The last of Dr Richard Wyn Jones (Dicw)'s programmes on Devolution was shown on S4C last night. In the programme Dr Jones looked at some of the successes and failures of Devolution over the past 8 to 10 years.
I agreed with many of Dicw's comments. He said that the Assembly has had more successes than failures in most of its subject areas: health, education, transport, economic regeneration etc., quite right. But I must disagree with him when he claims that it is these successes that have made the idea of an Assembly more popular now than it was 10 years ago.
I went to my boys' school open day yesterday. Things in schools have changed a lot since I was a child in the Heath / Wilson era. The Assembly may have caused many of those changes, but none of the changes that I saw jumped out and bit me as Assembly driven changes.
I was poorly under the doctor when John Redwood was Secretary of State for Wales. I've been poorly under the doctor since the Assembly started too! Things have changed, but to me those changes have been at the doctor's surgery and in the hospital, not in Cardiff Bay.
The Assembly's economic policies have transform employment opportunities in Wales, but I doubt that any unemployed worker who gets a job will offer a big thank you to the Assembly, because s/he realises that it's the Assembly's economic competence that made that job available!
The thing that has put the Assembly on the map, and made it practically relevant to the people of Wales is Rhodri's Freebies.
Of course, from a moral point of view, a super rich pensioner shouldn't have a free bus pass. The children of millionaires shouldn't have free swimming sessions. Billionaires shouldn't have free prescriptions and Trillionaires shouldn't go into our museums without paying a cent. But it is these freebies that have made the Assembly immediately relevant to the people of Wales.
It’s the little freebies rather than the huge changes in health, transport, the economy etc that have made the big difference in attitude to the Assembly.
When Nain (Grandma) visits, because she can - on her free bus pass - that's when my family knows that the Assembly has made a difference!
I can think of a million and one reasons for opposing all of Rhodri's Freebies, but there is little doubt that it is they, more than anything else, that has made devolution relevant to most people in Wales.
Shame that an academic of Dicw's ability failed to recognise this fact in his analysis.
Very well put and to the point.
ReplyDeleteI have never been keen on the assembly, but your bang on about the freebies.
By chance I have just come back from the Dr's and have been given a script and will not have to pay.
It is nice to think I have had some thing, how ever small from the ARSEmbly!
The fact that people are not seeing the change that the Assembly governments have made to Wales since 1999 shows how bad the media is at reporting on how the Assembly is makign a difference, and how poor the Assembly is in promoting the changes that the Assembly has made, and a real difference to the people of Wales.
ReplyDeleteIt is also right that the Assembly government does provide free breakfasts, free school swimming, free bus passes and especally free prescriptions. They all have very good and just reasons for being free.
However both the Assembly and the Media must get across more about the difference that the Assembly means for Wales more effectively.
As a dissabled person myself I agree with this post (though I don't avail of any perscriptions). I have a free bus pass, but if Rhodri and Ieuan are listening then a free rail pass would be much appreciated
ReplyDelete:D
Absolutely right. But Plaid Cymru have done sod all to change any of this since they have been in "government".
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely right. But Plaid Cymru have done sod all to change any of this since they have been in "government".
ReplyDeleteEr, you mean since last month?!
ha ha, well said ordovicious
ReplyDeleteOrdovicius said...
ReplyDelete"As a dissabled (sic) (actually sick) person myself I agree with this post"
johnny says....
Snap! I too have a disabled bus pass but have never used it. I prefer my little car and the buses are a joke.
One thing that is sorely needed are more disabled parking spaces in town centres. I am now effectively prevented from visiting Cardiff City centre due to the few disabled spaces available being on the edges of town.
Rhodri is just using an old ploy that he learned at the feet of our old pal Caligula.
Just give 'em bread and circuses and they'll follow.
You peripheral pal.
johnny.
The Assembly's economic policies have transform employment opportunities in Wales,
ReplyDeleteWhere and how -I see no progress on this other than the already rich M4 corridor
Talk to people in Powys about jobs I think you would get a very different view.
I can’t see IWJ making any difference either