Pam Palmer's motley collection of closet Tories came third in last year's council elections and are not what most people would consider to be natural bedfellows for Kevin Madge's Labour group, runners-up in the elections. Some of Kev's troops like to think of themselves as Socialists, but their voting record suggests otherwise. Much easier to follow the example set by the new council chair, Cllr Terry Davies, and wax eloquent about miners leaders in the 1920s than vote to pay the council's lowest paid staff a living wage.
But then Pam had something that Kev wanted: - enough votes to enable him to get his hands on the Leader's limo, and so this time last year a lot of intensive wooing was going on.
Pam played hard to get and sold herself for as much as she could, before putting on a show of reluctance and submitting to a one year trial cohabitation. Of course, they had been cohabiting for eight years before that, but then Pam and Meryl were on top, and the 2008 elections had left Kev in a state of shrivelled impotence.
The last year of cohabitation has had its moments of difficulty. In particular the defection in very peculiar circumstances of Labour's Cllr Theressa Bowen to Pam's Indies a few months after the election can't have gone down well at Labour HQ, especially as it levelled up the numbers and strengthened Pam's grip on the show.
But faced with loss of power and special responsibility allowances, neither Kev nor Pam was about to have a fling with anyone else, and so the two have now entered into a four-year deal, which judging from the announcement (BBC report in Welsh here) offers nothing new at all.
As PR professionals know, when you haven't got anything new to say, just announce again what you have already announced and make it sound like news.
10 comments:
Well as awful as the indies are at least Plaid has been kept out of power. Then the county's economy would come to a grinding halt where developers could not get anything built - although Rhodri Glyn is doing his damnest to stop it anyway.
Curious how 'development' can be made to equate with housing superfluous to local needs and English supermarkets putting local shops out of business.
4 years of a Coalition is better than a team of one eyed ,one trick opportunist Plaid have no agenda other than the language - yes its important but 50% of the county's population would prefer that we looked at jobs , creating a safer environment than worrying that we lost 6% of welsh speakers . Too many of the Plaid County Councillors are budding AM's and are just interested in getting their name listed Look after your patch first then the bigger picture
I think all top jobs in Wales should be occupied by fluent welsh speakers. I doubt whether you would have anyone occupying a top job in France, for example, who couldn't speak the language?
I think you are wrong!!! Create a real dialect that is recognised. Many can speak it few can speak, read and write it!!
How will these people in "top jobs" create a report if they can't read it!!!
Then we have the literary version of Welsh that is not what is always spoken! It creates difficulties when pigeon welsh is used!!
Thanks for the open debate though, obviously you speak it and are maybe not able to read and write it!!
Jury has made executive decision ....... that quality of oral, aural and literary skills will keep the language alive!!
Many people speak welsh yet refuse to use it as they are belittled for using the written version.
What I was trying to say is that at the moment a lot of people in top jobs in Wales don't speak Welsh at all, let alone write and read it! It would at least be a starting point. I can assure you I speak Welsh, can read it and write it fluently! I am welsh through and through!
Understood, I believe if those at the top were fluent Welsh it would make little difference. They may use it to bully other members of staff etc. it may also ensure we receive a lower standard of company CEOs etc. excellence in Welsh does not necessarily guarantee excellence as a whole.
The education system continues to change far too often and does not reflect the language as it could.
If parents were given a choice and language did not cause dispute, discrimination it would be different.
They can be ostracised if they do not understand the language or are slow to learn or are not willing to learn.Choice is key alongside improving the attitude towards the language.
People will be worried of the repercussions as there were years ago with shops daubed, holiday homes burnt etc. bullying is not the way, friendly people friendly language. A lot of the language issues are based on the EU giving us lots of money to promote our own language. Politics, Money and language! .
Some staff progress in their career purely due to their Welsh..... Not because they are qualified for the job! This makes a mockery of many positions in councils and companies!
Can't wait to see what Carwyn Jones does with the promotion of Welsh??????
Is Calum Higgins belittled?
Could you clarify ?
Carmarthenshire Tory candidates were the only ones committed to public use of phone cameras and digital recording devises during open sessions of council and committee meetings. Comparing the Lab/Ind groups with Tories is old hat; some of us have moved on from the analogue age.
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