Enter Supreme Commander of the People Democratic Socialist Semi-Monarchial Republic of Cymru
As one of the few voices on the Welsh blogosphere who will actually have a vote in so rumoured imminent leadership election of the Welsh Labour Party (which is telling in itse
As one of the few voices on the Welsh blogosphere who will actually have a vote in so rumoured imminent leadership election of the Welsh Labour Party (which is telling in itself), I though I’d write a little about what I hope to see from the entire process. Welsh politics is clearly nearing big changes. With the retirement of First Minister and veteran Welsh politician Rhodri Morgan, next year’s General Election and the promised referendum on primary powers of the National Assembly for Wales, we will be looking at a very different landscape in 2011. This is important because Labour as the largest party needs to elect a strong leader with a progressive vision for the future of Wales. Hopefully, all three candidates for the job will have a long think about what they would want to do in the role of First Minister and subsequently sell this vision to the members of Welsh Labour and the Unions, and importantly to the rest of Wales (even though they don’t have a say). Something I often say at party meetings/conferences is that Labour is the ‘gwir plaid Cyrmu’. Ignoring the responses of deep sighs and slightly offended looks from party colleagues, I deeply believe that Our Party has a responsibility to Wales. Labour as well as the other three parties have done credit to devolution and the ‘Welsh way’, but as the first truly open and interesting election for a Welsh party leader since 1999 we should put up a showcase election with clean and civil campaigning on all sides, to show what our nation, small but strong is capable. Unfortunately, I don’t see this as being possible, which is a great shame for the Welsh Labour Party and for the rest of Wales. The cult of tribalism and personal spats will be revealed and by the end we will have a leader and a great bloody mess. If any of them are reading, my appeal to the prospective candidates is to outline their vision for Wales in a clean, fair and objective way. My vote is up for grabs to whichever candidate impresses me the most and I will be listening very carefully to what they all say! I’ll finish with this appeal to Carwyn, Edwina and Huw. Surprise us and do us all proud!