May 3rd 2012

On May 3rd 2012 Welsh Labour acheived a great set of council election results in Wales. The party took control in a significant number of councils, and has a new vibrant set of voices in communities right across Wales. The National Assembly for Wales Research Service has published an analysis of the 2012 elections. it makes a pleasant read for Labour members and supporters http://www.assemblywales.org/12-020.pdf . Enjoy!

Still working.....

Wasn't sure if this would still work, but log in found, and lets see if it will post. assume so. Last posting was football so perhaps opportune to write as play off in progress _ Super Kev - and Champions League later. testing!!

Magpies overload

Following the 2-2 draw on Monday it is the Magpies again the Cup.

A few settles to score on the tackling front for both sides?

Soccer USA - Y Felinheli style

I don't blog often these days but the start of the US soccer season brings good news for Y Felinheli, Gwynedd, Wales and women's soccer.

See here for the new season exploits of Shan Jones.

Surely one of the leading young footballers of recent times. Go get 'em Shan (and come on S4C/BBC Wales and Sky Sports - a nice trip for some reporting team or other).

A great footballer

Saw this on the BBC web site and it gave me many happy memories of watching a skilful footballer at the Hawthorns.

Cunningham, Regis, Robson, Statham.... glory days.

Interesting appointment

Roberto De Mateo - that will do at the Baggies.

A young manager with a bit of success who played at the top level. Just concerned at these rolling contracts which, fair play to the guy, suggest an ambition beyond the Hawthorns. How can their be a greater ambition!!!!!?

(still alive, but blooging on politics now restrianed by job - c'est la vie).

Football already!!!

Well I have been very quiet since taking up a new job but today saw the publication of footie fixtures for 2009/10 and the Baggies start with a home game at Newcastle. Like the premiership - but not!! Hope we find a manager by then.

With my base now in South Wales it is handy for Cardiff (16th Feb), Swansea (16th March) and Bristol City (20th Feb).

So that's a busy week on the M4 ahead of me in Feb 2010!

Upturn with Germany!!?

So it will soon be time to wander off from work and take the 500 metres to the Millennium Stadium to see if Wales can start to recover some form before this World Cup qualification series of games ends.

In spite of calls to use some more experience in the team I feel Toshack and Wales may as well use all their remaining games to blood as much talented youth as possible. That will ensure they are all building some real experience of international football ready for the next Euro campaign - as that is sadly where the focus now has to be.

Dragon's "I"

Dragon's Eye on the BBC turned to the independence word yesterday and as I watched the debate between Eluned Morgan MEP and Adam Price MP I immediately thought of the analysis of the new web site made by Welsh Labour Euro candidate Lisa Stevens earlier this week:

“I am left to wonder who it appeals too, apart from a few hard core nationalists and the leadership ambitions of Adam Price. The web site appears as a thinly veiled way of promoting Adam Price’s leadership ambitions given his prominence in its content”.

Why was I reminded of this?

Well Adam's response to the opening question about the web site was "I want to see......." with a quick adding of Plaid Cymru later in the sentence.

I am not the first to comment that Adam must be so frustrated at being at the London end of the M4, and has to wait for Rhodri Glyn to step down before he can bring his challenge to Ieuan in the Bay.

Justice for Colombia Wales

Worth a shout today is the launch of Justice for Colombia Wales that will be hosted at UNISON's Cardiff HQ. "Colombia is the most dangerous country in the world for trade unionists; thousands have been murdered in recent years simply for campaigning for better working conditions for their members". Launch events like this help to highlight the situation and to provide support and solidarity to those who need it most.

www.justiceforcolombia.org

"100" and out?

Well Wales on Sunday seem to think I am a new press guru with Welsh Labour. Sort of! Blogging has been light of late, but this week I took up the post of Welsh Policy Officer with the Labour Party and am initially carrying a communications role as our new team of staff is assembled and settles down. Heavens knows whether this involves some shaking up but the Party will be focused on building a platform of policies that take us through the European elections this June, the Westminster election of xxxxxx (answers on a postcard please) and then the Assembly elections.

I know politics is a serious matter, with important issues at stake - ask Adam Price and Plaid Cymru about that, whoever has the biro! - but I do think we all should also enjoy ourselves when appropriate.

How many more blog postings - who knows? But the Policy and Communications Officer might occasionally feel the need to express a few opinions of his own....

A bottom feeding fish

It seems my beloved Baggies have gained the habits of a fish that must feed at the bottom of the sea. In spite of several other teams insisting on giving us a chance to susrvive, we keep deciding to let in more goals than we score. A basic problem at all levels of football I have found!

Oh well hope springs eternal.

Still a better game than the silly egg chasing which kicked off this weekend. What is the point of a ball that doesn't even bounce properly?

Tokyo bound!

In a slightly surreal start to 2009 I found myself Tokyo bound to talk to the Japanese Institute of Architects about town planning. Some may know that in addition to my union and political activities I have been in 'town planning' for some 25 years. My experience, and ability to present ideas, seems to mean I have knowledge/ skills to help "enlighten" (thats what the polite leter says) others about planning.

Fingers crossed that I can blog you some stories about the coming weeks experiences. Remarkable.

Of linked interest - will I be delayed by Heathrow protests?
My carbon offset costs £41.90 - I intend to find out how BA use this money.

Intermintent!

Like West Brom premier league wins my blogging is intermittent at the moment - some might say moribund! As matters settle down in the New Year then a return to blogging will take place. Not only football survival, but Welsh Labour's leadership debate, the euro elections - let alone the sad state of affairs in Gaza.

Moral questions

The season of goodwill and some Church people decide to lash out on moral questions. This one caught my eye as clearly those women are a subversive bunch and I am not sure on what moral basis people seek to wreck the unity of a Church based on gender. But that is their business not mine. The musings over the work of the Labour Government are worth a reflection, but perhaps they should worry more about the work of the Church. Any criticism on our work around poverty is I feel deserving of considered reflection - but the Bishops took on the feel of a Christmas rant.

Cyfarchion y tymor - Season's Greetings

Well with some form of sahopping lunacy overcoming the nation can I wish you all the best for the Season.

Of course three points off the Spurs tomorrow would help lighten the footballing mood. And not long before all the transfer window speculation kicks in.

Will 2009 be the year when the 'credit crunch' bursts the bubble of Premiership football finances???

Helo!! - Olympic football team

Yes I'm still alive if a little slack on the blogging front. However today I ended up on Radio Cymru debating a British team for the 2012 Olympics. Why I'l never know, I assume they were short of contributors!!

Seems like a bit of harmless fun to me - but there is big football politics in the background it seems.

Oh well better let Tony Mowbray he is not lined as Olympic manager yet, and Scott Carson that he is not yet the Olympic number one.

But would it really be such a bad thing for the 2012 Olympics .......

Point off Pompey

That's okay and nothing to complain about but we must now take three of Sunderland to keep hope alive for New Year. But new manager syndrome... ???

Exploring political ideas

Huw Lewis AM has posted some interesting thoughts based on his speech to the Institute for Political Affairs. See here.

Wide ranging measures

I suppose it is a fact of life that Alistair Darling has a rhetorical style that alllows him to deliver such a significant financial statement in a calm delibeate manner. By all accounts this package is significant and even commentators like Wil Hutton acknowledge the issues involved.

So the pattern is clear the scale of the issues enveloping us all are seen to be so large that some old fashioned recipes are required including spend now, tax later and raising a few more quid off those (2% of tax payers it seems) earning more. Some shortt erm money for low earners, child allowance and pensioners and a VAT reduction all round.

The last measure (VAT) leaves me a little cold but I suppose it is meant to be effective as spending is stimulated. I wait to see.

Anyway in the classic battles of modern politics the "lines" are drawn and Labour is committed to investing/spending out of the crisis, while I remain alittle unclear what the Tories will do - apart from disagree with Labour.