Firing back

TWO interesting things have come from two of the leadership contenders in the last hour. Both are in response to statements made by others.

On Huw Lewis’ blog he has firmly rejected the suggestion by Edwina Hart made in the Rhyl hustings on Tuesday that there should be a Minister for North Wales in the Cabinet. He says: “The notion for example of a Minister for North Wales was mooted last night. On the surface of it a simple response to the feeling of dislocation felt by party members and communities across the north. But in reality, it is a hollow offer. Every Minister needs to be a Minister for North Wales. Government doesn’t work by region, it works by department. The dislocation felt in North – and for that matter in West Wales and the Valleys, and even as close by as Swansea, needs to be addressed by a much more meaningful direct engagement with those towns and villages by the whole of Government. The next First Minister must lead that charge, and that’s why I’ve said – if successful I’ll be making repeated trips to the north until they are sick of the sight of me!”

So even less chance of her offering him that job if she wins…

From camp Edwina, a statement just in where she responds to Conservative claims of rising crime in Wales. She argues that Conservative researchers, through parliamentary questions, have highlighted an apparent increase in gun crime in Wales. But she then points out that responses from Welsh police spokesmen and the Home Office say that the figures they use are misleading. Dyfed Powys and North Wales police say that there has been a change in recording practices since 1998, and South Wales and Gwent police say that they don’t have a serious problem with increasing gun crime, the majority of gun offences are from the misuse of air weapons and ball bearing guns.

In her own words, “To try to paint a picture of Wales overrun by gun-toting criminals is utterly misleading and just shows what we are up against from the Tories in the run-up to the General Election. I would be the last person to condone the misuse of air rifles and ball bearing guns. But the Tories approach to lump these air rifle figures in with serious crime is totally irresponsible, and both the police and the Home Office responses have shown that it is just a political stunt.

“It shows that I’m right to warn people about the dangers we face from this desperate bunch of alarmists. I’m often accused of being defeatist for warning about Tory threats, but I think I’m the one who is being real here. We face a very serious threat from a party who will do anything to seize power at the next election.”

So today they’re firing at the Conservatives again and not each other.

Also from the Edwina camp there’s another video online, with an endorsement from Tyrone O’Sullivan, who says: “People ask me why I’m supporting Edwina. Well I’ve known her a long time. I’ve seen her in good times and in bad times. She’s always had this ability to be herself, from her days as Chair of the Wales TUC to the days when she became an Assembly Minister.What you see you get. She’s made an enormous difference in Wales, and will always do that because she doesn’t suffer fools gladly. Too many other parties these days are going for bland establishment characters to lead them. We don’t want to do that in the Labour Party. All some politicians do is kowtow – going around being polite and shaking hands. Edwina’s not like that. She tells the truth, she works for ordinary people. We want somebody who can speak her mind and gets things done.”

Watch it for yourself: