High level members of Labour have produced an astonishing attack on Ieuan Wyn Jones the Plaid Cymru leader and Deputy First Minister. It is believed that some senior elected members of the Parliamentary Labour party aided and supported by an Assembly member and spun by a parliamentary aide have produced this withering attack on the competence of Mr Jones in running his Department of Transport and the Economy.
When contacted Plaid Cymru rebutted the charges and went on the offensive. They pointed out that Mr Jones needed to completely reorganise the departments that he inherited from the Labour Minister Andrew Davies. This restructuring is only now showing dividends they added.
It is not thought that Carwyn Jones, First Minister, had any knowledge of the report but some Plaid Cymru members are raising questions about the control he has of his party if such a criticism can be made by senior members of his own party without him knowing about it.
The timing of the attack is intriguing. The latest story which has all the hallmarks of Westminster on it, is the kind of attack one would expect in the election campaign.
But to produce such a personal attack in the middle of the referendum campaign seems inept. Unless of course the aim is to sabotage the 'yes' campaign.
Those campaigning for a 'yes' vote will not be helped by the latest row. This follows what many thought was an own goal when Peter Hain the shadow Welsh Secretary pointedly said that the referendum would not be held now but for the insistence of Plaid Cymru. He later played down his remarks. But many thought that his initial remarks were 'not helpful' to the yes side.
There has always been a rump within the party that have never embraced the devolution project and this might be their attempt to derail the united front between the two parties.
All this will put an enormous strain on the coalition. It might also be seen as an attempt to force Carwyn Jones to go it alone in government after the May general election. For there are many in the Labour party that believe that Rhodri Morgan should never have gone into bed with Plaid Cymru and are determined to prevent such an event happening again. This could be the first strike in that campaign.
Great timing Labour. First Hain starts spouting and now this. They do realise we're 3 weeks from referendum do they?
ReplyDeleteCarwyn really does need to get a grip on his party
This sounds like the final desperate roll of the dice by the anti-devolutionist rump of old valleys Labour in Westminster - the final cries of the stag at bay as it were.
ReplyDeleteWelsh Labour and Plaid in the Assembly won a long time ago - all these old boys can do now is carp and snipe from the sidelines in the hope that this boosts the UKIP-driven No campaign and derails the common-sense campaign to give Wales the tools to do the job.
Pathetic - we see right through you boyos, the emperor has no clothes. Yet another reason to vote Yes for Wales!
This has Peter Hain's finger prints all over it! Probably with the willing connivance of 'Lord' Touhig. Pathetic!
ReplyDeleteCarwyn does not run the Labour party in Wales.
ReplyDelete