If like me and many others you think the Cardiff welsh Assembly is nothing more than a very expensive talking shop that costs around half a billion quid every year to run and rising then vote to abolish it and go back to the welsh office that did exactly the same job for a fraction of the price. We don't need AM's we have MP's. It's nothing more than a job for the boys & girls who awarded themselves a huge pay rise (£11,000 each) and want to increase the manpower with another 40 am's.....We in wales are being ripped off big time.....VOTE TO ABOLISH IT......and let the welsh office run the whole of wales and not the assembly who favors spending most of our money in Cardiff....
You have a point Dai, but in the current circumstances I'd prefer to keep it purely to see Dodgy Dave's smug grin wiped off his face as he is forced to deal with Carwyn Jones. The Tories have no mandate in Wales, so despite all its faults, it does give the people of Wales a voice and a little bit of independence on certain issues. The money it costs may seem a lot, but the GB Government wastes BILLIONS on other issues which would more than adequately cover the cost of the Assembly.
News flash PGF, if Labour lose just ONE seat (as they deserve to if you look at their appalling track record) they lose power. Trust me, dealing with Carwyn Jones is like debating a sheep. Lovely guy but thick as **** and completely inept. But I tend to agree. There's no appetite in Wales for independence or even a devolved Government. I suspect if there was a referendum now it would be abolished. The worrying thing is that it keeps getting more and more powers.
That to me is no reason to keep this insular, inept in power.bunch of halfwits in power The voice you hear is Cardiff yet again pleading poverty and that their needs override the rest of Wales .The sooner this lot are dislodged then hopefully the inbalance of spending will be addressed .
I listened to that debate last night by all the political leaders and im more convinced now we dont need the assembly and all the wasteful expence is occures that can be better spent fairly for the whole of wales and not just cardiff and surrounding areas.....
Dai you have failed to mention that both Labour and Tory governments in London have failed Wales. So should we call to abolish the London parliament? The abolish Welsh Assembly callers can’t recognise the people voted to form the Welsh Assembly. With a second more powers vote ended with a resounding yes, the people of Wales have now spoken twice. Change the party in government not the elected political body. There is definitely a case to make the Assembly more accountable, but we need some autonomy here in Wales, and however bad the Assembly is it symbolises a road to freedom from English interference and oppression..............
Its nothing more than a gravy train for those who work there dragon. Changing parties wont make a blind bit of difference it will still be nothing more than an expensive talking shop. What real powers do they have to justify wasting half a billion pounds just to run it......The Welsh office did a better job there in parliament where the government could not ignore wales instead of allocating money to the assembly where most goes on admin and not to the services it should be going. Why do we need AM's we have MP's who's job it is to represent Wales we dont need another expensive institution to represent us in a talking shop. the money can be better spent and the gravy train will stop...
The most important thing going on in Wales at this time is Tata Steele isn't it? Then why has this seemingly been covered with a sheet and pushed into the back room of Welsh politics. Disgustingly, its been pushed aside in favour of the self glorification and loathsome self promotion of a herd of ineffective, pig ignorant, bastard AM's, currently intent on luxury limousineing themselves around Wales in order to get fed for free while giving bite size blow jobs to a gaping press. The very last embers of heavy industry in Wales are about to go out for ever and AM's are vogueing for votes. That's what I think, but I'd so much like to think differently and have pride in a semi elected Welsh administration, so please, someone, educate me. WHAT DO AM's DO FOR WALES? WHAT HAVE AM's DONE FOR WALES? HOW MUCH DO AM's COST WALES? I can think of only one thing the Welsh Assembly has done which is this: Purposefully slowed down and derailed the Tidal Lagoon proposals and development; by not showing for scheduled meetings, by insisting all documentation be bi-lingual, even exempt Scientific reports. When the proposals were originally heard a 'vehicle of intent' was announced. It was advised that a Welsh Assembly backed and funded quango, 'board of investigate', be commissioned to unpick first proposal. The board of course would be based "in Cardiff" Almost simultaneously, with seemingly zero investigation at all, the new board suggested that an alternative site be found for discussion purposes and comparison to the original Swansea based site. It was proposed, off the tops of their heads of course, that this site could be erm, cough! cough! Cardiff Bay for instance. And that's where we are now with that one. Just my view peeps and as always, don't take anything I say for fact, I don't think I have but I may well have missed things but, please help me with my research into "What have the fekkin Romans done for us"
I'm hot a great supporter of the Welsh Assembly, but I think you're points above are unfairly blamed on them. The TATA issue hasn't been helped by the British Government or European Parliament, never mind the Welsh Assembly. As for the Tidal Lagoon, it's failure has more to do with the fact that the companies hoping to benefit from it haven't got the money to set it up in the first place.
......................and every decision you live under will be made by Dodgy Dave or the grey suits in Brussels..
Yes, news flash because you said that Cameron would be concerned about being forced to "deal with" Carwyn. There's no guarantee Labour can win overall power, in fact it's unlikely, and as I know Carwyn personally I can assure you Cameron will not be concerned at all. Welsh Labour have consistently failed to fight the corner of Welsh people since the Assembley's inception. Time for a change.
You quite right PGF, none of this is their fault but my point is what this semi-elected, because hardly anyone voted for them, National Assembly of Wales physically doing to alleviate concerns. They tell us that they have broad powers but this TATA crises simply proves my point that they have none. If they have none then why do they expensively exist. TATA is a major national issue as well as a major local issue yet the Assembly are powerless to do anything. The Assembly is purported to be a political entity with power but is showing it is powerless on both local and national issues and all they actually appear to be doing is using the TATA crisis to bat for votes. So, I return to my question. What do AM's do? Re the Lagoon, not sure that's totally correct re investment but not I'm 100%. I do know that an investor pulled out and another had to be found and was found. I also know that the proposal is not anywhere near the 'commit' stage, its still at revue but, even at revue stage it appears that the initial proposal has suffered interference from AM's. They have without proper investigation decided to complete a study to the viability of the Lagoon Cardiff Bay, essentially shelving without due consideration the Swansea Bay proposal. RE investment, the majority investors are private and their investment will stand regardless of the lagoons' location. The only change in the investment would come from the public subscription taken up by interested residents of Cardiff over the previously interested residents of Swansea if it were built in Cardiff. Without European funding it wont happen at all and again my question arises, What do AM's do?
What exactly does the WAG do ? I genuinely don't know ,do they spread the wealth no , do they look outside the enclave called Cardiff ,no .They did introduce the 5p plastic bag charge , free prescriptions ,opt out for organ donation which means you have to opt out not declare you're an organ donor .all wonderful stuff but really does that warrant a secondary assembly costing millions in wages & expenses and the bloody cost of the building what a joke that is . Dodgy Dave or smarmy Blair or who ever sits in No 10 still has a bigger influence on my life than that lot of shysters
Because hardly anyone voted for them? - You could apply that same principle to the UK Government. The Welsh Assembly has very limited powers, I think we all agree on that. Should it exist? More regions/cities are now getting devolved powers, which comes at a significant cost to the taxpayer. Peoples opinions will differ as to whether the cost justifies their existence Whats do AM’s do? Get pissed and argue – the same as MP’s in London Lagoon – If they had the cash, it would be up and running. The truth is they have bitten off more than they can chew and the UK Government wont give them the subsidy they require. Added to that they have underestimated the effect they will have on all of the **** out in the Bay after 200 years of copper, lead and zinc waste has been washed down the Tawe and you literally have a toxic mix of economic factors which is why the scheme is currently going nowhere.
Why not abolish the London government and be governed directly from Brussels..........................
Is he? Because he comes across as an arrogant, patronising bully when interviewed or during First Ministers questions etc.
