Anglesey Plaid: "surprised and disappointed" with Ieuan Wyn Jones

The Daily Post headline

The Leader of the Plaid Cymru group within Anglesey County Council, Cllr Bob Parry, has slammed Ieuan Wyn Jones's decision to support postponing elections on Ynys Môn.

In the Daily Post he says, "It is very disappointing and surprising that the party have gone against the views of its local members who have opposed the delay". As Cllr Parry apparently didn't know about the decision until afterwards, one has to wonder who Ieuan Wyn Jones consulted prior to making his decision. The Daily Post reports that he wrote to the Minister supporting the postponement "on behalf of the party's constituency committee". Judging by Cllr Parry's surprise, we can only conclude that this committee is too august a body to include Cllr Parry, who is after all only Deputy Leader of the council and Leader of the Plaid Cymru group.

Ieuan Wyn Jones's letter to Carl Sargeant apparently says that the delay in the presentation of the Boundary Commission's proposals for Ynys Môn meant that there was little option now but to defer the elections for 12 months. A better question surely would be to ask, "why have the boundary commission's proposals been so delayed?" Or "why are these far reaching boundary changes being rushed through on Ynys Môn with only four weeks consultation when the rest of Wales will have four years?"

It is the Welsh Government and Boundary Commission's responsibility to meet the deadlines of local democracy, not vice versa.

++ Ieuan Wyn Jones eagerly "reluctantly" supports postponement of Ynys Môn local elections ++

As was obvious following his side-stepping of the issue last month, Ynys Môn AM Ieuan Wyn Jones has today written to Welsh Local Government Minister Carl Sargeant to say he "eagerly reluctantly" supports the postponement of Anglesey's local elections to 2013. By throwing his support behind Labour in the Senedd, this means that Ynys Môn residents will almost certainly be denied the opportunity to vote in local elections this May with the rest of Wales. Both the Welsh Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have joined forces to oppose any postponement — with Plaid Cymru's support Labour would not have been able to force a postponement.

This means that if you...

• object to the performance of your local county councillor
• object to Ynys Môn setting a 5% council tax rise (most likely the largest council tax hike in Wales and big enough to trigger a local referendum in England)
• object to not having a say in where the £4.3 million savings Ynys Môn has to find in local services fall
• object to Anglesey council's plans to introduce monthly bin collections
• object to the huge increase in applications to erect industrial-size Wind Turbines all over the Island
• object to other flawed faux-"renewable" schemes like the Peboc Biomass plant which will import wood all the way from Nova Scotia to burn in Llangefni (apparently to "cut" carbon emissions!)
• simply want to exercise your democratic right to vote at the same time as everyone else in Wales

...then thanks to Ieuan Wyn Jones you will no longer have the opportunity to have your voice heard at the Ballot box until 2013. By which time it will be too late.

It is also worth noting that in supporting the postponement of Ynys Môn's local elections, Ieuan Wyn Jones is going against:

• His own Plaid Cymru councillors on Ynys Môn council, who, out of principle, have explicitly opposed the postponement
• The former Plaid Cymru National Chair, John Dixon, who has said that the new electoral system on Ynys Môn is tantamount to "rigging the system"
• Every single town and community council on Ynys Môn, apart from Labour-controlled Holyhead Town council
• The Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA), including its Plaid Cymru members
• All Independent councillors on Ynys Môn council
• At least two of the five Labour councillors on Ynys Môn council
• The Welsh Conservative Party
• The Welsh Liberal Democrats

So why is Ieuan Wyn Jones supporting it? Because...

(a) he knows Plaid Cymru will probably gain the most new councillors through the new exclusively multi-member ward system being proposed for Ynys Môn; and 

(b) because he also knows the reduction down to 30 councillors will make Ynys Môn Council non-functional and is a precursor to rolling it up into a "Greater" Gwynedd council — thus creating a permanently Plaid Cymru controlled mega-council.

Mr Wyn Jones has in my view put narrow party political interests ahead of the interests of the people he represents.

Schism: Ieuan Wyn Jones and Ynys Môn's Plaid Councillors

IWJ: deliberately avoiding
the question

As reported in yesterday's Daily Post, Ieuan Wyn Jones has sought to completely sidestep the question of the whether he supports the postponement of local elections in Ynys Môn or not. This is what he is quoted as saying:

"Plaid Cymru’s Constituency Committee for Ynys Môn is carefully considering the plans for local government electoral changes on Anglesey. The document presented by the Boundary Commission needs to be thoroughly evaluated in view of the far-reaching proposals contained within it.
"We will not give a knee-jerk reaction like some other parties but give the proposals the consideration they deserve. We will be presenting our response before the deadline early in the New Year."

There is no question that the proposed boundary changes need to be considered carefully and in detail — nobody disputes that. However the issue is why is Ynys Môn only being given four weeks (over the Christmas period too) to consult on them whereas the rest of Wales will have four years? If Ieuan Wyn Jones considers that they should not be responded to in a "knee-jerk" manner and, indeed, that they will lead to "far-reaching" changes then why would he accept that we are only being given four weeks to consult on them? 

The fact remains that these boundary changes are being rushed through by the Minster in order to facilitate a postponed election in 2013 under new electoral arrangements designed purposefully to eliminate Independent councillors. This is not how proper, sustainable, organic "democratic renewal" should be brought about. Even Plaid Cymru's Ynys Môn councillors — those who notionally will gain the most from the proposed changes — have taken a principled stand against them. Furthermore Plaid Cymru's former Party Chair, John Dixon, has said unequivocally that he thinks the proposals amount to "rigging the electoral system" and has spoke out against them. Yet it seems clear from Ieuan Wyn Jones' side-stepping response to the Daily Post that he is prepared support a postponement and in so doing is ignoring both his own local Plaid Cymru councillors, and the best interests of Ynys Môn, in favour or securing narrow party advantage at a rigged and postponed local election in 2013.

In the meantime, certain commentators on this blog and elsewhere continue to support the proposed boundary changes and delayed elections on Ynys Môn. Below are the reasons why I feel they are wrong:

• The proposed reduction down to 30 councillors leaves too few for the council to operate effectively. Although a smaller reduction in numbers is warranted, a council of just 30 members will require that, on top of their duties to constituents, virtually all of them will need to take executive and portfolio positions, staff the various committees, attend to statutory obligations on police and fire associations, etc. This will mean in the short-term that being a councillor will become a full-time job; and in the long-term it will simply pave the way for rolling Anglesey up into Greater Gwynedd — something that is not in the best interests of Ynys Môn residents.
• For the above reason, younger people with jobs, mothers with small children etc. will not find it possible time-wise to fulfil their obligations as councillors and will thus be discouraged from standing for election. Reducing the amount of people able to stand for election is not conducive to 'democratic renewal'.
• A reduction down to just 11 new multi-member 'super-wards', spanning both urban and rural areas, could mean that all the elected members in one ward could come from just one small part of the ward (likely the urban parts) and thus be unfamiliar with the rest of their ward. This is not in the best interests of constituents.
• Similarly, these larger wards make it impossible for Independent councillors without Party backing to get elected. For example, the proposed ward of Central Anglesey has 5,829 electors and therefore approximately up to 3,000 households. Independent members will have no chance to canvass all of these households and sending out a leaflet would could cost upwards of £2,000 in printing and postage charges. Again reducing the pool of people able to stand for election is not conducive to 'democratic renewal'.
• As already discussed, why are these proposals being rushed through? The rest of Wales will get four years to consult on their boundary changes, Ynys Môn is getting just four weeks (over the Xmas period too thus effectively making it shorter). 
• Postponed elections will not allow issues like next year's council tax rises, cuts to services etc to be discussed and debated, nor will it allow all the Parties and candidates to set out their policy stalls in an election.
• Finally, as the WLGA says, all Welsh counties should be treated equally. The Minister is attempting to introduce an electoral system unique in Wales to achieve his own desired election result. That is wrong.

Decision time for Ieuan Wyn Jones

At an Extraordinary Meeting of Ynys Môn council this morning councillors unanimously agreed to resist both the proposed boundary changes and mooted postponement of next year's local elections on the Island. Significantly the two Labour councillors present, J Arwel Roberts and Raymond Jones, went against both Senedd colleague Carl Sargeant and their (absent) Labour leader on the Council, John Chorlton, in supporting the motion to reject the proposals.

Most importantly however for Carl Sargeant's chances of pushing his measure through the Senedd, Plaid Cymru's Ynys Môn Leader Bob Parry, and members of his group, also spoke passionately against the Welsh Government's proposals. Ieuan Wyn Jones told the Daily Post today in response to the news that both the Welsh Conservatives and Lib Dems will oppose the move, that he was "in discussions with Plaid councillors on Anglesey to consider a response". Now that his local councillors have clearly shown on which side they are on, will Ieuan Wyn Jones listen? And if so will he join the Welsh Conservatives and Lib-dems in blocking these proposals in the Senedd?

So, to help Ieuan Wyn Jones make up his mind, here is a ready reckoner of who is now for and against Carl Sargeant's proposals:

Against:

• The Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA)
• The Welsh Conservative Party
• The Welsh Liberal Democrats
• All Independent councillors on Ynys Môn council
• All Plaid Cymru councillors on Ynys Môn council
• At least two of the five Labour councillors on Ynys Môn council
• A clear majority of Ynys Môn's town and community councils
• The former Plaid Cymru National Chair, John Dixon

For:

• Carl Sargeant
• The Welsh Labour Party (presumably, though Labour members in the WLGA unanimously voted against the proposals, as did at least two Labour councillors on Ynys Môn)
• Holyhead Town Council

Those who apparently can't make up their mind even three weeks after Carl Sargeant made his announcement:

• Ieuan Wyn Jones

The 2013 Ynys Môn Local Election results today

After some weekend number-crunching, here are my predictions for the 2013 local elections on Ynys Môn, assuming that the proposed new boundaries are accepted:

     Plaid Cymru:     11 seats
     Independents:     7 seats
     Labour:              6 seats
     Conservative:     5 seats
     Lib Dems:          1 seat

This would most probably result in a Plaid / Labour coalition, and the installation of Plaid's Bob Parry as Leader and Labour's John Chorlton as Deputy Leader.

Clearly the big winners would be Plaid Cymru, which would explain why Ieuan Wyn Jones promoted multi-member wards as the solution to Ynys Môn's local government problems during the Assembly election hustings. As far as I can see, Labour will not gain as many new seats as they suppose, and will in all probability only win two of the three seats on offer in the new 'Holy Island Port' super-ward.

A closer look at the new proposed boundaries throws up some interesting facts. Below is a map of the current electoral boundaries and the parties which hold them:

Anglesey's current local electoral map
Red: LAB, Green: PC, Blue: CON, Yellow: LD, Grey: IND
Click to enlarge

And this is a map of the new proposed boundaries overlaid on the above current map:

Yellow lines indicate the new proposed boundaries.
Number of Councillors returned by each new ward in brackets.
Click to enlarge

Although a number of current wards are cut into two, including Bodorgan, Llanfihangel Ysgeifiog, Llanfair-Yn-Neubwll and Pentraeth, only one of the current wards is to be split across three of the new wards: Bodffordd. Its almost as if the Boundary Commission was trying to ensure that somebody with a powerbase in Bodffordd could never get elected again...

"Even more effective"

Despite quite a bullish podium speech following his election a week ago today, this afternoon Ieuan Wyn Jones announced the inevitable, i.e. that he is to step down as leader of Plaid Cymru "sometime within the first half of this Assembly term". This is actually good news for Ynys Môn as it means that, when he does relinquish the leadership sometime over the next 2.5 years, he will be able to devote 100% of his time and energy to actually representing Ynys Môn rather than to running a political party — a fact he himself tacitly admits by pledging at the end of today's announcement to "being an even more effective" Assembly Member for the Island.

About time.

P.S. To my readers from the early 19th century, this post is also available in semaphore here.

"This politician deserves your trust"

Many of you may have received the following leaflet from Ieuan Wyn Jones over the past few days:

...it includes the following bullet point:

If you are wondering why it doesn't name the 'Political Editor' or the 'National Newspaper' from which the quotation is taken, its probably because this is the original quote:

"Ieuan Wyn Jones is not the sort of leader to inspire adulation, but his role as Deputy First Minister has lent him more gravitas and allowed image makers to present him as a decent man who cares deeply, if not passionately, about his country. This was most apparent in the video unveiled at [Plaid Cymru's 2010] conference in which there are lingering shots of him looking thoughtful and concerned. This uncharismatic politician who used to be a country solicitor deserves your trust more than the flashy showmen who seduce you with their smarmy wiles until you recognise them for the shallow vessels they are, is the subliminal message."

Deserves your trust...? You decide.

An important day for Ynys Môn

Today will be an important day for Ynys Môn as WAG Local Government Minister, Carl Sargeant, will be releasing a written statement revealing the results of the recent emergency audit of Anglesey County Council and what steps he intends to take in consequence.

In the meantime its worth noting that the WAG Local Government Measure which will give WAG power to forcibly merge up to three Local Authorities — widely interpreted  as being an instrument designed to merge Ynys Môn and Gwynedd councils — was passed in the Senedd yesterday on the strength of Labour and Plaid Cymru votes. Both the Welsh Conservatives and Lib Dems voted against it.

As I noted last week, if Ieuan Wyn Jones is as opposed to a merger between Ynys Môn and Gwynedd as he claims, then the real test of his resolve would be whether he would instruct his AMs to vote against this enabling measure. He did not. Furthermore, he was not even in the chamber for the debate...

The irony.

At this evening's Wylfa B Project Liaison Group meeting, Ieuan Wyn Jones was at pains to press Horizon representatives -- in front of the assembled audience -- to ensure that local Welsh companies are able to compete and tender for multi-sized parcels of work.

I completely agree.

But considering Ieuan's desire to see local companies getting a fair bite of the procurement cherry...

• ...why was the construction of WAG's Llandudno Office for instance awarded to a non-local company?
• ...and why have local Welsh construction firms been excluded from tendering on numerous North Wales school building projects?

Don't do as I do. Do as I say.

Incidentally, by way of comparison, the Coalition Government has introduced measures which would ensure that SMEs get at least 25% of government contracts. I would like to see WAG introduce similar procurement rules here in Wales.

Struck by Lightning...

Over the last couple of years I wonder how many electric car makers have come specifically to Anglesey wanting to set up a manufacturing plant in Holyhead, potentially employing up to 400 people?

There must have been a great many because apparently our AM, Ieuan Wyn Jones, can't remember having met with one in September 2009 -- just as Anglesey Aluminium finally closed its gates with a loss of 450 jobs and three months before Holyhead's Eaton Electric also closed losing another 240 jobs. I would have thought that at a time of huge job losses in one of the poorest parts of Ynys Môn a clean tech, cutting edge company wanting to set up in Holyhead would have been welcomed with open arms by the Island's AM. Instead he is quoted in today's Holyhead and Anglesey Mail as saying, "I don't really remember the meeting"...

Following some leads I discovered through an FoI request that in September 2009 Ieuan Wyn Jones AM met with the management of Lightning Car Company together with senior councillors and officers from the economic development unit and Brynle Williams, "on the topic of startup electric car business on the island". According to Cllr Bryan Owen, who attended the meeting and was then the Economic Development portfolio holder, "They [Lightning] were very impressed with the port and road infrastructure. They were keen to move forward and it was left to the Assembly Government to come up with some funding and that's where it died a death as far as I'm aware".

Manufacturing opportunities need to be grasped with both hands when they come along. They provide the kind of mass work we need on this island, and they also require a mix of skilled, semi-skilled and low-skilled workers thus providing job opportunities across the board. Furthermore Electric cars may still be niche currently but they are undoubtedly the future of motoring and the sector will grow and grow from now on -- particularly considering the effect on oil prices due to the current turmoil in the Middle East. Imagine the symbolism of manufacturing electric cars on the 'Energy Island' -- it would have been a tremendous boost to the standing of Ynys Môn.

The final point to mention is that this company wanted to set up at Parc Cybi industrial estate (also known as Tŷ Mawr) just off junction 2 of the A55 in Holyhead. WAG poured millions of pounds into setting up the site, buying the land, connecting it with a fibre-optic internet connection, funding an (ongoing) archeological survey of the land, and putting in the road infrastructure to serve it. Yet several years after completion it is still completely empty; not a single company has set up there and the land is now only used for grazing. Parc Cybi is in effect the most expensive sheep grazing land in the whole of North Wales, and those sheep enjoy a better internet connection than 99% of the human inhabitants of this island!

IWJ: Words versus Deeds

Tucked away on page 20 of yesterday's Daily Post was a (somewhat long) Op Ed by Ieuan Wyn Jones setting out his position on the future of Anglesey County Council. I welcome that in response to some prodding in the press he has finally come out and explained his position, the essence if it being that although he feels "further intervention in the workings of the council is ... inevitable", he does not believe that "we have yet reached the position that the best interests of the council or the people of Anglesey would be served by the complete withdrawal of powers from elected councillors and the appointment of commissioners". However most importantly Ieuan Wyn Jones unequivocally states that he does "oppose a merger between Ynys Môn and Gwynedd, since it would not be in the best interests of either council". He has been very clear in words, but lets see if he will also follow through with action.

As it happens the new report on Anglesey Council by the Auditor General will be completed shortly and passed to WAG Local Government minister, Carl Sargeant. We don't know what it will say, but its possible that it could recommend that the problems at Ynys Môn are so intractable that a merger with a neighbouring authority should be looked into. That would be convenient for Sargeant as just next week the WAG Local Government Measure -- which currently includes the controversial powers to forcefully amalgamate local authorities -- will be debated by AMs again. An independent report from the Auditor General recommending the merging of Ynys Môn and Gwynedd would be useful ammunition for Carl Sargeant. The Conservatives and Lib Dems however are pledged to oppose the powers which would allow WAG to force council mergers -- therefore Carl Sargeant will only be able to get it passed if Plaid Cymru AMs support it.

If Ieuan Wyn Jones truly believes that Ynys Môn and Gwynedd should not be merged, will he instruct his AMs not to support this part of the Measure? That will be the true test of his commitment to preserve Ynys Môn.

An Open Letter to Ieuan Wyn Jones AM

Below is a copy of an open letter from myself to Ieuan Wyn Jones AM which was published in yesterday's Daily Post. Considering the continuing political problems at Anglesey County Council some people may think that forcing a merger with Gwynedd Council is a possible solution. I disagree. Due to the diligence and hard work of the staff Anglesey County Council's services are very good -- therefore Anglesey is by no means a failing council. To force a full merger of two independent Local Authorities -- with all the attendant turmoil that will cause -- for the sake of dealing with just a handful of troublesome councillors in one of them is, in my opinion, a massive overreaction. In the below letter I ask Ieuan Wyn Jones AM to rule out this option unless such a course of action is endorsed by a majority of residents in both counties.

"Following WAG’s decision to ask the Auditor General to re-inspect Anglesey County Council, we can justifiably conclude that Labour-Plaid’s vastly expensive intervention into the council has failed.

As Labour and Plaid Cymru AMs are currently forcing through legislation which will allow the Welsh Assembly Government to amalgamate councils with little or no public consultation, a new audit of the Council could simply provide cover for WAG to proceed with an unwanted merger of Ynys Môn and Gwynedd local authorities.

Although nobody objects to more cooperation between councils to cut costs, I believe that the majority of Anglesey residents are opposed to a full merger for the following reasons:

Firstly, Gwynedd needs to find £28.8 million in savings over the next four years compared to just £10 million in Anglesey - sharing this burden could result in more Anglesey services being cut. 

Secondly, council tax rates are on average £160 higher in Gwynedd meaning big rate hikes for Anglesey residents if they are harmonised. 

Thirdly, a full merger will place the jobs of many local authority staff in danger.

For these reasons I completely oppose any merger with Gwynedd Council and ask Ieuan Wyn Jones AM to answer following two questions:

1. Does he agree with his AMs that local authorities should be forcefully amalgamated without the consent of those effected?

2. Will he give an unequivocal statement that he will oppose a merger between Ynys Môn and Gwynedd unless it is endorsed by a majority of Anglesey residents?

Paul Williams

Welsh Conservative Assembly Candidate for Ynys Môn"

IWJ and Sargeant: no communication, no trust

Anglesey County Council Leader, Clive McGregor, has released the below statement setting out in considerable detail his side of the story.

Much of it is familiar, but for me the most striking revelation is how little Ieuan Wyn Jones and his WAG coalition partner Carl Sargeant must communicate with or trust each other. According to Clive's document both Ieuan Wyn Jones and Albert Owen sanctioned the new 30 member coalition (comprising of Labour, Plaid, Original Independents, and Menai Group -- and excluding Clive's Llais i Fôn group) which was announced last week. However it was the very formation of this coalition which was the impetus for Carl Sargeant to call for an immediate and emergency audit by the Wales Audit Office.

Is there no communication whatsoever between Ieuan Wyn Jones and Carl Sargeant? It is farcical for the WAG Deputy First Minister to "approve" a coalition and then for the WAG Local Government Minister to immediately veto it. Utter shambles.

Read the whole document below:
Clive McGregor Press Release1

Five months of inaction.

Amid much fanfare last July the WAG Minister for the Economy and our AM, Ieuan Wyn Jones launched his flagship "Economic Renewal Programme" (ERP), a fundamental rethink of WAG's economic development policies which, according to the bumf, aimed to make Wales "one of the best places to in the world to live and work".

The ERP is predicated upon moving away from a system of grants to one of repayable loans - something which I approve of. To do this the ERP superseded the Single Investment Fund (WAG's then central funding 'pot' for business support grants) which was then closed to new applicants on the same day that the ERP was announced.

Recently I made a Freedom of Information request to discover how many repayable loans had been made via the Economic Renewal Programme since its launch in July 2010.

Would anyone care to make a guess?

The answer is zero. Not a single repayable loan has been offered to a Welsh company in the seven months since the introduction of the ERP. Companies which were at an 'advanced stage' of their Single Investment Fund application were allowed further time to submit their applications by 31 August 2010 -- but since that date there has been no new business support funds available from WAG to any Welsh companies.

In other words despite the precariousness of the economic recovery, the Department for the Economy and Transport has effectively been a 'closed shop' for five months whilst it rearranges the deck chairs in setting up the sector panels which will eventually begin awarding repayable loans.

Remember that next time a Welsh company is in trouble and the Labour-Plaid coalition in Cardiff Bay points its finger at the Westminster government.

‘At what point are you going to recognise that what you do in terms of delivering business support is bad? It doesn’t work’

Open warfare has broken out between Labour and Plaid Cymru in Cardiff regarding Ieuan Wyn Jones's "mismanagement" of his Economy portfolio. In yesterday's Western Mail, various unnamed "senior Labour figures" are quoted as having said:

“Ieuan Wyn Jones is the One Wales weak link. This is not a party political attack – his handling of the economic brief during tough times has been absolutely shambolic. 

“He has lost the confidence and respect of Wales’ business community. Every businessperson I meet wants [former Labour Economy Minister] Andrew Davies brought back. Andrew understood the business community. Ieuan is out of his depth. 

“We hope his incompetence doesn’t reflect badly on Labour in May. There’s no reason why it should but we are very aware of the problem. Labour will have a strong offer for Welsh businesses at the time of the election.” 

A senior Welsh Labour MP said: “I’ve been very disappointed with the performance of Ieuan Wyn Jones. Even arranging a meeting with businesses in my constituency has proved impossible because he is not in control of his diary and is run by his officials. I hope he’s not in the job after May.” 

Another Labour AM said: “The gist of the criticism, which is widespread, is not about policy, so it is not a political attack in that sense. 

“The issue is with the management of the department: a total lack of engagement and understanding of the business community; a failure to respond to AMs and MPs in good time; a dismissive attitude towards local businesses experiencing problems.”

And its not just unnamed Labour sources who have been criticising Ieuan Wyn Jones' record as Minister for the Economy. South Wales businessman Paul Ragan, who sold his insurance business for £20m in 2008, is also quoted in the same article as saying:

“I’ve had an immense amount of feedback from businesses in Wales. The widespread view is that it’s a shame Ieuan Wyn Jones does not see that fundamentally what is wrong in Wales is the environment in which we provide our business support. The reality is that a majority of businesses do not get the support and are really frustrated. They struggle to understand where and how to access support. 

“We need a mix of large and small investors if the economy is to succeed. Economic renewal plans that reorganise the deck chairs are not what we want in Welsh business – we need action.” 

“I met Ieuan Wyn Jones and asked him, ‘At what point are you going to recognise that what you do in terms of delivering business support is bad? It doesn’t work’. 

“I asked him if he was concerned about the power that might be created – whether he was concerned it might become too dynamic. 

“Wales needs to lead and losing the likes of Bosch, Hoover, Visteon and TRW in the last 12 months must be seen as failing as they feed into small businesses and are the fabric of our economy. It is not about small versus big. Other countries have maintained momentum – consider the success in Scotland. It is like losing your star players and going down the leagues and saying ‘we can’t do much about it’ when we can.”

This morning, Plaid Cymru's Rural Affairs Minister, Elin Jones (herself the author of the heavily criticised agri-environmental 'Glastir' policy) has come to Ieuan Wyn Jones' defence by attacking his predecessor as Minister for the Economy, Andrew Davies:

“The attempt over the past few months to re-invent Andrew Davies as a competent Minister has been a shock to people across political parties. Since leaving office he has sought to blame his civil servants for lack of progress in his past Ministerial portfolios. 

“In my experience, a Minister who blames his civil servants has failed to get his civil servants to deliver on priorities. A Minister has to take charge of his civil servants and that is what Ieuan Wyn Jones has done since taking over the Economy and Transport portfolio. 

“The one major action of the Labour Assembly Government between 2003-07 was to merge the WDA and Wales Tourist Board into government. They managed to re-arrange the deckchairs but they did not change the Titanic’s course – they carried on in the same disastrous direction. 

“It took Ieuan Wyn Jones taking charge to get the civil service to work to political priorities, to adapt a well-received Economic Renewal Programme and to sort out a horrendous lack of financial control on transport budgets. He did all of this in the midst of a global economic crisis. A crisis that Ieuan is also recognised as have handled well."

So while both Labour and Plaid Cymru blame each other for their poor handling of the Welsh economy, I will leave you with the following chart, which shows how each region's economy has performed compared to the UK average over the past 10 years:

GVA per head indices. 100 = UK in 1989. Source: ONS

As you can see, in direct contrast to the remarkable gains made by Scotland in particular (who's pragmatic attitude to economic development we have previously discussed), the Welsh economy has suffered considerable comparative decline.

The truth behind the current mudslinging is that both Labour and Plaid Cymru have failed -- and failed badly.

IWJ: third meeting at Anglesey Council in a week

As I write Ieuan Wyn Jones is at Anglesey County Council's offices in Llangefni again trying to push through his preferred solution of a Plaid Cymru and Labour-led coalition to replace the current faltering Alliance (which also contains Plaid Cymru and Labour...). Anyway as he was there last Friday, this Monday, and now today too, this is his third set of meetings at the Council in a week -- and clearly demonstrates either (a) how earnestly he is trying to resolve the council's problems; or (b) just how embarrassing he feels it would be to him personally should WAG be forced to send in the commissioners to Anglesey just before the Assembly elections.

I'll leave it to you to decide which...

Nine times in two years.

Just nine times in two years.

That's on how many occasions our AM, Ieuan Wyn Jones, has explicitly discussed matters relating to Ynys Môn during debates in the Welsh Assembly.

Prompted by having had several Anglesey residents tell me that they thought Ieuan Wyn Jones seemed distant and distracted I spent an afternoon going though the transcripts of the 131 plenary sessions held in the Senedd in 2009 and 2010. My aim was to find out just how often our AM raises matters relating to the Island. The answer was that he has explicitly discussed Anglesey on just five occasions in 2010, and four occasions in 2009.

Furthermore, even though he hardly ever brings up matters relating to the island, when he does he talks about either the Air-link (22 September 2010, 26 May 2010, 19 May 2010, 27 April 2010) or trivial issues such letters to Ynys Môn being mistakenly addressed to Gwynedd (3 March 2010), or speculation about whether Barack Obama has ties to Anglesey (20 January 2009). But during important debates about the severe problems at Anglesey County Council he doesn’t speak at all. For instance during a debate on 11 November 2009 about the introduction of the Recovery Board to Anglesey Council, Ieuan is totally silent, and on video appears to be sitting writing emails. See for yourself below:



Ieuan Wyn Jones claims that now he is a Minister he cannot show any favouritism towards his constituency. But Anglesey residents aren’t asking for favouritism, they are only asking for proper representation. With the closure of Anglesey Aluminium (450 jobs), Eaton Electric (240 jobs), Menai Electrical (50 jobs), Readileads (35 jobs), Peboc (100 jobs) and countless other small businesses, Ynys Môn needs a dedicated AM prepared to fight Anglesey’s corner.

This election is about two simple things: do people think IWJ has the interests of Anglesey at heart, and can he bring the economic recovery the island desperately needs. People can make up their own minds, but on this evidence, I cannot see he does.

A reader asks IWJ, "why does Anglesey always come last?" (updated)

Following the revelations via Dylan Jones-Evans on Monday that less than 0.1 percent of European 'JEREMIE' funding spent in Wales so far has been obtained by Anglesey-based companies, a reader of this blog emailed Ieuan Wyn Jones to ask him why:

Sent: Tuesday, November 09, 2010 11:45 AM

To: Wyn Jones, Ieuan (Assembly Member) 

Subject: European Structural Funding allocated to Anglesey 

Mr Jones,

As a long term resident of Anglesey I am appalled by the continual decline in investment and employment in this island. This situation is highlighted by the latest official data which shows that in the last three years only 111 businesses on the island have been helped through European convergence funding.  In addition to this, only 102 new jobs have been created and only 18 new businesses have been set up. At the same time we have lost many large employers too well known to have to list.

I understand that Wales have access to the £150,000,000 JEREMIE fund which is providing commercial funding for small firms which face difficulties in obtaining funding.

According to figures released by the Welsh Assembly, £30 million has been spent in the whole of Wales, only £25,000 has been invested in Anglesey. This is less than 0.1% of the funding.

The figures tell us that Gwynedd has received 44 times more funding than your constituency, Conwy has received twice as much, Denbighshire 35 times more and Flintshire 77 times more. Why is this?

Are you, as either MP or AM for this island for many years, proud of this situation?

You are in a position of authority in the Welsh Assembly, why on earth do you not support the people who sent you there?

Please let me know what action you intend to take to correct this grossly unfair situation.

This morning he received a reply all the way from Cardiff Bay:

From: "Wyn Jones, Ieuan (Assembly Member)"

Date: 10 November 2010 08:26:18 GMT

Subject: Re: European Structural Funding allocated to Anglesey

I thank you for your e-mail and interest in these matters. The amount of convergence funding which Anglesey has access to is significantly higher than that quoted by you. I'll get the full figures. 

Access to the Jeremie fund is by individual companies and not allocated geographically by the government. Indeed the fund is only a small proportion of the funding requirement of small businesses. 

Anglesey has benefited significantly from a whole range of European funding streams as well as in providing funding for transport links in recent years.

I hope that you will continue to support all efforts in improving the island's economy including strengthening the economy department's role in North Wales.

Yours sincerely

Ieuan Wyn Jones

It is IWJ's reply to the issue of JEREMIE funding which is so revealing: no explanation as to why the take up on Anglesey has been so appallingly small, just a glib assertion that it is not allocated geographically. I have no doubt that that he is right -- but what is being asked of IWJ is this: has he as Anglesey's AM done done enough to ensure that businesses in his own constituency are aware that such funding is available? The figures would suggest not. Furthermore we know that Anglesey is the poorest place in the UK, we know that the island has lost over 2,000 private sector jobs over the past couple of years, therefore we need our Assembly Member to be doing everything in his power to ensure that his own constituency gets all the support it needs to return to growth. Unfortunately neither the JEREMIE funding take-up figures nor IWJ's reply above instill confidence.

UPDATE: Our correspondent replied to IWJ and has received another mail from the Minister:

Sent: Wednesday, November 10, 2010 10:16 AM

To: Wyn Jones, Ieuan (Assembly Member) 

Subject: European Structural Funding allocated to Anglesey 

Dear Mr Jones,

I am in receipt of your reply to my email on the above subject.

I look forward to receiving the figures concerning the amount of convergence funding to which Anglesey has access, as promised.

How much of these funds have been applied for and how much has been received and for what purposes? I would like answers to all three points.

You say that access to the JEREMIE fund is by individual companies, what are you doing specifically to make sure that companies know about these funds and how are you helping them to obtain them? Answer please.

You also say that the fund is only a small proportion of the funding requirements of small businesses, what are you doing the help them with any shortfall? Answer please.

You say that Anglesey has benefited significantly from a whole range of European funding streams. When we look at the fact that Anglesey is the poorest area in the United Kingdom there is no apparent improvement. Why are you not pushing harder to see that this island receives its fair share of funding? We get less than any other part of Wales. Is there a good reason for this state of affairs?

With regard to the funding for transport links, are you refering to the massive subsidy to the Valley - Cardiff air link? I am sure it is of great help to some people!

You conclude by saying that you hope I will continue to support efforts to improve the island's economy, could you list some concrete examples of your achievements in this direction?

To which IWJ replied:

From: "Wyn Jones, Ieuan (Assembly Member)"

Date: 10 November 2010 12:08:45 GMT

Subject: Re: European Structural Funding allocated to Anglesey

I have made a note of your continuing concerns to which I will respond to in due course. The Jeremie fund is extensively marketed as well as other sources of funding

It is not true to say that Anglesey receives less support from government funding than other counties. The regen project Mon a Menai is one of a limited number of SRA's in the whole of Wales.

Ieuan Wyn Jones

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. 

Kirsty Williams's Ieuan Air jibe misses the point

Welsh Lib Dem leader, Kirsty Williams, in her speech to conference yesterday contrasted the Coalition government's record on green policies with that of the Welsh Assembly:

Well, [WAG's] biggest achievement is the creation of Wales‘ very own internal air link. You think domestic flights from Manchester to London are a scandal? Try Anglesey to Cardiff !

The minister presiding over this scandal is Plaid Cymru’s leader, and Deputy First Minister, Ieuan Wyn Jones. His commute? That’s right: Anglesey to Cardiff !

No wonder they call it Ieuan Air.

3.2 million pounds of our money pumped into an air link which has in turn pumped thousands of tonnes of C02 into the atmosphere at a cost to the taxpayer of £84 for each and every trip.

And you know, whilst Ministers fly between Cardiff and Anglesey. The empty ministerial limo still makes the trip to drop of the ministerial boxes.

As Wales currently lacks any significant road or rail transport infrastructure linking North, Mid and South Wales, I personally am in favour of the air link -- however, I do oppose the size of the subsidy. Some justify it by saying that the £800,000 per annum cost of the air link is minuscule compared to the cost of building a rail or motorway along the length of Wales, however this is I believe a bogus argument.

The fact is that subsidies distort the market and create perverse incentives. As things stand there is currently no incentive for any firm to attempt to fly between Anglesey and Cardiff without demanding financial support from the Welsh Assembly -- and far more importantly there is no incentive for any operator to consider offering flights from Anglesey to any other airports in the UK as they will not attract a subsidy and will therefore by definition be less profitable. In my view Ynys Môn (and by extension the whole of North Wales) would benefit far more from regular (even bi-weekly) flights between Anglesey and London, than it does from flights between here and Cardiff -- however the sheer scale of the subsidy available for linking Anglesey and Cardiff makes any other routes far less likely.