I read yesterday - and it appears to be true - that the head of OFCOM in Wales is Rhodri Williams's wife. If this is indeed true, it would seem, prima facie, to be a serious conflict of interest; and hardly an arrangement which is likely to serve Wales, or its public, well.
I have heard that this is the case as well. I haven't stood it up yet. There is certainly growing pressure on him. Tomorrow's newsletter details this. Thanks very much for the support.
The problem with having a Welsh Covid enquiry is the imbalance of power between Wales, Westminster and the media. The Conservatives seem to view Wales as a “beachhead” to attack Labour - see how often they say “if you want to see what a Labour Government would look like” etc. So while Johnson and Sunak can - for example - get away with “losing” their WhatsApp messages without being crucified by the media, every perceived mis-step by the Welsh government that an inquiry might reveal would be massively amplified and weaponised. There is no chance that Wales would get a fair hearing - it would be a free hit for opponents of Welsh Labour and of devolution. If we want lessons to be learned, we have to create a culture which values learning lessons. Our politics is too polarized for that.
Hi Wayne. To a certain extent I agree. There is no doubt in my mind that a Welsh inquiry would be used as a stick to beat devolution in general. I think it is why so many people are hesitant to criticise Welsh Labour's record because they know the sort of people that will jump on it.
I also worry that it will be hard for Welsh politics to mature and improve if we are all perpetually worried for its continued existence.
Maybe a long period of a UK labour government (if that happened) could allow a more critical evaluation. I feel devolution is central to the future but don’t feel it’s working as it should, quite bureaucratic and lacking dynamism.
Thanks Will.
I read yesterday - and it appears to be true - that the head of OFCOM in Wales is Rhodri Williams's wife. If this is indeed true, it would seem, prima facie, to be a serious conflict of interest; and hardly an arrangement which is likely to serve Wales, or its public, well.
I have heard that this is the case as well. I haven't stood it up yet. There is certainly growing pressure on him. Tomorrow's newsletter details this. Thanks very much for the support.
The problem with having a Welsh Covid enquiry is the imbalance of power between Wales, Westminster and the media. The Conservatives seem to view Wales as a “beachhead” to attack Labour - see how often they say “if you want to see what a Labour Government would look like” etc. So while Johnson and Sunak can - for example - get away with “losing” their WhatsApp messages without being crucified by the media, every perceived mis-step by the Welsh government that an inquiry might reveal would be massively amplified and weaponised. There is no chance that Wales would get a fair hearing - it would be a free hit for opponents of Welsh Labour and of devolution. If we want lessons to be learned, we have to create a culture which values learning lessons. Our politics is too polarized for that.
Hi Wayne. To a certain extent I agree. There is no doubt in my mind that a Welsh inquiry would be used as a stick to beat devolution in general. I think it is why so many people are hesitant to criticise Welsh Labour's record because they know the sort of people that will jump on it.
I also worry that it will be hard for Welsh politics to mature and improve if we are all perpetually worried for its continued existence.
Maybe a long period of a UK labour government (if that happened) could allow a more critical evaluation. I feel devolution is central to the future but don’t feel it’s working as it should, quite bureaucratic and lacking dynamism.
Couldn't agree more.
This is why I like Substack! No vitriolic culture war rubbish 😇