Edwina proves her virility

AT HIS campaign launch this lunchtime, Huw Lewis took a carefully-worded swipe at the electoral arithmetic guessing and gossip that has dominated coverage of the Labour leadership campaign so far, saying “we have seen the tittle tattle of who is backing who, who said what to which trade union leader – but I can tell you now that this phoney war has no winners and it is about to end”.

That’s a plausible tactic when you’re the candidate with the fewest backers from the Labour Group. Edwina Hart, on the other hand, clearly believes that the numbers game has some mileage yet – as well as a winner. Having won the public backing of Jane Hutt, she has brought her total to an unbeatable 10 AMs, and has duly declared herself top of the pops in Cardiff Bay. “If I am elected to serve as First Minister it will be reassuring to know that so many fellow Labour AMs already have faith in me” the Gower AM said.

WalesHome.org’s political sage, Daran Hill, suggested in yesterday’s Western Mail that the accolade of gaining the most support from AMs would be a test of “electoral virility”. On the basis of tonight’s news, Edwina and not Carwyn or Huw has the campaign cohones.