SLEEPWALKING FOR WALES?

It should be pretty clear by now that if Plaid does not stand up for Wales then no one will. The new Labour government in Cardiff appears to be more concerned with simply being there than doing anything of value (this could also be said for most Labour run councils as well). Rather quietly Labour have begun to drop those Plaid driven transport infrastructure projects that improved communications from south to north in favour of east to west infrastructure projects.

Now I used to think that this merely down to a lack of imagination, but, have changed my mind, aside from having a Welsh government almost entirely bereft of imagination, direction, etc. What we actually have is (ironically) a Welsh government that does not even believe in the nation. They will take extra powers it they are offered, but, will never ask for them, they are content to simply sit and wait for Labour to regain political control at Westminster, and even then they won't seek any additional powers or fair funding.

Rather than standing up for Wales, what we have we have a government that is literally sleepwalking for Wales, or almost certainly seeking to redefine inertia. Wales has a government that representing a party, rather than the people, that never wanted an assembly in the first place, and certainly did not want a referendum on more powers (let alone a successful one).

Labour in Wales has been pretty good at representing and protecting Westminster's interests in Wales, rather than representing Wales's interests in Westminster. It is a telling indictment on Labour in Wales that Carwyn's lot would rather decisions on economic development, the media and energy be made here in Wales by the Welsh people.

EXIT STAGE LEFT (PURSUED BY PLAID)!

There is a bit of a spat (or a row rumbling on) between Cardiff and Westminster in relation to energy and decision making. Carwyn (Jones) is busy standing up for Wales - possibly with a few choice asides or stage whispers? Odd that, especially as the Wales Office Minister David Jones informed Westminster MPs (on the 29th June) that the UK Westminster Government had received no formal request to devolve the power to decide large energy projects from Westminster to Cardiff Bay. Apparently the First Minister may have raised the matter of devolving energy consents directly with the UK Government, on three separate specific occasions since the Welsh General election in May.Odd that the or his predecessors never quite managed to raise their voice once during the 13 years of alleged joined up Labour Government? I am sure that Peter (Hain) would have been able to help? Or perhaps not?