Amongst the stream of bad news coming from the Conservative / Liberal Democrat Government, one of the worst pieces of news that has emerged so far for the Cynon Valley is the proposed closure of the magistrates' court in Aberdare.
If these Ministry of Justice plans go ahead, it will cause great inconvenience for magistrates, staff, lawyers, defendants and witnesses, including police officers. The closure of a third of the magistrates' courts in England and Wales would save an estimated £40m, but much of this would be swallowed up by increased travelling costs and the cost of delays in hearing cases.
The Tory-led Government has said it will protect front-line services and help vulnerable people. But this threatens jobs and the administration of local justice, as well as causing inconvenience and difficulties for a great many people.
I am also very concerned about the plans to close Aberdare County Court.
I would urge people to take part in the consultation and make their views known to the Ministry of Justice. We need to retain our local facilities and these courts should remain in Aberdare.
Saturday, 26 June 2010
Thursday, 10 June 2010
Plastic Bag Levy
Apologies for the light / non-existent blogging recently. I think the it took longer to get over the election that I anticipated. Anyhow I'm fully refreshed now and looking forward to actively campaigning on a number of issues over the Summer. The challenge of cuts from the ConDem Government is a large one, and make no mistake we'll be there campaigning to protect public services across the Valleys.
On a far more positive note I was delighted to see that the Welsh Government has recently announced plans to charge 7p for single use carrier bags. This is a topic I've covered on this blog several times - indeed the Leader covered such a call from me in 2008. The evidence is crystal clear - once such a charge is introduced recycling of bags increases substantially and plastic bag usage can fall by up to 95%. So well done to the Welsh Government and particularly in this case the Welsh Environment Minister Jane Davidson.
On a far more positive note I was delighted to see that the Welsh Government has recently announced plans to charge 7p for single use carrier bags. This is a topic I've covered on this blog several times - indeed the Leader covered such a call from me in 2008. The evidence is crystal clear - once such a charge is introduced recycling of bags increases substantially and plastic bag usage can fall by up to 95%. So well done to the Welsh Government and particularly in this case the Welsh Environment Minister Jane Davidson.
Tuesday, 11 May 2010
Beware the Liberal Democrats!
I hesitate to write anything about the current coalition negotiations going on in Westminster. The memories of the twists and turns of the negotiations in Wales in 2007 remain very real in my mind and the danger of assuming a direct link between Cardiff Bay and Westminster is clear.
However, there are undoubtedly parallels. I think it was Rhodri Morgan who said yesterday that Plaid's approach in 2007 was businesslike. With chief negotiators like Jocelyn Davies, Ieuan Wyn Jones and Adam Price one wouldn't really expect anything else.
While Plaid were businesslike the Lib Dems were all over the place. And this is most certainly not a comment on their negotiators who were people of exceptional honour and dignity but rather on the rest of the party. The Lib Dems more than most political parties are a broad church, with at best a rather incohate liberal ideological core and a whole range of socio-economic positions to back that up (from radical ex-communists to right wing economic libertarians). In opposition this diversity of views is not a particular problem, but the closer one gets to real power the more problematic this becomes. Add in a particularly dogmatic streak amongst some Liberal Democrat activists (anyone from RCT can think of at least one example!) and you have a recipe for chaos.
The next 24 hours in Westminster will be fascinating to watch. There are clearly those in the Lib Dems who are deeply unhappy at the prospect of joining the slash and burn Tory coalition; likewise there are others who would seriously reconsider their party membership if an ailing Labour Party is propped up.
I suspect things have already come too far, but there is still an outside possibility in my mind that the Lib Dems will walk away from both parties, in all likelihood leaving the Queen to invite Cameron to form a minority government and a new election being called in the Autumn. This would be an abdication of responsibility in my view - if you seek power and have the opportunity of gaining power then there has to be very very good reasons not to fulfill your resposibilities.
It is an unedifying spectacle, and given the increasingly diverse voting patterns in the UK we will undoubtedly have more hung parliaments. The task for all parties in future is to at the very least prepare the ground for those negotiations, so that red lines (or in this case yellow lines) are clearly communicated in advance and that government can resume in good order after an election.
However, there are undoubtedly parallels. I think it was Rhodri Morgan who said yesterday that Plaid's approach in 2007 was businesslike. With chief negotiators like Jocelyn Davies, Ieuan Wyn Jones and Adam Price one wouldn't really expect anything else.
While Plaid were businesslike the Lib Dems were all over the place. And this is most certainly not a comment on their negotiators who were people of exceptional honour and dignity but rather on the rest of the party. The Lib Dems more than most political parties are a broad church, with at best a rather incohate liberal ideological core and a whole range of socio-economic positions to back that up (from radical ex-communists to right wing economic libertarians). In opposition this diversity of views is not a particular problem, but the closer one gets to real power the more problematic this becomes. Add in a particularly dogmatic streak amongst some Liberal Democrat activists (anyone from RCT can think of at least one example!) and you have a recipe for chaos.
The next 24 hours in Westminster will be fascinating to watch. There are clearly those in the Lib Dems who are deeply unhappy at the prospect of joining the slash and burn Tory coalition; likewise there are others who would seriously reconsider their party membership if an ailing Labour Party is propped up.
I suspect things have already come too far, but there is still an outside possibility in my mind that the Lib Dems will walk away from both parties, in all likelihood leaving the Queen to invite Cameron to form a minority government and a new election being called in the Autumn. This would be an abdication of responsibility in my view - if you seek power and have the opportunity of gaining power then there has to be very very good reasons not to fulfill your resposibilities.
It is an unedifying spectacle, and given the increasingly diverse voting patterns in the UK we will undoubtedly have more hung parliaments. The task for all parties in future is to at the very least prepare the ground for those negotiations, so that red lines (or in this case yellow lines) are clearly communicated in advance and that government can resume in good order after an election.
Friday, 7 May 2010
Cynon Valley 2010 Election Result
Having had a couple of hours sleep, I thought I'd better post the Cynon Valley result here.
Ann Clwyd Labour 15,681
Dafydd Trystan Davies Plaid Cymru 6,064
Lee Thacker Liberal Democrat 4,120
Juliette Ash Conservative 3,010
Frank Hughes UK Independence Party 1,001
I am really pleased to say that the result is an 8.6% swing from Labour to Plaid Cymru and Plaid Cymru's best result in the Cynon Valley since 1974! The Plaid vote increased by 6.8%, which I am reliably informed is one of our best results in Wales.
Though you'd always like to do better, I am delighted with the result. It provides a terrific base for the further growth of Plaid in the Cynon Valley and is an excellent foundation for the elections of 2011 and 2012.
I'll post more thoughts on the Wales and UK wide results in due course.
But I'd just like to say an enormous THANK YOU to everyone who supported me. We ran a terrific campaign and it wouldn't have been possible without the dozens of volunteers who gave up many many hours of their time to work for a better Cynon Valley. What was an enormous source of pride for me was the number of volunteers who have never been involved in politics before. I've met so many old and new friends and now look forward to a nice weekend off, and then back to work on Monday!
I'd also like to thank all of the candidates for the very good spirit in which the campaign was fought. I've known Ann for a while and knew that we would enjoy the debates of the campaign, but it was also a pleasure to meet two new friends in Lee and Juliette.
Diolch o waelod calon.
Dafydd
Ann Clwyd Labour 15,681
Dafydd Trystan Davies Plaid Cymru 6,064
Lee Thacker Liberal Democrat 4,120
Juliette Ash Conservative 3,010
Frank Hughes UK Independence Party 1,001
I am really pleased to say that the result is an 8.6% swing from Labour to Plaid Cymru and Plaid Cymru's best result in the Cynon Valley since 1974! The Plaid vote increased by 6.8%, which I am reliably informed is one of our best results in Wales.
Though you'd always like to do better, I am delighted with the result. It provides a terrific base for the further growth of Plaid in the Cynon Valley and is an excellent foundation for the elections of 2011 and 2012.
I'll post more thoughts on the Wales and UK wide results in due course.
But I'd just like to say an enormous THANK YOU to everyone who supported me. We ran a terrific campaign and it wouldn't have been possible without the dozens of volunteers who gave up many many hours of their time to work for a better Cynon Valley. What was an enormous source of pride for me was the number of volunteers who have never been involved in politics before. I've met so many old and new friends and now look forward to a nice weekend off, and then back to work on Monday!
I'd also like to thank all of the candidates for the very good spirit in which the campaign was fought. I've known Ann for a while and knew that we would enjoy the debates of the campaign, but it was also a pleasure to meet two new friends in Lee and Juliette.
Diolch o waelod calon.
Dafydd
Friday, 30 April 2010
Contract with Cynon
Over the past week I have delivered thousands of contracts to voters across the Cynon Valley setting out the minimum level of service I think that constituents deserve to receive from their MP. I've signed the contract and if I'm lucky enough to be elected next Thursday I'll put a large version on the wall of my office to remind me and everyone else of exactly what I've promised. [The picture is of me signing the contract in Aberdare]The signed contract says that I will:
• Have a permanent, full-time and fully staffed office in the heart of the constituency
• Hold surgeries at least once every working week at varying locations around the constituency in order to provide advice and support for constituents
• Live full time in the Cynon Valley among the people I represent
• Set up a panel to scrutinise and approve or reject every claim that I make for expenses on the public purse. Members of opposing political parties and independent members of the public will be invited to join this panel and all claims will be published
• Use the parliamentary allowance provided to support the work of every Member of Parliament (almost £125,000 every year) principally to employ staff in the Cynon Valley rather than in London. These staff will be employed only for the purposes of supporting my constituency work rather for the purposes of political spin.
The response to the contract has been very positive indeed. If anyone hasn't had a copy yet and would like their own copy drop me a line on Email with your name and address and I'll make sure you get one through the door.
Monday, 26 April 2010
Ron Davies says Vote Plaid
I was really pleased to hear that Ron was speaking at Plaid's rally in Aberystwyth. Ron has made a huge contribution to Welsh politics, and having such a figure back Plaid is a major coup. Given the speech it is as applicable to Cynon Valley as to Ceredigion so I've posted a link here.
Wednesday, 21 April 2010
Question Time
Over the past weeks I've had a number of questions on the doorstep from electors and I'll be posting a selection of my answers on the blog as we lead up to polling day. I'd also like to invite people from the Cynon Valley to send electronic questions on email, twitter or facebook to me; and I'll post electronic questions and answers on the blog too.
So please get in touch in any way you'd like and I'll be more than happy to respond.
[Please note at the moment I'm getting at least 100 Emails a day from individuals and organisations asking for my views - many from outside the Cynon Valley. I hope you'll all understand that I'll prioritise those questions from residents in the Cynon Valley.]
So please get in touch in any way you'd like and I'll be more than happy to respond.
[Please note at the moment I'm getting at least 100 Emails a day from individuals and organisations asking for my views - many from outside the Cynon Valley. I hope you'll all understand that I'll prioritise those questions from residents in the Cynon Valley.]
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