With the Senedd now in recess, it’s worth looking back at some of the ridiculous things I’ve come out with over the last year or so.
If you’ve ever asked the question, “How did that get ever planning permission?” then this is for you. https://t.co/EZsuERpRkH #Wales #Cymru #Planning
— Owen Donovan (@oggybloggyogwr) June 23, 2021
Nobody has ever asked that because nobody talks like that.
Whenever I post anything on Twitter that gets even an ounce of traction, I’m near enough typo to put in a guaranteed.
On Hefin David MS’s (Lab, Caerphilly) chances of holding onto his constituency seat in the 2021 Senedd election:
“I’d say Hefin David has an advantage by being the incumbent and more well known now, but I’d expect the result to be even more of a bum-squeaker than last time.”
He won by more than 5,000 votes.
On Leanne Wood’s chances in Rhondda:
“There’s enough goodwill towards Leanne Wood personally to enable her to hang on, but it’ll probably be with a significantly reduced majority, putting the seat firmly back in play for 2026.
“Verdict: Lean Plaid Cymru.”
We now know that it most definitely did not lean Plaid Cymru.
“Two clubs that currently play in the top tier of the women’s game in Wales – Abergavenny and Caerphilly-based Cascade – have been relegated after failing to meet new club licensing requirements….”
Except Abergavenny did meet the licensing requirements and were rejected for other reasons – which arguably makes their case stronger.
“(Abolish the Assembly) are still set to have a full slate of candidates for the regional lists and it would be a big surprise if they didn’t win seats; at the very least Mark Reckless stands a good chance of returning to Cardiff Bay.”
….to collect his things.
“But I’ve always suspected the Welsh electorate gets tired of overconfident politicians that talk a good game but don’t have a track record far faster than the rest of the UK.”
In retrospect: nope, we’re absolutely fine with this.
“(Plaid’s 2021 Senedd results are) being called a setback for independence, but I’d call it a blessing in disguise. There’s more time to work on the details instead of rushing headlong into a referendum that would be a 1979-style curb stomp defeat….”
If “work on the details” meant YesCymru doing their best to rip themselves apart, then I was right….
When drawing comparisons between the main political parties and supermarkets:
“People will go to those other stores occasionally and they’ll have regular customers but most people end up at Tesco. The local Somerfield closed years ago and you have to go miles to the nearest Co-Op (Lib Dems).”
In fairness, there are quite a few Co-Ops around. LIB DEM SURGE?
In the post on PAYG Road Pricing:
“According to Welsh Government statistics, in 2019 (so pre-pandemic figures) 32.1billion vehicle kilometres were driven in Wales. “Although exact pricing could be variable, every 1p-per-km driven raises about £321million a year, so an average price of 6p-per-km driven could raise up to £1.93billion a year….”
I didn’t take into account the Welsh Government’s target for 45% of journeys being made by public transport, walking or cycling by 2045 – which would seriously impact the theoretical revenues from road pricing, it’s safe to say.
One of the “Four Big Challenges Facing Wales (Which Few People Talk About)”, published in February 2020:
“Dealing with the Dead”.
We all know what happened a few weeks later….so I do get some things right, then?
Things will be a bit quiet for the next few weeks, but that doesn’t mean things stop completely. Here’s what’s coming up, starting Monday (19th July):
