Araith via Leighton Andrews
Dyma fideo o araith yr Eisteddfod. Here's a video of the Eisteddfod speech.You are subscribed to an RSS Feed from Leighton Andrews. You can send your views direct to Leighton via...
Ar y Maes via Leighton Andrews
I enjoyed the debate today with Dafydd Iwan on the Maes, and was able to outline how regeneration strategy will support the Welsh Language. There as been good coverage overall on the BBC principally.My full speech follows. I am too tired to translate it into English tonight:Mae’n anodd I wahanu polisi Blaid Lafur o’r polisi Clymblaid. R’o’n I’nDirpwy Gweinidog dros Tai ar ol yr etholiad diwethaf – am saith wythnos.Pan on i’n Weinidog dros Dai, cyn y Clymblaid, dwi’n cofio ymatebI ddadl Plaid Cymru ar y pwnc Tai Fforddiadwy. Dwedais i gallwn ni weld consensws graddol ar faterion taiEsboniais I yn y dadl bod y Llwyodraeth yn- Cefnogi mwy o fuddsoddiad i helpu tuag at ddarparu chew mil a hanner (6,500) o daifforddiadwy newydd ychwanegol- annog pobl...
Mayor for the Valleys via Leighton Andrews
In case there is any doubt, I agree with my colleague Huw Lewis that this is a daft idea, as I told the Chair of the Institute of Welsh Affairs on the Maes today. I see that the Western Mail managed to take one of my sentences from the foreword to the IWA publication and make it look like I welcomed the idea. Well, I welcome all discussion on the future of the Heads of the Valleys, but I don't think this is an idea that will go very far.Just a quick note on Huw's comments. The original budget for the Heads of the Valleys was £10 million per annum: last year under Huw and I between us the programme spent over £16 million and in the previous year under Andrew Davies the programme spent over £15 million. So we are well ahead of the original budget.But Huw must remember that the Heads of...
Community Mutuals via Leighton Andrews
The Co-operative Party blog picks up on the launch of RCT Homes as a community mutual, the Co-operative Party's model for public housing.You are subscribed to an RSS Feed from Leighton Andrews. You can send your views direct to Leighton via...
Assembly Diary via Leighton Andrews
Last week the First Minister published the Assembly’s legislative programme for next year, building on the One Wales programme for government. One Wales set out our vision of a fair and just Wales, where everyone can live free from poverty and discrimination. We made a commitment to develop Wales-specific solutions to tackle child poverty. Our next step is to bring forward an Assembly Measure to provide greater support to children and families experiencing poverty. It will include a number of initiatives such as a duty on public agencies to demonstrate their contribution to ending child poverty and to provide free childcare places and other early years’ services in specific areas. As regards older people, One Wales made clear our commitment to help people to be independent and...
Goodbye, Emmo, and thank you via Leighton Andrews
At last night's Rhondda Labour GC we paid tribute to Emrys 'Emmo' Thomas, who died recently after an illness which had lasted for some months. Emmo's funeral halted the traffic in Treorchy just over a week ago, following a moving service at his home, conducted by the Rev. Cyril Llewellyn, with Allan Rogers, former MP for the Rhondda, giving the tribute.Emmo was one of the first people I met in the Rhondda when I was seeking selection for the Assembly seat. He was a great supporter not only of me and Chris Bryant MP, but of every Labour candidate at all levels. The top pictue shows him working on my 2003 campaign. As a letter in the Rhondda Leader said, he was behind every Labour Councillor who ever won election in Treorchy. He never wanted to stand himself, even though the affection for...
Happy Birthday, Ron via Leighton Andrews
Congratulations to former Labour Councillor Ron Bundock, still carrying the regimental banner at Royal British Legion events, who is 90.Ron has been active in a whole series of issues, including crime prevention.You are subscribed to an RSS Feed from Leighton Andrews. You can send your views direct to Leighton via...
Well said, Carwyn via Leighton Andrews
I am delighted that my good friend Carwyn Jones is following up issues I have recently raised in speeches such as the credit crunch and the importance of co-operatives to Welsh Labour.You are subscribed to an RSS Feed from Leighton Andrews. You can send your views direct to Leighton via...
Corporate Greed via Leighton Andrews
I thought I should put up the full text of my remarks which seemed to get an unexpected amount of coverage in the Western Mail and Daily Post last week. What I said was:Only Labour is fighting seriously in every area of Wales. But because of the breadth of our challenge, we need policies that work for all areas of Wales.We must avoid the siren voices who want us to follow false choices. It is not a choice between following London’s lead or being different in Wales for the sake of it. It is not a choice between winning aspirational voters or getting the core vote out. It is not a choice between social justice issues and quality of life issues. It is not a choice between winning in Welsh-speaking Wales and winning in Tory-Labour marginals like here in Clwyd West.Rather it is the challenge...
Tower Colliery via Leighton Andrews
Until recently a number of my constituents were working at Tower - now some have moved to Aberpergwm.Tower's achievement is a shining example of the cooperative ethos of popular power and workers' control - and I was delighted to attend the reception held by the First Minister last night to commemorate the workers' achievement.You are subscribed to an RSS Feed from Leighton Andrews. You can send your views direct to Leighton via...
Communities First via Leighton Andrews
I outlined the plans for the future of the Communities First programme today in the Assembly.Included in the plans is a new Outcomes Fund to boost community regeneration in some of the most deprived areas of Wales, worth at least £25 million over the next three years.The Outcomes Fund is the centrepiece of our plans for the next phase of Communities First. Communities First partnerships will be able to bid for the funding but will need to demonstrate that their proposals will help deliver key Communities First priorities. They will also need to show that they are working in partnership with local public bodies and have engaged with local people in planning local services.Plans for the next phase of Communities First will give the programme a sharper focus on stimulating practical...
Back to work via Leighton Andrews
Following yesterday's Panorama there has been more coverage of the action needed to help people back into work.Last week, I explained how I was launching the Jobmatch programme funded by the Heads of the Valleys programme and DWP. ITV Wales ran a good report on it, which you can see here.You are subscribed to an RSS Feed from Leighton Andrews. You can send your views direct to Leighton via...
Job Match Launch via Leighton Andrews
Later this morning I will be launching the Heads of the Valleys Job Match scheme. Some initial coverage is here from the Western Mail, and here from the BBC.The scheme is based n a successfu pilot in Blaenau Gwent where 1,300 people were helped back to work iand 70% were still in work a year later.It is funded by the Welsh Assembly Government jointly with the Department of Work and Pensions and with Working Links.You are subscribed to an RSS Feed from Leighton Andrews. You can send your views direct to Leighton via...
Heads of the Valleys via Leighton Andrews
I spoke at the launch of the Bevan Foundation's new report on the Heads of the Valleys yesterday - and was pleased to be able to report that we have spent more on the Heads of the Valleys programme than the £10 million per annum originally planned. In fact it has been £17 million last year and £15 million the year before.I am also pleased that we were able to announce a further £1.3 million investment in social enterprise last week.You are subscribed to an RSS Feed from Leighton Andrews. You can send your views direct to Leighton via...
Election Reflections (2) via Leighton Andrews
Looking around the Welsh elections for some positives, obviously the Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend results were outstanding (including Ogmore). It is disappointing that BBC Wales has failed to give appropriate coverage to the recovery in Bridgend. Labour also made 5 gains on Anglesey: before we had no councillors. And I thought given the extraordinary difficulties across Wales, the overall performance in Swansea was good.You are subscribed to an RSS Feed from Leighton Andrews. You can send your views direct to Leighton via...
Election reflections (1) via Leighton Andrews
It was of course a bad day for Labour all over Wales and England.Here in RCT, we were delighted to hold on to the Council. In 1999, of course, RCT was lost to Plaid Cymru. In the Rhondda in 1999, Plaid won 19 of the 25 council seats, leaving Labour with only 6.This time, in what was the worst set of results for Labour across Wales and England arguably in 40 years, we held on to RCT with a clear majority. In the Rhondda, we came back with 17 out of the 25 council seats to Plaid's 8.The 5 seats we lost to Plaid included one in Treorchy, where they held the other two seats already; and in Treherbert, where in 2004 we had only won the two seats with majorities of 11 and 3 . We lost two other seats by margins of 28 and 56.You are subscribed to an RSS Feed from Leighton Andrews. You can send...
Plaid hides Price and Evans via Leighton Andrews
Perhaps it's no surprise that Plaid Cymru's peculiar Party Political Broadcast last night failed to feature Adam Price MP or their MEP Jill Evans. Plaid must be embarrassed by their latest outbursts.Price's remarks that Plaid would be prepared to do a deal with the Tories at Westminster after the next General Election has caused a backlash against the nationalists in the Valleys where Tories are scarcely seen.His remarks are almost as embarrassing for Plaid Cymru as Jill Evans attacking the thousands of jobs set to come to South Wales at St Athan. Many of my Rhondda constituents have worked at St Athan and the new Defence Training Academy which Jill Evans rejects will offer them real job opportunities. It has been estimated by assembly government ministers that the development will bring...
Local elections via Leighton Andrews
Aside from helping our local candidates in the Rhondda, Welsh Labour has asked me to visit a number of different local government campaigns in Wales. In Milford I helped Colin Robbins who was born in Cwmparc and grew up in Blaenrhondda!You are subscribed to an RSS Feed from Leighton Andrews. You can send your views direct to Leighton via...
Labour hypocrisy over Post Office closures! via GOG WITH A BLOG
With thanks to the Daily Post, here's a full list of the Labour MPs in North Wales who approved the Government's wholesale Post Office closure plans - despite some of them publicly declaring their opposition and simultaneously campaigning to keep them open in their own consistencies. Welsh Secretary, Paul Murphy, was among them.A reader of the Daily Post (Mar 25, 2008, see below) summed it very well: "These Labours MPs have obviously been threatened with a slap on the wrists if they defied the party whip - none of them had the guts to stand up for their communities. I hope people will remember this at election time."Martyn Jones (above) - Labour, Clwyd South. Approved Post Office closure plans. Publicly stated he opposed the closures.Albert Owen (above) - Labour, Ynys Môn. Abstained...
Paul Murphy - More Labour hypocrisy over Post Office closures via GOG WITH A BLOG
Welsh Secretary, Paul Murphy, has again been criticised for being part of a Government which is closing Post Offices – while campaigning to save branches in his own constituency. Here's Ian Parri's take on it...Talking of post offices, it didn't suprise me to see hypocritical MPs who've been been campaigning to save brances in their own constituencies trooping sheepishly into the government lobbies to give the wholesale closure plans their seal of approval.Welsh Secretary Paul Murphy, who was sufficiently perturbed by this week's stem cells row to threaten his resignation, was among them.He's actually been along to Pontnewynydd post office in his Torfaen consistuency to lend his support to postmaster Chirav Dalal's attempts to keep the service open.Mr Murphy urged locals to write to the...
Robert Owen’s Legacy (2) via Leighton Andrews
My good friend and colleague Janice Gregory had the short debate last week and chose the topic of social enterprise. This allowed her to focus on the legacy and achievements of Robert Owen.I responded to the debate on behalf of the Government, and was able to build on what was said here.You are subscribed to an RSS Feed from Leighton Andrews. You can send your views direct to Leighton via...
Fairtrade Fortnight via Leighton Andrews
Arguably another legacy of Robert Owen is Fairtrade Fortnight (25 February to 9 March 2008), supported by the Co-operative Movement amongst others. Along with Sustainability Minister Jane Davidson I attended a Fairtrade breakfast at the Bethlehem Welsh Presbyterian Church in Treorchy on Saturday 1 March 2008, where the first anniversary of Rhondda Cynon Taf becoming a Fairtrade county was celebrated. We met Martha Musonza-Holman, originally from Zimbabwe but now living in Wales, who sells Fair Trade crafts produced in Zimbabwe. She spoke passionately about the benefits of Fairtrade.Last week Jane reminded the Assembly that two years ago the Welsh Assembly Government started supporting the campaign to make Wales the world’s first Fair Trade Country, which is led by the Wales Fair Trade...
Blogging in Aberdare via Aberdare Blog
Aberdare Blog started as an experiment in communicating views of Aberdare and views from Aberdare. It remains an experiment in communication open to participation. Jane from Mountain Ash blogged the lead story on the Mountain Ash Opencast plans this week. Why not blog your own story from Aberdare today ?
Here is a list of the Top 100 tags used to describe posts on Aberdare Blog… if we haven’t blogged on a subject close to your heart, you can fix that yourself. If you prefer to blog a story with photos or video, that’ll do nicely thank you, send them today.
abercynon aberdare Aberdare Town aberdare_park Ann Clwyd Baptists bbc bbc_wales Books Caerphilly capitalism cardiff Ceredigion Chapels charity christine_chapman christmas christmas_2005 Church coal comedy... Robert Owen’s legacy via Leighton Andrews
Last night in the Assembly we launched the Robert Owen: Legacies that last exhibition at an event sponsored by my colleague Lorraine Barrett. We mark the 150th anniversary of Robert Owen's death in November this year. The exhibition exists both physically and virtually.I was pleased to speak as social enterprise Minister on how Owen's legacy is being carried on into government today, with our commitment to co-ops such as community housing mutuals, credit unions and social enterprises in general - a legacy that I call community socialism and which is reflected in our development of a social economy.There are a number of other events marking Owen's legacy this year, including a conference in New Lanark and another organised in connection with Llafur. It's only a few weeks ago we were...
Guardian on Communities First via Leighton Andrews
Peter Hetherington in the Guardian today has written an excellent article on what we are trying to do with Communities First and economic and community regeneration overall.You are subscribed to an RSS Feed from Leighton Andrews. You can send your views direct to Leighton via...
The Welsh Economy via Leighton Andrews
We had a good launch for Welsh Labour's Economy Commission last week at Redline Karting in Caernarfon, a venture set up by some of the former Friction Dynamex workers. Since setting up in June last year they have already had 10,000 visitors and they have taken four people on who have been long-term economically inactive. Labour's prospective Parliamentary candidate for Arfon, Martin Eaglestone, helped organise the event.A website has been set up to promote the Commission, and full details of its chair, members and remit will be announced in due course.I set out some of the challenges below.For twenty years progressive parties in Western societies have seen investment in skills as the key response to globalisation and the competition from the emerging economies. Upgrading the skills of our...
Welsh Labour Conference via Leighton Andrews
An excellent couple of days in Llandudno where I thought Welsh Labour was in reflective mood, as has been captured in some of the coverage of the event. Eluned Morgan and Carwyn Jones are right to rause the question of our appeal to Welsh-speakers. I agree with what Huw Lewis is saying here - indeed he is echoing some of the things I said myself to the Co-operative Party fringe meeting on Saturday about how we are implementing the co-operative agenda in government through our policies on the development of Communities First, on social enterprises and the social economy, and community mutuals in housing.You are subscribed to an RSS Feed from Leighton Andrews. You can send your views direct to Leighton via...
Ideas Wales via Leighton Andrews
Welsh Labour's new think-tank was launched ten days ago. Its statement of aims is here.One of the first presentations - on the changing demography of Wales - has also been posted up on its web-site.You are subscribed to an RSS Feed from Leighton Andrews. You can send your views direct to Leighton via...
RIP Gordon Lewis via Leighton Andrews
Gordon Lewis was the Labour candidate who won the Treorchy by-election last March with a massive swing from Plaid Cymru. Gordon was a former Chairman of the Rhondda Labour Party and a former National Executive Member of the GMB.He played rugby for Treorchy and was a Vice-President of Treorchy Rugby Club. He was a governor of Cwmparc Primary School.Gordon was a great character and always spoke his mind. He had lived in Cwmparc and was well-respected by all who knew him. He was delighted to have been elected to represent the people of Treorchy, Ynyswen and Cwmparc last year. We had a very moving funeral service for Gordon on Monday.You are subscribed to an RSS Feed from Leighton Andrews. You can send your views direct to Leighton via...
Co-operative Party via Leighton Andrews
The Wales Co-operative Party will have a fringe meeting at Welsh Labour conference next week and as a member of the party I look forward to speaking at it.I spoke at a very well-attended Co-op party meeting in Llanelli on Friday, where I made it clear that the Assembly coalition arrangements would not stop us taking the fight to Plaid Cymru in its heartlands in the upcoming local elections.In Rhondda Cynon Taff we will be fighting hard to expose the opportunism of the nationalists locally. I know colleagues in Carmarthenshire will be doing the same. The Welsh Assembly Government is a coalition, not a merger, and that won’t stop us fighting tooth and nail for every council seat.There are no ‘no-go’ areas for Labour in Wales. Labour can only win a majority in the 2011 Assembly...