CAMBRIA POLITICO

A possible hint as to who would be the new leader of the Labour Party who is best fitted to serve ALL of Wales.

Carwyn Jones was presenting the cabinet weekly press briefing. And it was all set out for bilingualism presentation.

Translation sets at each journalist’s seat and an official carrying a wandering microphone – to ensure that the translators could hear what had to be translated.

Now, I am totally unsure that the bilingual Mr Jones has always availed himself of the system.

Certainly, in the early days of the Assembly, the only AMs who were sure to use Welsh were those in Plaid Cymru, and Rhodri Morgan – principally to answer oral questions.

But today Mr Jones threw himself strongly into the bilingual camp. Several of his fellow Labour AMs have over the years doggedly avoided the Welsh language – presumably because of its connection with another political party.

But no problem with Mr Jones. Which augers well for if he wins the Labour leadership.

Now, it may be that today was nothing out of the ordinary. But with reports being heard that Edwina Hart, his main opponent, has voiced anti-language thoughts – very much in line with her party’s subliminal attitude over a century, a very close eye has to be kept on the Labour Party.

A LIB DEM with a sense of humour gave his backing yesterday to health minister Edwina Hart to succeed Rhodri Morgan as leader of the Labour Party in Wales, writes Clve Betts from the Assembly press gallery.

The individual – who shall remain nameless – wanted Edwina to win because of the “liveliness” which would ensue.

That means, it is reckoned that Edwina, AM for Gower, would upset enough people to ensure that the Assembly is a very “lively” place.

Mrs Hart is certainly either first or second in the race. She is extremely able and cuts a fine figure for Wales.

I spoke also to a prominent Labour figure – not an AM – who is also supporting Edwin. And, unlike my Lib Dem figure, he possesses a vote.

He cited her ability, the public figure she cuts, and the prominence she would give to Wales. But he also admitted her one failing.

In the piece written by David Williamson in the Western Mail, Mrs Hart is quoted is saying about herself, “You get on with people.”

My Labour contact agreed with my Lib Dem contact. That Mrs Hart is a very lively character. In the way that she can be superb with a person or an issue one day, while the very next she will cut them dead.

I wonder whether the “liveliness” that many see in Mrs Hart is the “liveliness” that the Assembly necessarily wants.

Mind, there’s another side to the job. The current administration in Cardiff is a coalition. According to Plaid ministers, Mrs Hart is a true pillar of that coalition. She helped to build it. And she’ll keep it going.

Whether Mrs Hart is nice to journalists and such characters is beside the point when you’re running a coalition government.

So there !

Ieuan Wyn Jones seemed surprised – but far from dumbfounded – when approached by Cambria with news that some people are after his job.

The individual, of course, is Adam Price, the Carmarthen East and Dinefwr MP. To bid for the leadership of the Plaid group in the Assembly, he would of course have to become an AM.

Informed that the current incumbent for that seat – the former rev-min Rhodri Glyn Thomas – had dryly responded that he had yet to be approached with the suggestion that an early retirement might be in order – and the underlying feeling is that his reaction to any such suggestion would be along the lines of, “Piss off” – Mr Jones gave the sensible reply, “That is all totally hypothetical.”

And yet why should one of the most senior figures in Plaid have commented to Cambria that it was exceedingly interesting the amount of public speaking that Mr Price is currently managing in Wales.

“He is speaking so often that he is even managing to contradict himself,” I was told.

What was interesting was that Mr Jones seemed totally unaware of what was going on. As there have been stories around for some years doubting his continued hold on the group leadership, one would have expected to have found antennae specifically tuned in that direction.

Of course, the truth is probably that the party sometimes seems so unsure of itself that rumours of this sort are totally censored by party officials, even when speaking to the party’s own leaders.

If Ieuan is eventually to get the chop, you can be sure of one thing. The execution will be defered until after the election. It’s only juvenile right-wingers among the Tories who can risk jeopardising election support with a contest before the polls.

Labour plans to replace Rhodri Morgan in advance of the poll – giving the new incumbent ample time to settle in before the 2011 election. Mr Morgan himself is going to extreme lengths to dampen advance speculation about his own party’s contest. Asked about the poll at the first cabinet briefing of the new term, Mr Morgan refused point blank to add anything to what he had said earlier.

And to minimise the resulting story, he refused to remind journalists of what he had said earlier. Of course, one reason he refused to give a reminder might be just in case his new reminder might turn out to be slightly different from what he had said earlier !

Carwyn bucks Labour’s language phobia trend

Edwina gets the liveliness vote

Getting ready for an election to replace Ieuan as Plaid’s leader

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