tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-486444572699479234.post5967826921202893904..comments2023-11-29T23:57:04.738+00:00Comments on People First: May 2007 The tipping point that changed Scotland for the better and passed Wales by. People Firsthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17265248205061545566noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-486444572699479234.post-8214322385152835042016-02-18T11:57:42.846+00:002016-02-18T11:57:42.846+00:00So from Jenny's point of view Plaid chose Labo...So from Jenny's point of view Plaid chose Labour as their coalition partners in order to be sure to get legislative powers but actually UK Labour blocked it .In the end the Liberal Democrats got Wales the referendum which gave us Legislative powers through their coalition with the Conservatives.So David Cameron ended up delivering the referendum and so more powers for Wales as the result of a coalition in which the larger party kept that promise. However, Labour actually failed to deliver on the same issue despite their promises to Plaid. All that grief for nothing in the end. Sian Caiachnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-486444572699479234.post-35771769086332374582016-02-17T23:37:04.516+00:002016-02-17T23:37:04.516+00:00update: correspondence from Lib Dem negotiatorJann...update: correspondence from Lib Dem negotiatorJanny Randerson:<br /><br />----- Forwarded Message -----<br />From: Baroness RANDERSON <br />To: SIAN CAIACH <br />Sent: Wed, 17 Feb 2016 19:52:41 -0000 (UTC)<br />Subject: Re: the proposed 2007 Rainbow Coalition<br /><br />Hi Sian,<br />Thanks for your email. As the lead negotiator for the Lib Dems I can provide some information. The actual negotiations went well and we produced an agreement fairly quickly. The other negotiators were Adam Price and David Melding. David is on the "softer"<br />side of the Tories and he was easy to work with. Looking back on that agreement, it was very workable and would have been less expensive to implement than the Plaid Labour deal. This is relevant since we had the 2008 crash in that Assembly term. Problems came<br />when the Lib Dem Executive failed to agree it immediately but this was rectified within 3 days when we had our Welsh special conference which approved it overwhelmingly. But Plaid were also talking to Labour and decided to back them in the end. The reason<br />given at the time was that the Plaid / Labour deal included the calling of the referendum on full legislative powers for the Assembly, to replace that ridiculous LCO system. Plaid felt that only Labour could deliver that, and that Labour in Westminster would<br />block it if there was a Rainbow coalition in Wales. Ironically, Labour in Westminster still blocked it when in government and it was delivered in the end at the start of the Lib Dem / Tory Coalition. The Lib Dems had made the referendum one of the terms of<br />the coalition deal. It is interesting to compare with Scotland, where SNP embraced power at the first opportunity and have prospered, while Plaid accepted being the junior partner in a coalition, and have stagnated.<br />Hope this helps,<br />Jenny<br />Sian Caiachnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-486444572699479234.post-36670999960321032342016-02-11T10:32:40.983+00:002016-02-11T10:32:40.983+00:00For those who are mystified by the references to t...For those who are mystified by the references to the "Fifth Party" it was me standing under the Party Label "Putting Llanelli First". Although we've always called ourselves People First / Gwerin Gyntaf we were not allowed by the Electoral Commission to use that name in 2011 as an English local government party also used the name People first. Subsequently regulations changed and we were able to use our name as a party in Wales only , which suits us fine.<br />This time round there is already a Green and a UKIP candidate selected so we are looking at 7 or more parties.Sian Caiachnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-486444572699479234.post-18560220382117680532016-02-11T10:21:00.421+00:002016-02-11T10:21:00.421+00:00Rather than harping on about the 2000 votes which ...Rather than harping on about the 2000 votes which supposedly cost plaid the election and blaming the 5th party they should look witihn and look at why they do the same things over and over with worse and worse resultsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-486444572699479234.post-79215910433206781572016-02-11T08:32:22.578+00:002016-02-11T08:32:22.578+00:00Clem, The end result of the loss of 2000 anti Lab...Clem, The end result of the loss of 2000 anti Labour votes to a spread of other parties was that was that Labour won and as a consequence Labour scraped another 4 miserable years in Cardiff bay. Wales has got to shift Labour out of power - to break the mould compromises will have to be made.Neilnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-486444572699479234.post-8974499980330391522016-02-11T07:19:40.321+00:002016-02-11T07:19:40.321+00:00Chances are those people moved away from Plaid in ...Chances are those people moved away from Plaid in Llanelli because the party had lost touch (if it ever really had it) with ordinary people and their needs and aspirations.Clem Thomasnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-486444572699479234.post-2998649329583537202016-02-10T08:31:48.600+00:002016-02-10T08:31:48.600+00:00The big difference between Wales and Scotland is t...The big difference between Wales and Scotland is that the anti Labour votes became concentrated on the SNP. In Wales they have been split between other political parties that has allowed Labour to govern (badly) on a low percentage of the vote. Divide and rule. The best example of this being LLanelli where some 2000 anti Labour votes moved away from Plaid to a 5th candidate, thereby allowing Labour to regain the seat.Neilnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-486444572699479234.post-46001230560597776612016-02-09T13:31:32.269+00:002016-02-09T13:31:32.269+00:00Is independence possible with Labour?Is independence possible with Labour?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-486444572699479234.post-64903440195959090472016-02-09T05:40:37.046+00:002016-02-09T05:40:37.046+00:00I believe it was primarily about getting primary l...I believe it was primarily about getting primary law making powers and winning the referendum in 2011. Was that possible without Labour? Probably not. In a way, Plaid sacrificed its electoral fortunes for the good of Wales.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com