Home Rule for Wales

I’m still a bit stunned at the referendum result: Yes: 517,132 No: 297,380. That’s 63.5% in favour of streamlining the Welsh lawmaking process. Some remarkable results, especially in the North East where both Wrexham and Flintshire voted resoundingly in favour with stunning swings from 1997. Here’s the results and the BBC’s analysis. And Carwyn says: “An old nation came of age” I’m very lucky to live in these times – the first real Home Rule for Wales since Glyndŵr.. Cool …

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Give us the tools to do the job.

Tomorrow sees the referendum on a slicker law making process for Wales’s devolved powers. Two polls, one for the Western Mail and the second for Y Byd ar Bedwar (analysed on Syniadau), show 2:1 majorities for the Yes vote. In the Yes camp the spin is we’re winning but need a good turnout. In their annual obsevation on Wales the Guardian gives it’s support. It’s quite a good assessment to be fair. It is frustrating that it is necessary to …

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Welsh Referendum – things hotting up.

Shane says Yes!  With a little more than a fortnight to go before polling on March the 3rd the Yes campaign is continuing the strategy of big name endorsements. Whilst maybe not engrossing the nation it’s getting a little nasty. Here’s the Western Mail’s take on maverick No campaigner Len Gibb’s latest lies. More positively what AMs would do with new powers. A real positive input from Helen Mary Jones: Plaid deputy leader Helen Mary Jones suggested beefing up the …

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6 weeks to go – No campaign launches.

The BBC report on today’s launch of the True Wales “No” campaign in next month’s referendum. The launch takes place in Newbridge RFC (…my home village Rugby Club…hmm). Rachel Banner, True Wales spokesperson, is quoted: “We don’t want more laws. What we need is for AMs to focus on education and health and the economy and to build up these things so we can have a prosperous Wales. “We don’t believe new laws will achieve that.” I love that “We …

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No “No” Campaign = No “Yes” Campaign

In the run up to the March 3rd referendum things are getting a little strange here. Carwyn indicates the dangers. ….It is up to the Electoral Commission to designate an official Yes and No campaign, but both must pass a series of tests before they can reach that status and get access to £70,000 to organise their campaigns.. Under the rules, the commission has to designate an official campaign group from each side, or none at all. Speaking at first …

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Short, Sharp Yes for Wales.

The BBC reports on today’s official launch of the Yes for Wales campaign to secure legislative powers in devolved areas by winning a referendum on March 3rd. The national launch is followed by a series of regional events as the campaign’s website shows. First Minister Carwyn Jones states the case (wait a mo for video to kick in). There’s no doubt that Scotland and Northern Ireland are taken more seriously. Why? My argument would be it’s because they’ve got more …

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