Bethan Jenkins AC/AM Blog

I just wanted to expand briefly on why I am leaving Twitter for now. It’s not directly because of the comments I made on Martin McGuiness and his decision to meet the Queen. It is because Twitter has become a place where, of late, my comments have been taken out of context, and too often my tweets have been referred to the press by opponents.

It’s not somewhere where I feel I can engage in a positive way on policy and ideas at the moment. For the record, I don’t see why having a view on Martin McGuiness meeting the Queen should have been escalated into a full scale row by the Labour party. I fail to see why putting my opinion out there warrants me needing to apologise, as they suggest in a press release.

It is incredible that the Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland would take the step of accusing me of seeking to destabilise the Northern Irish peace process. He clearly does not know me at all, and cannot possibly know me based on a tweet of 140 characters.

Surely scaremongering like this from the Labour party is detracting from the good work that all political parties are doing at a grass roots and political level in the North of Ireland, to work together in making politics work for all?

I also fail to see how I could possibly destabilise such a process as an Assembly Member in Wales – especially given the complex history in the North of Ireland – and given that I have a clear interest in seeing peace work there.

My mother is from Belfast, and I do not have a bone in my body that would wish violence and disorder again on the communities and streets of that city, or others in the North of Ireland. I also wrote my university dissertation on the Northern Irish peace process, and the external influences of the USA (among others) on the success of that process. I have taken the time to learn about my history, and to support the work that is currently being carried out via the process of devolution across these British Isles.

I stand by my view regarding Martin McGuiness. Just because I have a different view does not make it wrong, however. I respect those who believe that he should shake hands with the Queen as part of his role, but it does not mean that I personally have to support this. I am also curious as to why nobody has focused on Peter Hain’s comments suggesting that Martin McGuiness is more of a politician for meeting the Queen than the leader of our party. It seems that it is acceptable for some people to have a view, but not for others.

I may return to Twitter when I have had some time to think about it. I enjoy taking part in Twitter conversations on many levels but have, of late, felt somewhat claustrophobic in that clearly everything I say is being monitored by those who want to stop constructive and open debate, and use Twitter for cynical political point-scoring purposes.

People have told me not to leave, not to let ‘them’ win, but I have work to do as an AM, and I simply want the breathing space at the moment that Twitter simply is not providing. I appreciate that I was one of the first AMs to use this medium, and that it is very effective on many levels - so watch this space!

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Rwyf eisiau ymhelaethu yn fyr ar pam dwi’n gadael Twitter am y tro. Dyw e ddim yn uniongyrchol oherwydd y sylwadau a wnes i ar Martin McGuiness a’i benderfyniad i gwrdd â’r Frenhines. Y rheswm yw bod Twitter wedi dod yn fan, yn ddiweddar, lle mae fy sylwadau wedi eu cymryd allan o’u cyd-destun, ac yn rhy aml mae fy nhrydariadau yn cael eu cyfeirio at y wasg gan wrthwynebwyr.
Dyw hi ddim yn rhywle lle rwy’n teimlo y gallaf gymryd rhan mewn ffordd gadarnhaol ar bolisi a syniadau ar hyn o bryd.. Jyst i glirio pethau, dwi ddim yn gweld pam y dylai mynegi barn ar Martin McGuiness yn cwrdd â’r Frenhines gael ei droi’n ddadlau mawr gan y Blaid Lafur. Rwy’n methu’n deg a gweld pam fod mynegi fy marn yn golygu bod yn rhaid i mi ymddiheuro, fel y maent yn crybwyll mewn datganiad i’r wasg.
Mae’n anhygoel bod Gweinidog yr Wrthblaid dros Gogledd Iwerddon yn ceisio fy nghyhuddo i o geisio ansefydlogi’r broses heddwch yng Ngogledd Iwerddon. Mae’n amlwg nad yw’n fy adnabod i o gwbl, a’i fod yn amhosib iddo selio’i farn ar drydariad sydd ond 140 nod o hyd.
Onid yw codi bwganod fel hyn gan y Blaid Lafur yn dwyn sylw oddi ar y gwaith da y mae pob plaid wleidyddol yn ei wneud ar lawr gwlad ac ym myd gwleidyddiaeth yng Ngogledd Iwerddon, i weithio ynghyd i sicrhau bod gwleidyddiaeth yn gweithio i bawb?
Rwyf hefyd yn ei chael hi’n anodd gweld sut alla i yn bersonol ansefydlogi’r fath broses fel Aelod Cynulliad yma yng Nghymru – yn enwedig wrth ystyried yr hanes cymhleth sydd ynghlwm â Gogledd Iwerddon – a hefyd wrth ystyried bod gen i ddiddordeb sydd gyn loywed â dŵr yn gweld y broses heddwch yn llwyddiant yno.
Mae fy mam yn dod o Belfast, ac nid oes gennyf yr un asgwrn yn fy nghorff y byddai’n dymuno gweld trais ac anhrefn eto ar strydoedd ac yng nghymunedau’r ddinas honno, neu eraill yng Ngogledd Iwerddon. Fe wnes i hefyd ysgrifennu fy nhraethawd estynedig yn y brifysgol ar y broses heddwch yng Ngogledd Iwerddon a’r dylanwadau allanol o’r UDA (ymysg eraill) ar lwyddiant y broses honno. Rwyf wedi cymryd yr amser i ddysgu am fy hanes, i gefnogi’r gwaith sydd yn cael ei wneud ar hyn o bryd gyda dyfodiad datganoli i wledydd Ynysoedd Prydain.
Rwy’n cadw’n driw i fy marn ar ran Martin McGuiness. Nid yw’r ffaith fy mod i’n arddel ar safbwynt gwahanol yn golygu ei fod e’n anghywir. Rwy’n parchu’r sawl sydd o’r farn y dylai ysgwyd llaw gyda’r Frenhines fel rhan o’i rôl, ond nid yw’n golygu fod yn rhai i mi’n bersonol gefnogi hyn. Rwyf hefyd yn rhyfeddu nad oes neb wedi ffocysu ar sylwadau Peter Hain a oedd yn awgrymu bod Martin McGuiness yn fwy o wleidydd am gwrdd â’r Frenhines na’n harweinydd ni yma ym Mhlaid Cymru. Mae’i i weld ei fod yn dderbyniol i rai lleisio’u barn ond nid eraill.
Efallai y byddaf yn dychwelyd i Twitter ar ôl cael amser i feddwl am y peth. Rwy’n mwynhau ymuno mewn trafodaethau ar Twitter ar amryw o lefelau, ond rwyf wedi, yn ddiweddar teimlo’n glawstroffobig gyda’r ffaith bod pob dim yr wyth yn ei ddweud yn cael ei fonitro gan y sawl sydd eisiau rwystro trafodaeth adeiladol agored, a defnyddio Twitter at ddibenion sgorio pwyntiau gwleidyddol sinigaidd.
Mae pobl wedi dweud wrthyf am beidio â gadael ‘iddynt’ ennill, ond mae gen i waith i wneud fel AC, a dwi’n syml angen seibiant ar hyn o bryd, cyfle nad yw Twitter ei hun yn ei gynnig. Rwy’n gwerthfawrogi taw fi oedd un o’r ACau cyntaf i ddefnyddio’r cyfrwng hwn, ac ei fod yn gyfrwng effeithiol lawr ar amryw lefelau – felly cadwch lygaid allan amdanaf yn y dyfodol!

Here is a picture of staff at Heronsbridge School, Bridgend protesting last week about Bridgend Council’s Job Evaluation process. Staff are angry that many of the nursery nurses in the Borough are set to lose over £5,000 of their salaries under the current proposals, and that some schools are changing job descriptions as such that nursery nurses will be redefined as learning support officers- a very different role. They believe that the Council has failed to consult fully with Council workers over this most important issues, despite the fact that the Council employed an external consultant to work on this process. I am informed that a decision is to be made by the 16th of May, and at the moment there is still a period of negotiation between the Council and the Trade Unions ( notice that this decision is set to be made after the Local Government elections, make of that what you will…)

The Trade Union representatives are increasingly concerned about the way in which the Council appear to be ‘imposing’ these changes on those who work for the Council. I have led two well attended meetings in Bridgend on the job evaluation process, where angry and emotional staff told me that they have lost faith in the Council. Some even told me that they would like a vote of no confidence to be held- they are so fed up with the whole process. They are especially unhappy about ‘job families’, and how certain jobs are graded, as well as changes to their contracts. At the moment, there isn’t a sign of any negotiation over pay protection, as was offered by Plaid run Caerphilly Council. Its disgraceful that a Labour Council are treating hard working people in such a way.

If you are a Bridgend Council worker and have information you would like to share with me then please email bethan.jenkins@wales.gov.uk

Dyma lun o staff yn Ysgol Heronsbridge, o Benybont ar Ogwr yn protestio yr wythnos diwethaf yn erbyn proses Gwerthuso Swyddi y Cynogr. Mae’r staff yn flin bod llawer o’r nyrsys meithrin yn y Fwrdeistref yn mynd i golli dros £ 5,000 o’u cyflogau o dan y cynigion presennol, a bod rhai ysgolion yn newid disgrifiadau swyddi fel y bydd nyrsys meithrin yn cael ei ailddiffinio fel swyddogion cefnogaeth dysgu- sy’n rôl wahanol iawn. Maent yn credu bod y Cyngor wedi methu ymgynghori’n llawn gyda gweithwyr Cyngor dros y rhan fwyaf o’r prif faterion, er gwaethaf y ffaith bod y Cyngor wedi cyflogi ymgynghorydd allanol i weithio ar y broses. Rwy’n gwybod bod penderfyniad yn cael ei wneud ar y 16eg o mis Mai, ac ar hyn o bryd mae cyfnod o drafod rhwng y Cyngor a’r Undebau Llafur (Diddorol bod y penderfyniad hwn yn cael eu gwneud ar ôl yr etholiadau Llywodraeth Leol= gwnewch o’r wybodaeth hwn be hoffech chi….)

Dwi’n deall bod cynrhychiolwyr Undebau yn pryderu fwyfwy am y ffordd y mae’r Cyngor yn ymddangos fel ei bod yn ‘gorfodi’r’ newidiadau yma ar y rhai sy’n gweithio i’r Cyngor. Rwyf wedi cynnal 2 cyfarfod a fynychwyd yn dda ym Mhenybont ar Ogwr ar y broses gwerthuso swyddi, lle roedd staff yn ddig ac yn emosiynol am y broses, gan dweud wrthyf eu bod wedi colli ffydd yn y Cyngor. Mae rhai hyd yn oed yn dweud wrthyf y byddent yn hoffi cael pleidlais o ddiffyg hyder yn y Cyngor gan eu bont wedi eu syrffedu’n llwyr yn y broses. Maent yn arbennig o anhapus am strwythur y ‘teuluoedd swyddi’, a sut mae rhai swyddi yn cael eu graddio, yn ogystal â newidiadau yn eu contractau. Ar hyn o bryd, nid oes arwydd o unrhyw drafodaeth o ran diogelu cyflog, fel y cynigiwyd gan Gyngor Caerffili, sy’n cael ei rhedeg gan Blaid Cymru. Mae e’n warthus bod Cyngor Llafur yn trin pobl sy’n gweithio’n galed yn y fath modd.

Os ydych chi’n gweithio i Gyngor Penybont ar Ogwr ac mae gwbodaeth gennych yr hoffech ei rannu gyda mi, yna ebostiwchbethan.jenkins@ wales.gov.uk

Dyma lun o lansiad ymgyrch Llywodraeth Lleol Plaid Cymru Castell Nedd Port Talbot. Mae gennym nifer fawr o ymgeiswyr brwdfrydig sydd yn barod i gymryd y frwydr i Llafur yn yr ardal.

Here is a picture of the Plaid Cymru team of candidates who are standing in the local elections in Neath Port Talbot. We have a team of keen and pro active candidates, ready to take the fight to Labour in this area.

I read an article today by Kira Cochrane in the Guardian, about the work that the MP Jo Swinson has done on the All party committee on body image.

It states that Jo Swinson’s work has been a ‘one woman battle’ in terms of campaigning for change in this area. Now, for the record, I think the work that Jo Swinson has done on a Westminster level has been highly commendable and neccessary in an age where body images affect our everyday lives in such a profound way- be they negative or positive. Of course it should be an issue that is prioritiesed politically, in terms of how the fashion industry, the plastic surgery industry etc is regulated, and how education is improved.

 I went to London last week to talk to YMCA representatives in my capacity as chair of the cross party group on Eating Disorders.  The YMCA are the secretariat for the all party group,  and they are currently carrying out an inquiry in to body image at Westminster. They are taking evidence from young people, psychologists, teachers, the fashion industry and I will be submitting evidence on behalf of our group before the report makes it final recommendations around March. I wanted to find out how the cross party group on eating disorders that I established back in 2007 could play a part in this investigation, given that we have been working very hard in this field for a long time, and how any recommendations that are devolved would potentially be implemented here in Wales.

 Its clear to me, I’m afraid to say, that journalists like Kira Cochrane are either not interested in what happens outside London, or do not put in the journalistic effort in to find out. I say that because I met Kira Cochrane at a Guardian awards ceremony a few years ago, when I was first elected as an AM. She may not remember, but I spoke to her about my cross party group at the time. I am not sure how much she understood devolution, really. I stand to be corrected, of course, but that was my impression…

 Perhaps it would be good for her to understand that the cross party group has not only successfully campaigned for the first ever eating disorders framework to be implemented in Wales alongside Government funding for new eating disorders regional officers, which is now in action across local health boards in Wales, but we have met with Ministers to lobby for self esteem and confidence lessons to be placed on the curriculum at schools ( before Gok Wan’s campaign I’ll have you know! ) and are contiuning with this campaign as we speak.

I have also been in to many schools to carry out Dove Self Esteem lessons, so as to talk to young people about their anxieties and fears before it potentially develops in to an eating disorder or confidence issue. A few years ago, as I’m sure many will remember, we held a competition in the Senedd called the campaign for real beauty, where people were asked to take part in a competition, and send in a picture of what they deemed to represent real beauty. We had a successful photograph display at the Senedd with the winners, and the First Minister, alongside highly supportive Western Mail journalist Madeleine Brindley, presented prizes to the winners. The cross party group includes health professionals, young people, carers, anyone who has had an interest in this area.

I remember Beat’s Chief Executive, Susan Ringwood telling me at the launch of the cross party group on eating disorders how difficult it was for them to set up such a group in Westminster at the time, and that Wales was leading the way on eating disorders and body image related matters. It just seems to me that it is very very difficult for us to promote our positive work on an Assembly level with a UK press that doesn’t even have Wales on their radar most of the time, unless said journalist ( such as exceptional journalists like Rob Williams at the Indendent online) has a personal interest in covering Welsh stories ( and this almost always means they are Welsh or have Welsh connections!)

 With the rise in discussion regarding Scottish Independence and a referendum during this term of the Scottish Parliament, perhaps this perception of Wales, and engagement with Welsh politicians will change, but it will not change over night. Perhaps we need to be more pro active with UK journalists in promoting our work, that may be so, but I feel a little agreieved that when I have been working on an issue that I am passionate about since I was elected, that my efforts appear to be far from recognised over the border, when they could be taking an avid interest.

 On a personal level, I am always keen to look outwards to other countries to see what they are doing in terms of best practise. For example, I visited Glasgow Health Services last year to see what they are doing in the realm of eating disorder provision, as it was hailed as best practise. We need to do much more of this in order to refine what we do, and improve services, so that we will not stand still in the future.

So, my message to Kira Cochrane would be, you are welcome to visit Wales anytime-come and see what we do, and then you will realise, especially in the realm of campaigning  over issues such as body image and confidence, that this certainly isn’t a ‘one woman battle’.  Many many organisations are part of the ‘battle’ such as Beat, Beat Cymru, the YMCA, Men Get Eating Disoders Too ( MGEDT), Dove Self Esteem, Teachers, youth clubs, YWCA, Anxiety UK and more..     Better to work together and share ideas, don’t you think?…..