but the leader of the Welsh Local Government Assocation and Neath Port Talbot Borough Council won second place in the race to become a Labour European Candidate by what I'm told was a country mile. Eluned Morgan MEP was home and dry in first place but Derek Vaughan beat her favoured candidate Lisa Stevens into third, while Glenys Kinnock's choice, Gareth Williams, came in fourth out of four.

While Derek Vaughan celebrates, he may be in the mood to dismiss the verdict of one colleague: "So he's gone from having an awful lot of power to having ... (I'll paraphrase) ... not a lot".

And while we're at it, who else is on the way to Europe?

Step forward the Assembly's Sustainability Committee who are on their way to Germany and Austria as part of their inquiry into

How are they going? They're ... flying.

Arrangements haven't been finalised but my carbon calculator's been out. IF they were to fly from Luton to Freiburg, then on to Linz and from Linz directly back to Stanstead, I work out their carbon emissions would be around 0.332 tonnes of CO2 per head. They're probably planning to jog to and from the airport.

And before Chairman, Mick Bates, sticks my calculator in the back of a drawer, I'm rather sure he has good connections with WWF Cymru .. which must surely mean someone has advised his committee that their flights abroad make perfect environmental sense and are all in a very good cause.

• Bookmark with:
• |
• |
• |
• |
• - What's this?

I got to leave at 6 o'clock last night and made it to choir practice.

They'd barely shared out the copies of Stanford's "Beati quorum via " when the mobile went off.

"8.3%!"

In other words AMs are to get a salary increase of 8.3% to reflect the fact that they've got far more to do and that it matters far more that they get that work right.

The Assembly Commission had accepted the recommendation made by an independent panel - not of cross-party AMs bear in mind but of the great and the good: Sir Michael Wheeler-Booth, Mair Barnes, Eileen Heasman, Professor Steven Martin and William Graham AM, who'd go out for a quick coffee everytime embarrassing things like money were discussed.

As we all know, pay recommendations made by independent panels aren't always accepted - ask the next policeman you bump into.

But the Assembly Commissioners (from all four parties, chaired by the Presiding Officer) have in this instance accepted the 8.3% backdated to last year's May election. Any review of allowances which may well tighten the rules will, by the way, not kick in until after the next election in 2011.

AMs will now be getting 82% of the salaries MPs get. MSPs get 86%. In Northern Ireland the Senior Salareis Review Board has recommended that MLAs should get 84% of what MPs get.

"Bea-ti quo-rum vi-a integr-a est ..."

Off goes the mobile again.

"Plaid have broken the embargo and are already condemning it!"

It turns out the Plaid Cymru Commissioner, Chris Franks, had voted against the recommendation. Was that condemning it but agreeing to take the money, or condemning it and saying no thanks to the money?

Leanne Wood AM has already revealed she won't be taking it - painfully aware that the timing and comparison with pay rises given to public sector workers is dreadful.

Plaid are currently unclear who else will turn it down. There's no ring-around - it's up to each AM to decide whether to take the rise they've condemned or not. Sounds a bit like condemn first, ask afterwards who'll put their condemnation where their mouth is. Or should that be pocket.

We'll wait and see.

"Qui am-bu-lant ..."

But the blonde tenor has four children and had already seen his opportunity before the final "in le-ge Do-mi-niiii had quietly faded away.

"Great! They can spend it on buying those laptops they promised my kids ... Wait, I'll be fair. They're in coalition after all. A laptop between two?"

"Storm at the Senedd", "inflation busting pay rise" are hardly the headlines the Assembly Commission wanted. But they're the headlines the 'No' to further devolution campaign will already be cutting out and pasting in their scrapbooks.

• Bookmark with:
• |
• |
• |
• |
• - What's this?

It's been one of those weeks.

Bradshawgate was a very public spat, but is it the tip of the iceberg when it comes to tensions between Westminster and Cardiff Bay?

The Welsh Affairs Select Committee investigation into cross border public services is seen by many as placing Westminster's tanks very firmly on Cardiff Bay's lawn (or should that be warships on their pond). The Assembly Government has resolutely refused to make any comment on it ... but did we hear a cipher response yesterday - and a strong one at that?

During a plenary debate on public services, the Wrexham Labour AM Lesley Griffiths made the following statement.

"Sadly in recent times the very term cross-border been somewhat hijacked by people who see themselves as self-styled sceptics on devolution and the phrase cross-border is now almost a metaphor for a lack of aspiration and ambition that is now infecting the body politic in certain parts of Wales."

Her masters' voice?

But back to Westminster again, where this week, the same Welsh Affairs committee published their report on the Assembly Government's proposed domicilary care LCO. The LCO itself, fine and dandy, more or less ... and then the MPs cross the road for another dust up.

"We also note the haphazard approach to processing proposals for Legislative Competence Orders in Council. The failure on the part of the Welsh Assembly Government to follow the anticipated procedures for these proposals, which were described during the progress of the Government of Wales Act 2006, has created significant problems. The Wales Office, the Welsh Assembly Government, and the National Assembly for Wales should seek to coordinate the procedures more effectively in future."

If the Bradshaw affair was a full on headbutt aimed at Welsh ministers, these probably fall into the "slap" category. And the low level skirmishes may well continue.

But here's a question. Who is the single unifying figure who could call a halt to this if it really starts to escalate?

• Bookmark with:
• |
• |
• |
• |
• - What's this?

No word from the Department of Health yet.

But let's leave our calculators in the drawer and be as blunt as we can:

By the end of the year the whole journey of an English patient from GP referral to actual treatment should last no more than 18 weeks.

The whole journey of a Scottish patient from GP referral to treatment should last no more than 36 weeks.

The whole journey of a Welsh patient from GP referral to treatment should last no more than 44 weeks.

Targets are just that. Finding a playing field that spans Offa's Dyke and is still level is pretty impossible.
But those are the targets and they're clear enough.

This is more complex but at the end of December 2007, 3,055 patients in the whole of England were waiting over 22 weeks for admission as an in-patient or day cases. At the same time, there were 6,375 patients in Wales, waiting over 22 weeks for admission as in-patient or day cases.

I'll leave you to work your way through the rest.

So what do we conclude? That waiting times in Wales are 'much' longer as things stand, that things are gradually getting better, that Ben Bradshaw should probably not have said what he did - but that he was right?

In the meantime, a word from Plaid leader Ieuan Wyn Jones, in the days when the Deputy FM's job was just a twinkle in his eyes:

" Welsh patients he [Rhodri Morgan] says will not wait more than 6 months by 2009, whereas in England the waits will be 18 weeks by 2008. Welsh patients have been and continue to be treated as second class citizens by the Labour Assembly Government ... Why should patients in Wales have to wait longer?"

• Bookmark with:
• |
• |
• |
• |
• - What's this?

What's the secret of good comedy?

Yes, that's right: .

Well I imagine it raised a smile in the Hart household at least.

But the Counsel General was scowling purposefully, rather than smiling this morning. The English Health Minister, Ben Bradshaw's comments on waiting times in Wales had been "unhelpful" and had led to "unnecessary tension between two administrations within the UK".

The polite version was this:

"We endeavour, of course, not to comment on policy initiatives that are taken in England. That's a matter for the authorities in England. And, of course, we'd want to ensure that, as far as Wales is concerned, that what happens in Wales is the responsibility of the elected Welsh Assembly Government and the National Assembly. We would not comment on what happened in England ... "

Or in other words, naff off Bradshaw.

But forget for a moment who made the comments or why: what about the substance of what he had to say? Don't tell me you've forgotten that damning soundbite that "in Wales, you have to wait much longer for your operation, you have to wait much longer in A+E"?

When the dust has long since settled, it'll settle on the damage done by that very specific accusation.

It's hardly surprising that the number crunchers this end have been busy.

They've got their calculators out, if only to point out that figures on waiting times are worked out differently in England and in Wales. (Ah, another one of the joys of devolution?)

In England waiting times are calculated based only on patients who've been referred to hospital by their GP. In Wales the figures are based on patients who've come via their GP, an occupational health practitioner or if you just turn up in hospital. In other words the net is cast wider. If it wasn't then the figures, we're told, would be 'around a third less' than they are.

What are the latest figures in Wales?

Average waiting time for an operation: 127 days
93% of patients waiting less than 22 weeks for an outpatient appointment
91% waiting less than 22 weeks for the actual operation
A target that no patient should wait more than 22 weeks to see a consultant, followed by a maximum wait of 22 weeks for an operation.

And on A+E?

'Roughly' 9 out of 10 people waited for less than 4 hours in A+E
In England the figure is somewhere around 9.5 people ... though once again, the figures are calculated differently.

Does the Department of Health accept these figures? How significant is the difference in the way they're calculated? Is it fair to say they'd be 'around a third less' if the same method of calculation were used/?

In other words, do they constitute 'much longer' waiting times?

Calls are in.

• Bookmark with:
• |
• |
• |
• |
• - What's this?

What are they?

The English Health Minister, Ben Bradshaw, has just listed a few on Radio 4's PM programme:

Longer waits for operations
Longer waits in A+E
NO extended GP surgery opening hours
Top down diktats ...

oh and free car parking.

I think it's fair to say the English Health Minister had the English patient in mind when compiling that particular list. The Welsh Health Minister won't be responding.

Scrap the scalpels: this is turning nasty.

• Bookmark with:
• |
• |
• |
• |
• - What's this?

Who said this?

"I think there are better things you can do with your money to target people who need it most"?

It was UK Health Secretary, Alan Johnson, on the Welsh Assembly Government's decision to scrap prescription charges from April 2007.

What about today's decision to by 2011?

A press officer at the Department of Health is either extremely unimpressed, or fed up with the number of phone calls he's been fielding today:

"We have no plans of forcing hospitals in England to subsidise their car parks with resources that could be used to improve and speed up patient care. It would also be contrary to the Government's climate change objectives."

Ouch.

How much of the £5.5 million raised by car parking charges goes into patient care? According to the NHS Confederation 'some of it' is channelled into wider health care and given NHS trusts are now expected to come up with something for nothing, there may have to be some cutbacks and 'financial adjustments' to other services.

"Ill-considered populism" say the Liberal Democrats.

"New NHS apartheid" shouts the

"Sour grapes" says the Welsh Health Minister, Edwina Hart. "The Department of Health are probably getting flack because they haven't thought enough about this themselves". And the NHS Confederation's concerns? "This amounts to 0.17% of trust budgets - miniscule amounts of money. People should remember who elected us. And wasn't it the NHS Confederation who negotiated those GP contracts? I rest my case!"

The scalpels are out.

• Bookmark with:
• |
• |
• |
• |
• - What's this?

Spot the new addition in the foyer of this year's conference.

The black box for completed carbon footprint forms? Nah - old hat.

The scrum for Jonathan Evans MEP's superior "Delivering for Britain in the European Parliament' chocolates? Nah - even older.

But the simultaneous translation headsets? Now those are a new addition. So far, 26 delegates have stumped up the £10.00 deposit just in case anyone speaks Welsh from the stage.

Yet more evidence of the Welsh Conservatives' new found respect for the Welsh language ... or should that be blatant attempts to woo disillusioned Plaid Cymru voters?

Not at all, says David Jones MP (the only Welsh Conservative MP to have made it to Llandudno by the way).

In fact couldn't the same be said of his particularly snazzy, leek-laden tie?

"I've had this for at least ten years" comes the indignant answer. "Look, it's even got the date on the back!"

He won't be needing a headset. It's news to me but David Jones speaks Welsh fluently and has a wife who is determined that he should start using it.

Go for it Mrs Jones. And good luck with finding the Welsh for that "flaming elephant in the room".

• Bookmark with:
• |
• |
• |
• |
• - What's this?

David Cameron has arrived and brings with him a message.

He's come up with a Conservative strategy on the devolution question - you know, that question that fascinates commentators though, as Cheryl Gillan - fresh from 10 rounds with Good Evening Wales - told me last night, no-one else could give two hoots about it.

It's a particularly Welsh solution: a review, charged with finding out just what Welsh Conservatives really think about further devolution. In other words do the grassroots side with Nick Bourne and (the majority of) his band of merry, pro-devo -at-every-opportunity AMs or do they come down on the side of the two Davids and one Stephen in Westminster who have other things they tend to worry more about?

The one Cheryl hasn't yet shared her view with us - well not yet anyway. But now I think we understand her enigmatic "watch this space" when asked whether Mr Cameron would share his.

A review will fill the space until July, when it must report back.

Who can chart such a course with wisdom and - hopes Mr Cameron - gain respect on both sides of the argument?

It can only be the man whose "quite unique and lifelong contribution to Wales and our party" will be recognised and applauded in the conference hall tomorrow.

Lord Wyn Roberts of course. Welcome to 'retirement' Lord Roberts ...

UPDATE: A philosophical speech - almost more lecture than conference speech. There was barely a mention of the local elections, barely an opportunity for the party faithful to applaude, though a mention of Port Talbot on the third page from last drew a quick, grateful burst of clapping.

It went down well. The message?

Gordon Brown is "making things even worse". If you want change, then it has to be us, "the modern Conservaitve alternative ... Not just new policies, but a whole new politics, a new politics that will start to repair the political breakdown in our country".

On devolution he went off script to say something along these lines: I want to make sure we get the devolution issue right and we can settle it, so that we can really look Welsh people in the eye and say we're the party that's really giving you the freedom to be able to respond to your needs in health, education and housing, rather than endlessly debating the constitution.

He mentioned referendums rather a lot too, funnily enough. He wants to see more local referendums; he believes local people should be able to call a referendum on local issues by submitting a petition singed by 10% of the local electorate; he referred to a similar system in Portland, Oregon which "is regarded as a great success".

How does that sound to you?

Can you hear the whisperings of a 'let's offer them the tools to do the job' in there, the stirrings of 'let's get this out of the way while we're in opposition, pledge to hold a referendum when we're in government, let everyone, MPs and AMs campaign and vote as they want but at the very least, let's get this question out of the way'?

Just spotted Lord Roberts: what will he do first?

He looked thoughtful: "Think!"

• Bookmark with:
• |
• |
• |
• |
• - What's this?

Another Saturday morning ... ah it must be Llandudno.

High winds and high drama last night as bits of the Venue's roof flew towards the Great Orme, on the eve of the Great Leader's speech.

Jonathan Evans MEP has a book open on who'll be the first to crack a 'raising the roof' joke.

Given it's March 1st and Mr Cameron is on his way, I'm laying bets on who'll be the first to succumb to a St David gag.

Got to dash. No daffodil for my lapel ...

• Bookmark with:
• |
• |
• |
• |
• - What's this?