Bethan Jenkins AC/AM Blog

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.

Elin Jones is on the conference floor now. She is speaking about a speech she had written before the previous Llandudno Conference 2 years ago, but it was never delivered as there was a foot in mouth outbreak in Wales, and she did not get out of the Cardiff Bay bunker to deliver it! Should she deliver it now unchanged? 

Elin is now talking about the first ever young farmers entry scheme, delivered by Plaid in Government.( applause)

(There are people sitting behind Elin. No elected members there this time- they can’t trust us to keep a straight face, see;-))

Elin is now mentioning the All Wales Transport plan delivered by Ieuan. No M4 relief road- ( applause) This four year One Wales Government is not the finished product says Elin. She could be picking up her pension, and Plaid will still be in Government! The prospect of picking up her pension scares her, but not governing Wales. Yes, we can be trusted to govern our own country. We are not in government to manage Wales, we are here to change Wales, claims Elin.

We can no longer blame others for decisions that we make as an Assembly says Elin. 

(the conference hall is almost full now…)

We are talented and ambitious in what we do as a Nation in terms of music and the arts, but are nervous when it comes to politics. But it is Welsh Labour who are nervous, says Elin. We should ignore the shenanigans of the Welsh Labour leadership campaign, and get on with the job. One Wales is non negotiable. The coalition is in the ownership of the two political parties, not the party leaders. They cannot tinker with the content, says Elin.

Nid newid yn arweinyddiaeth Llafur yw’r unig newid sydd ar y gweill. Oes amser i ni gael refferendwm? Oes, mae na amser. Mae angen cael refferendwm cyn yr etholiad cyffredinol yn ol Elin Jones. Fe pasiwyd cynnig gan y Cynulliad cyn diwedd y tymor yn cefnogi refferendwm cyn i’r Cynulliad yma dod i ben cyn etholiad 2011.

Mae tensiynau gwleidyddol gyda’r LCO. Ond beth am yr LCO lle nad oes unrhyw densiwn? Yr LCO cig coch! Dafad yw dafad yn nyfyniad cyfraith Cymru, dywed Elin.

( I am not well rehersed in the red meat LCO, so I won’t give you all the details,as Elin is now!)

Mae’r pedair mlynedd dwethaf wedi bod yn effeithiol o ran adeiladu capacity’r Llywodraeth- gwaith yn creu LCO’s yn rhan o hyn, ond ni fydd angen y fath scriwtini gan San Steffan yn y dyfodol.

Dyw Elin ddim yn siwr beth fydd dilyniant Cymru’n Un. Mae’n rhaid i ni weithio ar syniadau newydd, mewn realiti ariannol na fydd yn caniatau blank cheques, dywed Elin.

Mae Elin Jones am gael Aelod Seneddol i Geredigion sydd yn delivero. Mae gwaith caled o’u blaenau yng Ngheredigion. Mae Elin yn siarad am Myfanwy Davies nawr, ac am y dyhead o gael AS benywaidd yn 2010 i Blaid Cymru.

Mae cyfle am newid yn bosib- yn chwyldroadol. Gad i ni gymryd y cyfle. 

( lot o bobl yn clapio, ac Elin yn gadael y llwyfan..)

I am going to live blog a few speeches if my laptop battery doesn’t go before Elin Jones speaks soon. Looking forward to what they have to say. I’ll blog in the language they speak.

Dwi’n mynd i flogio’n byw pan fydd yr areithiau allweddol yn dechrau os nad yw fy matri yn mynd cyn araith Elin Jones. Edrych mlan i be mae nhw’n dweud. Nai blogio yn yr iaith ma nhw’n siarad.

…so the Plaid slogan goes. First day of motions and speeches at Conference today. So far so good. I really enjoyed the new media workshop yesterday. Adam talked about how we are using new media to reflect the energy and the change in the party, but for us to be careful not to see it as a the answer to everything. Duncan Higgitt talked about the threat to broadcasting in Wales, and its relationship with new media, while Daran Hill spoke about how Plaid are leading the way with regards to the technology revolution. I looked at how we can use new media more effectively as a campaigning tool and to inspire new members. 

I went to a workshop then on Wales after 2010, with a high profile panel- Wigley and Ron Davies to name a few, and chaired by Heledd Fychan.

Ron Davies talked about how Labour is losing trust with the electorate, that class politics has gone, and that Labour have lost its core vote, and destroyed democracy. Harsh words, but I wouldn’t expect any less from a former Labour member! What did ring a bell with me was when he said that his intention of supporting the creation of the Assembly in the first place was to create more of a sense of Nationhood in Wales, and to strengthen the economy. We still have much more to do. He also noted that Rhodri Morgan has not achieved what he set out to do when he became First Minister- and that was to create an independent Labour party in Wales. Surely this would have strengthened any clear red water between Wales and Westminster?

The discussion on who will win the next General Election was also fascinating, especially the comments on the current tensions in the Conservative ranks between MPs and AMs over issues such as the Welsh language and devolution. Wigley asked whether a Tory PM would  continue with the commitment to have a referendum on a Parliament for Wales, would it scrap part 4 of the Government of Wales Act? What is certain according to Wigley is that the General election of 2010 will shape the discussion of the Assembly election, and therefore Plaid must be strong and show clear leadership.

There are fringe meetings starting at the moment. People are buzzing around the stalls, and speaking to friends. More debate this afternoon to follow. I’ll blog at that point…

Conference season is upon us again. Where did the summer go? Political parties are preparing for discussions and motions( well not if your in Labour or the Tories, mind) and social events, guest speakers, and finding out ways to get the headlines above opponents…

I’m looking forward to ours,which is in Llandudno this year. I plan to speak on a few motions- one on criminal justice, child poverty, and extending IVF treatment in Wales. I’ll also be chairing a Shelter Cymru fringe meeting, taking part in a panel discussion on new media and its impact on politics and society, as well as taking the chance to catch up with members.

Plaid HQ have been working hard to make this conference a success, and I’ll try and get back in to the swing of things by blogging from the conference hall and fringe meetings. You can rely on me for twitter updates, and a few pictures also. So watch this space.

George Monbiot is our speaker at the Conference dinner. You can guarantee that he will mention the political spat in Machynlleth over the Tesco development, especially given that he’s mentioned it in a previous Guardian column! There’s going to be live music throughout conference, and another round of policy speed dating. It’s all go!

I am a little disappointed however that our conference clashes with a lecture in Merthyr on Friday, titled ‘What would Keir Hardie say now- A New left Narrative’ organised by Wales 20:20. John Cruddas is the guest speaker alongside, shock horror, Huw Lewis AM and others. The poster tells us that  ’a new narrative for Labour will be unveiled in our valleys as it was with the election of Keir Hardie; be there to hear it.’ Why they are announcing a new narrative for Labour in a public lecture is a little perplexing, but I hope to send some spies to find out what will be said:-)

You’ve got to give it to Huw Lewis, at least he’s trying to start a debate. We all know that this is a blatant attempt  to gain momentum for his Labour leadership  campaign in Wales, and why not? Carwyn Jones’s silence is deafening, and I haven’t seen Jane Hutt out and about since stating her intention to stand. And all is still up in the air about whether Edwina Hart will actually put her name in to the ring at all. The rumours that Rhodri Morgan will be staying on until the General Election are supposedly all untrue, so it’s only a matter of time before the official race gets underway, and Rhodri can then retreat to his caravan in Mwnt! 

Anyway, I’m off to prepare for Conference. Apologies for the long delay in blogging. I am back, and will be blogging much more often from here on in!

Swyddog Gwleidyddol/ Wasg / Rheolydd y Swyddfa

Note: The appointee will have to prepare and provide information bilingually and so the ability to speak Welsh is essential for this post.

Noder: Fe fydd yn rhaid i’r person a benodir baratoi a darparu gwybodaeth yn ddwyieithog ac felly mae’r gallu i siarad Cymraeg yn hanfodol ar gyfer y swydd hon.

Mae Plaid Cymru yn chwilio am Swyddog Gwleidyddol / Wasg i weithio gyda tim AC Bethan Jenkins yng Ngorllewin De Cymru. Os oes gennych yr awydd i gyfrannu at y tîm hwn, a bod gennych y sgiliau gwleidyddol priodol er mwyn cyflawnu’r swydd i’ch lawn botensial, yna cysylltwch gyda Philippa Edwards ar philippa.edwards@wales.gov.uk am swydd ddisgrifiad a ffurflen gais.

Lleoliad: Swyddfa Plaid Cymru Castell Nedd/ Cynulliad

Dyddiad cau ar gyfer ceisiadau: Dydd Mercher 23ain o Fedi 2009

Political/ Press Officer / Office Manager

Plaid Cymru is looking for a Political/ Press Officer to work with Plaid Cymru AM for South Wales West, Bethan Jenkins. If you are eager to contribute to this team, and if you have the political skills necessary to achieve your potential, contact Philippa Edwards on philippa.edwards@wales.gov.uk for a job description and application form.

Location: Neath Constituency Office / National Assembly

Closing date for applications: Wednesday 23rd September 2009