Cheryl Gillian has begun to carry out her pledge to appoint a Minister for Wales in every shadow departmental team.
The Western Mail reports today that Forest of Dean MP Mark Harper is the first. If the Tories win “Each department would have a minister with a specific duty to ensure Wales is not inadvertently left out of key legislation”, the paper reports.
On top of a Conservative dominated Welsh Affairs Select Committee, and Dame Cheryl herself, every Whitehall Ministry is to have a Junior Minister with licence to meddle in devolution.
I am sure the ex-pat future Welsh Secretary means well. “It places the interests of Wales at the heart of every government department” she told the paper. But it could easily get out of hand.
At the moment the chief frustration is a disinterested Whitehall machine and a Welsh Select Committee eager to use their oversight powers. But we could have idle hands getting in on the act.
Surely if you invite a Minister to have a role in deciding which powers should be devolved they will exercise that right?
Has this one been properly thought through…?
a change of personnel 10:43 pm on 28 January, 2010 Permalink
i don’t know about a headache, but it highlights how little influence Nick Bourne has in wider Tory circles and that he’s more than willing despite his public rhetoric on devolution to roll over and not fight for his agenda, instead letting Cheryl Gillan set the policy and tone for the General Election campaign and the incoming Conservative Government in its dealing with Wales.
More worryingly in that article is the greater role for the Wales Office that Cheryl Gillan wants (is it going to be in competition with WAG?) and were Nick Bourne and his team asked for their thoughts on this. If they were and agreed to it its another cave in from Tory AM’s to their MP’s and not a good sign for the future.
paul 2:32 am on 30 January, 2010 Permalink
all the more reason for us to get off our arses and get out and speak to people to convince them to vote yes in Oct