This afternoon, Bubble.Wales got hold of a leaked letter from the outgoing Wales Director of the Confederation for Public Transport. It had been sent to their members yesterday after they held a ‘behind closed doors’ meeting with Welsh Government Officials on Friday Morning.
This letter explained that at that meeting, senior Welsh Government officers had disclosed:
• it will begin at 18:00hrs on Friday 23 October and last until 00:01hrs on Monday 9 November
• lockdown restrictions from March will be reintroduced – no non-essential shops, hairdressers etc.
• pubs, cafes and restaurants will all be closed
• secondary schools may remain closed beyond the scheduled half term break but a decision hasn’t yet been made on primary schools
• public transport services will be slashed and the “essential travel only” message reinstated
Why does this matter?
Well, on Friday lunchtime, the First Minster got behind a lectern and in front of a camera yet again to tell the People of Wales that the Cabinet were still discussing the best way forward, that they would continue to do so over the weekend, and that a decision would be made on Monday.
All of this was a lie.
To put it another way, he did not tell the truth.
The decision had already been taken – officials were already briefing senior transport bosses about the impending shutdown. Bubble has also heard from well informed sources at one of Wales’ top hospitality businesses that they expect to close by next Friday evening – coincidentally exactly the same time as published in the leaked letter. Maybe they already knew something? It doesn’t take brains to work it all out…
Naturally, opposition MSs as well as many Baywatchers have been up in arms about this development. It’s not as if we didn’t know that it was on the way – it’s the fact that the Welsh Government is currently leaking like a sieve that people don’t like. You can debate the merits or otherwise of a lockdown all you like – that doesn’t matter now – it’s happening anyway.
Welsh Conservative MSs have been quick off the mark to demand a recall of the Senedd on Monday, complaining that the Welsh Government are bypassing the Senedd for important announcements. Senior Tory, and Shadow Health Minister Andrew RT Davies said; “Its a complete and utter disgrace that such announcements are bypassing our Parliament”. He also stated that he would be writing to the Llywydd, Elin Jones, to demand a recall. Darren Millar, the Tory Whip, has done the same at the request of Paul Davies, the Leader of the Opposition, and he’s published his letter on Twitter. Good luck with that, chaps.
Of course, since Bubble broke this story, it’s now gone viral, if you’ll pardon the expression.
The key point is why elected Members of the Senedd, and Members of the Welsh public, should have to rely on leaks to get their news. You only have to look at the response on social media to appreciate that it’s gone down like a sack of manure at a socially-distanced wedding function in a small church hall. For months now the Welsh Government have been dripping out what they can to favourable media outlets. It’s now becoming rapidly apparent that there are also people from within the Government who’ve had enough of this as well.
It’s about time the Welsh Parliament, and its Presiding Officer, did something about it.
The Welsh Government could, and should, do better.
The sooner we ditch these tinpot politicians, the better. If another referendum was held, this time without Blair’s interference, the assembly would be gone.
100% right. Let’s spend the money saved by ditching these 4th rate Wannabes on a children’s hospital.
The problem is not Y Senedd per se, it’s the monopole choice we seem to have to fill it: Labour hard left or Plaid’s LabourLite. Because of this, the loose confederation of Labour and Plaid seem to think they have carte blanche to do whatever they wish, safe in the knowledge that any swing will be between the little two-party clique they’ve manipulated into existence at the Senedd election. To be quite frank, the party system is the root of the problem. Until Welsh politics is merit rather than party whip driven, this situation will remain.
Every bit of autonomy we have has to be a better choice than taking whimsical diktats from Westminster. Cofiwch Dryweryn for a very good example of how dangerous this can be. However, the current incumbents haven’t done much better. Just ask the people dispossessed by Wylfa Newydd, now cancelled, how they feel at losing their community and homes for a farcical failure.
Simply handing back the devolved powers to the “Dieu et Mon Droit” establishment isn’t the answer. Keeping the bone we’ve been tossed and making the bloody thing work properly and be more accountable would be a far wiser option in my opinion.
I am a real man and as such, must always be treated like a real man.
If any brain-dead, obese ‘COVID warden’ in a high-viz jacket try’s to tell me where I can go and when I can do it, they will experience a small piece of Hell…
All the lockdown fanatics are paid from the public purse. Stick them on a lower salary and furlough them and see them change their minds. Education and health have suffered terribly since powers were devolved, now they are trashing the Welsh economy too.