Plaid Cymru’s economic attack, FMQ’s and media shock

I’m not sure whether it’s amusing or rather depressing to see the shock expressed by the Political Editor’s of BBC Wales and Wales Online about Ieuan Wyn Jones questions in the Chamber at FMQ’s claiming Labour is letting the worst of the UK’s economic policies bite while doing nothing to mitigate the damaging effects and claiming the political credit.

But in the cosseted world of Cardiff Bay politics a senior politician saying what the majority of people inside and outside Welsh politics believe is the Welsh Government strategy counts as big news it seems, whether it changes anything is of course a different matter but it’s been said and I doubt either side will row back from it.

The Welsh Government can’t do everything to stop the effects of public sector cuts and benefit changes, but where the attack is most potent is that Labour Ministers are dragging their heels over what they can do, even some in the Labour Party are getting fed up with the First Ministers lack of action and visibility over the problems facing Wales.

No surprise Labour is dismissive of Plaid’s attack claiming that Plaid Cymru is bitter and not adjusting to being in Opposition behind the Tories, as well as becoming irrelevant to the new two party consensus that is emerging (see Adrian Masters latest blog for more). But the response was telling Carwyn was more engaged and animated than normal.

However it must be said for all Plaid Cymru’s righteous fury their claims do ring a little hollow as they were in Coalition in the One Wales Government holding the economic portfolio up until May this year and will making such bold statements in public rule them out of being serious players in current budget negotiations that are in the balance with just 4 week left to strike a deal.

And for all the fuss generated at First Minister Questions on Tuesday and it was good to see Tory leader Andrew RT Davies landing telling blows on the NHS as well, this was a rarity, too many FMQ’s that go by where more heat than light is generated and Labour Ministers are let off the hook over failed polices and delivery as well as their claims of standing up for Wales.

For the Assembly to grow and gain respect this type of pressure needs to be administered by Ieuan, Andrew and Kristy week in week and then amplified by the Welsh media so us voters can believe that democracy is working, the Government is being properly held to account and it’s all worth the effort of supporting devolution in the face of growing apathy and indifference.Any source