Mr Davies said: “Wayne David is a relative newcomer to our Valley and even though his views count for little he should try a little harder to be more historically aware.
“It was when I was Secretary of State that I negotiated to get the Treasury, the National Office for Statistics and Euro-stat to accept the basis of our claim that GDP in West Wales and the Valleys was below the 75 % threshold necessary for Objective 1. Once that was accepted we qualified and were entitled to receive our proportionate share. It was left to Tony Blair to agree the amounts which European rules had determined we would get.
“Similarly as an Assembly Member in 1999-00, I initiated and chaired the meetings between the then Health Authority and Trust and secured agreement for the new hospital and that the business case would be made. I secured the agreement of the Welsh Assembly Government that should the business case be proven (as it has been) then the project would proceed. All fact. The MP is wrong about the dates. The campaign has been going on for over 40 years and I have been part of it for much of that time.
“In 1999 as Secretary of State I required the then Welsh Development Agency to construct the land form in the Bargoed reclamation scheme to provide for the by pass. His own Labour Councillor Colleague David Carter from Bargoed has publicly acknowledged this on many occasions. In 2001-02 I secured the financial commitment for the by pass at Bargoed. During the last three years I have led the negotiations with the developers and WAG to ensure the regeneration proceeds, and secured the funding commitments from the Cabinet to allow this to happen. This includes incidentally the second phase which will complete the transformation.
“I freely acknowledge that many others have been involved in all these projects but I can say, hand on heart that I am unaware of anything done to help by Messrs David and Cuthbert. All they have done is to seek to turn these developments, on which we should all be united, into party political points scoring at every opportunity.”
Ah, finally something coherent from ‘Messr’ Davies. If he didn’t want to have people attacking him for his leaflets then he should have phrased differently. ‘Having created the Assembly….’ ‘I secured….’
Also, I note Davies mentions that ‘For the last twelve years Labour controlled the Assembly and the Westminster Government but they failed to secure fair funding for Wales, costing us at least £300 million pounds.’
Very interesting considering that He, Ron Davies, as claimed by him, is the architect of devolution and created the Assembly. So then surely it’s not Labour who failed to secure a fair funding formula. It was Ron himself who minced it up to begin with then. He can’t have it both ways…..
As for hand-on-heart not knowing what David and Cuthbert have done on any of these projects….who is Davies kidding? Who does he think carried on the projects when he was disgraced and forced to stand down a short time ago (by his standards if David’s having been MP here for 10 years is a short time)? Oh that’s right, the AM and MP for Caerphilly.
Wayne David is right. I have rarely seen such a boastful leaflet as the last one from Ron.You have to blow your own trumpet in politics but –. He should stop listening to the Caerdydd Crachah [ who proclaimed him 'Favourite' on the basis of no evidence at all – oh! I forgot that they knew the result of the Postal Vote last December} and read the memoirs of some his former Westminster colleagues instead. He also appears to have taken his Council's one-sided promotion of himself [at our expense] seriously.In a previous leaflet he claimed to champion the interests of Bedwas,Trethomas&Machen. He should be aware that most of the people in the Ward we've spoken to are not using that word.
Jeff Cuthbert is a hard-working and dedicated AM who doesn't blow his own trumpet enough, in the opinion of those who are familiar with his work, but his record of committee,working-groups,voluntary involvement etc. is impressive -to say the least- and he is team-player in the interests of Caerphilly and Wales.
Plaid Cymru voters who want what's best for us need to remember that 'There's no I in Team'and it's worth reading Ron's previous attacks on Nationalists at Labour Conferences before his conversion to a variety of new pastures. 'There is only one party of Wales – the Labour Party' you never said truer words Ron.
"when a genius appears, a conspiracy of fools forms to bring him down"
Havard, Wayne David and the intern son Hefin – nothing but a conspiracy of fools !
p.s lighten up Havard – stopping being so bloody cantankerous you make Alf Garnett had nothing on you !
I think you ought to check your facts David.
Hefin David is not related to Wayne and he certainly isn't an Intern. He is a hard-working,and highly respected, County Councillor and a full-time Lecturer and thank you for giving me an opportunity to tell voters that he is, very deservedly, on the Regional List for the Labour.
Alf Garnet eh? 'Genius' -Was that one of his quotes [freely translated of course]
"When a genius appears a conspiracy of fools form to bring him down."
Well I do know that Wayne David is nobodys fool, I assume that the contributor means Ron Davies is a genius. Ron has many talents but he is no Stephen Hawking.
Such adulation makes me wonder whether 'David Hughes' is a pseudonym for Lynn Hughes, Ron's Missus!
Ron Davies says that he's not aware of any contribution from me on a number of major projects like the new hospital and Angel Way. I find that hard to believe but I don't need to explain my involvement here. Suffice it to say that those that have been involved, know of my work.
One major spin-off from my involvement with the new hospital is the project to save the original building of the Miners' Hospital. A project that, hopefully, is close to fruition. A project that involves those of all political opinion and none.
Ron makes many claims about his previous work. But conveniently forgets to mention (as do all Plaid supporters) that this work was in his role as a Labour politician. So any achievements were Labour achievements. He was put into those positions through the efforts of his then Labour Party colleagues (like me). Now, we're the enemy!
Jeff Cuthbert makes an important point by pointing to Ron Davies' refusal to give any recognition for his previous work as a constituency MP and AM to the Labour Party and to the hard working party members who assisted him for the 20 years he held the caerphilly seat. He was elected in 1983 off the backs of hard working party members and served as a Labour MP thanx to the good people of Caerphilly. It is clear also that he is treating this campaign as if he were running as an independent. His election address is full of "I did this" and "I did that". It realy is shocking that Plaid Cymru members are so desperate for success that they have let Ron Davies become their candidate. It is obvious that Ron Davies is using Plaid Cymru for his own ends and cares little or nothing about them. When he's defeated on thursday he'll drop Plaid like a stone within months and will be seeking "new friends".
His campaign has also been pathetic. All we have heard from him throughout this campaign is outright hostility towards the Labour Party and precious little mention of the Conservatives. He hammers the Labour party relentlessly for its record yet he represented the constituency as a Labour MP/AM for half of the time Labour were in government. So why are we only hearing an anti – Labour message coming from Ron Davies? Perhaps this is a tactical move. Given Plaid Cymru's refusal to rule out a coalition with the Tories if no party gains an overall majority it may well be the case that he is holding back attacks on the Tories because secretly he wants to form a coalition with them after the election.
Its time Ron Davies and Plaid Cymru answered the question. Is a Tory/Plaid coalition the real objective?
Can I assume, that the Jeff Cuthbert who is contributing here – is the same Jeff- that got 4 out of 10 by the Western Mail ? Why did they do that Jeff?
Nidel- Do the Western Mail have a vote in this election?????
And, as you hold that rag up as some sort of example of representation, do you remember the rubbish it wrote about Ron Davies during the past five years or so, surely you dont hold that rubbish up as an example upon which which to judge both these candidates????
Trefor – the Western Mail goes into 40 000 odd households in Wales – Jeff must be doing something wrong – why would the WM say these things ? I don't know the man personally, where is he going wrong ?
As I have said, in a previous, post, the Western Mail has a political view. All newspapers do; they print the views of the owner and the editorial staff. Why anybody would take into account what the newspapers say, when deciding on who to vote for, is beyond my understanding. I remember Ron getting some pretty bad write ups in the papers, including the parochial rag, the Western Mail. I did not take any notice then and don't now.
I will be voting for the candidate that demonstrates that they have an agenda for change. Wales is getting progressively weaker economically, education is poorer than it was even 20 years ago and anti social behaviour is on the increase. I fear for the future of my country.
Why must the Labour Party get so wound up about Ron Davies' political journey ?
Alun Davies for example, was a very prominent member of Plaid – but has joined the Labour Party – we have not attacked him personally !
This is Alun on YouTube, describing the Labour Party in the south Wales Valley's as 'gangsters'.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dTb62rcU5c
Alun Davies is standing for Derek Havard's party in Blaenau Gwent !
STOP PRESS -STOP PRESS
Derek Havard, was once a member of Plaid ! – so he can be 'forgiven' for 'his' political journey but not Ron for his !
They call that hypocrisy in the pub I drink in Derek.
But then again, Ron for Derek that's a fair swap I suppose !
I grow so very tired of this same bs about the Western Mail giving Cuthbert 4 out of 10. The truth is they don't know a bloody thing about what any of the AM's really do, besides when they are in plenary or possibly attending something in Cardiff Bay.
They are a Nationalist rag and only a Nationalist who has something to gain from it would deny that they were. I read that tripe everyday, not because I want to, because all the journalists in South Wales do. Most normal and sensible people down right refuse to read it. Does that answer your question David?
And by the way, Labour isn't wound up about Ron's 'political journey' from Labour to Plaid. Labour just thinks only someone who is self serving and in politics to agument their pension, would pull the antics he has. From Labour to Forward Wales to Independent to Plaid to …..???? Clearly Ron Davies has no political allegance since he left his true home in Labour, he's only in politics for a pay cheque and you should NEVER go into serving the public to serve yourself. It's a question of dignity.
Just a reply to Richard Williams above. Am happy to write anything I want to say under my own name.
Well said Kat.
Who cares what the Western Daily Nationalist says? Its biased to the point of being poisonous.But as Richard Williams says, it has a political view.
I think what you have pointed out all too clearly is not that Ron Davies has left the Labour Party but the manner in which he used other Parties and even a Independent platform to scramble back into public life.
I would warn my friends in Plaid Cymru that Ron's motivation is Ron's political rehabilitation and the current vehicle he is using is their Party.To be honest I would say, Ron's interest far exceed those of Wales.
Well done Lynne!
Dave Pilgrim, what a wonderful and appropriate name if it were real and if it relates to an `early` Plaid Cymru supporter in these valleys. If all this is real then he has every right to express the view he has on this blog, but it is not Ron Davies`s tranformation which is so remarkable, at this time in his life, but the way Plaid Cymru have embraced him, this is what should be questioned.Is Ron bigger than the Party?
For fear of repeating myself Plaid are seen in some local quarters as the `nasty party`, this will become more clear during the next year or so, and is in damger of destroying the valuable work done, in a lifetime dedicated to Wales and Plaid Cymru, by the `other` Plaid Cymru candidate in this election Lindsay Whittle. There will, after this election is done and dusted, have to be an inquest into whatever the election result throws up, I would urge Lindsay and Ron, whatever the result, to look at its local decision to totally disenfranchise entire communities of people, by thier Plaid Cymru Councillors, colleagues of both Ron and Lindsay. This disenfranchisment and lack of meaningful political representation by those elected is not the way to continue to build on the valuable contributions made by both these individuals to local political representation.
Would voters who vote for Ron and Lindsay expect this disenfranchisment to continue then into Assembly representation?, I think the answer would be no, but, that is not bourne out by their continued support for those Councillors who have publically demonstrated their ability to sidestep and ignore local problems and issued raised by residents in Caerphilly. Please think on!!!!!!
To Lynne Hughes, thank you for clarifying that you are not David Hughes. I am glad that you would post any comment in your own name, I do likewise.
Please forgive me for suspecting such adoration of Ron must come from a close family member. Ron was a good MP and AM but a genius, to me, means people such as Mozart, Newton, etc. It has become an over used word in the same catagory as 'awesome', 'stunning' and 'brilliant' which trip off people's tongues far too readily these days.