Welsh Blog Round Up, General Election Week 5

We won't be running a caption competition

The campaign is history now – let’s not go there – but rather start with yesterday and the way the Welsh blogosphere interpreted what happened in the ballot boxes. Both Betsan Powys and Vaughan Roderick blogged live, as did we, but it did surprise me how little of that was going on. The spirit of Arsembly is well and truly dead.

Those elected and not elected shared their perspectives, but few blogged at 4.29am as did Heledd Fychan, who gave her take on the Montgomeryshire moment thus:

“I’d like to congratulate Glyn on tonight’s result. I know he’s worked extremely hard for it, and for years. Though I hate to see the Tories do well, I was glad for Glyn especiially after hearing some of the nasty tactis and rumours being used against him this week. Opik did take this seat for granted and it showed throughout the campaign. He was aggressive and seemed on edge from the very start – and never once said sorry about some of the things he did wrong.”

Not even on first name terms after the last month? Doubt they’ll be keeping in touch then… Cynical Dragon shared his views with typical bullishness. And evidently didn’t like “Opik” either. And nor did Miserable Old Fart. Do I detect a sense of jubilation on the Welsh blogosphere driven by a single result? The victor himself has yet to comment. Bet we all read it when he does…

Peter Black looked was strangely silent on this result and others, writing on his blog that “It is far too early to be drawing conclusions about yesterday’s General Election and I am not about to do so.” Ah well, as long as you do one day, Peter…

But there is more to Wales than one seat (as I once said and got shouted down) and a bigger picture to boot. Over on the Bevan Foundation Blog, Leigh Waters suggested that Labour had to stop pretending it had won in Wales for any other reason rather than luck, and needed to have a deep and hard think.

By far and away the best writing I came across yesterday was John Dixon’s, who is rapidly emerging as the most reasonable person on the Welsh blogosphere after myself. His honesty in assessing Plaid’s failure was refreshing and true.

It’s also worth reading what David Cornock had to say about another three Conservative MPs elected with strong Welsh roots – and all in England. If we get a Conservative government, surely a couple of them will end up on the Welsh Affairs Select Committee?

Looking at the results of the results, it’s been interesting to see how people are reacting. Welsh Ramblings has produced a comprehensive and very readable post which concludes that proportional representation is a key issue moving forward.

WalesHome contributor Jonathan Edwards MP (one of three contributors elected to Parliament for the first time on Thursday) has been quick off the mark, as ever, and posted his views online. He has a pop at the Lib Dems (“when it comes to political horse trading they are all over the place with their position dictated to not by policy but their own internal politics”) but suggests that ultimately a Lab-Lib Dem coalition under a new Prime Minister is the most likely outcome. As he writes succinctly:

“My hunch however is that if it’s made clear to the Liberals that Brown will go for the sake of his party then the momentum of the negotiations will quickly change.”

His narrative his an aura of plausibility. I expect others to join that debate as the weekend rolls on. It would be especially interesting to get a Conservative take on the situation.

I’d love to hear from another new MP, Alun Cairns, on this issue. The other week I was worried he wouldn’t keep his blog alive post election. Now I have been calmed. Not only has he posted his thanks to supporters but also details of his first surgery. Quick work, fella.

My surgery details are as follows: next weekend, back here, reviewing the Welsh political blogs again. Because while this Election and its outcomes rumble on, I grumble on…