No coalition cracks
Posted on Friday, January 30, 2009 at 12:05pm
one response
This week has been a bit frantic. I’m just putting the finishing touches to the cross party group on eating disorders’ response to the framework. I’ve had so many emails from carers on this matter, and it brings me to tears the struggle many of them have been through to ensure their loved ones receive the treatment they need in Wales. I sincerely hope that this new National strategy, along with the finances invested by the WAG will kick start the long awaited development of services for those with eating disorders in Wales. If you have any more comments, make sure they get to me by 4pm today at the latest!
This week I also delivered a letter of complaint to the BBC from AMs regarding their refusal to show the appeal for the people of Gaza-a humanitarian appeal. The arguments by the BBC just do now stack up. The appeal is to give assistance to the people of Gaza who are injured, who cannot return to their homes, or have no homes to return to. Since when was providing aid political? It is obviously very much the case judging from the BBC’s insistence not to show the appeal, this despite showing elements of the appeal during news coverage of their own refusal to air it! The irony!
You’ve probably heard by now that Janet Ryder has stood down as Education spokesperson for Plaid Cymru. We’ve had a mini reshuffle, and I’m being told that I’m taking on doing some of the parties reactions or work on culture from the Assembly backbench team- so I’ll be getting involved in the progress of the Welsh Language LCO no doubt, and sitting on the Communities and Culture committee. I don’t think Janet’s action is a sign of cracks in the coalition at all. Its healthy for backbench AMs to have their own opinions and to scrutinise the Government where appropriate- whether Plaid is in the government or not. There’s no denying that there are sometimes tensions between the group and the Ministerial team, but if we tried to stifle that opinion, then what sort of democratic party would we be? There’s an argument for the development of a more robust structure between spokespeople and the government, so that if there are tensions of any kind, that these can be thrashed out honestly and openly amongst the ruling parties. Commuication does vary, and sometimes this means that unneccessary problems arise.
Anyway, I’m off to finalise my tax return before I start ranting….
Have a nice weekend
Thanks to the BBC and Sky this appeal has got far more coverage than it would have had, had they just shown it. So every cloud….
Yikes, you like leaving your tax return until the last minute. I start feeling guilty if mine hasn’t been sent in by June!