The problem with having a National Assembly of only 60 Members is that almost every Member must be a Minister, Junior Minister, Opposition Spokesperson, Whip, Committee Chair, Presding Officer, Deputy Presiding Officer, etc. This leaves little room for dependable backbench members. This is in no way meant to detract from Lorraine Barrett’s work and I am sure she is of equal or greater ability than many MPs in Wales. The difference is that many MPs in Wales do not and will not hold positions of authority in their parties or Westminster and can therefore concentrate on being dependable backbenchers. If the National Assembly had 100 Members or more then I would agree that “the Assembly needs good, dependable backbenchers like Lorraine”.

“There’s plenty of people who will remember Lorraine with affection, both within and without the Labour Party – and the Assembly itself.”

Reads like an obituary Dar!

Lorraine will be missed, and I’m sure will do the power of good for the humanist cause in South Wales.

I recently attended a funeral officiated by Lorraine and it was a lovely ‘service’ (if that’s the right word for a humanist funeral), full of warmth, humour and remembrance.

Civilty has died, God dammit.

There is a anecdote that I have heard from Chris Matthews about Ronald Reagan and Tip O’Neill.

That after going after each other Tip would go up to the White house for a drink and shoot the breeze as well as get something positive done for the people.

No wonder we are in the mess we are.

There’s plenty of people who will remember Lorraine with affection, both within and without the Labour Party – and the Assembly itself.

This is painfully naval gazing. Please stop now!