Friday 4 March 2011

Still wriggling

What is it with Peter Hain?  Does he really think that he can convince people that black is white just by repeating it often enough?  Or does he just think everyone else has as short term a memory as he himself appears to have?  From ‘the referendum is unwinnable’, through ‘it’s all Plaid’s fault’, to ‘what a great day for Wales’ in a few short weeks.  Perhaps next week, an independent Wales will turn out to have been his very own idea all along.
I heard him earlier today, peddling the line that the referendum result is sending a clear message to London about Tory cuts.  Nothing to do with devolution for Wales, then.
He was also denying vehemently that the dog’s breakfast which passes for GOWA 2006, and the commitment to a referendum, were anything to do with internal divisions in the Labour Party.  Not at all, he claimed.  The referendum commitment had to be included, he said, because that was the only way he could get the Act through Parliament.
Perhaps he’s just forgotten that the Labour Party had a very clear overall majority at the time.  Or maybe he didn’t even realise that the people with whom he was conducting these delicate negotiations were in his own party...

7 comments:

MH said...

That's always been my response when Labour tell us that they delivered devolution ... that in fifteen years' time they'll be telling us that they delivered independence!

Glyndo said...

MH that sounds a bit optimistic.

John spot on.

glynbeddau said...

I got the impression yesterday afternoon. That Hain was claiming sole credit for introducing the Idea that we should have Law making powers.

Sadly Labour will undoubtedly claim that they were the only people on the Yes side and the participation of other parties and those who were not aligned

Indeed I had the feeling yesterday that they were already rewriting history even before it was even made.

Spirit of BME said...

The golden rule of mediocrity is to lay claim to any success.

Anonymous said...

Labour should go on their knees to Ieuan Wyn Jones for insisting that the referendum was in the One Wales Pact.

Once again, Plaid saves Labour's skin: getting rid of Alun Michael for Rhodri Morgan to be voted in. Now, insisting on the 'unnecessary' referendum.

Won't get it of course. But Labour are essentially saying 'Plaid were right'.

I think things are going to start moving very quickly from now on. Don't know what will happen but Wales will be a very different place in 20 years time.

Duncan Higgitt said...

I think we need only look at his comments yesterday, that the Llywydd was talking "above his pay grade", to get an idea of how he really regards devolution. Couple that with his remark that Dafydd El should concentrate on his job if he wants to keep it merely confirms the suspicion that he views this country as little more than a vassal state and one in which he clearly still believes he has influence.

Unknown said...

Peter Hain? Who he???