Why Elizabeth Evans is the best choice for Ceredigion

A few days ago, I wrote this piece on the election ground campaign in Ceredigion for the Liberal Democrat Voice website. It was posted here on Thursday.

Here it is re-visited...

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Campaigning in Ceredigion is rather unique. The big beasts of 20th century British politics, the Conservative and Labour parties, hold no sway here. It’s a battle instead between liberals and nationalists and the Welsh Liberal Democrat candidate Elizabeth Evans is proving to be a formidable opponent to Plaid’s Elin Jones.

The ‘poster’ war, which is always a central feature to this unique constituency’s electoral battleground, was in full swing early on. Over the years, it’s always been opportune to show that momentum is on your side by getting those road-side stakeboards up before your opponent. Well, this year it was a clear win for the Welsh Liberal Democrats as our boards went up along the A487 and the A44 a full week before the Plaid boards made a slow appearance.

As a candidate, it’s a pleasure to work alongside and canvass for Elizabeth. She is well known to people across Ceredigion through her work with Mark Williams MP as his senior caseworker, as a councillor, and with numerous community organizations. Born and raised in the county, Elizabeth has represented her home town of Aberaeron on Ceredigion County Council since 2008.

Elizabeth’s parents were the owners of the New Celtic Restaurant on Aberaeron harbour, and in 2009 she followed in the footsteps of her grandfather by becoming Mayor of Aberaeron. After leaving school Elizabeth worked in the retail industry in Cardiff and London before returning to Ceredigion to set up her own business in Aberystwyth. She now puts this business experience to good use as Chair of Ceredigion County Council’s Economic Development and Tourism Scrutiny Committee.

So she knows her stuff does our Elizabeth and she’s taking her passion for her home county out onto the doorsteps. Her concerns for our local health service are chiming with the fears and worries of local residents – it being the biggest concern the length and breath of the county. The packed public meeting held in Aberystwyth only last week regarding the future of healthcare provision in Bronglais Hospital proved testament to that. Elizabeth has a particular empathy with these concerns because as a past-chair of Mencap Ceredigion, she has an interest that is reflected in her current campaign to secure local facilities for elderly patients suffering from dementia, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.

Elizabeth Evans with Nick Clegg at their
Aberaeron Business Forum Yesterday

Residents of the county are aware that health is a devolved issue and that it is the Labour/Plaid government in Cardiff Bay that has let them down - it isn’t right that waiting lists are longer here than they are in England. Farmers in the county are also more than aware that the botched Glastir proposals are Elin Jones’ fault as the out-going Agriculture Minister. The low up-take of the scheme by farmers has proven that it is a bureaucratic nightmare and Elizabeth and the Welsh Liberal Democrats are committed to listening and working with our rural communities and not dictate policy to them as has been the Plaid/Labour way.

But what is most striking on going around with Elizabeth, our hard-working local MP Mark Williams and our enthusiastic team of volunteers, is the warm welcome that we’ve received on the door-step. For all of the nay-sayers and doom-mongerers in the media, the reality of the situation isn’t borne out here on the ground. That’s because residents know that the Welsh Liberal Democrats are on their side in Ceredigion. As the old saying goes, we do work hard for local people all year round and not just at election time.

We will continue then, to spread our positive message of change across Ceredigion over the weeks ahead to give our county the best opportunity of ensuring that that hard work continues with a new Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for Ceredigion, in Elizabeth Evans, come May 6th.

Post Script
This post as mentioned appeared on Liberal Democrat Voice on Thursday. There followed the following day, yesterday, a trip to the county by the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg as pictured above. More can be read about this visit here.

The Welsh Referendum (Part 2) - The Campaign Trail

This is the second article that I was asked to contribute for Liberal Democrat Voice on the issue of the Welsh powers referendum this coming Thursday and which was published on the site here yesterday.

I'm pleased to do so to highlight the Welsh liberal context on LDV to my fellow liberal cousins across the UK and beyond!

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I explained in my previous LDV post a few weeks ago, why the Welsh Liberal Democrats are campaigning for a 'Yes' vote in the up-and-coming referendum on March 3rd.

Well, how it's all going? Well, not too badly as it happens.

Whilst in the 1997 devolution referendum,  support came from the Welsh Liberal Democrats, Labour and Plaid Cymru (the Conservatives opposed it), now, all four are officially supportive of a 'Yes' vote. Across Wales, we have been helping with street stalls and delivering leaflets for the 'Yes' campaign.

Helping the 'Yes for Wales' campaign in Cardigan with
members of Labour, Plaid Cymru and independents.

Here in Cardigan I've been helping with street stalls alongside Labour and Plaid Cymru colleagues (there aren't any active Tories in Cardigan able or willing to join us!) - it's certainly an odd sensation to be on the same side of the argument as some of our erstwhile rivals!

I've also been out delivering literature through letterboxes in town and this work has been repeated the length and breadth of the county and throughout Wales by my Welsh Liberal Democrat colleagues. Here in Ceredigion, our MP Mark Williams and Welsh Assembly candidate Elizabeth Evans have led from the front in dedicating time to this important campaign.

A systematic decision - not a political one

What does frustrate me however is that many within Labour and Plaid Cymru are using its disagreements with the Westminster coalition to further their calls for a 'Yes' vote on March 3rd.

What we must convey to the public is the argument that the current system of devolution is cumbersome, ineffective and a waste of resources. £2m could be saved in bureaucracy alone in giving Wales the direct tools to do the job in the 20 current devolved areas. This could mean more money for our schools or hospitals. A 'Yes' vote gives our Assembly members the tools to do the job for which they were elected.

Labour and Plaid however have been keen to exploit the difficult decision having to be made at Westminster by arguing that cuts being imposed centrally means it's of greater importance for Wales to have greater powers in Cardiff Bay.

At the same time, many of the proponents for a 'No' vote are arguing that grave deficiencies within the education and health service here in Wales demonstrates that giving further powers to the Welsh Assembly is a step in the wrong direction.

Both of these arguments should be set aside as cheap political points-scoring.

Because on March 3rd, we vote for the system. We vote for the politicians and their distinct policies on May 5th.

The debate needs to be clear and concise and needs to differentiate between the two.

The polls are looking promising for the ‘Yes’ camp but we can’t be complacent and what is worrying us all is the turnout figure. We don’t just want a majority victory but we need, and Wales needs a decisive victory on a good turnout of at least 50% to show that we mean business here in Wales.

I'm proud that under Kirsty Williams' leadership, the Welsh Liberal Democrats are leading the debate in a positive and proactive way and I look forward to what will hopefully be a positive result for Wales this coming Friday.

The Welsh Referendum (Part 1) - What's it all about?

This is an article that I was asked to contribute for Liberal Democrat Voice and which was published on the site here yesterday.

It's the first time that I've been asked to write specifically for LDV and I'll be following it up with a second post on this referendum in a few weeks time.

I'm pleased to do so to highlight the Welsh liberal context on LDV to my fellow liberal cousins across the UK and beyond!

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There's much talk about the House of Lords on-going 'go-slow' with the legislation for the AV referendum. The latest obstacle thrown up being the 40% voting turnout threshold. Meanwhile, the 'Yes 2 AV' campaign continues with its ground campaign in readiness for the expected d-day of May 5th.

But here in Wales of course, we have another referendum on our mind - the referendum on further powers to the Welsh Assemby in Cardiff Bay.

Referendum Day - March 3rd!

The referendum was promised by the 'One Wales' Labour-Plaid Cymru coalition government within the 4 year life-scale of the current government. With only two months of that government to run to we finally get to have our say on the future of Welsh legislative powers. The 'Yes for Wales' campaign was officially launched in January as I blogged about here at the time.

At present the Welsh Assembly is able to pass primary legislation (called Assembly Measures) in the 20 Policy Fields for which it is responsible such as health, education and agricultural matters. However, it must first have the power to do so conferred upon it by the Westminster Parliament. Once the power to legislate in certain matters has been conferred, the Assembly has that power permanently.

The LCO (Legislative Competence Orders) process which currently exists to deal with this situation and which Labour brought into being with the 2006 Government of Wales Act, is protracted, bureaucratic and long-winded.

As an example, it has taken three years for the Assembly to get powers transferred from Westminster to reform the organ donation system to give a lifeline to people waiting for a new kidney. Even though the policy is widely supported in Wales the Assembly is still waiting for permission to act.

Why's it taken so long? Because this is the current drawn-out mechanism that it and other measures have had to go through...

• Internal discussion on the terms of a draft Order with the Wales Office and Whitehall

• Draft LCO published

• Pre-legislative scrutiny by committee at the Assembly

• Pre-legislative scrutiny at Westminster, usually by the Welsh Affairs Committee in the Houses of Commons and the Constitution Committee in the Lords. Each committee prepares a report and can propose amendments to the draft LCO, as can the Secretary of State if s/he wishes

• The Welsh Government considers the various responses, and prepares a formal LCO

• The proposed LCO is considered by the Welsh Assembly

• If approved by the Assembly, it is then considered at Westminster. It may be considered again by the Commons Welsh Affairs Committee, and will also be scrutinised by the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments

• Both Houses of Parliament approve the LCO, or not. If approved, it then receives Royal approval.

Fallen asleep yet? Because it's this kind of 'cap in hand' government that this referendum hopes to do away with.

As First Minister Carwyn Jones said on Tuesday last week:

"The Assembly's present lawmaking system is like Warren Gatland having to send a letter to Martin Johnson asking if he can put Shane Williams in the Welsh team, and then having to send 14 individual letters for the other players as well".

So why do the Welsh Lib Dems Say 'Yes'?

The Welsh Liberal Democrats, ably led by Kirsty Williams, are supporting and campaigning for a positive result because it has been the long and proud tradition of Welsh radical liberals since the age of Lloyd George to support a full devolutionary settlement for Wales.

As a UK-wide party, we believe in federalism - a strong Wales playing its full role in a strong and united British framework. This doesn't mean independence for Wales - it if did, I wouldn't be supporting it and neither would Kirsty Williams and the Welsh Liberal Democrats! It means greater autonomy for Wales to deal with its day-to-day issues in the same way as we would wish local councils to deal with matters that are relevant to our communities at the ground level.

So we're busy campaigning for a 'Yes' vote in two referendums this spring! I will report back on the progress of this particular campaign in a few weeks time.

A Curious Lib Dem Blogger

I was having a rare look through the Lib Dem Voice website earlier and was quite amazed to stumble across this week's Top of the Blogs: The Lib Dem Golden Dozen which includes a blog post that I wrote last week on the NUS London Protest that backfired.

This is the first time that I'm aware of that one of my blog posts has made the weekly 'Golden Dozen' on Lib Dem Voice. It came in at No.5 in this week's list and unless I'm mistaken, that means it was the 5th most read blog post of any Lib Dem blog that is on the extensive Lib Dem Blogs Aggregator during the past week.

This really has come as a pleasant surprise because here's the thing, the whole 'blogosphere' is still a very curious thing for me.

Into the Deep
Having derided it for years, I made a failed attempt to get my blog going at the start of last year. After a handful of posts, it went quiet. Only back in September have I made a concerted effort to get it up-and-running properly. I had some spare time and decided to go for it. That first month saw me publishing at what for me was the schizophrenic pace of a post a day - I felt that I needed to get into it quickly and to get the blog read in the first instance. I know of some excellent blogs by the likes of Andrew Reeves, Alex Folkes, and Peter Black AM who often write on average more than a blog post a day but as my October and November blogging figures show, I'm settling down into more of a 'one blog post every two days' kind of routine.

That's the kind of pace I'm happy with and have time for but in the meantime, I can't help but notice that there's a whole world of blogging in general and political blogging in particular out there which I'm trying to get my head around. I'm no computer 'whizz kid' but I'm getting by and on my own merits am getting handier in running what I hope is an attractive enough looking and readable blog.

Still Learning
But there's still things I see others doing which I haven't done yet but which I'd like to get my head around sorting such as getting the LibDig stuff on each of my blog posts.

So I'm still rather green to all of this to be honest but I must admit it is an enjoyable way of venting my feelings on signicant political matters or just on normal, everyday issues that are of interest to me.

This particular Golden Dozen first is particularly pleasing simply because it must show that there are also readers out there who take an interest in my views and opinions and for that I must thank you.

Please keep reading, please feel free to comment on my posts and just as importantly, if you have any opinions on how I can improve my blog either in the style of writing or in the design of the site itself, then please get in touch - it's a great big learning curve I can tell you!