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Plaid 'run rings around Labour' Plaid 'runs rings around Labour'
(about 1 hour later)
A senior Labour MP says Plaid Cymru have "run rings" around his party in the Welsh Assembly Government since entering into coalition government. A senior Labour MP says Plaid Cymru has "run rings" around his party in the Welsh Assembly Government since entering coalition.
Former Labour minister Don Touhig was speaking on the first anniversary of the One Wales pact between the parties. Former Labour minister Don Touhig spoke on the first anniversary of the One Wales pact between the parties.
He claimed Plaid had had their greatest advance in half a century on a "too dull" Labour Party. He claimed Plaid had had its greatest advance in half a century against a "too dull" Labour Party.
First Minister Rhodri Morgan said: "We don't recognise his description - it's a million miles from reality." But First Minister Rhodri Morgan said: "We don't recognise his description - it's a million miles from reality."
According to Wales Office minister, Huw Irranca-Davies, there had been professionalism in the Welsh executive "across the board". Mr Touhig had spoken out against the Labour-Plaid coalition when it was proposed last year.
He said: "I think the fuss [last year, when the coalition was announced] was a bit overblown. They've exploited their position in the assembly very well to make sure that the people believe that advances and changes and benefits to Wales are coming from them and not from the Labour Party Don Touhig MP on Plaid Cymru The Islwyn MP has now said Plaid had had the better half of the deal, with its ministers given posts that involved opening railway lines, while Labour ministers battled with the "bed of nails" portfolios of health and education.
"They wanted an earthquake to happen and the world to fall in.
"Actually, Westminster and the Welsh Assembly Government is a machine that gets on with delivering good business and that's what we've done."
Mr Touhig spoke out against the Labour-Plaid Cymru coalition when it was proposed last year.
He said Plaid Cymru had had the better half of the deal, with its ministers given posts that involved opening railway lines, while Labour ministers battled with the "bed of nails" portfolios of health and education.
They have been good partners in the coalition, but they are the junior partners, nobody can gainsay that Rhodri Morgan
He told BBC Wales: "I haven't been invited to the party, you might be surprised.He told BBC Wales: "I haven't been invited to the party, you might be surprised.
"There's no doubt the coalition has brought a degree of stability in terms of the administration but so far as the Labour Party is concerned, I warned a year ago that if we went into coalition with the nationalists they'd have their greatest advance in 50 years."There's no doubt the coalition has brought a degree of stability in terms of the administration but so far as the Labour Party is concerned, I warned a year ago that if we went into coalition with the nationalists they'd have their greatest advance in 50 years.
"That is what they have had."That is what they have had.
"They've practically run rings around us politically. They've been very skilled, much more skilled at it than we have."They've practically run rings around us politically. They've been very skilled, much more skilled at it than we have.
"They've exploited their position in the assembly very well to make sure that the people believe that advances and changes and benefits to Wales are coming from them and not from the Labour Party."They've exploited their position in the assembly very well to make sure that the people believe that advances and changes and benefits to Wales are coming from them and not from the Labour Party.
"We're too dull, we haven't done that.""We're too dull, we haven't done that."
Rhodri Morgan pointed out Labour was the larger partner in the coalition. They have been good partners in the coalition, but they are the junior partners, nobody can gainsay that Rhodri Morgan Mr Morgan pointed out that Labour was the larger partner in the coalition.
"[Plaid Cymru] have come into it. I think they have been good partners in the coalition, but they are the junior partners, nobody can gainsay that," he said."[Plaid Cymru] have come into it. I think they have been good partners in the coalition, but they are the junior partners, nobody can gainsay that," he said.
"We were in politics to implement our manifesto. You may not get 100% of it under proportional representation but if you can implement the main part of your manifesto, you should enter a coalition and get on with it.""We were in politics to implement our manifesto. You may not get 100% of it under proportional representation but if you can implement the main part of your manifesto, you should enter a coalition and get on with it."
He added there would always be people who were "irreconcilably against" PR, and "purists" who believed being in opposition was better than being in a coalition government. He said there would always be people who were "irreconcilably against" PR, and "purists" who believed being in opposition was better than being in a coalition government.
According to Labour Wales Office minister Huw Irranca-Davies, there had been professionalism "across the board".
He said: "I think the fuss [last year, when the coalition was announced] was a bit overblown.
"They wanted an earthquake to happen and the world to fall in.
"Actually, Westminster and the Welsh Assembly Government is a machine that gets on with delivering good business and that's what we've done."