On Sunday's Politics Show, Peter Hain appeared to oppose the Welsh referendum pledge that his party have signed up to as part of the One Wales agreement (as the Hen Ferchetan reports here). He has said that a referendum should not take place before 2011, because we won't win. He clearly wants to be on the winning side. The whole point of having a referendum is to see whether the people want what is on offer. Waiting for public opinion to change when the pledge has already been made defeats the object. The 'Yes' campaign will take our case to the people of Wales. Do people want a stage-managed referendum?
Welsh Ramblings has questioned whether Hain really is committed to more powers for the Assembly. Times have changed since the Labour party in Wales had its course decided by its MPs rather than its AMs. Welsh Labour's Assembly Group should decide and are deciding their own agenda now. They should have the final say on where Welsh Labour stands on this referendum, not Peter Hain or any other out of touch MP. There is a growing realisation now that Thatcherite policies and economics have been unsustainable and are leading to the possibility an economic collapse. The need to break away from the London consensus has never been clearer, and getting a Parliament, despite its limitations, is the most obvious next step forward. There are difficult times ahead and we should remember Gwyn Alf Williams who wrote how in the past the people were "left naked under an acid rain" of Thatcherism.
Welsh Ramblings has questioned whether Hain really is committed to more powers for the Assembly. Times have changed since the Labour party in Wales had its course decided by its MPs rather than its AMs. Welsh Labour's Assembly Group should decide and are deciding their own agenda now. They should have the final say on where Welsh Labour stands on this referendum, not Peter Hain or any other out of touch MP. There is a growing realisation now that Thatcherite policies and economics have been unsustainable and are leading to the possibility an economic collapse. The need to break away from the London consensus has never been clearer, and getting a Parliament, despite its limitations, is the most obvious next step forward. There are difficult times ahead and we should remember Gwyn Alf Williams who wrote how in the past the people were "left naked under an acid rain" of Thatcherism.
