It has just been announced by the BBC that the Welsh Country Foods abattoir in Gaerwen will make
We can now add these to the long list of Anglesey redundancies over the past couple of years:
- Anglesey Country Foods, Gaerwen - 181 jobs (April 2010)
- Anglesey Aluminium, Holyhead - 450 jobs
- Eaton Electric, Holyhead - 250 jobs
- Eastman Chemical Company (Peboc), Llangefni - 100 jobs
- Vion - Llangefni plant went down to one shift - 140 jobs
- Menai Electrical, Gaerwen - 50 jobs
Anglesey Country Foods, Gaerwen - 200 jobs (January 2010)
The total now stands at
These further job losses underline how important the coming election will be for Anglesey's future. What the Island needs now is jobs - lots and lots of jobs - and somebody with the experience and vision to help create them. We can't afford to continue with the ineffectual, responsibility-dodging Albert Owen - yet the bookies' favourite, Plaid Cymru's Dylan Rees, is no better. He has worked in the public sector all his life and has zero business nous. Neither of them have the experience, ability or business vision to help reconstruct Anglesey.
UPDATE: Embarrassing climb down time. As a commenter correctly points out below these are not 181 new redundancies but the confirmation of the 200 possible redundancies first announced by the company in January. I'm afraid I got the wrong end of the stick when I posted about it last night. Apologies to all for any confusion. However, this is still bad news and doesn't change the thrust of my argument above.
16 comments:
What an useful, thought provoking and fairly accurate website (I've only just found it!!). Shame on me, especially as I used to be so politically active in the past (how sweet the memories I have of those exciting times). I agree entirely with the analysis as regards the present MP for Anglesey - a partisan, ineffectual, anti-Welsh language (I still have the proof if he want to persue and raise it), fantasist who seems to live in his own world (comparing today with the 80s/90s and stating that Anglesey is better off today after 13 years of Labour domination/government in both London and Cardiff is as dishonest as it is totally incredibly untrue). The Druid is equally diengenuous in his own analysis that Ieuan Wyn Jones is equally to blame for the Island's woes - the most obvious reason being that IWJ has not been part of the government that has ruled Anglesy from Wales and London for most of his 23 years as AM and MP - with most commentators praising his handling of the Welsh economy in seriously difficult times since being deputy First Minister. As for Peter Rogers - well what can you say about a man that was completely ineffective in the Assembly and even more ineffective at Anglsey County council - which probably says it all!. He should hang up his gloves and boots - no one wants a raving, froth mouthed empty vessel as an MP (or Councillor even) as he is completely negative and disruptive and has nothing positive to offer. The Druid should look into the past relationship between Peter Rogers and Albert Owen - the only analysis I would make (and I have predicted every Anglesy election result correctly 'on instinct') is that there has been an unknown and informal agreement betwen them to work together to keep out Plaid Cymru in the past. It may yet work again this time round if the electorate are again blidned into beleiving that Peter Rogers can win - but I think that the electorate are more sophisticated and will see through the Peter Rogers 'stalking horse' card this time round (his age and past record will catch up with him - he's said so many times he would win but hasn't, and he certainly won't this time either) , and Albert Owen's incredibly blinkered and partisan view that 'Anglesey's situation is not my/Labour's fault but Plaid and the Tories' is equally so see-throughable'. Interesting times and I await to see if my prediction will be right!!
Whever wins has got one hell of a mountain to climb, most of us support Peter Rogers to get back at Ieuan who has led us all nowhere, there seems to be a popular myth that Ieuan is some sort of Welsh Hero, who can lead his Country and people into the promised land, where, really we are all existing in a land full of poverty, with no future, no jobs and all Ieuan does is blame someone else, he was in the Assembly, he wa sin Parliament, and his contribution to the future of this Country is based on popular myths and living in the past.
If we don't get this right, this time, we will really be hammered, forget the banking crisis, the expenses, the really problem will be a lost generation, of idle youth, of wasted youth, of wasted opportunities and no gain at all.
We cannot depend on Wyfa B to pull us out of this mess, we need to encourage more and more employers to move in, even if they have no carrot to entice them, make anytging to attract them here, just get them here, to give our youngsters a chance to work and learn a skill.
We cannot afford to have losers in charge again, Ieuan has messed up, Albert blames Ieuan, they blame each other but never blame themselves.
We are at a crossroads, our destiny is in our own hands, do we vote for the past, the same old party, Ieuan and Albert co-existing in mutual harmony, or do we take a chance and stike out forward with a new goal a new party? It's your choice, but what ever happens, let's all learn from the disasters the Two cronies have created.
When will the Druid come out in favour of Peter Rogers? Come on, Druid - show your hand! It's pretty obvious to all that you're a right wing leaning supporter of Rogers.
Why the silence?
Whoever the Druid supports, is no business of mine, but this is the best blog to cover the politics of Anglesey, it's well written and well read, contributors are fair and honest, the blog isn't influenced by the two dodgers, Ieuan the joskin and fat boy slim Albert.
Peter Rogers is standing up and defending the rights of Welsh Voters against the wishes of the other incompetent parties, the same fools who stood by and watched good jobs leave the island, the same fools who watched the Council implode after one scandal after the other, some of us want a change, a change of mantra, a change of thinking a change of living.
These are just the basic things we need, we cannot carry on with this political mess, we have to get rid of the lot, and thoroughly disinfect the whole island of the political vermin that have devastated us all.
But no we can't, we all prefer to live in ghettos, surrounded by walls and barbed wire, and everything controlled and given to us by the Filth in Control, we cannot exist like this for much longer, Albert doesn't care, he doesn't listen, Ieuan only listens to his own bleatings, we need someone who cares and listens, before we all face extinction.
This is why we all support Peter Rogers.
Has the Druid considered that the local MP does not have some kind of mythical power over job losses?
Sure having a good MP helps and especially one that can fight for local interests, but the actual economic condition of Ynys Mon is dependent on all kinds of factors.
Anon 1 - I thank you for your compliments but I'm afraid that I can't agree that we should somehow pardon IWJ because "he has not been part of the government". He's represented these islands for 23 years and we have had no benefit for that. Neither do I agree that most commentators have praised his handling of the welsh economy. Its simply not true - Wales has been hit harder than any other part of the UK during this recession apart from Northern Ireland. IWJ seems to spend more time on leading his party and not enough time sticking up for the voters who elected him. I'm afraid this Island doesn't need an ornament like him.
Anon 3 - that would be telling! Besides the point of this blog is to set out the facts as well as I can marshall them and then let people make up their own minds.
Anon 4 - I agree - we can't carry on like this.
Anon 5 - That argument might wash in an 'average' constituency - but Anglesey is the poorest single region in the whole of the UK. Our MP (and AM) needs to be someone who can both give an effective voice to the Island in parliament and be a driving force and local figurehead for change back here. Neither Albert Owen or IWJ fulfil those roles - and we can't afford to elect another waste of space like Dylan Rees either.
Sorry message to Anon 5 was actually for Illtyd Luke. Apologies.
The Druid says "This comes on top of 200 job losses that were announced by the same company in January" - so that 381 jobs
In January they announced consultation for possible jobs losses (90 days) of 200 and after which they announced actual job losses of 181. Still bad but to clarify that's 181 jobs not 381 jobs
Please Mr Druid check you facts
Anon - you are quite right. I apologise and have amended the post above.
Yes even 181 jobs losses is bad, thank you for correcting your post and being magnanimous about it
For every job lost, that is another family facing destitution, there are no other jobs to go to, nor any other employer willing to come here and take them on, these are dark days, these are hard times, and who do we blame for this mess, we blame the fools who govern us, a fool of an MP and an idiot for an AM, both of whom have NOT tried hard enough to save these jobs. The Government who bailed out the Banks and wasted all the tax payers money, should had bailed out these Employers, to save Jobs, it's that simple. Any struggling Employer who was desperate NOT to shed jobs, should had been able to have a subsidy or loan from the Welsh Assembly to keep the business going and to keep the employers. Why didn't this happen? Because teh clowns we have have no idea how business works in the real world, any sane man would know that the most important thing to do is to invest in their people, when was the last time Ieuan and Albert invested in us, all they have invested in, is their own snouts in the expenses trough.
We need investment in Anglesey now, and a party that will increase the tax on imported lamb from outside of Europe, so that our farmers can have a decent chance to make a living and not try to survive on handouts and benfits.
Farmers make great politicians, but politicians make poor farmers.
Fergie bach
Its obvious that i've hit a raw nerve somewhere. Irrespective of the arguments about the AM and MP (I do think the MP is a copmlete idiot by the way), those of you arguing that Peter Rogers would do a better job are living in cloud cuckoo land. He was ineffectual as a Regional AM last time round - most people in the Assembly either ignored or laughed at his rambling contributions. He is equally ineffectiual and totally on his own at Anglesey County Council - can anyone tell me what he's actually achieved for Anglesey as a Councillor? If the answwer is nothing or not much (its nothing actually, as all he does is rant and rave like a demented lunatic) well what are the chances of him achieving anything as an Independent MP in Westminster? Exactlly - nowt, absoloutely nothing, ziltch. By the way Druid, my argument as regards IWJ was that although he has been MP or AM for 23 years he has not been part of the policy making and decision taking government for the great majority of that time - and its government decisiions and priorities that can make a difference to the economy etc. Peter Rogers would be in exactly the same position and not even a member of any party (or would he re-joint the Tories if he won - God forbid!). The present fool of an MP has been a member of the Party that has governed Wales from Cardiff and London for the best part of a decade and more - so he cannot blame others for Anglesey's job losses and economic situation, as he constantly tries to do. I disagree with the Druid's analysis as regards IWJ's performance as Deputy First Minister - sorry but he he has been praised, but I guess its to do with what political perspective you adopt and what your own political leanings are! Anyway, keep up the good work Druid - i don't have to agree with you, but this website is still excellent.
Fergie Bach - I agree with you that neither our MP or AM have been as active as they should have been in trying to save jobs. As the poorest constituency in the UK, our representatives have to be constantly and visibly providing leadership on the Island. A role neither of them fulfil.
Anon - True, its good to have commenters like yourself who provide a contrary argument. Keeps my wits sharpened! I may come back to IWJ's handling of the economy in a separate post and look forward to your further comment.
May I just say this is the first time I have seen this site and I am very impressed, it is good to see some real sense being discussed about the politics on Anglesey, well by some people! Labour and Plaid have failed miserably to do anything although they blame everyone else for that fact. I am surprised that Albert hasn't blamed the Romans yet although there is time.IWJ is interested in his own position and doesn't give a damm for his constituents.Peter Rogers is completely gaga and pointless. I think the tide is turning for the Tories and that is what the man on Main Street is saying. Give them a chance
Sorry - but which main street are you talking about here? Its certainly not the word on the streets I walk - especially as the Tory candidate is a complete unknown 'outsider' who has been parachuted in last minute to cover an embarassing climb down by the previous Tory candidate (and exactly why would you campaign for a number of years only to withdraw a couple of months before the election - sounds like trouble in the Tory camp to me). I agree with your analysis of Mr Gaga though - he's had his chance and blown it, and I've already agreed with those who state that the present MP is a fool who blames everyone for Anglesey's ills but his own party who just happen to be in Government in both Wales and London. He blames everyone who point out the dire situation on Anglesey or who disagrees and challenges him of..'talking Anglesey down' - which is hilarious as its exactly what he did as a candidate and before becoming the MP. Its strange however that people attack IWJ, as he's not the Plaid candidate for a start - and Dylan Rees seems to be the steadiest and sanest of all the others, even if he isn't that dymnamic.
Anon - sorry, I have had to delete your post as you mention one allegation which cannot be substantiated. I will copy and paste the rest of your comment with that part redacted here:
"Many simply do not understand how or why Plaid Cymru have selected Dylan Rees to stand as a candidate for Plaid in this election. Have they not looked into this man's past at all? Dylan Rees is one of the laziest, most incompetent and cowardly individuals I and many others have had the misfortune to have had to work with whilst he was a serving Police Officer in North Wales Police. I see from his web site that one of his pledges is to tackle law and order on Ynys Mon? He was at best totally ineffective and at worst completely incompetent when he was a Police Inspector at Holyhead when he was in a position to really make a difference and where it mattered. For Dylan Rees to say he intends tackling law and order on Ynys Mon is a farce and a complete misrepresentation. His previous track record and lack of ability is pretty clear for all to see. This candidate is a fraud and he is in this election just for the £65K salary he will get. He lacks ability or integrity and Plaid may well have shot themselves in the foot by selecting him. Dylan Rees couldn't hack it as a Police Officer when he had a real opportunity to clear up Holyhead and deal with real criminal behaviour which is why he resigned. He really is NOT a credible, competent candidate for any political party in a general election least of all Plaid Cymru. I am a Plaid supporter but will not be able to bring myself to vote for this man who is surely of the very poorest calibre of political candidate both personally and in terms of any actual ability. I suspect the people of Ynys Mon, especially those who have personal experience of Mr Rees, are far wiser in terms of their political acumen than Plaid Cymru give them credit for and I suspect they have far more sense than to vote for this Plaid Cymru lame duck. [REDACTED] - is this the kind of person the people of Ynys Mon REALLY want as their constuency MP? One can only hope not... I thought the whole idea was to clean up politics in this country not promote totally unsuitable candidates like Mr Rees which only serves to make confidence in our members of parliament much worse.... Plaid have really messed up with this candidate and are likely to pay a heavy price for selecting him. More's the pity..."
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