91Èȱ¬

On the official ministerial to-do list this week?

The official opening of "Pont y Werin" - "the People's Bridge" - that crosses the river Ely and completes the Cardiff Bay circular walk. It was named by local children and will be opened officially on Wednesday.

By the way, is it me of are the words 'gwerin' and its terrible twin 'crachach' cropping up quite a lot these days? No idea what they mean? Not from by 'ere? Let me give you Don Touhig's version in the House of Commons back in 2008, delivered before the Islwyn MP swapped green leather for red and became Lord Touhig:

"The chattering classes, the crachach, who believe that they know best for Wales, swoon at the prospect of more powers for the National Assembly. Many in the media think that more powers for Cardiff is the story of the decade--tosh, rubbish. The real people of Wales, the werin, have no time for all of this, and I stand with them."

Got it? Chattering classes v real people.

So I'd better come clean and admit that I spent most of Friday with the chattering classes talking, in part at least, about bridges. In this instance is was about the sort of bridges political parties build when they form coalitions and about the prospect of parties burning them before going to the polls the next time.

The thesis put forward by Professor Richard Wyn Jones of the Wales Governance Centre is spelled out ? What he argues is that a minority Labour administration is the most likely outcome of next year's Assembly election.

Why?

In part because recent opinion polls suggest Labour could pick up a few seats come the election; in part because they'd rather do a deal with the Lib Dems than Plaid - but that a Lib Lab partnership is made difficult by that other coalition in Westminster; in part because Plaid would be better off working out where they go next as a political force rather than striving to stay in government with a party no longer in power in Westminster and in part because Professor Jones detects that Labour are out there now actively "burning their bridges" with partners, Plaid.

How come? Has he spotted flames? Look at Labour's stance on the reorganisation of schools in the West of Cardiff, he said. Look at the refusal to elevate elected Plaid nominees to the House of Lords. At the same time key Labour advisers have been writing barely coded "love letters" to the Lib Dems, he added. ... the political equivalent of showing a bit of leg to Lib Dems.

I'm not convinced that either example of 'bridges being burned' are signs of Labour sending Plaid a message - though that's not to say Professor Jones is wrong that a minority Labour administration looks more than possible. As for Labour sources? They're throwing up their hands today with a "look, no Swan Vestas" look on their faces. More orderly retreat than a blazing one, they say. More a cooling off as the polls draw closer, than scorched earth.

In the meantime Plaid ministers prepare for a difficult end of term. Tomorrow . You get the impression the minister and her advisers are girding their loins for a 'yes but' at best. By the end of the week we're expecting the verdicts of two committees on the Welsh Language measure. The 'buts' are likely to be writ large once again.

Tonight Plaid leader Ieuan Wyn Jones gives a speech setting out the party's priorities in the months leading up to the 2011 elections - knowing he has his work cut out and that plotting a straight course from a wobbly bridge is tough.

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