Hain the saviour of Welsh Labour? Hardly.
Posted on Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 6:07pm
7 responses
Yesterday the Western Mail reported that Labour insiders are looking outside the Assembly for a possible successor to Rhodri Morgan as First Minister. Both AMs who were named in the article- Gwenda Thomas AM for Neath, and Karen Sinclair AM in Clwyd South have stated clearly that they will not stand down for either Peter Hain or Eluned Morgan MEP.
Frankly, I think it is absurd that Peter Hain is even a consideration at this point in time given that he is still waiting to hear whether he will face criminal charges arising out of the police investigation into his late declaration of donations. Attempting to shrug off the mess that Peter Hain has created due to this investigation, both for the Labour party in Neath and Nationally, is not something that the Labour party in Wales, or Hain’s supporters should be allowed to do over night. Peter Hain has nowhere else to go, and that is why he is no doubt so keen on entering the National Assembly for a last ditch attempt at power and glory.
But will he be up to the job following his turbulent year in politics? One constituent who came to see me at my office informed me that Peter Hain was almost asleep during a casework meeting with said constituent recently. Hardly a man ready and rearing for a leadership contest! After doing so tragically in the UK Labour Party Deputy Leader race, shouldn’t he just put his efforts elsewhere?
I don’t think that I am being too harsh on Peter Hain. He is a media mastermind, and is seeking to wow the journos on all levels to reinvent himself as the saviour of Welsh Labour post Rhodri. It doesn’t do Welsh politics any good if there is a portrayal of the fact that a leader must be pushed in from the outside. I would hazard a guess that the current contenders- Huw Lewis and Carwyn Jones being two of them, are far from happy at the news that their attempts at the leadership are being undermined in this manner (neither too should Gwenda Thomas and Karen Sinclair for that matter…)
What a nasty, vindictive and petty blog post. Despite your age,you are clearly so full of venom – you personify the politics of the past.
Your “analysis” is worryingly naive for someone in your position.
And your view that Peter Hain should not be allowed to get on with his life and make plans for the future whilst he is under police investigation is nothing short of disgraceful. What happened to being innocent until proved guilty?
Grow up.
It shows Labours arrogance that they assume the dear people of Neath and of Clywd South will continue to vote Labour, and assumes that outcome of the election before people have gone to the polls. Shameful from Labour, and hopefully things will change in both constituencies in the future.
Paul, you are obvioulsy riled by my opinions on the matter, which is not an isolated opinion, especially in the Neath area! Peter Hain took money from a pro apartheid business tycoon Isaac Kaye, even though he campaigned against the apartheid movement in the 1970′s. Surely that political judgement must be questioned?
You seem confused as to how to argue against me also. On one hand I am naive(yes, due to my youth. I cannot help my age) and then you say that I am rooted in the past! I am entitled to my opinion, and no doubt there will be others who think the same as me out there- of all ages and backgrounds.
Bethan regarding PAULW just mention Cwmgwrach to him
Your photo on the Plaid website is not very flattering.
http://www.plaidcymru.org/content.php?nID=14;ID=783;lID=1
You definitely need to get it sorted.
Welsh and English posts are good practice when we can get them.
Peter hain would be catastophic for Wales. he is the man that consigned 2,500 disabled people to the scrap heap by closing 29 Remploy sites. all the time kidding on that he supported Remploy workers in their fight to save their factories.
He has no credibility in Remploy workers eyes. Whetehr in Wales or any where else in the UK. Unlike Bethan who supported us all the way.
Strangely enough I feel Eluned Morgan would be even worse. First Minister calibre? How on earth do we know. And what a terrible leak for Clwyd South and Ms Sinclair – extremely insensitive.