Hain, Oh Hain.
Posted on Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at 11:06am
3 responses
After a positive discussion on Saturday in Pontypridd on the need for the left in Wales to unite, and to mobilise discussion on the way forward- especially in relation to responding to the economic crisis, and the referendum on a Parliament for Wales, it’s disappointing to read Peter Hain’s comments in the Western Mail today regarding the referendum. There is a wide consensus formulating now on how cumbersome and unworkable the current LCO system is, yet Peter Hain is still one of the few people to be ‘quietly pleased‘ with it- but given that he played a key role in creating this mess of a system, why should I be surprised?
Peter Hain says that now is not the right time for a referendum, and neither does he see there being a right time in the ‘next few months or couple of years’.
That’s a very loose comment regarding timelines. Why would it have to fail? People like Peter Hain are setting it up to fail, and the campaign hasn’t even started yet! Nobody wants to be part of an unsuccessful campaign, but surely if people put their heads together, get active, and talk it up then we will at least move some way to pushing it up the political agenda in a positive way. Why is it always doom and gloom? After all, many opinion polls of late shows a growing support for Welsh devolution. We should be using this as a spring board for preparing a yes campaign, of engaging people in the process.
I don’t know who Peter Hain has been talking to in Plaid on this matter, but I haven’t heard anything internally to suggest that we are taking the line of deferring the referendum or talking it down in any way. As far as I’m concerned, it is a key element of the One Wales Agreement, and Peter Hain should respect that. But then again, he sees his role as Secretary of State for Wales as one where he can influence decisions publicly, bully his way in to discussions, and shape the debate to suite his end. I didn’t expect anything less when I heard that he had been reinstated by Gordon Brown in to that position.
Jonathan Morgan AM said in his speech last week on the future of the Conservatives in Wales that his nightmare scenario would be to wake up in 2010- the Assembly will have requested a referendum, and that a Tory Secretary of State will veto that request. This is not an unlikely scenario if the Tories do take power in Westminster.
The very fact that Jonathan Morgan is worrying about it speaks volumes. So, yet again, the challenge for us in Wales is to lead on this agenda now, and deliver on the promise of a referendum before a Tory Government is no doubt elected to Westminster. What do the Labour party want as their legacy in power? Delivering a compromised and complicated LCO system, or playing a part in delivering a referendum on a parliament for Wales?
Perhaps they should look at what their colleagues in Scotland are doing as part of the Calman Commission for some inspiration. We need to be bold, and confident if we want to move Wales forward.
I am totally for devolving more powers to Wales and indeed in a referendum taking place. I agree wholeheartedly that we must be bold as a nation to advance, and that all this ‘petruso’ will be an eventual downfall…
It does scare me, the prospect of having the Conservatives in government and vetoing our various requests. Despite this, I am very nervous about holding a referendum so soon. It is true that the public interest in a devolved Wales has increased greatly since the inauguration of the Assembly, and also it is true that in recent months with many Westminster-related scandals, some people have become more sympathetic to the idea of a Welsh Parliament. However, I am very confident that huge scores of people will be unwilling to vote ‘Yes’…one of the main reasons being the current economic climate (I know, the recession: again! It seems to get the blame for everything!!) However, with Wales being the poorest of the UK countries, and one of Western Europe’s poorest countries, people will be hugely concerned about financial matters, as everyone wants a safe and secure family. Especially in a country like Wales, where we appreciate family greatly, and it is such an important part of life.
This isn’t an argument of mine claiming that Wales can’t survive without the financial help of the ‘Union’. Perish the thought. I am more than confident the EU will embrace us, and in financial respects it will be just like before. However, people will not concentrate on this. I am sadly convinced that the opposition will be successful in instilling fear of poverty, job losses etc.!
There is a general ignorance on the EU as an institution in the UK, and as a result, people aren’t aware what it does, who and how it helps.
At the end of this, you can be sure that you will receive a ‘YES’ vote from me. And despite my negative message, I hope a clear majority will agree with me and that I will be proved wrong.
Diolch am hynny – mae’n galonogol iawn gweld AC Plaid yn taro’n ôl ar sylwadau gwrth-ddatganoli Peter Hain!
[...] in to question the authenticity of Peter Hain’s statement, but also we have Bethan Jenkins AM on her blog and Plaid’s Leader-elect, Adam Price in the Western Mail both querying the authenticity of [...]