Boomerang bounceback

In the otherwise excellent WalesWatch, Jon Osmond suggests that the relative marginality of the three Labour leadership candidates’ seats may lead them to regret their party’s controversial ban on dual candidacy in the Assembly, whereby standing in both constituency and list sections was outlawed.

This is a very long-winded way of reminding us that Carwyn Jones’ Bridgend, Edwina Hart’s Gower and Huw Lewis’ Merthyr seats are not impregnable. But most people who follow Welsh politics know that already, as they know the same can be said for most Labour seats in the Assembly. To be charitable, this is still a fairly novel concept. I’m just not sure it’s the most germane aspect of the leadership race.

It may be that one or more of the candidates wishes they had a list to hide in come 2011. Then again, it is more likely that, like Jonathan Morgan and Helen Mary Jones in 2007, both of whom opted for marginal seat over safe list,  the Labour trio are prepared to take their chances and accept the verdict of the electorate like grown-ups.

More importantly, it rather ignores the fact that Labour’s losses in the South Wales West and South Wales East regions would have to be substantial in order to qualify any of the three for a back-up list seat, even if the option existed. And under those circumstances, who imagines that any of Edwina, Carwyn or Huw would be retained as Labour’s leader?