Caerphilly’s Assembly Member Hefin David and Islwyn AM Rhianon Passmore have backed different candidates to succeed Carwyn Jones as First Minister.
Ms Passmore has taken no time in announcing her support for Welsh Government Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford to take the top job.
She said: “Mark offers the mature leadership that Wales needs in these challenging times.
“This gravitas is coupled with a man who is modest and self-effacing. These are admirable qualities in a future leader for Wales.”
However, her Labour colleague Hefin David has backed Health Secretary Vaughan Gething to become the new leader of Welsh Labour. Mr Gething has yet to confirm he would run.
Dr David said: “Vaughan is an engaging and inspiring presence in our politics. He has all of the necessary cabinet experience and will be best-placed to unite and connect our communities in these turbulent times.
“The Labour Party stands for diversity and I believe that Vaughan will ensure that no one is left behind. I would be hugely optimistic for the future of our society with him leading our government.”
Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney AM Dawn Bowden has called for a woman candidate to be on the ballot paper and said she would be very disappointed if there was not.
The Welsh political world paid tribute to the First Minister after his surprise announcement.
Mr Jones explained to the Welsh Labour conference, held earlier this month, that he had taken the decision because of the pressure the job had put on his family.
He said: “I intend to stand down in the autumn, allowing for a new First Minister to take place by the end of this year.”
Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood AM congratulated Carwyn Jones on his nine years as First Minister but cautioned his successor on what the country needs from a new leader.
She said: “Wales needs more than a change of leader. We need a new government with the ideas, values and drive to build our nation into the successful country we know it could be.”
Leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Andrew RT Davies called for swift action with an election of a new leader within weeks, not months.
Mr Davies said: “The First Minister’s decision to stand down has created an immediate vacuum at the heart of Welsh politics, and we now face a period of rudderless leadership whilst the Labour Party works out how to elect his replacement.
“It is simply unacceptable for the country to be left in limbo until the end of the year.”
Ms Passmore told Caerphilly Observer that she wanted a quick decision to determine the electoral rules for the contest.
“I also support the call for an urgent special conference of the Welsh Labour Party to ensure that the forthcoming Welsh Labour leadership is held on a system of one member one vote.
“It is imperative that the next First Minister of Wales carries the majority support of the Welsh Labour Party membership.”
Does it really matter? The possible choices are mediocre, though I suppose anyone is better than Carwyn Jones.
Absolutely agree.
We just need a good strong leader.
We need a strong leader who is passionate about Wales and who will absolutely put the needs of Wales first.
The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humour, but without folly.” ~ Jim Rohn
Let’s hope who ever is awarded the job, won it on his/her skills not based on race or sexuality. It should be awarded on merit and who ever is right for the position of first minister. A strong leadership may feed down to the councils of Wales, and in particular Caerphilly Council. A leader is a person who can actually carry out the role, not a wannabe who does it just for the title and the power. We have too many of those in positions of power, who can’t lead.
Mr Edward j Smith Mr Richard Williams John Coffi Jack Jones
Why don’t Mr Anthony O’Sullivan or any of the ones below apply.“As a consequence, there is an amount of £270.364 included in expenditure in the accounts, which is considered by the Wales Audit Office to constitute unlawful expenditure.”
The note goes on to identify five chief officers, together with the amounts of unlawful salary payments they received.
Mr O’Sullivan received unlawful salary payments totalling £22,842. Mr Barnett unlawfully received £11,530, director of social services Albert Heaney unlawfully received £11,959, director of education Sandra Aspinall £16,743 and the council’s Section 151 (Finance) Officer Nicole Scammell had £15,975.
On top of that, the five also received unlawful “buy out” payments for giving up essential car user allowances and additional annual leave. Mr O’Sullivan, Mr Barnett, Mr Heaney and Ms Aspinall received £2,340 each, while Ms Scammell received £5,672.
The remainder of the unlawful payments were made to more junior officers.
It (the pay scandal) makes my blood boil, but any ‘First Minister’ will be picked from the AMs. I remain unconvinced that any that are supposedly in with a chance are capable of making the necessary improvements at the Assembly or senedd or whatever they currently call it.
But we need a good strong First Minister to cut this all out.
Or better still a Corrupt Minister to sort out Corrupt things. And Caerphilly Council is Corrupt.
The only time we will see a strong first minister is either when Plaid Cymru or the Conservatives take power until then issue will get swept under the carpet. Its Autocracy at the moment.
Edward
Caerphilly council deputy leader Keith Reynolds said: “Plaid Cymru and Conservatives where fully aware of the ‘unlawful’ payments to officers.So so all tared with the same brush.
They may have known and at the end of the day Labour were in charge. Its time for a clean sweep in our council. Let the Conservatives/ Plaid have a go. At the moment Labour are always garrenteed to be voted into power. We need a two term office imposed on councillors that way we will never have the same
old faces representing us. The longer these councillors are voted in, the more power they think they have over people.
So why don’t you stand.
No matter what party is in power you will never be happy.
I will be happy with the Conservatives in power, a pointless statement by yourself again.
Why is it a pointless statement. Mark Smith has put out names of people that you asked for months ago you said name and shame there thay are, but you chose to ignore.
Let’s aske them to account for the unlawful pay raise thay are all still working there, if we under paid our council tax or didn’t pay a parking fine we be pulled before a court. and yes let’s get the Welsh assembly to hold a public inquiry like you said.
Once again you are jumping to conculsions i was talking about mark smiths comment i was responding to yours when you said i wont be happy who is in power, learn to read correctly maybe thats why your grammer and spelling is so bad.
There no Conservative members of the council, nor were there in 2012. The secret committee was comprised of 4 Labour, 1 Plaid.
Nice to set the record straight Richard, it looks like Jack has his facts all wrong.
Edward just reading some of your comments, I believe you run with the cats and the dogs. Stand up and be counted.
There you go thank you for that information.
Didn’t know that.
Can you tell us that the rest of the information is correct.
I do believe it is. My own projection of the cost to the tax payer of the pay scandal, including likely future pension payments, is £10M. A cost of £5M has already been admitted but a lot is left out in my view.
As I keep saying we need a FULL public enquriy into this whole mess. It needs to start at the top and all the way to the bottom. It needs to be open and transparent. Only then will we have the truth.
Well said.
You know all about the scandal Jack has you keep saying in previous posts. If you know the full story let everyone know and stop hiding. Its clear you are council employee who knows everything about the pay scandal from with in.
Edward.
Why don’t you read the post above by Mark you quick in not understanding what he has said probably your smoking to much pot.
Punctuation can be your friend Jack, your posts are hard to read with out full stops n commas. And for your infomation I havent smoked cannabis since the 60s. I use CBD oil to help with my aches and pains totally legal and none of your business.
Why hasn”t all this been revealed in the media ?
Clearly this information must be coming from sources within Caerphilly Council ?
John it’s out in the domain you choose to ignore it.
I see the things about O’Sullivan,Barnett and Perkins – but who is this Heaney and the others? I’ve not seen anything about those ?
Well as you have probably know there where 23 I believe all given pay raise unlawfully 3 top executive the one you mentioned and thay are some of the managers still working there who where paid. That’s what I can see.
Let’s ask Richard williams or Mark smith
So that presumably means there are 20 other people who haven’t had any action taken against them ?
Then the Council are even more corrupt than we thought !
Correct
Thay all still working there all still managers. And department heads look them up.
More proof you are a council employee.
Ed.
Why don’t you Google the names that mark has posted.
It tells you who and what department thay all work for, Ed its easy to do.
I bet it’s even easier to find out if you work there like you do, Jack.
Google me at caerphilly council if it makes you happy ?.
Stop the pot it makes you head shot.
Can I ask doe’s it make a difference if I work there or not.
Why is It worrying you so much.
At least the proper information is coming out.
Its not the public domain, it might be in your domain within the council.
Again please read Mr mark smiths post.
What makes me laugh I told you this month’s ago and you chose to ignore.
You said I had a grudge and my comments where lies ? someone else said it if you like I can point you on the right direction.
Then it is disgusting that it appears no action has been taken against these others if I am reading what you say correctly.