The Stonemason (Free subscription) | 20/11/2009
said, in the Western Mail , that …… "… he had no desire to see Wales represented in Europe as an independent nation state." I take that as meaning Independence is off the menu. I wonder if he has discussed things with Plaid rank and file ? …
Betsan Powys' blog (Free subscription) | 21/10/2009
Those "influential MPs", to quote Ladbrokes, who have come out today in support of Carwyn Jones's bid for the Labour leadership have made him the "re-hot 2/5 favourite" to win. By the way I'm guessing "re-hot" has nothing to do with re-gaining the lead given he's never lost it as far as I can tell and that Carwyn Jones is in fact the bookies' "red- hot" favourite...
A View from Rural Wales (Free subscription) | 17/09/2009
Plaid Cymru's policy in respect of nuclear power has become even more bizarre. It was already very strange in that party leader, Ieuan Wyn Jones supports a campaign to build a new nuclear reactor on Ynys Mon, while Plaid policy remains opposed, in principle, to the development of any new nuclear generation. Now another of Plaid's big guns, Presiding Officer of the Assembly, Lord Elis Thomas has joined...
Politics Cymru (Free subscription) | 17/09/2009
Lord Elis-Thomas opened the new storage facility at Trawsfynydd today. He used the occasion to throw his support behind a new reactor for Wylfa B on Anglesey – which is also causing his Plaid colleague Ieuan Wyn Jones a headache or two because according to Plaid’s 2005 manifesto the party "does not support new nuclear power stations, particularly as civil nuclear power fuels nuclear...
Plaid Wrecsam (Free subscription) | 05/09/2009
Who do we believe Peter Black or Chris Franks? Chris says that he opposed the Assembly Commission's decision to cease producing a Welsh translation of proceedings but Peter says it was unanimous. It can't be that difficult to recall how five people voted surely! And what about the minutes of the Commission meeting. I wonder what Lord Elis Thomas's recollection is like?
A View from Rural Wales (Free subscription) | 09/08/2009
Long standing readers of this blog will know of my admiration for the Presiding Officer of the National Assembly for Wales, Lord Dafydd Elis Thomas. He's not quite in the Shane Warne/Ian Botham league of 'making things happen', but Dafydd does add a dash of spice to the depressingly drab politics of Wales. My admiration is founded on Dafydd's Machiavellian cunning, shameless pragmatism, strutting grandeur,...
David Jones, MP (Free subscription) | 06/08/2009
Lord Elis-Thomas’s overtly and provocatively political stance sits oddly with what ought to be his neutral role as presiding officer.
Miss Wagstaff Presents... (Free subscription) | 08/07/2009
Following on from Monday , the Presiding Officer Dafydd Elis-Thomas has said the Assembly Commission had agreed to all the report's proposals. The commission, which includes representatives from all four parties, took the decision on behalf of AMs. Sir Roger Jones's report, Getting it Right for Wales, followed a 10-month investigation of the pay and expenses of AMs. The report's implementation will...
icWales (Free subscription) | 08/07/2009
Presiding Officer Lord Elis-Thomas will today make a statement to AMs on reforming their expenses system after a review called for their second-home allowance to be scrapped.
icWales (Free subscription) | 08/07/2009
Presiding Officer Lord Elis-Thomas will today make a statement to AMs on reforming their expenses system after a review called for their second-home allowance to be scrapped.
Betsan Powys' blog (Free subscription) | 29/06/2009
It is his job of course but I've never heard the Presiding Officer sound quite ... well quite as much of a presider as he did this morning on Radio Wales. Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas was out to ooze authority and use his three minutes to say "nah nah nah nah nah" to those in Westminster who've dared suggest that MPs are 'independent' agents. They are not, he said. They are public servants and...
Miss Wagstaff Presents... (Free subscription) | 29/06/2009
Lord Elis-Thomas told BBC Wales' The Politics Show that the Welsh Assembly had purchased computer software from the Scottish Parliament which enables expenses to be published online. He said the expenses for the last financial year would be published at 0900 BST on Monday and that later this year all claims would be published on a monthly basis. When asked about what information had been redacted,...
Politics Cymru (Free subscription) | 13/05/2009
Many apologies for PC's lack of posting in the last week or so - it's been a busy few days for us! Yesterday though I found some time to head to the Senedd where they were (still) celebrating 10 years of devolution. As part of the celebrations pupils from schools across South Wales had come to the old chamber in Ty Hywel for a mock Assembly run by CEWC Cymru (with whom I was very impressed!). They...
Miss Wagstaff Presents... (Free subscription) | 12/05/2009
What do you do if you're of the opinion that Welsh people have learned nothing in 10 years of devolution ? The answer is just a long bus ride away . "It's a great idea, and another way for us to take democracy to the people," said Lord Elis-Thomas.
David Jones, MP (Free subscription) | 09/04/2009
Lord Elis-Thomas, it seems, is very cross indeed. According to the BBC’s Vaughan Roderick, he is now “in discussion with the presiding officers of other devolved assemblies about the constitutional implications of Mr Cameron’s proposal” to visit the Welsh Assembly annually and take questions on the floor of the chamber. This suggests that: (a) Lord Elis-Thomas is pretty [...]...
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