Morgan out, Price in, musical ...

... chairs at Plaid.

BBC report, my prediction....

Adam Price, ...

... one-time politician, separatist, adviser [to Leanne Wood] who likes to talk a great deal, had much to say this Christmas.

... but when the blue smoke is driven away by the breath of sanity, and the Plaid mirrors covered with a cloth of reality, there is very little substance remaining.

It is where he is reported as saying :

"As a nation we lack self-confidence because of the weakness of our economic position."

... it begins to unravel, much like a woollen thread caught on a briar.

... the only lack of self-confidence is with our lack-lustre politicians.

... he continued :

"Nations that lack self-confidence do not tend to back independence."

... over optimism here, with only a few percentage of the population interested in separation he could have written :

"People who realise separatism only changes the face of government, do not tend to back independence."

Not content with boring the pants off readers who might stumble on his particular politics he goes further, presumably to send people to sleep :

Wales is the only one of them [ the regions of Catalonia, the Basque Country, Scotland and Flanders ] where independence isn’t realistically on the current agenda, for a combination of historical, economic and demographic reasons.

I'm afraid Mr Price needs a reality check, its not a combination of reasons we choose not to join the separatist movement, its straightforward, we feel more at home with Britain than a

 "Price-Wise Wales" !

... a magnificent mediocre piece of Plaid rhetoric by ...

... Wood and Company, I sense the hand of moderators, I sense the hand of Price shackled by the Plaid faithful afraid who fear her triumphant victory earlier this year ....

 ... during June this year Wood announced:

Wales will be independent within a generation and part of a British "neighbourhood of nations".

... this weekend Plaid-speak is of:

• A new mutual[s] bringing together the best of the skills of the public and private sectors to push forward a Welsh New Deal in order to kick-start the economy.
• Establish a home grown series of new finance institutions to fill the void left by the London-based banks’ reluctance to lend to fledging businesses.
• Seek to create tax breaks for pension funds investing in Wales.

 Maybe Plaid-speak should be replaced by Politico-speak, because the words lack the virtue that honesty brings to a conversation.

The mutual is not the creature of politics, it is the manifestation of the working man and woman deciding to take the future into their own hands, occasionally the mutual might be the creation of a philanthropist, John Spedan Lewis created the John Lewis Partnership, so how does the Wood-Price partnership propose to create this brave new mutual world from the markets of the world.

Much like the mutual vision, the Politico-speak of the Wood-Price partnership is a shallow pond of political thought floating on the assumption that the electorate are in a permanent state of sleep.  Why do I believe this, well, creating new financial institutions requires capital, the only way a politician has to create such a beast is to either fund it with our taxes or to guarantee its borrowings with our taxes.  This is close to deception.

Tax breaks from the creatures of the left, this has to be an oxymoron, its not tax breaks that the electorate are looking for, its tax equality, we need all tax breaks to be removed, we need taxes to be paid by everyone and every organisation ...


No stakeholder politics from Plaid, I wonder what Carwyn Jones is planning for the peoples of Wales?


... but going back to Woods predictions of independence within a generation,there's nothing from Brecon to encourage the Plaid Party faithful or worry Plaid's political adversaries, Plaid is regressing to its activist past .................

Thank the Lord for Blaidd, who ...

... wrote at WalesHome :

January 6, 2012 at 9:45 am

Of course Welsh speakers are more culturally Welsh than non-Welsh speakers. Most people have a mental map of unique ‘Welshness’ that goes something like this…
Welsh-speaking > Valleys > Swansea > Cardiff/Barry/Newport > Marches

 

His is a view skewed ......... to read the Plaid-centric (Adam Price) debate leap here ........

Myself I wonder how "culturally Welsh" should be defined, in fact, in the 21st century is there a "culturally Welsh" identity that stands out and above those other cultural definitions, myself I doubt it, in the grey homogeneous world we live in culture can spiral between Holywood, the ubiquitous X-Box and Albert square, it is probably the reason why Plaid have failed miserably in political Wales, cultural nationalism in our green and pleasant land would need to be a multi-faceted gem, with one facet for each person on the electoral role ...........

Independence ... now Plaid looks out of the abyss ...

... into the eyes of the electorate, an electorate which will demand answers for so long shrouded in blue smoke as activists waved a mirror,   "Independence Day".

... as leanne dreams of being carried across the Rubicon to independence in Adams arms ......

No longer will misleading, duplicitous or frail justifications be accepted when outrageous claims are made, and now the Plaid eyes of the left will need to sharpen their pens and prepare their vision ...

... but lets ask the brigade of political poltroons to add a profit and loss column, because the truth is out there and the electorate deserve nothing less, what will independence cost the peoples of Wales.

On another matter raised at conference, we can now expect Plaid MPs to support Westminster in its quest to replace the building of a replacement for the nuclear power station at Wylfa on Anglesey, and when these MPs support Wylfa we can expect them to support the Nuclear programme with enthusiasm and vigour, in fact to support the notion that light is preferred to darkness.

... or will MPs follow in the footsteps of Jill Evans MEP and turn their backs on conference, as Evans has on the law!

The historian Suetonius, wrote that Caesar uttered the famous phrase ālea iacta est ("the die has been cast"), when he crossed the Rubicon with his armies, Caesars' treason was not punished for 5 years, how long before Plaid will receive a verdict by the electorate, about the same, 5 years.

... happy days !

... at the Plaid Cymru conference ...

... old friends meet up !

... the big question is whether Adam Price prefers "incognito" to coming out on stage as a (not so) surprise guest, as the politics of Plaid takes a lurch from the "left" to the "far left" to complement its "separatist agenda"

It was published, Plaid are ...

... in need of a constitutional change to move forward in their preferred direction, the separatist agenda, I wrote during June of the dream team, and during July of the abyss, both were very early predictions.

Now we have the musing of John Osmond, Director of the IWA, who writes at Click on Wales, that ...

... speculation within Plaid’s ranks that the Commission under Eurfyl ap Gwilym, Plaids economics advisor, established to examine the party’s future direction and strategy, may be tempted to recommend that the constitution be changed to allow someone outside the Assembly to become leader.

... and he quickly followed up with the justification ...

... the present system disenfranchises talented party members outside the Assembly. Those thinking in these terms usually point to the former Carmarthen East and Dinefwr MP Adam Price who, although presently undertaking a research fellowship at Harvard University, is widely regarded as an heir apparent for the leadership.

So my prediction for the Plaid Dream team of Price and Wood stands firm favourite ...

... and why not, Plaid are no different to the other political parties, theirs is a quest for power that Eurfyl ap Gwilym, a master pragmatist from the world of banking, will steer his party along a route that will appeal to the majority in his party,  a route preferred by the rank and file ...


... a route demanded by the next generation of the separatist agenda in Wales.  No rank and file, no party, simple.

Daube à la niçoise, nationalism and economics, ...

... a competition for a wet August day.

 

 

Serves 4, Prep: 35 min Cook: 2 hr

Ingredients

900g skirt/flank steak
2 tbsp olive oil
75g smoked streaky bacon, cut into lardons
1 bay leaf, few sprigs thyme, parsley and basil
2 large glasses red wine
2 red onions
2 large carrots
4 large vine tomatoes
2 oranges
6 garlic cloves
1 tbsp flour
2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley

Method 
 

Following the lines of the meat, slice into big pieces, approx 10x4cm. Heat the oil in a spacious, lidded stew-pan, such as one from Le Creuset. Brown the meat with the bacon, turning the pieces as they form a seal.
While that’s happening, bundle the herbs and tie with string. Place in a pan with the wine and simmer for 5 minutes. Halve and slice the onions. Scrape the carrots and cut into chunky pieces. Pour boiling water over the tomatoes, count to 30, drain and remove the skin. Cut into quarters, scrape out the seeds and chop the flesh. Remove the zest from one orange in small scraps. Crack the garlic with your fist, flake away the skin.
Stir the flour into the pan until it disappears. Add the onion, the wine and the herb bundle, zest and juice from the oranges, chopped tomatoes and 4 of the garlic cloves. Season lavishly with salt and pepper, stir and add sufficient water to just cover. Return to simmer. Turn off the heat, drape with parchment paper so it touches the stew, cover and cook in the oven at 180C/gas mark 6, for 2 hours.
Serve immediately, or reheat the next day. Garnish with the last two garlic cloves and the parsley, all finely chopped.

... many thanks to Lindsey Bareham and The Times.

Now over at Wales Home, the "separatist agenda" arch villain Adam Price has his day in court, it makes a very mundane read, apparently he is right and Higgitt is wrong, his familiar spirits will come out in force eventually, they work on the presumption that those who shout loudest win the contest.

 

Unfortunately for the world at large, Price and his familiars are unable to explain how the "separatist agenda" intends to creat its "shangri-la". Who was it that said "the first lesson of economics is scarcity: There is never enough of anything to satisfy all those who want it. The first lesson of politics is to disregard the first lesson of economics."

In a straight contest between Price and the Daube à la niçoise, the summer stew from the South of France wins hands down.

Update, apparently I am an extremist, according to Daran Hill, my wife said "that's from the man that talks the talk rather than walking the walk", then started laughing ... she's still laughing.

Plaid dream team, music to the ears of ...

... the extreme left wing of the "separatist agenda" (Plaid Cymru), and a blessing in disguise to the traditional political parties of Wales.

Whether it is wishful thinking of the nationalist buffoonery or reality in making, the report from Wales-on-line is food for thought, Plaid Cymru sidelined ex-MP Adam Price is reported to be contemplating a future party leadership bid in partnership with left-wing AM Leanne Wood, where in the future might have been the next question, but Plaid AM Lindsay Whittle is on record as writing "Whoever will be our new leader must now recognise it’s an interim post in my opinion."

I wrote during June of the dream team, and during July of the abyss, both were early predictions of the future Plaid Cymru leadership, it seems the insider at the headquarters of the "separatist agenda" has got it right, there has been talk of rule change as I wrote during July as confirmed by ...

...Plaid Cymru spokesman said it was too late for any rule change motion relating to the election of the party leader to be put before next month’s annual conference.

This would require a change in the party’s constitution, and would have to be submitted at least two months before conference by a party unit like a constituency or the Assembly group. Other units would then have the opportunity to submit amendments.

....... a spokesman for Ms Wood said: "Leanne is speaking to various people in the party before deciding whether to stand for the leadership."

Grist for the mill, much like the phoney war of the 1930's, the Nationalist and Socialist dream team are the perfect storm ..................

Plaid has looked into the abyss, and ...

... the abyss has looked right back.  The abyss that looks back is British politics, Plaid politico has become just another political party of the left in Britain, fortunately for Britain, and unfortunately for Plaid, Britain has the Labour Party warts and all.

With Plaid politico relegated to the backwaters of North West Wales, there remains Plaid buffoonery, the party in the park, the pig in a poke that appeals to the disturbed, the "Separatist Agenda".  The separatist agenda is the wedge that has begun the process of destruction for the Plaid Cymru of 2011, what will rise phoenix like out of the ashes.

I have a single source within Plaid politico, and this source confirms that moves are being made by the buffoonery to change the rules that only allow an elected member of the party to lead Plaid Cymru, it is understand that during the autumn conference a move to change the constitution will be made.

The preferred candidate of the buffoonery is ner do well "Price of the USA", there is of course a fan club for the man, Bethan Jenkins and Leanne Wood to name two politicians and the political journalist Betsan Powys whom many believe to be a closet nationalist on first name terms with MH the buffoon in chief amongst Plaid political blogs, in the wings we can find ex-plaid chair John Dixon who might be considered the early catalyst for the Plaid disintegration when he resigned the chair.

Peter Black highlighted the poor quality of Plaid politicians earlier today, when he highlighted our erstwhile Plaid politician Bethan Jenkins calling Martin Shipton by the name of Matt Withers, she was twittering at the time, could that be the excuse of a twit.

For those whose studies did not include Nietzsche, he's a tricky sucker at the best of times, his abyss is explained to us normal mortals as ...

"The abyss looks back at you means that when you begin to know something that is fundamentally different from yourself, you take a piece of it with you and it changes you."

Plaid has changed and the young turks want it back.

Not so much a dragon, more a ...

... pink pussy with a forked tongue, a pussy coming from America with an agenda to rally the faithful, maybe it's those rose-tinted glasses he's wearing because reality, the truth, presents a far less romantic picture.  But read the paper first.

For Welsh speakers, Adam Price hasn't presented the paper in Welsh, probably because its original audience was Harvard; an unfortunate state of affairs.

The paper, it is based upon a comparison of apples and oranges, small versus large, all to support the premise that "independence" is the best option for Wales in part because small is beautiful.  He bats a very sticky wicket at paragraph 2 where he writes ...

Faced with the prospect of a people choosing its own destiny and charting its own course, the champions of the status quo gravely intone that such a move would not be economically viable. Without the colonial country as benefactor, we’re told, the small could never survive.

... I'm afraid he has taken too long a sojourn in the America's, things in Britain have taken a turn for the better, we have had a referendum and gained devolved powers, we have had an election that pushed the separatist agenda further into a political corner, some say backwater, and our government in Westminster threw off the illusion of British Empire and colonialism by offering responsibility through tax-raising powers, the various peoples of Britain have yet to accept the responsibilities offered by its elected members of parliament.

For the discerning economists of Wales it is of interest that Price uses a comparison between Luxembourg, a country, with the Saarland, a region of Germany, not so much apples and oranges, more chalk and cheese.

...Plaid's Ieuan Wyn Jones must hang in there ...

... otherwise the leadership plans laid down three years ago would come to nothing.

The young turks of nationalist Wales are calling for immediate change at the top, unwittingly the foot soldiers who are desperate for a charge towards independent Wales are preventing Plaid Cymru leadership from controlling the process of change.

Calls from certain activists not long out of nappies (napkins, diaper's) are putting forward Leanne "left of Lenin in the march towards a red sunset" Wood, read all about her here, what a coup for all things Unionist, can you imagine her giving her best at Plaid Cymru conference, her 19th century politics of the left coupled with separation ... bring it on Woody.

So what are the leadership plans, look towards the man who said :

"..... So let’s today salute them: dissenters, the mavericks and heretics, pioneers and prime movers."

...... the man who meant :

As long as the "dissenters, the mavericks and heretics, pioneers and prime movers" agree with his narrow and perverse view of our world.

... Adam Price.

Adam Price said ...

... at his graduation ceremony ...

"..... So let’s today salute them: dissenters, the mavericks and heretics, pioneers and prime movers."

As long as the "dissenters, the mavericks and heretics, pioneers and prime movers" agree with his narrow and perverse view of our world.

... much like his local acolytes .....

Whereas in our real world we have words from Nick Bourne, former leader of the Welsh Conservatives who said ...

But for Welsh Conservatives, it has never been about the trappings of office. We’ve fought hard in opposition to represent the concerns of everyone in Wales, and in doing so, we’ve gained the trust of more and more voters in Wales. But ultimately, we can only make good on the promises we make in government. We must never lose sight of the need to appeal to the entire nation as we aspire to lead the whole nation. And that must remain our aim.

Read the whole text here.