| The General Election and the next Assembly election 17:36 - Nov 22 with 3589 views | johnlangy |
There is a growing revolution, for want of a better word, for powers to be devolved to Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the regions of England. It is going to happen and we in Wales need to be prepared for when it does.
In the upcoming General Election, as I see it, Labour are going to lose a substantial number of seats to the SNP plus a few to UKIP. The Tories are probably also going to lose a large number to UKIP. As a result the SNP will likely have about 30 MP's (while also running Hollyrood) while Plaid will likely still have just 3 MP's while also being just part of the opposition in the Assembly. I don't, quite honestly, see the number of Plaid MP's increasing.
If what i've said above happens there'll be another coalition in Westminster. That could mean either Labour/SNP or, God help us, Conservative/UKIP. The first of those two possibilities would be great for Scotland but Wales will still be in a very weak position. I'm sure the SNP will be supportive of further devolved powers for Wales, because not supporting devolution for others would weaken their own argument, but their main focus will be 100% on what's right for Scotland.
And what if we end up with the other possibility. Imagine Nigel Farage as Deputy Prime Minister !
The Assembly Elections will then happen in 2016 and, if they go to form, we'll re-elect a Labour administration who will run the Assembly in a similar way to the last 15 years. I've used the comparison before and i'll use it again. The Westminster governments over the last few decades have ruled the UK mostly for the benefit of London and the South East to the detriment of the rest of the UK which has resulted in the current 'revolution'. Labour has run the Assembly in the same way with the South East of Wales replicating the South East of England. The way they've concentrated investment in the SE to the detriment of the rest of Wales is criminal.
And if we keep voting them in it will just continue. In the last few days we've seen the plans for the latest huge City Centre development in Cardiff. One million square feet of office space on the site of the current bus station. That development is planned to include a terminus for the Metro which will follow as soon as the Assembly is given borrowing powers. The Metro will cost a fortune and the money they borrow will then have to be paid back by the whole of Wales' population, the majority of which will gain no benefit whatsoever. And then today we hear about electrification of the valleys lines. That's the valleys north of Cardiff, of course, and feeding into Cardiff. I have no idea how much that is going to cost us.
I've spoken directly to, and emailed, Bethan Jenkins to say that I believe Plaid should include in their manifesto for the Assembly election a promise that, if they are elected to run the Assembly they will ensure that this imbalance is reversed, that for however long it takes investment in the rest of Wales outside of the South East will be their number one priority until the benefits of Wales' wealth is spread across the whole country.
Plaid are the only party that can do this because, if you like, they have nothing to lose. Their power base in Wales is not in the South East so there are no seats to lose. Labour's strength in Wales, as with the Conservatives on a UK level, is mainly South East based. Not exclusively of course and shamefully, in my opinion, Swansea also votes in Labour AM's even though everyone who can see knows that Swansea has been starved of investment.
The UK argument for devolving power to the regions, essentially spreading the wealth, has already been made and won. The same should happen in Wales. |  | | |  |
| The General Election and the next Assembly election on 17:53 - Nov 22 with 1668 views | NOTRAC |
I absolutely agree with you Johnlangy.
Never has both Britain and Wales been so divided on a south east bug gar the rest basis.
What can be done about it I don't know.The trouble with Plaid in Wales is the same as the trouble with Labour in parliament.They just don't appeal as an alternative.
Plaid in Wales really need to get their act together.Their management skills are so poor.
People in Wales are fed up with labour but are doubtful of Plaid because they really still don't know what they are about.
One thing that would help them is if they suggested moving the Senedd to say Aberystwyth, or even running the country on a movable Senedd basis,ie one year in the south, the next year in the west and another r year in the north.
Whether this would work I really don't know, but they need to show that they stand for more than the Welsh language and independence. | |
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| The General Election and the next Assembly election on 17:56 - Nov 22 with 1667 views | reddythered |
You're ignoring the fact the overwhelming majority of Welsh votes are thick as pig shoit hence vote Labour because all their ancestors did; therefore it's what they should do coz Labour izzzz ze party for the werking clazz, innit bruv. | |
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| The General Election and the next Assembly election on 18:26 - Nov 22 with 1647 views | johnlangy |
| The General Election and the next Assembly election on 17:56 - Nov 22 by reddythered |
You're ignoring the fact the overwhelming majority of Welsh votes are thick as pig shoit hence vote Labour because all their ancestors did; therefore it's what they should do coz Labour izzzz ze party for the werking clazz, innit bruv. |
It is incredibly frustrating. We read every single day about people complaining about Swansea City Centre and the piecemeal way the Council are trying to improve it (quite often making it worse not better). If so many people don't like it why on earth do they keep voting the same way. It makes no sense. I don't want to make Swansea like Cardiff (no offence intended there), I want Swansea to be developed as the special place it is.
But it costs money. There's no getting around that but Labour will just carry on doing what they've always done. Plough fortunes into the South East at every opportunity. I'm talking specifically about Swansea here but my original point was about the whole of Wales outside the SE.
I'm sue you agree Reddy about the incredible imbalance in investment. | | | |
| The General Election and the next Assembly election on 18:37 - Nov 22 with 1633 views | Kilkennyjack |
Very good John. I do like the movement of plaid from a party for preachers aNd teachers to a party prepared to get off their knees and stand up for wales. Caravan James should do the bloody same. Stop listening to London Labour. |  |
| Beware of the Risen People
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| The General Election and the next Assembly election on 19:44 - Nov 22 with 1581 views | reddythered |
| The General Election and the next Assembly election on 18:26 - Nov 22 by johnlangy |
It is incredibly frustrating. We read every single day about people complaining about Swansea City Centre and the piecemeal way the Council are trying to improve it (quite often making it worse not better). If so many people don't like it why on earth do they keep voting the same way. It makes no sense. I don't want to make Swansea like Cardiff (no offence intended there), I want Swansea to be developed as the special place it is.
But it costs money. There's no getting around that but Labour will just carry on doing what they've always done. Plough fortunes into the South East at every opportunity. I'm talking specifically about Swansea here but my original point was about the whole of Wales outside the SE.
I'm sue you agree Reddy about the incredible imbalance in investment. |
To a degree.
People complain about efforts to improve the M4 around Brynglas tunnels, saying "what about Swansea". I'd disagree on that because it's a pretty bad bottleneck which affects all people west of that area.
I've never had confidence in Labour anyway... the WAG seems to fulfill a few egos and that's about it. After all, Tory cuts to the NHS are evil, WG cut the funding, well, not quite as evil as it's Labour dominated. | |
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| The General Election and the next Assembly election on 19:52 - Nov 22 with 1564 views | skippyjack |
Even though I don't agree fully with UKIP or SNP.. I'm looking forward to somebody nudging the elite.. not much will happen though.. wouldn't surprise me if UKIP are a media money maker for the Tory govt.. to create interest and controversy.. it won't change a thing for most of us anyway. |  |
| The awkward moment when a Welsh Club become the Champions of England.. shh
The Swansea Way.. To upset the odds. | | Poll: | Best Swans Player |
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| The General Election and the next Assembly election on 21:27 - Nov 22 with 1528 views | trampie |
UKIP might take votes of Lab/Cons, the Lib vote might collapse.
Plaid might not have to greatly increase their number of votes to win as many as 6 seats. |  |
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| The General Election and the next Assembly election on 21:32 - Nov 22 with 1519 views | trampie |
Plaid are seen as a party of the inteligencia, they need to appeal more to the working classes. | |
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| The General Election and the next Assembly election on 21:39 - Nov 22 with 1511 views | trampie |
| The General Election and the next Assembly election on 17:53 - Nov 22 by NOTRAC |
I absolutely agree with you Johnlangy.
Never has both Britain and Wales been so divided on a south east bug gar the rest basis.
What can be done about it I don't know.The trouble with Plaid in Wales is the same as the trouble with Labour in parliament.They just don't appeal as an alternative.
Plaid in Wales really need to get their act together.Their management skills are so poor.
People in Wales are fed up with labour but are doubtful of Plaid because they really still don't know what they are about.
One thing that would help them is if they suggested moving the Senedd to say Aberystwyth, or even running the country on a movable Senedd basis,ie one year in the south, the next year in the west and another r year in the north.
Whether this would work I really don't know, but they need to show that they stand for more than the Welsh language and independence. |
Plaid have a red Rhondda rebel in charge, its a statement of intent, a non Gog, a female, a non Welsh speaker (learner).
It could be a pivotal election for Plaid, Plaid need to crack the South Wales valleys. | |
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| The General Election and the next Assembly election on 21:40 - Nov 22 with 1508 views | Lord_Bony |
After being seriously dissilusioned by Labour in the past I don t even bother voting for any of them anymore.
Can see a big swing towards UKIP in the next election though. |  |
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| The General Election and the next Assembly election on 22:10 - Nov 22 with 1486 views | trampie |
| The General Election and the next Assembly election on 21:40 - Nov 22 by Lord_Bony |
After being seriously dissilusioned by Labour in the past I don t even bother voting for any of them anymore.
Can see a big swing towards UKIP in the next election though. |
The choice is either right wing Cons/Lab/Lib/UKIP or left wing Plaid. | |
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| The General Election and the next Assembly election on 23:32 - Nov 22 with 1438 views | the_oracle |
| The General Election and the next Assembly election on 22:10 - Nov 22 by trampie |
The choice is either right wing Cons/Lab/Lib/UKIP or left wing Plaid. |
Don't like your greens then? | | | |
| The General Election and the next Assembly election on 09:28 - Nov 23 with 1352 views | epaul |
What ever the outcome were hurtling towards 1930's germany with these facist UKIP c*nts around
Repat... sorry ethnic cleansing is the new black for them |  |
| The hair and the beard have gone I am now conforming to society, tis a sad day
The b*stards are coming back though |
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| The General Election and the next Assembly election on 10:45 - Nov 23 with 1308 views | perchrockjack |
WALES is the poorest part of the UK and has by far the worst NNS stats.
(south) Wales is also possibly the biggest Labour heartland.
There may well be a correlation there..
A red rhondda welsh learning rebel at the helm is hardly one to stir the loins of many who want a more prosperous future not one dragged down by puerile outdated nationalistic crap.
Wales is on its knees, no matter what TRAMPIE says; it needs help big time and it will not be able to get in from within but outside the country. | |
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| The General Election and the next Assembly election on 11:41 - Nov 23 with 1289 views | Lohengrin |
| The General Election and the next Assembly election on 21:32 - Nov 22 by trampie |
Plaid are seen as a party of the inteligencia, they need to appeal more to the working classes. |
Plaid is the creation of language zealots and Roman Catholics it never was meant to appeal to the traditional working class, its always regarded industry with a sort of morbid disdain.
It tickles me that some on here have come to regard Plaid as a viable left of centre alternative to Liebore when the fact is, for most of its history, the house that Saunders built has been so far to the right its been in peril of falling off the spectrum altogether. |  |
| An idea isn't responsible for those who believe in it. |
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| The General Election and the next Assembly election on 11:42 - Nov 23 with 1286 views | Lohengrin |
| The General Election and the next Assembly election on 09:28 - Nov 23 by epaul |
What ever the outcome were hurtling towards 1930's germany with these facist UKIP c*nts around
Repat... sorry ethnic cleansing is the new black for them |
Dear, dear me.  | |
| An idea isn't responsible for those who believe in it. |
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| The General Election and the next Assembly election on 12:10 - Nov 23 with 1272 views | exiledclaseboy |
| The General Election and the next Assembly election on 17:56 - Nov 22 by reddythered |
You're ignoring the fact the overwhelming majority of Welsh votes are thick as pig shoit hence vote Labour because all their ancestors did; therefore it's what they should do coz Labour izzzz ze party for the werking clazz, innit bruv. |
And of course the swathes of Tory voters in the Home Counties and the south-east who would elect the proverbial blue rosette wearing donkey are all making informed political choices as opposed to just doing what they and their parents and their grandparents have always done. It's only lifelong Labour voters who are "thick as pig sh*t" sheep. |  |
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| The General Election and the next Assembly election on 12:16 - Nov 23 with 1263 views | perchrockjack |
Andrew.
many in the south east are forsakeing the Tories at the moment.
Frankly, anyone anywhere not thinking independently is worthy of your phrase..
Its simply a case of the lesser of two evils but frankly the thought of Ed Millband as PM should surely be enough | |
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| The General Election and the next Assembly election on 12:24 - Nov 23 with 1257 views | exiledclaseboy |
| The General Election and the next Assembly election on 12:16 - Nov 23 by perchrockjack |
Andrew.
many in the south east are forsakeing the Tories at the moment.
Frankly, anyone anywhere not thinking independently is worthy of your phrase..
Its simply a case of the lesser of two evils but frankly the thought of Ed Millband as PM should surely be enough |
I don't disagree with any of that apart from saying that the thought of another five years of a Cameron-led government with a possible Parliamentary majority scares me much more than the thought of Miliband as PM. I don't expect you to agree with that because we have differing political philosophies, and that's fine of course.
This coming general election campaign will be the ugliest in living memory. The rise of UKIP means that the Tories have had to move rightwards to outflank them and will continue to do so as May gets closer. The campaign will be bathed in anti-immigrant and anti-EU rhetoric, any dissenting voices will be shouted down. I hate where politics in the UK is at the moment.
My prediction is the hungest of hung parliaments. UKIP won't get as many seats as people are currently predicting, partly because of the first past the post system and partly because at least some of its current voters will migrate back to the Tories (and to a lesser extent Labour) when the big one rolls around. Cameron has already pledged not to enter into another coalition if he doesn't win outright so we could see a Labour-led coalition by default. It'll be fascinating to watch. | |
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| The General Election and the next Assembly election on 12:30 - Nov 23 with 1248 views | perchrockjack |
and I agree with pretty much most of that.
You can tell Christmas is around the corner.
Anyway, Lady Perch has assembled the very best hamper to give out to the poor down there next Saturday with the very best tinned spam, corned beef, Del Monte Peach Halves(posher| Nestle s cream, Carnation milk, Marvel , John West salmon, and washed down with lashings of E | |
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| The General Election and the next Assembly election on 12:31 - Nov 23 with 1245 views | perchrockjack |
Emva Cream | |
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| The General Election and the next Assembly election on 12:35 - Nov 23 with 1242 views | johnlangy |
| The General Election and the next Assembly election on 12:16 - Nov 23 by perchrockjack |
Andrew.
many in the south east are forsakeing the Tories at the moment.
Frankly, anyone anywhere not thinking independently is worthy of your phrase..
Its simply a case of the lesser of two evils but frankly the thought of Ed Millband as PM should surely be enough |
Thinking independently the idea of Ed Miliband as PM is a FAR better proposition than another 5 years of Cameron. | | | |
| The General Election and the next Assembly election on 12:39 - Nov 23 with 1230 views | perchrockjack |
Well, that is a matter of opinion Sir.
Its yours and that's just fine..
PERSONALLY, throw in Ed BALLS as Chancellor, Yvette Cooper as Home Sec and God knows who as Foreign Sec , it makes me want to spend the next 5 yrs somewhere else | |
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| The General Election and the next Assembly election on 12:51 - Nov 23 with 1217 views | Lohengrin |
| The General Election and the next Assembly election on 12:24 - Nov 23 by exiledclaseboy |
I don't disagree with any of that apart from saying that the thought of another five years of a Cameron-led government with a possible Parliamentary majority scares me much more than the thought of Miliband as PM. I don't expect you to agree with that because we have differing political philosophies, and that's fine of course.
This coming general election campaign will be the ugliest in living memory. The rise of UKIP means that the Tories have had to move rightwards to outflank them and will continue to do so as May gets closer. The campaign will be bathed in anti-immigrant and anti-EU rhetoric, any dissenting voices will be shouted down. I hate where politics in the UK is at the moment.
My prediction is the hungest of hung parliaments. UKIP won't get as many seats as people are currently predicting, partly because of the first past the post system and partly because at least some of its current voters will migrate back to the Tories (and to a lesser extent Labour) when the big one rolls around. Cameron has already pledged not to enter into another coalition if he doesn't win outright so we could see a Labour-led coalition by default. It'll be fascinating to watch. |
A Labour-led coalition? That could be unworkable after the next election. It's plain that the Lib-Dems face decimation, who are they to coalesce with?
Imagine a future Labour administration that has to go cap-in-hand to Ulster Unionists and UKIP. There's no common ground whatsoever. | |
| An idea isn't responsible for those who believe in it. |
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| The General Election and the next Assembly election on 12:56 - Nov 23 with 1211 views | exiledclaseboy |
| The General Election and the next Assembly election on 12:51 - Nov 23 by Lohengrin |
A Labour-led coalition? That could be unworkable after the next election. It's plain that the Lib-Dems face decimation, who are they to coalesce with?
Imagine a future Labour administration that has to go cap-in-hand to Ulster Unionists and UKIP. There's no common ground whatsoever. |
Depends on the numbers. The LibDems won't be completely wiped out and will be left with 10-20 MPs. A lot depends on where the disaffected LibDem voters go.. Add to that the SNP (currently six, could well increase that to 10 or maybe more), Plaid, Green (if Caroline Lucas survives). Agree that the Unionists are out of the question but the left-leaning SDLP also has a few at the moment. The nationalist vote has been increasing in NI over the last few elections so they could factor as well. | |
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