Welsh Fiscal and Constitutional Commission #2

At the end of my last post I asked the questions:

Should Plaid join the Commission, in spite of the Westminster centred politicians? Or ignore it as an insult to Wales?

I think that I know where I stand on this question, but it would be interesting to hear other's views before declaring!

Thanks to those who responded. The two who came closest to my thinking were:

Better Wales who said... I really don't think anyone cares, least of all the people of Wales.

And

Anonymous 16:52 who said... why bother. It'll be like the Richard Report. Lots of energy wasted for Labour to do nothing in case they win in London in 2015.

There is a very special shelf in the National Library of Wales, covered in dust and cobwebs where the ignored reports of Welsh Commissions are stored, Kilbrandon, Richards, Holtham etc etc! Every so often a staff member has to go down into this dusty corner to place another Commission report onto that shelf – s/he is probably the only public servant in Wales who has no fear of redundancy – his or her job is a job for life!

Is there any point in Plaid taking part in this Commission? Probably not; but there is probably not much point, other than window dressing, in the other parties taking part either!

Should Plaid refuse to be part of the commission because of the supposed exclusion clause? – Absolutely not!

The clause is there as an elephant trap, that silly people think might catch Plaid off balance. But it is the worst trap that anybody has ever constructed.

Despite claims from True Wales that last May's referendum campaign had something to do with independence it was actually about Wales' continuing constitutional status within the UK, Plaid played a leading role in that campaign – so why should the party call foul on a Commission that wants to look at an extension of devolution that wishes to continue to secure the position of Wales within the UK? That, after all, is the whole point of devolution isn't it?

Plaid supports "gradualism" the hope that devolution will expand into Independence, as happened in Canada and Australia. Until the final act of the gradualist approach Devo-Max +, occurs then any step on that road will be a step that aims to continue to secure the position of Wales within the UK – surely! So whoever thought that the UK clause would make Plaid spit its dummy out, doesn't know much about Plaid!

Welsh Fiscal and Constitutional Commission #1

On the IWA's blog Click on Wales, John Osmond has some interesting comments about the progress of the soon to be formed Welsh Fiscal and Constitutional Commission dubbed ap Calman by some. At the end of his article John makes a rather disturbing comment:

Plaid Cymru’s nominee is likely to be its economics adviser Eurfyl ap Gwilym who is currently also heading its Commission looking at the party’s organisation and policy in the wake of its poor election results in May.

However, a question mark is hanging over Plaid Cymru’s involvement. This is because the Cabinet Office have suggested amending the Commission’s terms of reference agreed last July so that, in addition to examining the “current constitutional settlement in the light of experience and recommend changes”, it would have the words added: “and continue to secure the position of Wales within the UK”. According to leading figures in the party, if such an addition finds its way into the terms of reference that eventually emerge, the motivation would be to ensure that Plaid Cymru does not participate in the Commission.

The original Calman commission was set up by the unionist parties in Scotland as a response to Alex Salmond's National Conversation on the constitution of Scotland; the theory being that the Nats could have a conversation amongst themselves about Independence, the other parties would have a commission talking about Scotland's constitutional future within the UK.

It appears that some wise soul has decided that the Welsh Fiscal and Constitutional Commission should be held along similar lines. I'm not sure why though, because it shows a lack of appreciation of how the Welsh experience of devolution has differed to the Scottish one.

In Scotland the Labour, Conservative and Lib Dem's MPs shared visceral hatred of the Nationalists was transferred into the Scottish Parliament and has helped the SNP by creating a narrative where only one party stands up for Scotland in the Scottish Parliament elections. Both Rhodri Morgan's clear red water and Nick Bourn's clear blue water have created (at least the illusion of) Labour and Conservative parties that patriotic Welsh voters can support on a Welsh electoral stage. The clear coloured waters have enabled all of the big four parties to create a fairly consensual Welsh attitude to the evolution of devolution, despite doubts expressed by Westminster colleagues such as Peter Hain and Stephen Crabb.

This has been a problem for Plaid, because of the clear coloured waters; the London Parties jibe doesn't have the same resonance in Wales as it has in Scotland.

Almost everybody in Wales knows that Plaid Cymru members go to bed at night and dream about constitutional matters! The idea of a Constitutional Commission from which Plaid is artificially excluded will be seen as a farce by most Welsh people. From a purely electoral point of view, excluding Plaid from the commission will be manna for Plaid – without Plaid's input the Commission will be a London body dictating how Wales should be run! Is this how those setting up the Commission wish to see it perceived?

Should Plaid join the Commission, in spite of the Westminster centred politicians? Or ignore it as an insult to Wales?
I think that I know where I stand on this question, but it would be interesting to hear other's views before declaring!