Carwyn launches bid with minister’s backing
Carwyn Jones becomes the third AM to declare he will run as leader
CARWYN Jones will tonight tell local party members in his Bridgend constituency that he is to run as Welsh Labour leader.
The Counsel General for Wales and former barrister will join fellow Cabinet member Edwina Hart and Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney AM Huw Lewis in the contest to replace Rhodri Morgan.
Mr Jones will tell his party this evening that he already has the support of Environment Minister Jane Davidson. The AM for Pontypridd has become the first Cabinet Minister to back one of the three candidates. Jones also has endorsements from Albert Owen MP, and AMs Lesley Griffiths, Lorraine Barrett and Leighton Andrews, who will act as campaign manager.
Jones will post video messages in both English and Welsh on his two campaign sites, www.carwyn4labour.com, and www.carwyndroslafur.com. As well as looking to build on Rhodri Morgan’s work in government, the Bridgend AM will also attack Coalition partners Plaid Cymru’s policy of independence, which he warned would be unaffordable. He adds: “Like other members of Welsh Labour, I’m proud to be Welsh, but also proud to be British.” He said he would be campaign for a Labour majority in the 2011 Assembly elections.
His declaration came just hours after Lewis, who was first to announce his intention to stand, called for a straight fight, sending a “Clean Campaign Pledge” to his two rivals, arguing that supporters should not become “over-zealous”. The pledge also calls for an agreement to keep spending under a £20k ceiling, and a commitment to return unspent monies to a Welsh Labour Fightback Fund for the General Election.
Lewis’ call highlights the dilemma facing the three candidates, who cannot be seen to engage in a bruising contest just months before the Labour government – still trailing some way behind the Tories in opinion polls – go to the country. A fractured and high-spending campaign could harm its General Election chances still further. After all, eyebrows were raised when Peter Hain spent £100k on his Deputy Leadership campaign – and not just because of the financial irregularity issues. In such a context, the Welsh Labour Fightback Fund is a clever idea.
Proposing the Clean Campaign pledge, Huw Lewis said: “Engaging and invigorating debate in every corner of the country will hopefully show the party at its best. However, we have to be careful we don’t fall into any old bad habits, by getting things wrong. In the heat of the battle it can be too easy to do the wrong thing for the right reason.”
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“Mr Morgan will tell his party this evening that he already has the support of Environment Minister Jane Davidson. The AM for Pontypridd has become the first Cabinet Minister to back one of the three candidates.”
That isnt true, though, is it? Andrew Davies was the first Cabinet Minister to “back one of the three candidates” – Edwina Hart.
And shouldn’t that be “Mr Jones will tell his party”, not “Mr Morgan”?
Shurely shome mishtake?
“Mr *Morgan* will tell his party this evening that he already has the support of Environment Minister Jane Davidson. The AM for Pontypridd has become the first Cabinet Minister to back one of the three candidates. Jones also has endorsements from Albert Owen MP, and AMs Lesley Griffiths, Lorraine Barrett and Leighton Andrews, who will act as campaign manager.”
Good catch, both. Duly corrected.
On Andrew Davies, I believe the argument is that his was not an endorsement, as Edwina was not a candidate at that stage.
“On Andrew Davies, I believe the argument is that his was not an endorsement, as Edwina was not a candidate at that stage.”
That indeed is the technical distinction. But things are moving rapidly today, as a future blog post will show…
No excuses on Mr Morgan, though. Schoolboy error.