Posts Tagged ‘Secretary of State for Wales’

A Conservative whose ideas flourish now

A Conservative whose ideas flourish now

Nick Bourne remembers Peter Walker, former Welsh Secretary and a man whose Conservatism now finds form in David Cameron’s government

When Cheryl met Assembly

When Cheryl met Assembly

EVERY YEAR the Secretary of State for Wales visits the Assembly to present the contents of the Queen’s Speech as they apply to Wales. This year was no different in terms of format but it was different in terms of the feel of the occasion because there were a number of key differences. For a [...]

Winners and losers at the Welsh Office

Winners and losers at the Welsh Office

AS DAVID CAMERON prepares to visit Wales it is worth reflecting that he has one hell of a job of selling to do on the shape of the new Welsh Office/Wales Office (the name seems to be a matter of some debate these days). As I reflected on Wednesday, the appointment of Cheryl Gillan as [...]

Enoch Powell is still right

Enoch Powell is still right

BACK at the start of October I wrote a lengthy piece on the challenges facing the Conservatives in appointing their next Secretary of State for Wales. Enoch Powell was my starting and ending point. The crux of the argument I made was: Appointing non-Welsh MPs to positions of direct administrative authority over Wales alone was [...]

Save our SOS: Why Wales needs its place at the Cabinet table

Save our SOS: Why Wales needs its place at the Cabinet table

Wales without a Welsh Secretary would be weaker within Britain. That’s precisely why nationalists advocate abolition of the post

Enoch Powell was right

Enoch Powell was right

The Conservative Party has a peculiar tradition in appointing MPs from outside Wales to deal with Welsh Affairs at Westminster. Should they do so again in 2010, they will be ignoring the lessons of history

‘Federalism’s the only game in town’

‘Federalism’s the only game in town’

David Melding has gone further than anyone in his party in embracing a devolved Wales. But, as he explains on the eve of Conservative Conference in Manchester, his proposals for federalism will preserve Britain rather than destroy it

I rescued devolution

I rescued devolution

Alun Michael cut a sometimes controversial political figure as the first First Secretary of Wales. Here, he tells why he counts his time at the Assembly among his proudest moments in politics, speaks warmly of the man who replaced him – and not-so-warmly of the man whose post he took

The concilliator

The concilliator

Peace in Northern Ireland is arguably New Labour’s greatest achievement. Yet, despite his crucial role in bringing it about, Paul Murphy has been twice reshuffled out of Government. Does that say more about the man, or his party?