Plaid Cymru press release

Have received a press release from Plaid, the meat of which is concerned about an Eid party organised by Labour a mere month after the event. I noted at the time that Cardiff did not seem to have an Eid event, they just have a late one. So, that press release:

Eid festival: Labour accused of insensitive bid for votes

Plaid Cymru Muslim councillor lambasts hypocritical Rhodri Morgan

Plaid Cymru has today (Monday 28 November) that the First Minister Rhodri Morgan has made a ‘cynical and insensitive’ attempt to gain votes for the Labour Party, after arranging a party to mark the end of Ramadan, but four weeks late.

The Labour Party, hurt by their loss of key seats to The Party of Wales – Plaid Cymru in the 2004 local elections, held a party at Coal Exchange yesterday in desperate bid to win back Muslim voters lost over the war in Iraq.

Plaid Cymru Councillor Mohammed Sarul Islam, who was elected for the Riverside ward of Cardiff in the 2004 elections, commented:

“The Muslim Community are furious in Cardiff. Rhodri Morgan is attending a celebration for Muslims to mark the end of Ramadan that is six weeks after the actual EID. That is a cynical and insensitive. As a Muslim, I ask quite simply, what has New Labour done for Muslims who live in Wales? They have let 100,000 civilians be killed in what amounts to genocide in Iraq.

“More locally, in Cardiff on 22 January 2004, New Labour Councillors voted down Plaid Cymru’s proposals to provide halal meals for Muslim children in Cardiff as of right. They should apologise to Muslim children who go hungry in school.

“Yet now, the Muslim Community is turning their back on Labour in droves, Labour is seeking to salvage the position by holding this late party to gain support. They are hypocrites.”

Plaid Cymru’s Shadow Social Justice Minister Leanne Wood, who is AM for South Wales Central which includes Cardiff, added:

“This is just another appalling gaff by Rhodri Morgan. This is just like his decision to play golf instead of attending the D-Day celebrations. It is crass and insensitive. I hope he will apologise.”

A BBC article has more from the other side, Labour-Plaid row over Eid party:

A Welsh Labour spokeswoman said: "It's really sad that on this day which is about partnership and building bridges that Plaid Cymru try to score cheap political points."

I was intrigued though by that reference to halal school meals and dug up the minutes. The proposal by the Plaid councillors was quite simple. A lengthy amendment was proposed by two Labour councillors (who have since lost their seats) that turned the motion in to a barren wasteland of nothingness. Which was passed. County council minutes, Thursday 22nd January 2004 (linked out of council website frame to get URL).

Fast forward to July and the newly elected Cllr Islam proposes a new version, identical except for pushing the dates back. An amendment deletes it, adds a bit of fluff but moves the debate on by calling for a report. County council minutes, Thursday 29th July 2004 (PDF linked out of website frame). Also related... Plaid press release, 15th July 2004. BBC article Schools' halal provision debated, 30 July 2004.

Singnificantly fast forward to March 2005 and the report is delivered... Halal school meals plan shelved, South Wales Echo, 5th March 2005. Cardiff Council is to Consult on Provision of School Meals for all Communities, Capital Times press release, 4th March 2005.

Big smelly problem

The report also identified long term landfill issues in Cardiff. The Lamby Way site has approximately 3-4 years capacity left if waste continues to be generated at current levels. Commercial waste generates significant income for the Council, but as this increases, the lifespan of the site is reduced.

Alternative facilities are likely to take a minimum of 5 years to establish resulting in a considerable time gap between the closure of Lamby Way and the opening of a new facility.

Scrutiny urges action on landfill site, Cardiff council press release.

Campaign Against Climate Change meeting

On Thursday there was a meeting in the Temple of Peace organised by the Campaign Against Climate Change.

It got off to a bit of a late start waiting for speakers to arrive, of an optimistic 100 seats about a quarter were filled. Chair, Robin Attfield, was from United Nations Association Wales and introduced the speakers, the first, David, I managed to miss but I understand spoke primarily about industries role in climate change.

The second speaker, Ashok, was from the coalition Campaign Against Climate Change, and painted of a picture of a world 100 years from now where climate change had gone unchecked causing climate change refugees and increasing wars over resources. And then another world was presented with clean green technologies, where attention wasn't focussed on planning the most efficient traffic jams and then building houses around them (rated highest on the giggle-o-meter). The dividing line, he believed the evidence pointed to was in 2015, at which point emissions must begin to fall. Ashok believed both worlds were equally possible, that society had the money and expertise but was just lacking political will and moral courage.

The speech went on to outline why this was not just a matter for the green community but for society as a whole. The campaign, says Ashok, is not about pointing the finger at particular organisations and then returning back to ordinary life and this is how it is different from other campains. The appeal to society is to be broadbased in that this is not just an environmental cause but humanitarian, something to which we can all contribute more than just lobbying. Which is why part of the campaign is a personal one, getting people to look at their own lives and change their own behaviour, backing up political decisions with personal ones.

With a more local view of the campaign was Julian, the director of Friends of the Earth Cymru, who spoke about the Wales scene focussing on the Assembly. He said that the Assembly had a commitment to sustainable energy but was failing to stand up and deal with the problem. He argued that the Assembly has failed to tackle energy consumption, that they had put out a little 'top tips' booklet but that in real terms their was no leadership on the issue and that funding was flatlining. There was also the issue of the 'energy gap' the disparity between the energy increasingly being used and being produced less which had led to the Confederation of British Industry and the Trade Unions Congress lobbying for nuclear power stations, including in Wales.

Another important factor was the numbers of cars on the road. Labour had said they were committed to cuting traffic but backtracked at the first signs of a backlash once they were in power. The bulk of public money for transport is still going on roadbuilding including a planned £350 million for an 'M4 relief' motorway around Newport. Aviation carbon dioxide was another sore point for Julian. The Assembly, he claimed, are looking at subsidising air links between north and south Wales rather than improving the rail network. Then on to the issue of promotion of renewable energy, wind and coastal energy. Julian claimed that wind could potentially provide 25% of Wales' energy needs in 5 years and that coastal water energy could provide 50% in just a few years.

More links:

• Friends of the Earth's The Big Ask
• Welsh Assembly Climate Change pages are amongst many sections of the Assembly site dealing with similar energy / environmental themes
• International Climate Change Demonstrations on 3rd December, from Global Climate Campaign
• Stop Climate Chaos
  
• Other involved groups: Greenpeace, People and Planet, Green Party, Islamic Foundation for Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Christian Ecology Link and Globalise Resistance
  

House of Lords Reform: A constituent writes

Dear Jenny,

House of Lords reform is coming up over the next year - would you consider signing the EDM and using your influence for electing the Second chamber?

The Minister for Constitutional Affairs Harriet Harman and the Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer have both publicly confirmed their intention to hold the promised free vote on the composition of the House of Lords by the end of the current Parliamentary session. This means that the most likely date for the vote could be as soon as July 2006, with a full reform Bill to be announced at the Queen's Speech one year from now.

Harriet Harman made her comments at the Progress Conference, held last month. Lord Falconer subsequently echoed these remarks at an evidence session of the Common's Constitutional Affairs Select Committee.

I would hope as Charter-88 member and supported of "Elect the Lords Campaign" that this new free vote on composition will unambiguously endorse a predominantly or wholly elected House of Lords, otherwise the issue will be lost for a generation."

Recently we heard that the tranche of life peers to be created in the New Year includes major donors to both the Labour and Conservative Parties. Do make the most of criticising this corrupt system and sign EDM 571 (edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=28820&SESSION=875).

Best wishes,
Max Wallis

90 day detention vote

Jenny Willott was of course amongst the full set of Lib Dems who voted against the government on the proposal to detain terrorist suspects for up to 90 days without charge.

So much has been bandied about in the media as to what the 'public' thinks with so few actual reliable surveys that I would urge everyone to get in touch with Ms Willott to either thank her or persuade her otherwise on jenny(at)jennywillott.com. And it wouldn't hurt to drop a comment down below either.

Jenny Willott action

Most of Ms Willott's action in the Commons has been on council tax and immigration and asylum issues, both written and spoken. There are also two on the Licensing act, a chance for the disapproving to stick the knife in a bit further when plans they oppose don't work out. A full list of her parliament appearances is available via They Work For You.

On the council tax issue she has also authored an Early Day Motion about a freeze on council tax rebanding in Wales. Another EDM is on the redevelopment of the Cardiff Royal Infirmary site (or lack thereof). She has also signed up to a good few. Take a look at the EDM database.

Cardiff Council website watch

The Cardiff's Ecological Footprint Summary Report (linked to the front page where there is a big banner, because the frames don't allow individual page linking) can be downloaded as a PDF if you are so inclined and if you can take your eyes off the mesmerising and very ugly floating menus.

Elsewhere, in the Council section I am trying to look up details of meetings I can attend as an observer. The diary is not very helpfully marked and the Members attendance link leads to a press release from 2001. It seems this will require a phone call rather than a browse.

I have emailed the site webmaster every time I encounter a problem with doing anything on the site, which ends up being every time I try and do anything, from asking about council tax to requesting refuse collection or completing their own surveys.

Cardiff festivals

Quite the party week this week: a Happy Diwali for today, followed in quick succession by a happy Bestu Varush tomorrow and Eid ul Fitr on Friday with bonfire night on Saturday and Halloween just gone.

Except of course in Cardiff all you'll get is Sparks in the Park. Celebrating the 400th anniversary of Parliament almost getting blown up. Or is it celebrating the foiling of the plan to blow up Parliament? Either way, have a nice party.

Focus on Plasnewydd

Super speedy update with the latest Lib Dem Focus on Plasnewydd... scans available here. If anyone has an other copies of politics leaflets or copies of Focus send em in.