U-turn. Who turn?

Peter Black today makes the claim that Plaid Cymru have performed a "U-turn" on ID cards:

Yesterday Plaid voted against a motion which called on the UK Government to drop plans for compulsory ID cards. They also helped to vote down a motion that noted the incompetence of the UK Government in ensuring the security of individuals’ personal data.

But then we find out that Plaid voted for the Lib Dem motion:

The votes took place on a Welsh Liberal Democrat motion that called on the Welsh Government not to allow ID cards to be used as a requirement for access to public services in Wales which are within the remit of the Assembly. That motion was passed with unanimous support.

Plaid voted against amendments to this motion made by the Tories. Apparently voting against the Tories constitutes a U-turn for Plaid. Does this spell doom for the Rainbow Alliance? After a little bit of research I discovered that the Rainbow Alliane was strangled at birth, and by the Lib Dems no less. Not only that, but the Assembly Government is currently formed from a coalition between Plaid Cymru and Welsh Labour. But wait, Peter knows this as well:

Although I accept that being in a coalition government can limit the room for manoeurve for a political party, I had not realised that the One Wales agreement stretched to encompass Westminster matters.

Er, it doesn´t. But Peter seems to have forgotten that governing parties in the assembly don´t tend to pass motions on non-devolved matters that are blatant criticisms of the UK government.

Incompetence vs Idiocy

Peter Hain has the backing of his constituency party. What were the odds of that happening? Hardly astronomical. However, just when you thought that the Tories had an open goal, up pops David Davies to remind us why the Conservatives have been lost in the wilderness for so long. If forced to choose between the two, Incompetence beats Sheer Stupidity every time.

The Kinnock Factor

Stephen Kinnock, the director of the British Council in the city of St Petersburg, was pulled over by police on an allegation of drink-driving, leading to Foreign Office claims that the Russians were “intimidating” members of the office’s staff. Either that, or nobody likes a Kinnock. Not even the Russians.

Historics

Translation of a post by Vaughan Roderick:

One of those words which are rapidly losing their worth is "historical". At the beginning of a joint meeting between the Select Committee on Welsh Affairs and one of the assembly´s scrutiny committees today the word was used time and again. This, after all, is the first time that MPs and AMs have held a joint meeting to scrutinise a request for the right to legislate.

"Historical" said the Select Committee Chairman, Hywel Francis and after all, as a historian, he should know! "Historical" said Gwenda Thomas, the deputy minister who is making the request. "Historical" said Joyce Watson AM who chairs the meeting.

One small question. If this meeting is so "historic" why did so few MPs bother turning up? There are 11 members of the Select Committee. Only three of them are in the Bay today. As well as Dr Francis the two who bothered to travel to Cardiff are Hywel Williams and Sian James.