Thnatched

I hear Maggie's back after Alun coughed up the £25 ransom.

Thnatched

:: Alun Cairns used to have a poster of Margaret Thatcher on his wall in the Assembly. I say "used to" because it has been pinched. I'm informed that the culprit will return the Baroness if Mr Cairns gives the NSPCC £50. Tory AMs have form on this sort of thing. Anyone remember this?

Before the election Rhodri Morgan made clear he was not interested in wooing Tories. Guided by a belief that Wales is natural Labour soil, he tried to stoke enough sympathy to overwhelm the opposition. Nothing could be less New Labour. The strategy failed, perhaps because Welsh Labour was tarnished by the unpopularity of New Labour. The One Wales pact is a consequence of that failure.

But could the "progressive consensus" in Wales further entrench New Labour? More power for Wales's Assembly and Scotland's Parliament will mean both nations send fewer MPs to Westminster. If the One Wales pact results in a lawmaking referendum - a pretty big 'if' according to Welsh Labour MPs - then it could further diminish safe Labour parliamentary seats, making middle England even more valuable at General Elections.

Stuffed crust

Marc has an AM living on his street. There is a Domino's Pizza outlet around the block, about 200 yards away.
"What are the One Wales environment policies?" Marc asks. "Because them next door had a pizza delivered the other night. Emissions."

Wyneblyfr

:: I haven't blogged since the election because I've been spending too much time on facebook. So addictive. It's like crack, only it's not bad for you, which makes it worse, if you see what I mean. Rhun ap Iorwerth has just become my 100th friend.

:: Put Pontrhydfendigaid into Google maps for a laugh. This is where Plaid Cymru is having its national council tomorrow. It looks like Ieuan has closed his eyes and stuck a pin in a map. It's in a "shed", a party press officer just told me.

:: Here's an email exchange I had with a Labour AM during Plenary recently. I'm black, he's red.

13.04 sut oedd grwp bore 'ma?

13.05 Da iawn diolch. Ces i Earl Grey am change.

13.30 how "palatable"

14.51 Mae Earl Grey yn hynod o palatable. Yn arbennig gyda cacen siocled.

15.09 darn o hwn sy' isie arno ti