Chateau Latour ’82
Bubble — By Willy Nilly on July 14, 2010 2:00 pm
Contemplations from the chair
LORD Dafydd Elis Thomas’ personality, outlook and experience demanded his election as inaugural Presiding Officer of the Assembly in 1999. It would have been impossible to see Dafydd in any other role, far less as an ordinary AM. This is both a major compliment and minor censure for there have been times when his presence has overshadowed the Assembly’s proceedings. The greater benefit, much greater, has been a towering and far sighted vision. It will be quite impossible for his successor to follow similar patterns of political conduct. This is the ambivalence that now pervades the office: in every way exceptional, not least in length of service in a devolved institution, Dafydd has created few obvious precedents for any journeyman-like successor.
No one should be surprised about the activist stance that Dafydd has adopted as Presiding Officer. His contribution was most forceful and apposite during the Assembly’s first term. That the Assembly was instantly taken seriously – despite the change of First Minister and instability which faced the institution in its teething years – owed most to Dafydd. Those early and exacting demands tapped the resources of this complex politician.
A nationalist who loves the elegance of the Westminster model, he still criticises both concepts in sometimes subtle, sometimes stark ways. Few of the elaborate, ceremonial trappings of Westminster have been emulated in the Assembly. And Dafydd’s nationalism is now so neo that it seems as sublimated as his youthful Marxism. Not since the 9th century, he has told his incredulous Party, has there been any coherence in the idea of Welsh independence. And he is prone to ask, á la Prince Charles on love, “What is independence anyway?”
One would travel far and wide before stumbling upon a character so replete with creative contradictions. A high Anglican who has kept the Assembly utterly secular. A republican in awe of the Royal family, particularly Prince Charles. A passionate Welsh democrat who leapt at the opportunity to sit in the House of Lords. And a nationalist who detests the narrow-mindedness of those unable to acknowledge the worth of England. His critics take all this as conclusive evidence of opportunism, or worse the work of a maverick. They are quite wrong; in Dafydd we see the truth that no great political life is without paradox.
After nearly forty years of public office, he remains an intellectually curious politician who sees life as a journey through the rugged mountains and not a stroll around a walled garden, however lovely and serene. This can make him a difficult colleague but never a dull one. The accusation that he can be a curate-breaker is unfair but he does need to be challenged by other strong personalities, as the splendid Rosemary Butler has proved as his skilful deputy. In the chair Dafydd can be courteous, thoughtful, irascible and maddeningly distracted by his computer. He is strengthened by a generous outlook and while he can lack consistency, being no disciplinarian, this proclivity is venial.
He is driven particularly by a need for attention. Few politicians lack this vice, but in Dafydd it is occasionally conspicuous. In his handling of Alun Michael’s resignation he was right not to eschew a bit of drama. But some other theatrical interventions have been less productive. David Cameron’s offer to appear before the Assembly was spurned, a response that looked a little ungenerous once the Scottish Parliament accepted a similar proposal. Look to this week and his words on the wisdom of holding three ballots on one day next May. And no Eisteddfod can pass, or so it seems, without some grand pronouncement. But don’t try and guess what this year’s will be: predicting the Presiding Officer is an artform few attempt with any precision or success. After all these years, he has not lost the ability to surprise.
His political legacy is clear. Dafydd will be remembered as the man who ensured that devolution worked smoothly in practice and that the new Welsh democracy has emerged into daylight with a certain panache. Even his foibles, one suspects, will soften in the memory like tannins in wine. And there can be no doubt that his achievements will be viewed as seminal. Indeed, if he were a wine he would be a bottle of Chateau Latour ’82. One suspects he might rather enjoy that comparison.
Tags: Assembly, Dafydd Elis Thomas, devolution
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7 Comments
Complex people, no-matter what political flavour, generally make a good read, interesting take on our Presiding Officer.
Are we to expect a biography soon, my guess is that someone other than the good Lord should explain this particular life …
“David Cameron’s offer to appear before the Assembly was spurned, a response that looked a little ungenerous once the Scottish Parliament accepted a similar proposal.”
Nope, I think Dafydd Ellis Thomas called that right. Cameron’s paternalistic unionism needs to be curbed. Cameron can address the JMCs or the British-Irish Council if he feels the urge to communicate with politicians from the devolved institutions. We don’t need him grandstanding at a Plenary session in the Senedd. Who does he think he is – royalty?
And is Ellis Thomas really ‘in awe’ of the Royal family or he is just having a bit of fun?
Unfortunately he’s also presided and responsible for the architecture of the most boring and post-national National Assembly possible.
I’m constantly underwhelmed by being at the Assembly.
There’s absolutely no point going to the Siambr as you literally can’t see half the poor AMs below you because of the awful design. You’re relegated to watching a small screen … may as well stay at home. The level of the debate are truly awful – not even ‘yah boo’ politics of Westminster. The architecture of the Siambr with people seated above them, behind reinforced windows for heavens sake, means that AM are under no reason to raise the level of their debate.
It’s humiliating as a Welshman to see other chamber of local county councils with more grandure and presence than our National Assembly. It’s all ok to talk of the green side of the building, which is exciting and good, but it’s a bit like celebrating the sewrage system of 19th Palace of Westminster.
DET’s political ‘philosophy’ of post-nationalism parleyd with Labour’s sans-national view of Wales to create a chamber and building which tells visiting dignitaries and Welsh people (who ahve mostly been denied Welsh history in school and the popular press and who need something to make them proud of their identity) that the Assembly, and by implication, Wales has no power, no history, no confidence in its own ability. It says, ignore us.
Seeing Carwyn Jones declare the Government’s agenda for the next hear to a quarter empty chamber was embarrassing. Our Assembly doesn’t believe itself and by implication, Wales, is important enough to celebrate it’s own democracy.
This all boils down to DET post-national and sans-national philosophy. And the British nationalists who don’t want a confident Welsh identity are very happy with it.
DET enjoys the trappings of power which the Windsors exude but seems deliberately to deny Wales the same kind of trappings and prestige. This isn’t to say that there are certainly some silly walks ministries and archaic trappings with Royalty, but, this constant underplaying of prestige and ceremony by the Assembly and DET only undermines Welsh self confidence and the appeal of the Assembly.
As a Welshman and a Patriot, my heart, mind and soul is behind the Senedd, its members and institutions. However, as a 21st century European I agree with El Dafydd, it is severely let down in execution. Everything about it, from the people on the door to the Pres Officer need to step up their game
(ok, I know that AMs and staff work very hard, long hours. But you kind of get the impression that…
“ho hum another day at the office.., tired now”
instead of
“WOW! I’m a member of the Welsh Assembly! THE WELSH ASSEMBLY! Let’s go!! I’m not going home tonight because I’ve got constitutional amendments and a new school to plan! Woohoo! WELSH Assembly!”
it’s a matter of attitude, even if just the public-face one.
and if the Senedd would like me to dress up in Dragon/Daffodil/Leek costume and give “Wooohoo! Welsh Assembly” cheerleading pep-chants to visitors and politicians in the lobby then I am available. see my agent
“David Cameron’s offer to appear before the Assembly was spurned, a response that looked a little ungenerous once the Scottish Parliament accepted a similar proposal.”
And we have a u-turn! Must have been the nice things Cameron said about the cut of Dafydd El’s suit.