What Assembly Members want for Christmas

Bevan Foundation 700,000 people in Wales live in poverty
Poverty at Christmas
ViewsDecember 22nd, 2014

At our Christmas reception on 11th December, a cross-party panel of Assembly Members set out what they would like for their political Christmas.  Speaking as the rain poured outside the Oriel of the Senedd, and dripped into a strategically-placed wine bucket inside the building, their apparently light-hearted Christmas wish-lists revealed some of the themes of most concern.   So what did they want?

The most popular Christmas present of all was a new train set.

No, not a Brio or Hornby set, but a real, live Metro. The Metro was on both Peter Black AM and by Julie Morgan AM’s Christmas list, because of the difference it could make to the prosperity of Cardiff and the surrounding valleys.  The news just two weeks before that the Welsh and UK Government had finally reached agreement on funding makes it more likely that Santa will deliver this one, although the news the following day that the draft National Transport Plan did not envisage developing some new stations for five years was less welcome.

Lindsay Whittle AM kept up the transport theme although he had in mind a Scalextric for north Wales rather than a train set.

Second on the list was a better devolution settlement

David Melding AM was the first to ask Santa for a constitutional gift, in the form of more funding for Wales’s think-tanks (not just his own, Gorwel) and better political writing. Lindsay Whittle AM picked up the theme, asking Santa for Welsh people to engage with politics as in Scotland, while Lindsay and Julie Morgan AM asked for fairer funding for Wales.  Santa and his elves might have to work a bit harder on these asks.

Third on the AMs’ Christmas list was a better life for children

Julie Morgan AM made a plea for a ban on smacking – of the five things on her Christmas list, this was the one that she was most passionate about.  She was strongly supported by Linsday Whittle AM, who cheated somewhat when he said he had actually had his Christmas wish already – a new grandchild.

Each AM of course added their own unique requests – David Melding AM wanted a more enterprising economy, for example, and Peter Black wanted some brightly coloured socks.

Significantly, better transport, an enterprising economy and a ban on hitting children are all within the Assembly’s gift. They actually don’t need Santa to give them these things – they can do them themselves.  A better devolution settlement is harder – although making the case for it and enlivening debates does lie with AMs and wider political circles.

So if Santa doesn’t call at Peter Black’s, David Melding’s Julie Morgan’s or Lindsay Whittle’s house on Christmas day, they needn’t worry – they can sort out their own gifts!

With thanks and best wishes for Christmas to our speakers on 11th December and to all our readers and our generous supporters in 2014.

Victoria Winckler is Director of the Bevan Foundation

One Response

  1. Ioan says:

    Whar the Senedd needs is “Balls”. I am tired and sick of the lack of imagination and ambition the Senedd, with its Unionist oppratives conduct itself.

    Its terrible, borderline awful the amount of times I’ve had to switch from First Ministers Questions (Wales) to First Ministers Questions (Scotland) as the lethargic conduct, concluded within the Senedd chamber.

    I’m not a lawyer like most of these Unionist AM’s but…. Come on… I’m constantly asking myself “am I really paying for this”, AM’s without any backbone or sense of adventurism in making Wales a success?!

    Get a grip Carwyn.

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