Elin Jones has been named as AM of the year! I’d like to extend my congratulations on this achievement – it’s well deserved!

Elin Jones - Aelod Cynulliad y Flwyddyn

Hoffwn estyn llongyfarchiadau i Elin Jones am enill wobr Aelod Cynulliad y Flwyddyn. Mae rhai ohonom yn gwybod pa mor galed mae Elin yn gweithio ac mae hi’n haeddu’r clod!

It was a surprise and a shiock to hear today that Mohammed Asghar, AM for South East Wales and his daughter, Natasha, have decided to leave Plaid Cymru and joint the Conservative party. Usually with such events there are rumours beforehand but I’d not heard anything. The news came as a shock to the media and the political world. There had been no big falling out in the Assembly group and no major change in policy – 2 possible reasons for wating to cross the floor. So, its a fair question to asky why did Mohammed decide to join the Conservatives?

His interview on Good Evening Wales didn’t throw much light on the matter. He didn’t give an answer to why he’s stood as a Plaid candidate is he was so uncomfortable with our policies. He said that he didn’t want to talk about the past but that he had always been against independence. He also said that one of the reasons behind his defection was that the Conservatives were going to win the next general election.

Well, I do remember him talking quite confortably about independence – when Plaid was debating the Saint Atham motion at the conference in September. It wasn’t that long ago…..

A number of issues raise their heads in light of Mohammed’s decision to defect, but the main one is the issue of his seat and it’s electors. It appears that there is no legal requirement to resign a list seat in the case of a defection, but you have to ask yourself how the electors of south east Wales, who voted for a Plaid AM now feel with a Conservative one. I’ve never been totally convinced about the need to hold by-elections when an MP or AM defects, but there is a stronger case in a proportional system as the vote on the regional list is usually for a party rather than an individual. There are arguments for and against, but  there will be people in Monmouthshire tonight who feel a very aggreived.

This is of course a bad news story for Plaid. We have to ask ourselves how this happenned – were there weaknesses in our selection processes which allowed people who were not committed to the party to stand for election in our name? Did Mohammed deliberately mislead the local party to get the nomination? I can’t believe that he was a member of Plaid for all that time and didn’t realise that he was against one of our central policies!

But there is also some good news for Plaid in this. The response to the defection has been quite negative, with people commenting that he didn’t even speak to Ieuan Wyn Jones to resign. It shows a lack of respect for people who had been working very closely with him and thought of him as a friend. The fact that the Conservatives are so keen to take on board an AM who they have been criticising as inneffective shows a low level of sincerity, and a contempt for the people of south east Wales who voted Plaid.

But the most important thing is the reaction of the electorate. On the whole they don’t like politicans who get elected for one party and then defect to another one, and the comments on Radio Wales tonight backed that up.The Conservatives may have won an additional vote in the Assembly, but the electorate like to be the ones who decide on their representatives – and they will remember.

Roedd yn sioc ac yn syndod i glywed heddiw fod Mohammed Asghar wedi penderfynnu gadael Plaid Cymru ac ymuno a’r Ceidwadwyr yn y Cynulliad Cenedlaethol a bod ei ferch, Natasha, a oedd mor frwd dros y Blaid adeg etholiadau Ewrop wedi mynd gyda fe. Fel arfer, gyda pethau fel hyn dych chi’n clywed sibrydion o flaen llaw, ond mae’n wir ddweud nad oeddwn i wedi clywed unrhywbeth. Nid oedd unrhyw cwympo allan wedi bod yn y grwp yn y Cynulliad hyd y gwn i, ac nid oes newid polisi mawr wedi bod – dau rheswm arall dros adael un plaid i ymuno ag un arall. Felly, pam penderfynnodd Mohammed i fynd at y Ceidwadwyr?

Nid oedd ei gyfweliad ar Good Evening Wales yn taflu rhyw lawer o oleuni ar y pwnc. Methodd ateb pam, oedd e wedi ymuno a’r Blaid a sefyll fel ymgeisydd y Blaid os oedd e’n anghyffyrdus a’i pholisiau. Nid oedd yn awyddus i drafod y gorffennol ond roedd e’n dweud ei fod yn llwyr yn erbyn annibynniaeth a heb son am y pwnc.

Wel, dwi’n ei gofio yn siarad o blaid Academi Amddiffyn Sain Tathan, gan ddweud bydd rhaid i Gymru hyfforddi lluoedd arfog pan fydd yn annibynnol. Roedd e i weld yn hollol gyffyrddus a’r polisi ym mis Medi.

Mae ‘na nifer o bethau yn codi yn sgil penderfyniad Mohammed ond mae un pwynt yn sefyll allan. Er ei fod yn ymddangos nad oes rhaid iddo ymddiswyddo o’r Cynulliad, mae etholwyr de dwyrain Cymru, a oedd wedi pleidlesio dros Blaid Cymru yn ffindio bod Ceidwadwr yn eu cynrychioli. Dwi ddim wedi perswadio am yr angen i gael is-etholiad pob tro mae aelod seneddol neu cynulliad yn newid plaid, ond mewn system cyfrannol, mae’r achos yn fwy cryf.

Does dim dwywaith fod hyn yn newyddion gwael i’r Blaid. Rhaid gofyn y cwestiwn sut digwyddodd hyn. A oes wendidau yn y system dewis ymgeiswyr sy’n gadael pobl sydd ddim wedi ymrwymo i’r blaid i sefyll? Oedd Mohammed wedi twyllo’r aelodau ei fod yn rhannu y weledigaeth er mwyn ennill sedd? Dwi’n methu credu fod Mohammed Asghar wedi sefyll yn enw’r blaid heb feddwl am ein brif polisi.

Ond, mae newyddion positif i’r Blaid o hyn i gyd. Mae’r ffaith bod Mohammed heb ymddiswyddo mewn person yn dweud y cyfan, a’r ffaith fod y Ceidwadwyr mor awyddus i gael aelod Cynulliad maen nhw wedi beirniadau’n hallt am ei ddiffygion yn arwydd o’r ffordd maen nhw am chwarae gwleidyddiath hyb boeni fod etholwyr y de dwyrain wedi cael eu twyllo.

Y brif beth wrth gwrs y ymateb yr etholwyr. Ar y cyfan, nid yw’r pobl arferol yn fodlon gyda gwleidyddion sy’n cael eu hethol yn enw un plaid ac yn newid heb fynd yn ol i’r etholwyr. Mae’r Cediwadwyr wedi ennill pleidlais arall yn y Cynulliad, ond mae nhw wedi profi eu diystyrwch i bobl Cymru.

The board of the 70% publicly owned RBS bank has threatned to resign if the UK government prevents them paying substatial bonuses to already very well paid senior staff. They believe that they need to make these bonus payments to keep them “competitive” and “reward” staff for their work.

Are we talking about the same RBS? Perhaps they’ve forgotton that a year ago those merchant bankers had banckrupted the company and had to ask the taxpayer, normal people who earn less in a lifetime than their annual bonus to prop them up. It was their irresponsible behvaiour that caused the crisis, started a global economic meltdown and vicious cuts in essential public services for years to come. Beacuse of their actions people have lost their jobs, been forced onto short time working or taken pay cuts.

I’ve got no problem with rewarding hard, responsible and successful work, but I fail to see anything too reward in the merchant bankers’ behaviour. Do they have any idea what they’ve done to the world outside? Have they seem the empty shops and factories? Have their made the connection? Do they care? Are they laughing at the rest of us between mouthfulls of Bolly?

I didn’t chose to invest in RBS but the government used a lot of my money to prop it up. But as a reluctant shareholder, but my vote would be to let them go if they want to. If they were running any normal company they’d have been out long ago.

Mae bwrdd banc RBS wedi bygwth ymddiswyddo os bydd Llywodraeth Prydain yn eu rhwystro rhag dalu taliadau ychwanegol. Maen nhw’n credu fod yn rhaid talu’r bonws ychwanegol er mwyn aros yn “gystadleol” ac er mwyn “gwobrwyo” staff hyn am eu gwaith.

Ydyn ni’n son am yr un RBS? Efallai bod y bobl hyn eisiau edrych yn ol rhyw flwyddyn cyn eu bod yn dod yn ol i’r ddaear. Roedd RBS wedi mynd i’r wal, ac yn dibynnu ar y drethdalwyr – pobl arferol sy’n ennill llai yn eu bywydau na’r bancwyr hyn yn cael mewn bonws un blwyddyn. Oherwydd eu hymddygiad anghyfrifol roedd yn rhaid i’r llywodraeth cefnogi’r cwmni, rydym mewn dirwasgiad difrifol, mae gwario cyhoeddus yn mynd i gael ei thorri ac mae pobl arferol yn colli eu gwaith.

Does dim problem ‘da fi i wobrwyo waith caled, cyfrifol a llwyddiannus, ond rhaid i mi gyfaddef, dwi ddim yn gweld llawer i’w gwbrwyo yn y ymddygiad bancwyr masnachol RBS. Ydy’r bancwyr hyn yn syweddoli beth sydd wedi digwydd yn y byd tu allan? Ydyn nhw’n cofio eu bod nhw’n gyfrifol am galedi difrifol? Ydyn nhw wedi gweld y siopau a ffatrioedd gwag?

Felly os bydd bwrdd RBS eisiau ymddiswyddo, fel cyfranddalwr, dwi’n eitha fodlon iddynt fynd.

At last, David Cameron has answered the devolution question – in part at least. A Conservative government in London wouldn’t block a request to hold a referendum on full legislative powers for the Assembly if one was requested by Cardiff Bay. Conservative Assembly Members are overjoyed. Like the Labour MPs in 2007, Conservative MPs have been marginalised. This is a big step forward for a Conservative Party in Wales that 10 years ago opposed any form of devolution. These are small steps but welcome ones.
But before we get too carried away, it should be noted that Cameron still doesn’t “get” devolution. When asked about the referendum Cameron said

“But my own view is let’s roll up our sleeves and deal with the real priorities – jobs investment, getting the economy going – that is what I think people in Wales care about most of all.”

The standard answer from a politician that can’t think of a valid reason to oppose something is to claim that it isn’t what real people are talking about. It’s somehow not important. But devolving legislative powers in areas where the Assembly has responsibility IS important. Cardiff Bay can’t implement policy without going through a long and convoluted process of asking for powers which delays much needed reforms. To return to Mr Cameron’s point, the Welsh Government’s policies to create jobs and attract investment are hampered by the LCO process.
Perhaps Mr Cameron should speak to people who are on waiting lists for rented housing about whether the constitutional settlement is important. It’s kept them waiting for over 2 years for measure which would help get them somewehere to live. Peter Hain’s finest achievment is causing homelessness and unemployment. That is what I think people in Wales care about most of all Mr Cameron

O’r diwedd, atebodd David Cameron y cwestiwn ar ddatgnoli – i ryw raddau. Na fyddai llywodraeth Ceidwadol yn gwrthod cais am refferendwm a ddatganoli pwerau deddfi llawn i’r Cynulliad petai Bae Caerdydd yn gofyn. Mae Aelodau Cynulliad Ceidwadol yn llawen – maen nhw wedi cael eu ffordd ac fel Aelodau Seneddol Llafur yn 2007, mae Aelodau Seneddol Ceidwadol wedi colli’r dadl. Ond unwaith eto, mae’r arweinydd y Ceidwadwyr wedi dangos ei fod e ddim yn deall datganoli.  Dywedodd

“But my own view is let’s roll up our sleeves and deal with the real priorities – jobs investment, getting the economy going – that is what I think people in Wales care about most of all.”

Ateb safonol gwleidyddion sydd ddim o blaid rhywbeth ond sy’n methu cyfiawnhau eu safbwynt yw bod y bobl ddim yn gweld y peth yn bwysig. Ond mae rhoi pwerau deddfi llawn i’r Cynulliad yn bwysig. Mae’n llawer mwy anodd i’r llywodraeth yng Nghaerydd weithredu polisiau sy’n creu swyddi a denu buddsoddiad heb fod y pwer gyda yno. Mae’r system presennol sy’n trosglwyddo pwerau pob yn dipyn yn golygu fod y broses o greu deddfau yng Nghymru yn llawer rhy hir. Dwedwch wrth y bobl sy’n aros am dai rhent fod y setliad cyfandoddiadol ddim yn bwysig Mr Cameron. 2 flynedd ar ol cyhoeddi polisi, nid oes modd i Lywodraeth Cymru wethredu arni. Mae’r system LCOs yn creu diwaithdra a chadw pobl ar restrau aros am gartrefi. That is what I think people in Wales care about most of all Mr Cameron

Cyhoeddwyd y newyddyddion wythnos hon fod Jane Davidson, Gweinidog yr Amglychedd am godi tal ar fagiau plastic siopa untro o 2011 ymlaen. Er bod cynllun gwirdoddol wedi lleihai y nifer o fagiau a roddwyd allan gan y cwmnioedd oedd yn cymryd rhan o bron i 50%, nid oedd y gweinidog o’r farn bod modd lleihau yn sylweddol eto heb orfodaeth.
Nid ym hwn yn “dreth” fel mae rhai wedi honni. Ni fydd y llywodraeth yn cael ceiniog o’r tal – bydd y siopau yn casglu’r arian yn yn cael eu annog i’w defnyddio tuag at gynlluniau o les i’r amglychedd.
Mae rhai wedi ymosod ar y cynllun gan ddweud na fydd lleihai defnydd o fagiau plastic untro yn gwneud unrhyw wahaniaeth i’r amgylchedd. Dwi ddim yn cytuno. Dwi wedi ceisio a defnyddio bagiau cotwm am y 4 mlynedd diwethaf, a dwi wedi sylwi bod fy agwedd wedi newid o ganlyniad. Mae mynd a’r bag i’r Co-op wedi dod yn beth naturiol, a dw bin sbwriel (a’r bin ailgylchu) ddim yn llawn bagiau pastig bellach. Dwi ddim yn gwybod faint o blastic sydd wedi arbed o ganlyniad, ond mae 4 bag pob wythnos o’r Co-op a 3 fag pob wythnos o’r dref yn olygu ‘mod i wedi safio 1,400 o fagiau – cyfraniad bach i leihai sbwriel a’r defnydd o olew ond un wedi gwneud heb unrhyw arberthiad ar fy rhan i.
Efallai na fydd codi tal 15c ar fagiau plastic ddim yn mynd i drawsnewid yr amglychedd dros nos, ond mae gwneud i ni feddwl am y ffordd rydym yn defnyddio deunydd untro yn gam mawr ymlaen tuag at newid ein meddwl tuag at wastraff. Unwaith eto, mae Cymru yn arwain y ffordd.

Jane Davidson, the Minister for the Environment announced this week that a charge will be raised on one-trip plastic bags from 20100 onwards. The minister believed that while a voluntary scheme had reduced the number of bags handed out by participating retailers by nearly 50%, further significant progress wasn’t possible without legislation. This is not a “tax” as some have charged – the government won’t get it’s hands on the money – it will be collected by the retailers and they will be encouraged to use it for environmental benefits.
Some have attacked the proposal, saying that reducing the number of one-trip bags in circulation will make no significant difference to the environment. I don’t agree. I’ve tried to use cotton bags for the last 4 years and I’ve seen my attitude change in that time. Taking a cotton bag to the Co-op has now become second nature and my bin (and recycling bags) are no longer full of carrier bags. I don’t know how much plastic I have saved but a quick caluclation of 4 bags a week from the Co-op and another 3 from other sources add up to over 1,400 bags over the period. That is one person’s contribution to reducing rubbish and oil use with pretty much no sacrifice.
Perhaps a 15p charge on bags isn’t going to change the world overnight but it will make us think before we pick up another one. Over time, the change in attitude will be the main effect, and once again, in Wales, we’re leading the way.