Malice in miniature

Lynching frustrated

Salivating Tories promised blood on the Commons carpet today after the planned lynching of Peter Hain. They fired up the 24 news channels that, for the first time, carried Welsh Questions live.

What a damp squib. There was a glorious chorus of Welsh MPs praising Peter in close harmony. The attacks were snide, miniature and mousey. Cameron did not go on the attack at PMs question time because he knows that more sago is about to hit the fan and fly in his direction.

There is a warning in the The Times today:

“..Mr Osborne's donations are more alarming. He is potentially the next Chancellor of the Exchequer. He would have the power to levy taxes and regulate business. The idea that money has been funnelled into his office from wealthy individuals who presumably have commercial interests and pet policies of their own foments distrust of him, his party and politics more broadly.”

Yesterday the Tories dropped the planned debate on pensioners and switched to a vindictive Hain-bashing line. They tripped themselves up and they will be embarrassed when they read their speeches tomorrow in Hansard.

Peter Hain gave a scholarly seminar explaining the laws of National Insurance to the opposition. Another flop. Perhaps they'll raised the subject next week. Now they understand a little bit about it.

£5,000 parking ticket

Adam Price MP dismisses the punishment of three Plaid MPs for their sleazy use of public money as no more serious than a parking ticket.

The Commons Committee on Standards and Privileges found the Plaid threesome guilty of using £15,000 of taxpayers’ money for party political campaigning. Setting aside the hypocritical opportunism of their opposition to the communication allowance then splurging it, it’s still a major offence. Many of the Tories who also voted against the allowance have declined to claim it. That’s consistent.

The scale of the offence is not unconnected with the size of the sum that Adam must repay. £5,000 is on the high side for a parking ticket.

Torchwood Rules

The British and American popular cultures are merging.

Although my visitors from New York yesterday have never heard of Goldie Looking Chain they are all great fans of Torchwood.

The success of BBC Wales in sending images of Cardiff across the world is immense. The series is being screened on High Definition Channels in Canada and the U.S. An anagram of Doctor Who, Torchwood is the work of the same brilliant Welsh writer Russell Davies and the Doctor Who team.

The explosion of creative exuberance in Wales has been inspired by the success of a Welsh Fourth Channel, devolved institutions and a burgeoning Welsh self confidence. For two centuries the best Welsh creative talent migrated to London.  The process is now reversed and Wales is the new magnet for those seeking artistic distinction.

Great work, BBC Wales.

Carpets – not bagged

A sinister political game is infecting the Northern Rock saga.

The two hedge funds whose machinations were resisted yesterday have strong Tory connections.

RAB Capital is, according to the Electoral Commission register, historically a Conservative donor. In March 2001, when William Hague was leader, it gave £10,000. RAB Capital says in its 2006 annual report that "in 2005 a payment of £3,000 was made to the Conservative Party" but no donation appears on the Electoral Commission register (rightly, because the reporting threshold is £5,000). RAB Capital's Co-founder Michael Alen-Buckley did give £50,000 in March 2006 and a further £50,000 in March 2007.

The hedge funds bought late into Northern Rock when the shares values had plummeted. They hoped to make a quick buck if the shares recovered. While there is great sympathy for the losses of long term shareholders, we can hold back the sympathy for speculators. Particularly hard-hit are those who are both shareholders and employees.

The majority of the shareholders yesterday put two fingers up to the carpet baggers.

The Tories are, of course, trying to dump the blame on the Government. If the Government had not acted, the run on Northern Rock could have created a panic that would have wrecked confidence in the whole financial system and set off a runaway slump.

Certain is a howl of counterfeit indignation from the Tories whatever happens.

Comments

[Hen Ferchetan]

I must say your description of Welsh Questions seem a long way from everyone elses.

"cheering doesn't exactly raise the roof." (Guardian)

"By the end, the colour had drained from Agent Orange so much that he looked a much paler shadow of himself and will have to face the slings and arrows from now on dubbed as Agent Parsnip." (Guardian)

"instead of taking his punishment like a man, the Welsh Secretary could be seen clinging to office in the most shameful way" (Independent)

"Peter Hain cut a lonely figure in the Commons yesterday as Labour ministers and MPs proved reluctant to back him." (Telegraph)

"At times during the debate, the Labour benches were almost empty, despite Government attempts to rally support for Mr Hain.
Before and during the debate, Labour whips could be seen touring Commons tearooms and restaurants trying to persuade backbench MPs to attend the debate and speak up for Mr Hain.
Privately, Labour sources admitted that finding backers for Mr Hain was "an uphill struggle"." (Telegraph)

And of course, all the papers pointed out the lack of cabinet support for him, with ministers waiting by the door not wanting to be the first to sit by Peter!

Don't worry though, you get two seperate mentions for your undying support for Peter

The Guardian thought your suggestion that Hain would be around for the Ryder Cup was "a bit optimistic by anyone's standards" while the Telegraph identitified you as "one of the few MPs who defended Mr Hain"

I note that you didn't answer my previous question though. Should I, as a Welshman, be happy that the person who has a veto over all Welsh laws is described as "incomptent" by his own boss, let alone his enemies?

[Chris Gale]

Peter Hain was NOT called incompetent by the PM, he was talking about his campaign staff at the time.
If you are going to post then please get your facts straight!

[paulflynn]

Hansard and the video of events fully confirms my version of what happened. I was in the Chamber from 11.30 to 3.00. I suspect the journalists wrote this crap beforehand and just added a few names after 30 mins in the Chamber.

The press act as a pack in hunting mode, they create their own fiction. The sketch writers confirm on the theme of the day. Nothing is ever grey, it must be gloomy black or vivid white. On Wednesday the theme was the humiliation of Hain. It did not happen. He did exceptionally well in the debate. PMQs was even. there was loud cheering for him at Welsh Questions. Even though the promised bloodbath did not happen, the press continue on their theme.

One small example. Rhun on Dragon's Eye said that I had described the dumping of the pensions debate to have a four hour attack on Peter Hain's character as part of a 'mean, vindictive campaign'. Hansard records that I did not say 'campaign' but the stronger 'witchhunt.'
Not a great deal of difference but one of hundreds of examples that reporting of parliament is written for entertainment not accuracy.

[Hen Ferchetan]

Chris Gale, Brown did not call Hain's staff incompetent, he called Hain incompetent:

"It was an incompetence that he has readily admitted to"

And Paul, I wholeheartedly agree that the press write for entertainment first, information second. But you as a politician also write for information second, putting your own interests first (thats not a criticism by the way!).

While I'd agree that there was no bloodbath, Commons questions simply cannot be a bloodbath due to only one question being allowed on each subject, your report of massive support for Hain and some snide attacks from Tories goes way, WAY too much the other way. Hain looked uncomfortable and short of support, especially from cabinet colegues.

[Hen Ferchetan]

Oh and I forgot to ask again (thirs time is it now?) whether you think I, and other welsh people such as your constituents, should be happy with the fact that the man who has so much power over our interests is described as incompetent even by his own boss?

[paulflynn]

Chris Gale answered this point. There certaianly was 'incompetence' for which Hain has ultimate responsibility but which wasthe result of the failking of others.
Yes, I think is by far the best choice at the moment as Secretray of State for Wales. ASW pensioners will agree.

[Chris]

"It was an incompetence that he has readily admitted to"

Err yes Hen Ferchetan, the PM was talking about Peter Hain's comments about some some members campaign team. Not.repeat NOT about PH personally.

[Hen Ferchetan]

It's Peter Hain's duty to declare his donations, it's not the duty of any of his staff. He had to sign each and every form, did it not even cross his mind once that it was a bit unusual that he was aising money to pay of the ebts after the campaign, buit did not get a single form to fill in?

Anyway, the incompetence can't be spread around to whatever unerling that can be blamed. Hain's duty, Hain's incompetence (if Brown wasn't refering to Hain being incompetent, why did he follow it by saying Hain had apologised for it? You dont apologise for other's incompetency!

I'm sure ASW pensioners would agree wit you Paul, the one piece of very good work Peter Hain has managed in how many years of the job?