Wednesday 17 November 2010

A Poor No Show from Cheryl Gillan

I've not been impressed with Cheryl Gillan's performance as Secretary of State for Wales.

It's not because she's a Conservative. It's not because she represents an English constituency (she is Welsh in all fairness). It's just because, well...how can I put it diplomatically and tactfully....it's because I don't think she's very good at her job.

I wasn't a fan of Peter Hain either. Yet, despite the fireworks that have been lit by both Hain and Gillan since May, they're actually quite similar I feel. Their attitude and the way they communicate is so off-putting. It's the old 'ya-boo' politics speak that turns so many people off politics.

They epitomise all that is worse of the 'Punch and Judy' style of politics.

They both come across to me as being typical old war horses from a tribal age and they can't quite, indeed they probably don't even want to, act in a more measured, moderate way.

An Aberystwyth University Rebuff
Well, now they're at it again. Cheryl has today pulled out from giving the key note annual lecture at the Institute of Welsh Politics at Aberystwyth University. It's a prestigious speech to give and I was on hand to listen to Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Kirsty Williams give it in recent years. It really is quite a thing to be asked to give this annual lecture.

But, because there was due to be a student protest at the event because of the London Coaltion Goverment's tuition fees plans, she has apparently pulled out on the advice of the police.

Hain has of course responded with vitriolic words such as 'a total disgrace', 'contempt', 'arrogant' and 'outrageous' .

Peter, a word of advice. Shut up.

The words I would use for Cheryl would be the following - 'disappointed', 'let-down', 'regretful', 'short-sighted', 'a missed opportunity' and 'own worst enemy'.

By pulling out of this engagement at the last minute, she has given more ammunition to those like Peter Hain who are waiting and willing for her to slip up. She really doesn't help herself. If she had the courage of her conviction, she'd see it through. Yes, the student protest turned nasty in London last week, but don't tar all students with the same brush.

This is yet another Cheryl Gillan political own-goal.

As for Peter Hain? Bloody hell, they're as bad as each other.

2 comments:

  1. I feel that she's so far out of he depth that it won't be long before she goes down for the third time, to be replaced by whom? David Davies? NNNNOOOO! David Jones? Who? Alun Cairns would be my bet!

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  2. I don't think Stephen Crabb has any interest in it and Simon Hart is rather new to it all so if it came to it Alun Cairns wouldn't be a bad guess but as he's already the Under-Secretary of State, my money would be on David Jones.

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