Dyddiau olaf - Last days

Yn yr wythnos olaf yr ymgyrch rydw i wedi cefnogi Colin Elsbury yn isetholiad St Martins yng Nghyngor Caerffili. Mae Colin Elsbury yn  ymgeisydd arbennig o dda, a byddai'n gwneud cynghorydd gwych. Mi fydd yr isetholiad yn cymryd lle ar yr un adeg 

ag etholiad Ewrop. Mi fydd y canlyniad yn dod ar y dydd iau, yn wahanol i'r etholiad Ewrop. 

Neithiwr cymerais ran yn hustings â drefnwyd gan Sustainable Wales gyda'r ymgeiswyr eraill ym Mhorthcawl.  Roedd y drafodaeth yn fywiog iawn. Ar ôl y cyfarfod cwrddais gyda arweinydd lleol y Blaid, Nick Thomas. Safodd e o'r blaen yn etholiad y Cynulliad ac rydw i yn siŵr bydd e'n ymgeisydd rhagorol yn y dyfodol. 

Heddiw a fory rydw i yn ymgyrchu yn Nwyrain Caerfyrddin a Llanelli.

In the last week of the campaign I have supported Colin Elsbury in the St Martins by-election for Caerffili Council. The election takes place on the same day as the European election. The count happens on the Thursday night so it might be an interesting to see the result. Colin Elsbury is a very good candidate and will make a fantastic councillor.

Last night I took part in a hustings organised by Sustainable Wales with other candidates in Porthcawl. It was a very lively discussion. After the meeting I met with local Plaid leader Nick Thomas. He has stood before and I am sure in the future he will make a fantastic candidate.

Today and tomorrow I will be out for the final push in Carmarthen East and Llanelli.

Plaid Cymru Leader: Seize the moment

“It’s time to seize the moment and allow a Welsh Parliament to reunite politics with the people”

- Plaid leader says political crisis shows Westminster has no moral authority to block further devolution

Plaid Cymru’s leader Ieuan Wyn Jones AM says that despite promises of reform made by the London-based parties, they are still failing to grasp what’s needed in Wales to reunite politics with the people.



Photo: Ieuan Wyn Jones speaking at Waunfawr, flanked by Euro election candidate Eurig Wyn and Alun Ffred Jones AM. Eurig Wyn is well placed to secure a second seat for Plaid Cymru in Thursday's vote, alongside Jill Evans MEP.

Speaking in response to the political crisis in Westminster Mr Jones said that the open, transparent and participative democracy created in Wales should be empowered in order to restore people’s faith in politics.

In an attack on Conservative leader David Cameron, Mr Jones will say that the Tories’ “pick-and-mix,” “a la carte” style of reform, designed only to suit their narrow political priorities, is not what is needed at this time.

The Plaid leader said that it is time to “seize the moment,” to “bring old fashioned honesty back into fashion” and make clear decisions about the future relationship between the people of Wales and the British political system. Mr Jones said:

“None of the arguments I have heard from any of the Westminster politicians deal with this fundamental issue.

"However hard they try to sound more radical than the next, they still fail to grasp the point that despite the devolution granted following the 1997 referenda, Britain retains many of the centralist tendencies of the pre devolution days and Westminster embodies this: it is part of the problem, not the solution.

“We need to transfer more powers to Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast if we are really serious about giving political authority back to the people. The current political climate gives those of us who believe in real devolution, in taking more and more decisions closer to the people, a chance to raise our voices.

“In my view, the recent shenanigans at Westminster have made it much more likely that an early, successful referendum will be held, and when the Assembly seeks a referendum under the 2006 Act, then in the current climate surely Westminster does not have the moral authority to oppose it."

Ieuan Wyn Jones said that the new politics brought about by devolution in Wales provided a firm basis upon which faith can be rebuilt in the democratic process:

“Most politicians and commentators are united in the belief that Westminster needs radical and widespread reform. If so, surely now is the time for more powers to be transferred.

“Those who are opposed say that the Assembly first needs to learn the ways of the ‘mother parliament’ before having more powers. Well, no thank you very much. Their way is not our way.

“Our way in Wales has been about creating participative, open governance fit for a 21st century modern European nation.”

The Plaid leader recognised that in its 10 year history the parties in the Assembly haven’t always got it right and he outlined where he thinks further changes can be made in order to ensure greater participation in politics. The Plaid leader said say that despite this, AMs have acted responsively and responsibly to the calls for reform:

“The Assembly has already been a trailblazer in so many of the reforms now being contemplated for Westminster – not least in the fact that it has recognised the need to review and reform politicians’ allowances and expenses and to put that work in the hands of an independent inquiry.

"The Assembly has also of course decided to publish these expenses - in the interest of openness and transparency.

“But we can't stand still - we must continue to seek renewal. There is now a real opportunity to do so and we must seize the moment.”

Wythnosau ola’r ymgyrch - Last weeks of the campaign

Wythnosau ola’r ymgyrch

Wythnos ddiwetha roeddwn yn y gogledd, yn Nghynhadledd TUC Cymru, lle lansiodd Plaid Cymru eu haddewid am hawliau gweithwyr.

Mae addewid pum pwynt Plaid i weithwyr yn ymrwymo’r blaid i wneud y canlynol:

Cryfhau’r Gyfarwyddeb Gweithwyr a symudwyd i warantu hawliau cyfartali weithwyr yn yr un gweithle

Cyfarwyddeb Oriau Gwaith sy’n sicrhau iechyd a diogelwch pob gweithiwr

Fframwaith mwy effeithiol i hysbysu gweithwyr ac ymgynghori â hwy Gweithredu’r Gyfarwyddeb Ansolfedd yn iawn i warchod pensiynau

Rhaglen newydd o fuddsoddi mewn gwasanaethau cyhoeddus i amddiffynswyddi yn y sector cyhoeddus.

Ces i gyfle i ymweld ag Ynys Môn, Arfon, Aberconwy a Dwyfor Meirionnydd. Diolch yn fawr i Dylan Rees, Hywel Williams AS, Phil Edwards a Dafydd Elis Thomas AC am y croeso.

Fues i’n canfasio gyda Eurig hefyd yn Llanberis.

Wythnos yma rydw i yn canolbwyntio ar ymgyrchu yn Rhondda Cynon Taf a Caerffili. Mas heno yn y Rhondda.

Ioan Bellin

Last weeks of the campaign

Spent last week in north Wales in Wales TUC Conference, where we launched the workers’ pledge.

Plaid’s five point workers’ pledge commits the party to:

Strengthening the Posted Workers Directive to guarantee equal rights for workers at the same workplace

A Working Time Directive that ensures the health and safety of all workers

A more effective framework for informing and consulting employees

Proper implementation of the Insolvency Directive to protect pensions

A new programme of investment in public services to protect public sector jobs

I also visited Ynys Môn, Arfon, Aberconwy and Dwyfor Meirionnydd on the campaign trail. Thanks to Dylan Rees, Hywel Williams MP, Phil Edwards and Dafydd Elis Thomas AM for the warm welcome. Had a good night canvassing with Eurig in Llanberis.

This week I am concentrating my efforts in Rhondda Cynon Taf and Caerffili. I will be out in the Rhondda canvassing tonight.

Ioan Bellin

Dydd Llun Delfrydol...Super Monday

‘Dydd Llun Delfrydol’ mewn tair etholaeth yng ngogledd ddwyrain Cymru: Alyn a Glannau Dyfrdwy, Wrecsam a De Clwyd. Cawsom ymateb anhygoel yng Ngwersyllt gyda Arfon Jones, ein hymgeisydd San Steffan ar gyfer Wrecsam, sydd hefyd yn gynghorydd sir ar gyfer Gwersyllt.

Eurig Wyn

‘Super Monday’ in three north-east Wales constituencies: Alyn and Deeside, Wrexham, and Clwyd South. We had a tremendous response in Gwersyllt with Arfon Jones, our Westminster candidate for Wrexham, who is also the county councillor for Gwersyllt.

Eurig Wyn

Eurig Wyn

Efallai mai fe oedd yn iawn wedi'r ...

Doeddwn i ddim yn deall pam fod Eurig Wyn wedi penderfynu cynnig ei enw y tro hwn. Efallai mai fe oedd yn iawn wedi'r ...Vaughan Roderick

Plan Bee to counter declining numbers

The Rhondda Leader reports on 'Plan Bee' - Jill Evans MEP