Huw Lewis Throws Second Leadership Punch?

Looks like Huw Lewis has got stuck into Rhodri Morgan’s plans today in the Western Mail. Call me a conspiracy theorist but the leak which forms the basis of the story on the procedural part of any agreement with any party and Huw Lewis’ tribalist response, could only have come from someone close to the Penarth nat basher.

What I find most interesting is that Huw seems most upset at any procedural arrangements of any agreement that would give the Libs or Plaid access to information on the policy programme of the Government. Now forgive me for being idealistic, but surely what all concerned should be worried about now is the policy programme for any agreement – procedures can wait for after. It just goes to show how sectarian the Unionist wing of the Labour party has become.

Before the election Plaid announced its starting negotiating position which briefly is:
Green policies to reduce Wales’ carbon footprint
Doubled investment in universal affordable childcare
Lap tops for eleven year olds to create the most IT literate workforce in the world
First Home grants
Help with student debt payments
Business tax cuts including Corporation tax relief in Wales’ Convergence funding areas
Scrap the hospital reconfiguration programme
Cap council tax for pensioners
A new Welsh language Act
A referendum on a proper Parliament
A commission on Wales’ funding arrangements, particularly Barnett reform

Instead of harping on about the politics of power, perhaps Huw can enlighten us on which one of these he is so opposed to. We obviously know he’s against anything progressive such as more powers for Wales, a new language Act and fair funding, but where does he stand on the rest?

My take is that Huw is trying to dethrone Rhodri faster than expected by driving the Labour party into opposition. By creating a riot on procedures he is trying to complicate the situation so much that it is impossible to come to an agreement on a policy programme for the next four years.

This ill judged politicking shows yet again that the Unionist wing of the Labour party don’t care at all about the future of Wales, their only priority is protecting and strengthening their own political positioning.