Bethan Jenkins AC/AM Blog

So Rhodri Morgan didn’t announce that he was standing down at the weekend at the Labour Party Conference in Brighton. He said instead -

‘Wales’ worst kept secret – I’m not going to be with you next year as Welsh Labour Leader and I’ll be announcing, before too long, the exact details of how and when the election of my successor it going to take place.’

Some of the rumours before the Conference were that he would announce his departure yesterday, however, could he be waiting for a bigger occassion to announce it, I wonder?

Daran Hill over on Wales home states that ‘there would have been an outcry if he’d announced his departure from a platform in Sussex. It was probably the wisest thing he could have done.’  

That may be so, but it was the Celtic day of Conference ( for what I am told. I have, fortunately, never been to a Labour Conference:-)) and there would have been plenty of Welsh delegates present to justify Rhodri Morgan making such an announcement to members. Then again, perhaps he wants to do a Tony Blair, and announce his retirement to the local party faithful in Cardiff West, with a buffet of guacamole and mushy peas to accompany it! 

Nonetheless, Rhodri is set to make an announcement imminently and I sincerley hope his speech will have more depth than that of which he delivered at the Labour Conference. As I’ve said before on this blog, we are facing the stark reality of a Tory Government in Westminster.What more could Rhodri do for his legacy than to announce that he will play an active role in campaigning during a referendum on a parliament for Wales?- his legacy being that of delivering on a referendum for Wales, and leaving behind the shadow of his failure to implement the Richard Commission recommendations in full at a time when the main concern was to appease Labour party members. The issue is now too pressing to allow it to fall foul of internal squabbles, despite the fact that we are well aware of factions within Labour who are more concerned about preserving the jobs of MP’s in Westminster than delivering for Wales.

Yes, the outcome of the All Wales Convention is yet to be announced, but Rhodri Morgan is the First Minister, and it is expectant of him to show political leadership in this regard. There is no point in talking down the referendum, or assuming that people will not support it at this juncture.

Time is running out, what with an imminent General election, and Assembly elections to follow in 2011. Those of us who are campaigners are aware of the background work that needs to be done to ensure that a campaign of any sort is successful. Politicians from all parties cannot afford to waste time, especially given that a recent vote by AMs in the Senedd showed that we all want a referendum on legislative powers for Wales, that we acknowledge that the LCO system is unworkable, and that it cannot be sustained.

So Rhodri, if you are reading this, please make your retirement speech a hard hitting one, a strong message to the people of Wales that they are respected, that we deserve to have our own powers as a Nation, and that the referendum is on its way.