Thoughts and reflections

It is that time of year when we seek to ignore the seasonal bugs causing ill health and mayhem and offer a few thoughts on the year passing and the prospect for 2008. Gordon Brown offers his thoughts and perhaps it is time to lock away the credit card for a few months !

Meanwhile some people seem just about ready to recognise the leadership change - about time - while others detect a Tory revival. I'm not as sure on this last point as I think the polls reflect the series of unfortunate events that beset Labour in the second half of 2007 rather than any great stride forward by the Tories. Do governments loose elections rather than opponents win ? Well history suggest they can if they don't get their act together.

Cameron has made one major change in reminding the Tories what the democratic contest is about (gaining power for your Party to implement policies) and it is for that reason that we in Labour need to put the last few months behind us and build a solid platform of progressive action during 2008.

In the year now passing a number of things stick with me. The honour of contesting the Assembly seat in Arfon and, in spite of the difficult climate, the pleasure of meeting people to make Labour's case. This new seat is a genuine Westminster marginal and with Plaid's internal wrangles over schools reorganisation it will make for some interesting times ahead.

Of course recent events also make me thankful that we can contest democratic elections where the most heated it can get is a "stunt" outside your political opponents conference . Of course weeks later (well make that a couple of months) and Ieaun passed a Tory test by signing up for coalition with Labour, not the Tories. I happen to think that was a wise decision as it gives Plaid some experience of government, the Assembly Government a reasonably stable base and changed the dynamics of any future post election negotiations. It was perhaps Rhodri's great achievement of the year to make that deal when it often seemed gloomy for Labour. We would have walked away from power at our peril.

In the year ahead it will be a time to steadily build another election campaign, to see if Hywel Williams wants to apologise (he hasn't yet) and welcome numerous visitors to help raise Labour's profile as we build for a victory in the Westminster election.

Ground three : 5-0 !

In spite of feeling far less than 100%, and after sampling the so called delights of the Premiership it was great to be at the Hawthorns to see the Baggies stuff Scunthorpe 5-0.

In truth much of the football was workmanlike but the goal strikes by Philips (2), Gera and Beattie were quite spectacular. Watch it Sunday morning (ITV) to see some of the best strikes of the day.

Anyway as it involved the Hawthorns here I am at the Astle gates. I am sure Tom Bodden of the Daily Post will recall Jeff Astle with joy (1968 and all that !)

Benn in Caernarfon

It will be interesting to ask how it feels to go from a hate figure for the "middle classes" to one of the nation's favourite uncles, or how it felt to be asked to resign by then Prime Minister Callaghan - as today's papers reveal. Anyway you can have the chance to ask Tony Benn questions at Y Galeri in Caernarfon on Saturday January 26th. UNISON is sponsoring the event and tickets are available from the Galeri box office.

Ground number 2

While the mighty Baggies ran in 4, Tom Bodden will be pleased to read that ground number 2 over the Christmas break was Goodison for Everton's 2-0 win over Bolton. To be fair Everton withstood 15 minutes physical football to then run out easy winners.

Ground 3 will hopefully be the home of fine football for the visit of Scunthorpe.

Nadolig Llawen

Not a great (night lens) shot but at 7.15 am today this was the full moon looking out from Anglesey over the Menai Strait and the village Christmas Tree.

Nadolig Llawen
Merry Christmas to you all.

First of three ?

An early start took me off with the son to the "Theatre of Dreams" where, to my son's disapointment, a late Man Utd penalty gave them a 2-1 win over Everton. As a neutral I thought Everton battled well but the score probably reflected the balance of the game. After a lively first 15 minutes I thought we might be in for some bad tempered red cards but the players then thought about playing the ball not the man.

Any way if all goes well I may see 3 football grounds over the Christmas Break so updates will follow as and when it happens.

Rhodri's Christmas message

And here is Rhodri's Christmas message.

Rhodri's thoughts

The BBC posted the following report on an interview with Rhodri Morgan who had a dramatic 2007 and is looking at the period till 2009 when he may step down as First Minister.

Roots.......

Someone recently asked me how I got in to town and country planning and it made me reflect on a number of issues. An awareness of the environment via fishing on the Afon Gwyrfai, and wandering Cefn Du. One specific event I recall was the saving of the Cromlech boulders in the Llanberis Pass. By the wonders of Google I found Harvey Lloyd's recollection of this event.

I know now it has little to do with town planning as such but it was one local event which sparked an awareness of the local environment and via various means I ended up on the Planning course at Birmingham Polytechnic (what them ?).

One little bit of Eryri's splendour and a career in planning - until that is the people have the good sense to overthrow their evil Plaid Cymru dictatorship for a caring face of Labour.....

Excitement mounts...

I don't know whether I can stand the excitement !

Remembering and being thankful

I noticed on the Oxfam web site a third year progress report on the Tsunami. So as we get stressed about whether a gift arrives, or the crush at the supermarket perhaps we should take a deep breath and be relatively thankful.

I also recall the distress caused to UK citizens from floods and associated events. They should also get our attention this Christmas.

Behind you !

Dave clearly forgot to check with his local treasurer before laying in to Labour for donations.

Yet in truth it seems everyone has problems (various) and I believe everyone would benefit from a burst of sunshine.

Better check what's been happening in my CLP in case a few millionaires have passed by unnoticed !

Christmas drinking games ......

I am sure there is a tv advert in which a drunken man believes he is superman and climbs the scaffolding on the outside of a building........... however assuming this latest stunt was not the reaction to a Friday afternoon "rant" or the Christmas Party I assume a high ranking official undertook the necessary risk assessments before breaking in to his building.

Rumour is he broke in and some cleaner said "oh its just the chief being daft again" !

On fire !

We are top of the league
We are top of the League

As I recover from the works Christmas Party the glorious Baggies run in 4 against Charlton. Good entertainment but interesting to see we still play football when others team would try and kill the game.

Heartland battle commences - Gwynedd schools

There has been much written and lots of words exchanged, a new political party/group has emerged and things are certainly not as they were. The genie is out of the bottle, the horse has bolted and some may have to put their fiddles in the roof (this will make sense to bilingual readers !)

Gwynedd Council has decided (they had little choice I suspect) to commence formal consultations about school restructuring.

The pattern of much political debate in many communities across Gwynedd, from now until next May, has been set. It is unclear where it will all lead but a number of prominent Plaid Cymru figures will be working hard to save their political skins. While "leaders" may speak for their troops from their high chairs and "portfolio" positions in the Chamber, I suspect it will be a harder sell for the troops as they canvas the doorsteps of many a village.

For my part I feel that "new" schools will generally prove to be attractive propositions (has the capital been secured?), but still I search for some evidence that the widespread federalisation proposed in this paper has a track record on which people can depend.

Please enlighten me if you know better.

ps for any student of politics I think this is a period of debate that is worth recording in detail as, alongside Plaid's entry in to the One Wales government, it is potentially a fault line of historic change in nationalism.

Schools Q&A

The Daily Post ran a q&a article with Gwynedd over the schools debate.

We await to see what happens on Thursday and what concessions Plaid offer themselves to keep Parry Hughes in his job as Leader.

Not good politics

I am unsure what the Police have done to see their pay withheld. Perhaps it is the trade unionist in me that sees the awarding of a pay rise as a simple matter, but the politician in me fails to see any good politics in this for Labour at present.

Unfinished business

While taking on the might of insurers is never easy I hope that Betty Williams MP can find a platform for seeking justice for those who suffered from the dust of our communities slate industry.

Its a windy day !

I hope we are geared up to take best advantage of this announcement, which in spite of voices of opposition that will follow, will help us to a more sustainable future. However such things are never an easy ride.

I'm sure it was the real thing !