Labour's Ynys Môn Assembly candidate woes

With just seven months to go until next May's Welsh Assembly elections, the Druid has been hearing a lot of rumours from the Labour camp that they are seriously struggling to find a good candidate for Ynys Môn. Three potentials with strong links to Anglesey have already ruled themselves out -- obviously not wishing to expend either their energy or political capital fighting Ieuan Wyn Jones; And who can blame them when you consider that Labour were beaten into a poor third place at the last elections in 2007, trailing IWJ by 6,000 votes. Furthermore, in a clear indication of how us Islanders vote in very different ways at different elections -- and how important personalities are above party affiliations -- Labour have seen their share of the vote on the Island decline at each Assembly election since 1999, in direct contrast to their Westminster election results here.

In conclusion -- in a knock to their chances at next year's Assembly elections -- its looking increasingly likely that Labour on Ynys Môn will have to look 'over the bridge' and draft up a candidate from Cardiff or even further afield.