Bethan Jenkins AC/AM Blog

Here is my question regarding kindey dialysis that I raised today with the Health Minister-

‘ The importance of dialysis provision in Wales has been recognised by you Minister, particuarly your work in partnership with Kidney Wales Foundation. There is a clear need in Wales for better renal servics and transport facilities to and from dialysis units. But I know you agree that transplantation is important, with 444 patients today waiting in Wales for a kidney transplant. The average cost of dialysis is £30,800 while the indicative cost of a kidney transplant is £17,000. Therefore transplantation not only creates a better and new life for the patient and increases life expectancy but it is in these days of cuts- economically efficient.

Do you therefore intend supporting thee Donate Wales campaign further to get more on the organ donation register and follow the Scottish Parliament and Executive ( who have 33% of the population on the register, when we in Wales hav 27%) by taking the lead for campaigning from UK Blood and Transplant based in Briston and reporting to Whitehall, and giving the responsibility officially in Wales to the charities involvd in Donate Wals. I say this as there are currently two organ donor forms in the pharmacies and doctor surgeries in my region, one made in Wales and the other in Bristol.’

Here is a question that I asked during First Minister’s questions today on Social Workers. I did put in an urgent question on the closure of the Neath and Port Talbot Guardians, but this was declined. I will raise it during business questions instead, as I have now drafted a statement of opinion on the matter for AMs to sign. I will put it on here later so that you can lobby your AM to sign if you care about the matter.

‘ The First Minister will recall that last Jun the Welsh Assembly Government indicated it would establish a Task Group to explore ways of improving the recruitment and retention of social workers and boost the status of the profession in Wales. The move was a response to British Association of Social Workers research highlighting the challenges facing social workers, including the high turnover of staff, excessive bureaucracy and the personal risks associated with front line social work. I was pleased to sponsor an event in the Assembly to highlight this research and pleased the Government responded in such a positive way. Can the First Minister provide an update on the progress that the working group has made, as I am led to believe that it has not yet met as a group.’

By the way, its Rhodri’s birthday today, and don’t we know it! Ann Jones tried to initate a  Happy Birthday sing along a la Marilyn Monroe( well, as said  Nick Bourne! ) but it fell flat, and was very embarrassing. If we would have had prior warning, we could have arranged a choir of AMs to sing, led by virtuoso, Eleanor Burnham of course!

Ah well. Next time, because the way things are going it seems that Rhodri Morgan will be First Minsiter longer than we think……

I was motivated to write this blog by a comment by a person on Facebook who stated that he ‘is appalled that London members of CWU have voted to abandon fund raising to the Labour Party. This will merely weaken the Labour left even further than it already is and give Brown even more of an excuse to distance himself further from the unions.’

The Camden New Journal reports that the CWU will officially poll opinion from members on whether it should continue funding the Labour Party. They plan to launch a  “consultative ballot” of members next week.

Tony Davis, regional CWU rep for north and north-west London, said:

“There will be a consultative ballot – it’s going to be announced next week. I think support for Labour is very, very low -– and I’m a party member,’ and Hampstead CWU rep John Coater said that ‘the Labour Party has instructed Post Com, which monitors our service, not to fine Royal Mail for failure. Normally, if Royal Mail failed to deliver post it would be would be fined. The cuts are Government-backed so I don’t see why we should support them.”

Considering that Union’s such as the CWU give the Labour party millions in financial backing every year, I commend the CWU for taking this action.  Gordon Brown and his cabinet colleagues are actively undermining the role of the public sector, especially in the  context of Post Officer reforms, therefore why shouldn’t the CWU protest?

What has Gordon Brown ever done to assist ‘the left’ in the Labour party on a UK level?  It seems to me that many of the Union leaders will talk the talk, but when it comes to challenging the government, they will remain quiet in their actions. Well done, therefore to the CWU for being bold. Perhaps they should consider switching their allegiance to Plaid Cymru, who has been consistent in opposing Post Office closures, and against privatising the Royal Mail?…It’s just a thought…Or even better, Plaid should set up our own Union of supporters…

The Government should not take the support of Union’s for granted, and neither should the Union’s become complacent. I can assure you, that if the Tories are elected to govern at Westminster, the Union’s will not hold back when the Tories make cuts to the public sector. Why should it be any different when it comes to Labour in London if they are proposing policies that undermine the members of their own political party? Allegiance for allegiance sake does not make for a strong political party, or for open and frank debate- something which desperately needs to happen within the Labour party.

 Union members should decide which party they affiliate to, and should not feel that if they are not members of Labour that they will be worse off in any way, or out of favour with Union leaders.  What is the worth of democracy, if they cannot act on their own democratic will? Yes there is strength in Union, but I believe that the Labour Government in Westminster disregarded that well know slogan, and its meaning, years ago.

So Rhodri Morgan didn’t announce that he was standing down at the weekend at the Labour Party Conference in Brighton. He said instead -

‘Wales’ worst kept secret – I’m not going to be with you next year as Welsh Labour Leader and I’ll be announcing, before too long, the exact details of how and when the election of my successor it going to take place.’

Some of the rumours before the Conference were that he would announce his departure yesterday, however, could he be waiting for a bigger occassion to announce it, I wonder?

Daran Hill over on Wales home states that ‘there would have been an outcry if he’d announced his departure from a platform in Sussex. It was probably the wisest thing he could have done.’  

That may be so, but it was the Celtic day of Conference ( for what I am told. I have, fortunately, never been to a Labour Conference:-)) and there would have been plenty of Welsh delegates present to justify Rhodri Morgan making such an announcement to members. Then again, perhaps he wants to do a Tony Blair, and announce his retirement to the local party faithful in Cardiff West, with a buffet of guacamole and mushy peas to accompany it! 

Nonetheless, Rhodri is set to make an announcement imminently and I sincerley hope his speech will have more depth than that of which he delivered at the Labour Conference. As I’ve said before on this blog, we are facing the stark reality of a Tory Government in Westminster.What more could Rhodri do for his legacy than to announce that he will play an active role in campaigning during a referendum on a parliament for Wales?- his legacy being that of delivering on a referendum for Wales, and leaving behind the shadow of his failure to implement the Richard Commission recommendations in full at a time when the main concern was to appease Labour party members. The issue is now too pressing to allow it to fall foul of internal squabbles, despite the fact that we are well aware of factions within Labour who are more concerned about preserving the jobs of MP’s in Westminster than delivering for Wales.

Yes, the outcome of the All Wales Convention is yet to be announced, but Rhodri Morgan is the First Minister, and it is expectant of him to show political leadership in this regard. There is no point in talking down the referendum, or assuming that people will not support it at this juncture.

Time is running out, what with an imminent General election, and Assembly elections to follow in 2011. Those of us who are campaigners are aware of the background work that needs to be done to ensure that a campaign of any sort is successful. Politicians from all parties cannot afford to waste time, especially given that a recent vote by AMs in the Senedd showed that we all want a referendum on legislative powers for Wales, that we acknowledge that the LCO system is unworkable, and that it cannot be sustained.

So Rhodri, if you are reading this, please make your retirement speech a hard hitting one, a strong message to the people of Wales that they are respected, that we deserve to have our own powers as a Nation, and that the referendum is on its way.

I’m really quite angry at Trinity Mirror’s decision to end the circulation of the Neath and Port Talbot Guardian.  They will print the last edition next Thursday. Publishing Editor for Trinity Mirror said that this has taken place due to the fact that  tough economic times means its continuation is not possible.  Considering that it has a wide circulation, I am puzzled by this decision. Why the Neath Guardian before other local Trinity Mirror papers? Is it really to do with financial constraints that they are axing the Neath Guardian, or other reasons?

The paper had already recently been amalgamated with the Glamorgan Gazette which covers the Bridgend area. Although it is in the same region that I represent, the people are different, the issues vary, and I found it hard to understand how already rushed journalists would try and cover stories over such a large geographical area.

Now of course that won’t be the concern of Trinity Mirror, but there will be less local news, and obviously less competition for the local daily, The Evening Post. I am personally annoyed of course because I had a column in the Neath Guardian, and could generate debate, in a different way to how I communicate here on this blog. It gives us the opportunity to air our opinions on a very local level, and to ensure that people know about what we are doing as AMs.

Now the news provision for the area will be centralised yet again, and I am not quite sure as yet what plans Trinity Mirror has to try and justify that they will be able to report locally while acting on a National basis. This is compounded by the fact that more jobs are set to go at Trinity Mirror, and the NUJ have asked their officials to organise a strike ballot following the company’s failure to guarantee that there will be no compulsory redundancies in a plan to cut jobs. The company has announced a two month consultation period for its redundancy proposals but Martin Shipton said that ‘although we have been briefed fully about the financial position of the company and the group, we are determined that no NUJ member should be made compulsorily redundant as a result of these cuts. We expect the company to ensure that will be the outcome.”

Alun Ffred Jones the Heritage Minister has said the following-

“The announcement by Media Wales of 15 job losses is disappointing, as is the news that the Neath Guardian title is to disappear. Regional news outlets have a key role to play in ensuring that people can read about events and decisions which affect their everyday lives in the newspapers.

“Local papers have historically been not only a key medium of discussion for local issues, but also a campaigning force within their local communities and I am saddened to hear of the demise of another local title’.

I understand that Alun Ffred Jones has met with Trinity Mirror to discuss the future of newspapers in Wales. It is a very worrying time for Welsh media, especially in light of the cuts in Welsh programming by ITV, and the fact that the Carter review seems to be sitting on a shelf collecting dust at the moment. Of course, I would like to see broadcasting fully devolved to Wales so that we can tackle these issues head on here in Wales, and now is the time to do it. What do we want to see for a Wales with devolved government in full flow? We certainly do not want to see more centralised news outlets, and a lack of plurality of programme providers. We have to act now or the industry will diminish before our eyes.

It would cost £2.5 billion to abolish top up fees in the UK. Closing the loopholes in capital gains tax for the rich would raise £4.1 billion. The UK can afford to abolish top up fees; it is just a question of political priorities. Tax the young, or tax the rich: what would you do?

Vaughan Roderick has done a very short blog today saying

‘Its hard to get hold of Plaid Cymru today. I wonder why.

 This is why. Adam Price is leaving Parliament’. 

Vaughan Roderick is fuelling the rumour mill that Adam is planning to leave Westminster. 

If you read between the lines of his speech at conference, his exasparation with Westminster and its trappings were clear. But then, as a party campaigning for a Parliament for Wales, and the eventuality that sending MPs to Westminster will be unnecessary in a free Wales, I wasn’t surprised by the tone taken by Adam Price in his speech. 

Whatever the blogs or the pundits say, Adam has a rare talent, is an inspiration to people in Plaid such as myself. It is widely rumoured also that he could stand in 2011, and why not? He has stated that he has aspirations to be in the Assembly. More politicians in the Assembly group from Plaid has got to be a bonus!

It has been announced that he is to become a Fullbright scholar in the USA next year. Good luck Adam, but please don’t make the USA your home, though I’m sure Obama wouldn’t mind;-)

So, here we go, live blogging again. Let me know if you’ve found the live blogging vaguely interesting! I think that its a useful insight in to what we are doing at conference, and reaffirms the fact that we are an open and transparent party.

I’m at the Plaid bloggers desk using the desk, hopefully with enough time to finish live blogging Adam’s speech before doing an interview for the BBC.

Now there is an Equality and Human Rights video on encouraging women to get involved in politics and Plaid women in politics. Its mentioning the gender balance in the Assembly, and that women are an asset to political parties. Wouldn’t have minded contributing to it as the youngest female AM! Ah well:-)

Adam Price is now on stage. We want to be able to be free from Westminster, free to make our own mistakes and our own decisions.

Labour tried to recruit Adam; now they would question his legitimacy!

Adam does not want to be part of Westminster. He wants a parliament for Wales. Wenstminster’s subliminal message is that its allegiance is to the state.

Adam felt a bit like a fish out of water in Westminster. It can change you, and your values. MPs are happy just to ‘be there’, with their silk ties, and probably silk underwear too! The building is a grand deception. It is a fraud. It does not represent Welsh people. The sooner we get out of it the better it will be for all of us, says Adam. But we need people there now to fight our corner. We must marshall our best arguments, to secure a victory for the battlefield of Wales.

We are on a cusp of a new era- cuts, conservativism. Conservative governments will confirm our worst nightmare. Tories have been on the wrong side of every political argument- nhs, apartheid etc. They have opposed every Welsh devolution Bill in Wales- the Wales Act. Who can forget Nick Bourne’s face when he thought the referendum vote was going to be lost, and there would be no devolution for Wales? Someone who opposed the Assembly should never lead it says Adam. Previous Conservative party campaign guides said that the laws and customs of Wales are the same as England! The last one didn’t mention Wales at all!

We need control over our own water in our own land. The  masters of the Tories are in London.

Right, I can’t blog any more, must dash to do the interview…. . Any other bloggers are welcome to continue…

I’m at the Conference centre, charging the battery on my laptop, which means I am straining to listen to the SNP guest speaker on a feed in the press room. I am taking part in a fringe meeting with Shelter Cymru on the housing challenge for Wales very soon. I am pleased that the child poverty and IVF treatment motions were passed successfully so that we can continue our campaigning as a party.

The  conference dinner was well attended last night. George Monbiot was engaging, knew his audience, and was obviously popular in his support for Plaid Cymru, and the strengthening of devolution.

He said that an English parliament was needed to give the people of England a voice where Westminster has failed, and mentioned the f word- federalism on a few occassions! All very interesting stuff, but I will await the Monbiot driven campaign for an English Parliament….

Right, I’m off to take part in the fringe meeting.

Mae Ieuan yn dod mlan i’r llwyfan i Stereophonics- valleys rock! Yw hwn yn symbol o’n strategaeth nawr bellach o dargedu’r cymmoedd…?!

Mae hwn yn cyfnod a all fod yn groesffordd i wleidyddiaeth Cymru, Prydain, ac i’r Blaid yn ol Ieuan. Dydyn ni ddim am efelychu San Steffan wrth lywodraethu. Y peth cyffroes yw ein bod ni’n gallu cynnig gwahaniaeth, y newid yna i etholwyr Cymru, yn ol Ieuan. Mae’r pleidiau eraill yn gyson teyrngar i’w meistri yn Llundain, tra ein bod yn teyrngar i bobl Cymru. Ni sy’n edrych ar ol teuluoedd a gweithwyr Cymru, yn ol Ieuan.

Mae Llafur Newydd wedi dilyn polisiau’r Toriaid yn slafaidd, a nawr Cameron yn dilyn polisiau Tony Blair! Mae pobl Cymru yn haeddu gwell. Bydd Plaid Cymru byth yn aelod o’r clwb yna yn San Steffan ( digon o glapio nawr!)

Cyfle i wasanaethu Cymru yw bod yn San Steffan. 

Mae Plaid wedi cynyddu’r bleidais yn y Cynulliad a San Steffan. Mae gennym cynghorwyr lle nad ydym byth wedi cael nhw o’r blaen, dwed Ieuan. Mae’n rhaid i ni estyn allan, a rhannu ein neges mewn ffordd nad ydynt wedi gweld neu clywed o’r blaen. Mae’n rhaid i ni chwalu’r hen canfyddiadau- yn Blaid i Gymry Cymraeg yn unig. Rydym yn Blaid i bawb yng Nghymru, ble bynnag mae nhw’n byw dywed Ieuan.

Mae ffydd yn y Blaid yn tyfu drwy’r amser yn ol Ieuan. Ond mae na rhagor i wneud

( oes glei!)

Cyfarfod cyffredinol sydd ar y gorwel, gyda’r dirwasgiad yn gefndir. Rhaid i ni sichrau bod mwy o bobl yn cael eu hethol i Lundain gan Blaid Cymru. 

( Love in nawr yn diolch i Elfyn, Adam a Hywel am eu gwaith yn Llundain:-))

Mae ASau yn lladmeryddion dros Gymru. Mae eu rol wedi ehangu i gydweithredu gyda Llywodraeth Cymru- ceisio rhoi chwarae teg cyllidebol i Gymru, a hawliau deddfwriaethol, dywed Ieuan.

Mae rhai ASau yn ceisio glasdwreiddio ein deddfau yn anffodus. Dyna pam mae’n bwysig i ni gael mwy o ASau.

Mae Ieuan yn siarad am Barnett. Mae’n anodd ffeindio rhywun sydd yn cefnogi Barnett bellach. 

Lord Ivor Richard, a Labour peer says that Barnett needs to be changed. All those years of arguing for it, and now Plaid Cymru have been proved right in opposing it all along.

Mae pobl wedi cael llond bol o gemau’r pleidiau eraill, yn ol Ieuan. I bwy fydd teyrngarwch ASau newydd Toriaid o Gymru? Torri nol ar wasanaethau i bobl cyffredin, diogelu bonuses y bancwyr fel mae George Osbourne wedi addo.

Bydd Plaid yn rhoi buddiannau pobl Cymru yn gyntaf bob tro.( llais cryf, cadarn. Go Ieuan:-)

What are political parties for? Why should we all be tarnished with the same brush as other parties when people are criticial of politicians and politics?

We don’t strut around wanting power for power’s sake. We have a government in London that has lost its moral compass. It serves London says Ieuan.

Ieuan is now discussing Afghanistan.  Labour is bereft of ideas in London. It acts by instinct not by principles, says Ieuan.

Now is the time for change, for a new politics, a different way of doing things. Now is the time for Plaid.

Ieuan worked in the real World before being elected. He almost said he was a charismatic country solicitor, but thought better of it, says Ieuan! ( hmmm!)

What has motivated Ieuan as an individual? What motivated him as a child? Ieuan hopes and believes that he has the passion and the edge of his youth in what he does now. Bringing about real change is what motivates Ieuan. Shouldn’t every politician want this, asks Ieuan? ( yes indeed)

We do need to clear up our act, we need to be open and transparent.We need to understand why people feel let down. We really need to question why people get into politics in the first place, and is it for the right reason.

Ieuan’s is a very basic principle. He loves Wales, wants to see Wales grow, and do more for itself. A political system to fulfil its potential as a Nation- principles of fairness, reach potential regardless of background or financial clout. Only the sky is the limit for Wales, and everybody living here. ( there’s a song in that somewhere…)

You need to be an optimist in politics, knowing things will get better. Gwynfor Evans was ever the optimist, despite the knock backs. Gwynfor says we are still making progress if we are still taking a step back now and again.

For us on the left, our politics is the politics of change. The politics of hope over the politics of despair. We can never be satisfied with the status quo says Ieuan.

(I feel like he’s declaring a revolution now! I’m there, first in line, worry not!!)

Ieuan is talking about the Assembly now and how Plaid are helping Wales out of the recession. During Thatcher era and post Thatcher era we were helpless during the recession, says Ieuan. In the current recession, at least we have a Welsh Assembly that will fight to support its own people from the ravages of the recession

( applause)

People are losing their jobs, yes but we are defending our communities. ProAct and ReAct are essential in preparing for the upturn in the economy. Our unemployment rate has gone down, but we can’t be complaced. We have prevented a Thatcher like meltdown in the economy because we put the people first, says Ieuan.

If the Tories win, we will face bigger cuts. Fat cats and banks will be alright, says Ieuan. More than ever before after 2011, we need to be able to protect the people of Wales. How much of a priority for Cameron will powers for Wales be on his to do list? We must have a proper parliament that we have been campaigning on for so long. All four parties are agreed that the current settlement is unsustainable. Its not enough to do this to protect against the Tories, but do it because its right for Wales.

Being critical of other political parties is acceptable to distinguish us from other parties, but it is our basic principles that define us as a party, says Ieuan.

 There could be no greater challenge for Plaid than to lead a government. We need a new politics in Wales, says Ieuan.

Our loyalty is to the people of Wales. We truly believe in creating a fairer and more prosperous future for everyone in Wales. Ieuan is launching a consultation that will run throughout the General election to ask what they want of Plaid. 

Ieuan wants to help students so they won’t build up more debt…( I will refrain from commenting on that one!)

Ieuan wants Wales to be at the forefront of developing the economy, looking at new forms of energy consumption,the way we make our goods. A revolution on how we live our lives! ( see I said he’d declare a revolution didn’t I?!)

We have the opportunity to change things in Government. The party is ready for this, and the people of Wales want us to do this, claims Ieuan.

Ieuan led us in to Government to change the way we do politics in Wales, to bring us closer to permanent change, and to self government. We need to re-establish politics. Its time for values and principles to be at the forefront of everyone’s minds. This is not the time for politics as usual. Its a time to challenge, a time to lead.

Finish, claps, everyone is standing. Great stuff.. Gwych.