Nepotism a good or Bad thing

Nepotism is widely used with both the public and private sector. So I’m always amazed when people and organisation like the tax payers alliance moan about it. I know examples of a Labour cabinet councillor and their son getting a high paid job within the council. As long as that person like other family members does a good job then nobody can criticize them without reasonable doubt. Parents are for ever using their influences to help their children and spouses help spouses.

Nick Clegg says councils will keep business rates

Councils in England will be allowed to keep the business rates they collect rather than paying them into Treasury coffers, under new government plans.

Deputy PM Nick Clegg said councils had no financial incentive to boost growth and prosperity in their areas.

But he said changes would be "fair" and poorer areas would not get less money than they do under the current system.

Will this be given to Welsh councils? I have always said a reduced business rates for areas who have been given European objective one money. This would help the local business community.

Low Paid Public Sector workers are not the Villans

All governments like to portray the working man/woman as the baddies. Whether the workers come from the private or public sector. Well I say if this Tory/Lib government can find £260 million to bomb Libya, continue to spend over £2.5bn to occupy Afghanistan or the £825 million in aid to India. Then they should honour public sector service commitments, there are some jobs where governments shouldn't penny pinch. As what is done today could be detrimental to future recruitment.

Carwyn Jones calls for major reform of Welsh Government's financial powers

The Welsh Government needs to be allowed to borrow money, Carwyn Jones said today as he called for a comprehensive reform of Wales’ financial powers.

The First Minister also said landfill tax, stamp duty, aggregates levy and air passenger duty could be devolved to Wales as part of a new package of fiscal measures. Labour nearly bankrupt the UK the same will happen to Wales. Carwyn stated during the yes campaign that these powers would not be part of the more powers campaign. He lied to the Labour lot within the No campaign.

Carwyn Jones Begs Tory/ Dems to Transfer Power to decide Major Energy Projects

First Minister, Mr Jones said,” it was unacceptable that planning decisions on wind farms in Wales were taken in London”. Why wasn’t this issue raised during the last Labour years, was it because Carwyn and Rhodri didn’t want to rock the Labour boat and endure the wrath of Welsh Secretary Peter Hain and is death ray stare? South Wales could become gas-drilling capital, while mid, north and west Wales could become a wash with wind farms and pylons.

At the end of the day Labour set up the Welsh Assembly with all its flaws, shortcomings and with less power than Northern Ireland and Scotland. So Mr Jones why start a battle now, is it to deflect the fact Labour in Wales haven’t got a clue how to govern Wales. You first need to show some leadership and vision before you “Stand up for Wales”.

Maggie’s Blue Army of the 1980’s? by Andrew Nutt

• · Maggie’s baton waving boys in blue
• · Their Doc Martins enforcing marshal law across the land.
• · Beating up the striker on the picket line
• · And bashing the blood soaked peace campaigner
• · Hey man who cleans your bloody batons.
• · Who wipes the blood and guts from your sheilds?
• · Who removes the smell of fear from your uniform?
• · The people haven’t forgot Maggie and her Blue army

Welsh Assembly can't stop Merthyr Incinerator, gas drilling, large windfarms

Due to the raw deal Labour gave Wales in setting up the Welsh Assembly. Currently no Welsh government can stop gas drilling, large windfarm projects or Merthyr incinerator. So when Carwyn Jones march off to London, he knows that these powers can't be changed. Thanks to his Labour MP pals for stitching up Wales. If so why didn't he and Rhodri make the same plea when Labour was in government.

Ed Miliband dismisses leadership problems as 'Westminster gossip'

Labour leader wanted to talk about policy but instead faced questions about the 'plot' against him and brother David Miliband. Labour should be a party waiting for government, but like their labour in Wales government they haven't got a clue. Like the 80's they are reliant on the unions to bring down the Tories. I just hope they don't fail because a stricker strike laws will help future Labour governments and they can blame the Tories all over again.

Merthyr "The Land That Labour Forgot"

Once again another report highlighting the last 10 years of a Labour government failures to stand up for our most poorest areas in Wales. This one is the Youth Justice Board figures that show 1 in every 130 16 and 17 year olds in Merthyr was imprisoned in 2009/2010. Merthyr is beginning to have a forget generation just as they were during the dark days of the 1980’s Tory government. Wales already has the highest number of children living in poverty of the Western world. I have always said “you get what you vote for” and if you don’t bother to vote then more fool you.

What a storm in a Teacup

There seem to bi a big stink because Ieuan Wyn Jones AM wasn’t there to greet Mrs Windsor with the opening of Welsh Assembly. I also wasn’t there but not because of holidays, I don’t believe in unelected Royal family power by birth. There was a Duke of Edinburgh who has insulted most leaders from other countries. A Prince Charles who committed adultery parading his fancy woman. Who can forget June 2004 and a group of old soldiers gathered on a beach in Normandy. They were together again to remember the day 60 years ago at the start of the great Allied invasion of Europe. This year's anniversary commemorations of that bloody day were attended by hundreds of Welsh veterans and their families. Missing among the political dignitaries who attended that day was First Minister Rhodri Morgan. He was discussing the prospect of Wales hosting golf's Ryder Cup. Nobody called for his resignation.

BBC "Oneshow" Rubbish

I have email the Oneshow regarding Richard Parks' 737 Challenge seven summits three poles seven months to raise a million pounds for Marie Curie Cancer. Not a sausage from the show, Rippons people nothing. I know every step Eddie Kid made or those inquired soldiers who marched to the North Pole but nothing about Richard.

The Barnett formula

The Barnett formula is a mechanism used by The Treasury in the United Kingdom to adjust the amounts of public expenditure allocated to Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales automatically to reflect changes in spending levels allocated to public services in England, England and Wales or Great Britain, as appropriate.
The formula is named after Joel Barnett, who devised it in the late 1970s, while Chief Secretary to the Treasury, as a way of allocating additional or reduced finance based on population (and not need) as a short-term solution (in the runup to the planned devolution in 1979) to minor Cabinet disputes. Thereafter, it has been retained by Conservative Governments of 1979 to 1997 under Prime Ministers Margaret Thatcher and John Major, and by Labour Governments since 1997 under Prime Ministers Tony Blair and his successor Gordon Brown, with the Government declaring its intention to continue to use it as the basis for funding the three devolved governments.
In 2009 the Holtham Commission, set up by the Labour-Plaid Cymru coalition assembly government, said the formula risked depriving Wales of £300m a year. Labour was in London government at the time and Labour MP's ignored the report. Now the Tories are in carwyn Jones wants to rock the boat and look like he is standing up for Wales. What a disgenious lie and a fraud.

WHO CAN FORGET -June brought D-Day for Morgan

Dawn on 6 June, 2004 and a group of old soldiers gathered on a beach in Normandy.

They were together again to remember the day 60 years ago at the start of the great Allied invasion of Europe.

This year's anniversary commemorations of that bloody day were attended by hundreds of Welsh veterans and their families.

It was a poignant affair and it is unlikely that there will be another like it.

Missing among the political dignitaries who attended that day was First Minister Rhodri Morgan.

Improbably, he was discussing the prospect of Wales hosting golf's Ryder Cup. That decision was almost certainly his biggest mistake of the year, if not in his time in office.

Attendance for Welsh Assembly as of Jan 2011

Ieuan Wyn Jones, Plaid Cymru – 78%.

Jane Davidson, Labour – 77%.

Sandy Mewies, Labour – 74%.

Christine Chapman, Labour – 73%.

Carl Sargeant, Labour – 69%.

Carwyn Jones, Labour – 67%

Irene James, Labour – 58%.

Lynne Neagle, Labour – 39% (long illness).

Labour has the worse record, even with some on longer AM's they will still struggle to get anything through.