The real Valleys Mam
Bubble — By Willy Nilly on June 15, 2010 2:00 pm
The first of Willy Nilly's pen portraits
TWO RAW forces seem to motivate the political life of Lynne Neagle. A fierce advocate for the valleys, she believes that the Labour Party exists first and foremost to serve the poor. Lynne is not
mindlessly antagonistic towards the better off, but she holds the common sense view that those who have wealth – of mind, body or estate – would accommodate themselves comfortably enough in a more egalitarian society.
This idealism is tempered by the second force, a deep seated scepticism towards authority and the inevitable sense of superiority it breeds in politicians and bureaucrats alike. It is an attitude that often leaves Lynne on the fringes of the Welsh Labour elite. Perhaps this explains her strong attachment to grass roots Labour, for it is in the valleys that Labour seems so often diminished when touched by power. Not that Lynne doubts Labour’s duty to govern, only that government is not transformed merely by being Labour. She is indeed a very modern valleys mam and the epitome of anti-establishment Labour.
Unsurprisingly, Lynne is fearless when scrutinising WAG. Her penetrating insights into the folly of government are frequently more effective than anything offered by the opposition. Long before it became fashionable to denigrate the Barnett formula, Lynne was challenging WAG to apply a needs based approach to its own budgets, especially the NHS. It was a lonely battle that eventually brought her constituents some relief when the Townsend review was slowly implemented.
Similarly, in championing the cause of the funding of provision for disabled children at the start of this Assembly, Lynne Neagle demonstrated commitment and tenacity in fighting their corner. On the WAG decision to establish a Task and Finish group to examine of the issue in more detail before making a decision, she delivered the withering line: “We have had task and finish groups before, and sometimes they can be all task, and not enough finish. That will not be good enough this time.”
Lynne Neagle is no sweet innocent when it comes to the partisan battle. She can slap on the war paint as well as any other Labour AM. Yet there is a certain diffidence in her approach to the pantomime side of politics. After all, to Lynne’s way of thinking the sins of the Tories may be despicable, but they are hardly unexpected. It is Labour’s failures that really hurt and intensify her anger. This remarkably robust attitude – extremely rare in politicians – often strikes the right note in the valleys. It is certainly a refreshing contrast to the more forced voices of establishment Labour with their rather middle class fables of participation in the popular struggle.
Many AMs can speak effectively in the chamber but few ever match Lynne Neagle’s sharp, edgy and relevant speeches. Even when defending the government, Lynne’s speeches rarely descend into a dull paean of praise. She is not the most frequent performer on the floor of the Assembly, but when she does speak it is because she has something to say. Her interventions during budget debates, for example, often take the form of a precise ask for additional resources for clearly specified areas. These critical qualities would make Lynne an excellent minister, but just as for her husband Huw Lewis, a top job remains elusive. This is a pity because the Cabinet has too often lacked the self-awareness that is the basis of competent government.
Lynne Neagle draws inspiration from those heroes of valleys Labour Nye Bevan, Michael Foot and Neil Kinnock. They all demanded more of Labour so that it truly became a movement not just a party. It is this same, splendid socialist fervour that makes Lynne such a valuable voice.
Tags: Assembly, Lynne Neagle
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69 Comments
Well – perhaps that’s cleared the air, for now. It was a controversial innovation by WalesHome – which I think most of us would agree is an excellent site. Profiles of politicians are obviously a minefield where there is no safe place to tread. I await with interest the reaction to various appraisals of politicians: be they adoring, admiring or critical. It will be interesting. WalesHome – I for one will be dropping in more often.
“If the subject had been another politician, Adam Price or similar, there would have been roses in the garden”
If that is what you think John I worry that you have completely missed the point of those complaining. I hope the editors have not.
This isn’t an issue with it being Lyn Neagle (although I would argue there are plenty of flaws in her as a politician to point out) nor is it the fact it is a Labour politician (although it will no doubt add to the conspiracy theorists who note the majority of the editors of this site are, or have been, members of the Labour party). The concerns I raised were due to the fact this piece adds nothing to any debate. Regardless of what politician was featured and what political party they represented the piece is nothing more than an anonymously written puff piece lavished in unwavering praise. It may have well been written by a Labour party press officer. It does nothing to debate the merits of Lyn Neagle simply blindly sucks up to her. I fail to see either what that achieves or what publishing further articles of a similar ilk for other politicians and other political parties will achieve. As Bethan Jenkins points out WalesHome have backed themselves into a corner in that all other articles will now have to be PR stunts promoting AMs or else they will have to justify why Lyn Neagle and Labour were given such a free run. The only other option would be as suggested by Polly in which they run a second bashing article to even things up. Frankly I would see those two articles side by side as more balanced but again fail to see what undertaking that process would add to the debate.
As Marcus says we commentators are the site’s readership. I think one of the benefits of this site is that it is inclusive. If it now simply dismissive what has been a universal panning for this feature then it will lose somewhat that sense of community it has built up.
As for Daran’s offer for someone to write a profile of Jill, does that not totally contradict the argument put forward by David Jones? Why is it that Lyn Neagle gets an anonymous and sycophantic profile piece from within the editorship of the site whilst a politician from another party gets a profile piece, which incidentally was invited to be as damning as the author likes, from a named contributor? There is a total lack of consistency in that?
I am a big fan of WalesHome and do not consider myself politically aligned with any party. That is why I am so disappointed that the site has chosen to undertake what is a seemingly pointless feature totally unbecoming of its usual standards. As an avid reader I believe I have the right to make that point. I can’t see me bothering to read articles on this blog if they lose the sort of quality we have come to expect?
Thank you, Will. I believe the arrangement was £20, wasn’t it?
Dean, Marcus – of course you are welcome to comment. We wouldn’t be posting your remarks if you weren’t. And believe me, they have provoked a considerable debate among the WalesHome team.
I should clarify my earlier comment… what I do not mind is a balanced biography piece on politicians, done anonymously by Willy Nilly representing WalesHome.. But I do not care for the high hagiography of this piece.
At the risk of going off topic…
As for Jill Evans as Plaid president… isn’t Plaid president now the second top job? I think I remember that Plaid reformed it’s internal structure so that the group leader in the Assembly was overall party leader, followed by the party president. Complicating matters is the position of an Honorary President of the Party, currently chaired by Dafydd Wigley.
Dean, the piece included the following …
Long before it became fashionable to denigrate the Barnett formula, Lynne was challenging WAG to apply a needs based approach to its own budgets, especially the NHS.
… for that single sentence Willy Nilly is vindicated, a sentence that could have generated discussion, particularly with the forthcoming budget cuts; there are none so blind as those that do not wish to see.
If your intent was to stir things up then you succeeded, but let it be the last time. Or or at least post a contrary view of Lynne Neagle. Perhaps that would justify a pseudonym (for legal reasons) but a hagiographic post really needs to be open. Come on – who is Willy Nilly? Has he or she any connection to Lynne Neagle? We know that people try to change Wikipedia entries to portray their party members in a better light. I hope Wales Home isn’t being used as a pawn?
glynbeddau
“Come on who is Willy Nilly? Has he or she any connection to Lynne Neagle?”
Duncan addressed this point earlier this morning. This piece was written without any knowledge, input, co-ordination, agreement, arrangement or clearance from Lynne Neagle, her staff, her family, friends or other associates, members or officers of her local party, staff from anywhere in any part of the Labour Party or the Labour Assembly Group Office or in any affiliated organisation of any description. It was commissioned, edited and published wholly independently of the subject, anyone connected with her, or anyone with any vested interest in seeing her portrayed in a particularly way.*
The piece was published for the reasons described here, and for no other reasons. While I don’t wish in any way to seek to curtail discussion about the article and the proposed series, I suggest that going round in circles on the motivation behind the piece is fruitless. You either accept at face value the reasons we have given, or you don’t. Obviously, I’d prefer that you did.
* The same is true for all other pieces that may appear as part of the series
“* The same is true for all other pieces that may appear as part of the series”
Please don’t say you plan to publish more of these
I’m not convinced by the style of this piece, and would happily have penned a more convincing piece on the same subject. However, I can’t agree with some of the snide personal comments about the subject in the comments section – more Nats with a lot of time on their hands and memories of 2007 I think.
Whatever you think of her politics, it is widely acknowledged that Lynne is a doughty campaigner who sticks to her guns when she believes in something and does not change what she says to people or back down to gain personal favour. You can be confident with Lynne that what she says behind your back will be the same as she said to your face – something that unfortunately can’t be said about all politicians. That may not always make her popular, but it’s worthy of a bit more respect than has been given by some commentators here.
Anthony wrote: “Whatever you think of her politics, it is widely acknowledged that Lynne is a doughty campaigner who sticks to her guns when she believes in something and does not change what she says to people or back down to gain personal favour. You can be confident with Lynne that what she says behind your back will be the same as she said to your face.”
This was certainly my experience of working with Lynne on the Disabled Children Matter Wales campaign.
And yes, there will be more portraits. If you don’t like them, don’t read them
And yes, there will be more portraits. If you don’t like them, don’t read them
Well said Daran, we’ll make a Tory out of you yet …. only kidding.
Last night, having not long got off a plane from Kuala Lumpur, I was catching up on Wales Home and reached this pen portrait. As I am not familiar with the history and characteristics of many of the AMs, I used the web to discover more.
This hagiography was disappointing in three ways:
Firstly, I found out that she majored in French & Italian – does she still use these today in a professional capacity?
Secondly, this portrait did not reveal those usually “unknown” pieces of information that brings a personality to life.
Thirdly, it did not reveal the previous expenses publicity whereby she and her husband were both claiming for a second home in Penarth (45 minutes away according to the press statement) , on the basis that with a new family a one hour commute to Merthyr was too difficult. This did reveal to me that a family earning around £100,000 a year (few in their constituencies could match that) felt they were unable to withstand the pressures experienced by hundreds of thousands of families in the UK on far lower income and so needed special privileges. So has she become too detached from the lives of her constituents?
I look forward to future pen pictures with interest.
Interesting responses to the article! Think it’s important that you stay strong on this one. Sometimes you know you’re doing a good job when attacks are coming from all sides equally! And I think as this series goes on the criticism will balance out. Just hope the editorial team have thick enough skins.
Of course the piece won’t be complete, and some background would add colour but this will all be covered else where. What this is, is a politIcal profile of an AM. It puts me in mind of the great work on here profiling constiteuncies and candidates in the run up to the last election and Positif politics lead in to the last assembly election. It has started that pre election buzz that I’m sure all of us on here experience.
I do think Wales@home doesn’t carry any bias, but (with the honourable exception of the piece on mountains) the articles are commissioned and written to provoke response and debate, and long may it continue.
I’m assuming Willy Nilly isn’t an anonymous author, but a conceit used to allow a range of authors, not least because of the scale of the task but to allow for authors to approach future profiles from a spectrum of backgrounds.
I look forward to the rest of the series, and I’m sure the controvesy that will come from the order you write them in!
Having seen Lynne Neagle in action at the Welsh Assembly count in Torfaen and heard comments from local people, there is only one way to describe her. A complete waste of space. Nobody in Pontypool actually knows who she is.
That’s just not true Ken – I saw her in Pontypool Tescos doing a surgery the other week and she had lots of people talking with her – they were happy she was there to hold a surgery and thought she was friendly, helpful and approachable. Perhaps Lynne is always going to be the kind of politician who appeals more to the man or woman in Tescos than to internet commentators – but maybe that’s no bad thing.
Disabled Childrens’ charities would also disagree with your comments about her work in the Assembly after her work for them – or indeed her good work on the issue of human trafficking in the sex industry.
“Perhaps Lynne is always going to be the kind of politician who appeals more to the man or woman in Tescos than to internet commentators – but maybe that’s no bad thing”
Sorry Anthony. Both you and I know that is at odds with what many local Labour members feel.
Anyway, not my intention to do someone down.
To be honest I dont know too much about Lynne Neagle to either praise or denigrate her (the latter reminds me too much of the name calling that President Obama suffers from the isolationist American “nationalist).
Its a shame that the Assembly Members does not have the equivalent of “Your MP works for you”.
It would help us the Welsh people know what they do.
A highly amusing response to this piece over on Welsh Ramblings:
http://welshramblings.blogspot.com/2010/06/dear-leadera-paean-to-ieuan.html
Agreed, Duncan. Now that’s what I call satire. Cheered me up no end