Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru deal is ‘genuinely inspiring stuff’, says Owen Jones
A proposed deal between Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru is “genuinely inspiring stuff”, according to Owen Jones.
The Guardian columnist and political activist was responding to the co-operation agreement between the two parties, which he described as a “shining beacon” in a “bleak political landscape”.
The agreement has been approved by the executives of both parties, but it has yet to emerge if it has been approved by Plaid Cymru members.
It includes moves to establish rent controls, the extension of free school meals to all primary school pupils, childcare for all two-year-olds, the creation of a National Care Service and limits on second home ownership.
It will also aim for a replacement for council tax, the creation of a publicly-owned construction company and an energy company, changes to the Senedd’s size and electoral system, including a statutory guarantee of gender balance, as well measures to promote the Welsh language.
In response to these measures, Owen Jones said: “In a bleak political landscape, the agreement between Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru is a shining beacon. Genuinely inspiring stuff!”
The agreement between Labour and Plaid in the Senedd is reportedly set to last three years. The deal is expected to be published in full later on today.
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The agreement will facilitate easier passage of legislation in the Assembly(sic),it might bring some good to the people of Wales, but inspiring? PS We all get our ideas about legislative bodies from France,and I would rather that Wales derived ours from 1789 than mediaeval Normandy.
Who gets to operate the guillotines? 🙂
You up for it ?
I for one welcome this development and all the ideas PC bring to the table with it. Voting reform plus more members of the Senedd to deal with increasing workload are essential elements and should lead to greater scrutiny and democracy here. Perhaps it has at long last dawned on Labour in Wales that the prospect of the Tories fixing things (eg boundary changes, biased media) so that they hold power over the UK for ever more can only lead to further decline and underachievement here (an awful prospect). Time to unite and to prepare ultimately for independence which is… Read more »
This is how parties should co-operate. This is how it should be in a Union. This is why we need to reform the voting system preferably for Proportional Representation.
I agree, plus with a widespread and robust increase in participatory democracy. That was one of the most popular recommendations of the first National Citizens Assembly in Wales in 2019. Citizens, given the evidence relating to an issue, plus facilitated deliberation time, are more than capable of making very wise decisions.
I agree, pairing off the new Westminster constituencies to create 16 larger constituencies and electing 5 (or possibly 6) MSs in each constituency is the best option available. The MSs should be selected on a PR basis within each of those 16 constituencies.
Stronger together 💪. About time.
If it were not for cooperation between Welsh Labour & Plaid Cymru our Senedd would still be chained to the New Labour LCO system (Legislative Competent Order) where Wales, unlike Scotland & NI, had its Senedd legislation scrutinised by four layers of government to become Welsh Law. And it would take just one layer of government to scupper the bill, which meant the a piece of legislation would bounce back & forth the Senedd, Welsh Office, House of Commons & House of Lords until it was changed out of all recognition. And in 2011 this LCO injustice was finally consigned… Read more »
we that really is the kiss of death from the little twerp