3 Votes for Plaid

Today's Welsh national election is our chance to help change our country for the better. In these challenging times Wales needs a strong and ambitious party in government, not more managed decline as offered by the other political parties. Plaid has shown what needs to be done to protect Wales and it’s now time to do more. Raising standards in schools, allowing teachers to teach, creating new jobs, improving our hospitals and protecting our environment are priorities. Reducing and then abolishing the Severn Bridge tolls and redeveloping and reopening our railways as part of the SE Wales Metro are a necessity. If we want an ambitious Welsh Government to get on with the job, then vote for it. So today vote for Wales - an ambitious Wales, a well-educated Wales, a healthier Wales. Remember to vote Plaid three times - for a better Wales.  The Polls open until 10pm tonight! We can change things for the better.

A DATE FOR THE DIARY!

So, providing that that the 5 years fixed term remains a fact of the life, then the date of the proposed next Westminster election will be Thursday 7th May 2015 - oops isn't that exactly the day of the Welsh Assembly and Scottish Parliamentary elections. Coincidence or what? While one would like to think that the Conservatives and their Liberal Democrat chums are not that dull as to have not realised it? One suspects that party political advantage may have been a major factor in the decision rather than it being down to coincidence rather than an attempt to boost turnout?

If you follow that sort of logic then any referendum on primary lawmaking powers should take place on Thursday 5th May 2011, the of the National Assembly elections, for that will increase turnout as well. An interesting thought, but, one that does not hold sway with the Liberal Democrat and Conservative leaders in the National Assembly who (especially the Conservatives) have been well set against any previous suggestion of that idea. Their reasoning being that it would confuse the voters; rather than simply rend their parties asunder, with some campaigning for and some campaigning against, whilst simultaneously trying to fight a united campaign.

It may be interesting trying to fight two simultaneous general style election campaigns with 100 candidates a piece, with two manifesto's, two different sets of media coverage. Not to mention twice as much campaign literature and at least 3 ballot papers, and possibly at least two different electoral systems and that before you begin to take into account any effects of electoral reform (or not). If this stands then it is going to be one hell of an interesting organisational and logistical exercise for any political party, the voters and not doubt somewhat hard pressed election officials.

PLAYING CATCH UP?

I think that its time for the London (and Cardiff) Media to grow up (or catch up) when it comes to the realities of a balanced or a hung parliament, for a couple of reasons, one being that at the end of the day if there is a hung parliament, however the percentages work out and that is something we won't know until the 7th May, this will be a direct result of the voters choice. 

Secondly, potential coalitions are not negotiated until after the election is over, not before, even coalition partners chase every single vote, until the ballot closes and chase every single electoral advantage they can get. Negotiations then follow (after the result)  it being pretty impossible to negotiate a coalition prior to any knowledge of the final result - clearly this is something the BBC seems to be failing or at least struggling to grasp. 

You would think that the BBC in Wales and Scotland, where coalition government has and is a reality would be able to grasp, and at least they might try to pass that acquired knowledge onto their colleagues from the distant metropolis. Additionally there is little point in constantly referring to the various parties manifesto pledges, because (and here is the big one which the BBC in particular seem to be failing to grasp) coalition programmes (if formalised) are negotiated, item by item.

This, if that's the voters final choice, is the brave new political world where we may end up - so the BBC and the rest of the Media had better play catch up pretty quickly.

OUT OF THE LOOP!

Only Polling Day will tell us whether or not Gordon has managed to dodge the electoral bullet - he managed to generate a few days ago, with his off the record comments. There are some shades of in the loop here - Gordon and his advisers forgot the absolute basic rule, which is always assume that the microphone / camera is on until you know different. Ironically,  he inadvertently may have provided the rest of us with a scant glimpse as to what the Westminster elite in the Westminster Village actually think about the rest of us humble voters. Roll on Polling Day!