Random Stuff!!

[Jerry]

Not a flight review video but it does show how excellent Barcelona is a destination and the vloggers behind the channel used the Ryanair flight from Cardiff to get there.

 

[Jerry]

Took an early lunchtime stroll around Cardiff Bay this morning. Was hoping to take a stroll on the barrage as well but it looked like it was closed due to some sort of event.
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[Jerry]

Irish Naval Service ship LE Roisin docked at Britannia Quay on a diplomatic visit connected to the re-opening of the Irish Consulate in Cardiff.
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[aviatorconcorde]

The barrage is closed due to a concert i believe.

 

[Jerry]

Will be interesting to see what this cooperation between Plaid and Labour deal entails. Personally i'd expect at least Senedd expansion and more proportional representation in the voting system and probably something over social care.

Senedd deal: Five things Labour and Plaid Cymru could agree on

Five things they could agree on, and one thing they won't in talks on a deal.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[aviatorconcorde]

I am not sure how keen Labour would be to reform the voting system, they profit well from First Past the Post. They got 50% of the seats on 40% (constituency) and about 36% (list) of the vote.

I hope they reform and modernise council tax though, it seems to be a shared priority for both.

 

[Jerry]

I am not sure how keen Labour would be to reform the voting system, they profit well from First Past the Post. They got 50% of the seats on 40% (constituency) and about 36% (list) of the vote.

I hope they reform and modernise council tax though, it seems to be a shared priority for both.

There was a Senedd committee that recommended going to Single transferable vote and getting rid of the list seat's. Such a system would keep constituencies but help smaller parties like Plaid and the Greens as voters would rank their preference rather than just choose one over the other like FPTP.
Another option could be to increase the regional list vote but create more regions.

 

[aviatorconcorde]

Well i’m surprised. It’s a reason Westminster Labour never went for voting reform, they were afraid it would cost them seats.

Voting reform in Wales would mean more seats for the tories too and give the abolish party a chance to come back.

 

[Jerry]

Well i’m surprised. It’s a reason Westminster Labour never went for voting reform, they were afraid it would cost them seats.

Voting reform in Wales would mean more seats for the tories too and give the abolish party a chance to come back.

With Westminster they are very much focused on essentially a 2 party system Labour v Conservatives historically but with rise of the SNP and the new constituencies UK Labour may well have to look at campaigning for more proportional representation just to get into and stay in government in the future.
As for Wales i can't see Abolish ever coming back and IF STV is the system used it's highly unlikely they'll win a seat and considering the publicity they had in the last election and they didn't win any it's unlikely they'll win anything in any future elections. Even the Greens will struggle though for a lot of left wing voters they might be their 2nd or 3rd choice of vote.
As for the Tories yes they may well win more seats but it's extremely unlikely they'll ever be able to win 51% of the seats they'd need to form a government so they'll always face a left wing block against them getting into government, their only real chance of power in Wales is to undo/override devolution which of course is just more fuel for the independence fire.

 

[aviatorconcorde]

It is quite possible the Conservatives could be in government one day with a Partner. Possibly the Liberal Democrats.

Wales is becoming more and more right wing, with more Conservatives in the Assembly than ever and more Welsh Conservatives in Westminster.

Parties like Plaid have stagnated recently and lost vote share in the recent Welsh Assembly election.

 

[Jerry]

It is quite possible the Conservatives could be in government one day with a Partner. Possibly the Liberal Democrats.

Wales is becoming more and more right wing, with more Conservatives in the Assembly than ever and more Welsh Conservatives in Westminster.

Parties like Plaid have stagnated recently and lost vote share in the recent Welsh Assembly election.

I generally don't see that happening not while Wales is still in the UK, Lib Dems in Wales are more left centre and after the coalition of 2010 won't be touching any deals with the Conservatives. As for Wales going more right wing, it's not really, all the Tories did was pick up the former UKIP seats but didn't pick up all the ex UKIP votes they hoped, as for Plaid their vote share loss was minor and they gained an extra seat and are in a position to potentially get some of their policies into law. As for the GE recent polls suggest a big loss of seats for the Tories.

 

[aviatorconcorde]

Interesting write up on the economic status of Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.

The fiscal position of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland | Institute for Government

Breaking away from the UK would leave Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland facing sizeable fiscal deficits.

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk

 

[Jerry]

Interesting write up on the economic status of Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.

The fiscal position of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland | Institute for Government

Breaking away from the UK would leave Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland facing sizeable fiscal deficits.

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk

Using info from GERS and GERW by the looks of it. With reference to GERW (which is the welsh version) it clearly states that it's not what the finances of an independent Wales would look like. They are UK figures that include things like contributions to HS2 and Trident and the UK defence budget, it's highly unlikely an independent Wales for instance would spend 2.4% of GDP on defence. The figures would be completely different both revenue and spending would be different. Same with Scotland though i'm not as read up on theirs as i am for Wales. Also how can countries that don't run their own fiscal affairs actually have a deficit?

 

[Jerry]

Could we see different testing requirements for Wales from England especially?

FM says different rules could be brought in for Welsh international travellers after slamming UK Gov's 'chaotic' approach

The First Minister has said that different rules may have to be brought in at English airports for Welsh international travellers after slamming the UK Government’s “chaotic” approach. Speaking in the Senedd, he said that the UK government was mistaken in its plan to get rid of PCR tests on day...

nation.cymru

 

[TheLocalYokel]

In practice the difficulties would be potentially enormous.

If, for example, someone living in Wales returns to the UK via an English airport where PCR tests will soon not be necessary what happens if the person decides to stay in England for three or four days before returning to Wales?

What happens if someone living in England returns via an English airport and within two or three days decides to visit Wales? They might even commute daily from England to Wales for work.

What happens if someone living in England returns to the UK via a Welsh airport?

When I say 'what happens?' I mean how can procedures that are different from England's be realistically enforced?

Will everyone entering Wales who lives in England be stopped and asked if they have recently returned from abroad via an English airport with no PCR test? That would be impossible to enforce in any sort of meaningful way.

Any idea whether the Scottish Government is thinking along the same lines as the WG?

 

[Jerry]

I don't see how it's practical especially with an open border between Wales and England. And as could it put off airline's from flying from Cardiff if the restrictions remain. Especially Wizz who haven't started yet. The industry needs people to have confidence to book and book in advance.
As for Scotland it's been suggested that the SG will follow the UKG and drop the PCR test requirements.

 

[Jerry]

Any idea whether the Scottish Government is thinking along the same lines as the WG?

Hopefully we'll find out soon if the WG will follow our Celtic cousins.

Scotland ‘reluctantly’ aligns with England on new travel rules

Edinburgh government fears measures will weaken protection but bows down to ‘logistical realities’

www.independent.co.uk

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Hopefully we'll find out soon if the WG will follow our Celtic cousins.

Scotland ‘reluctantly’ aligns with England on new travel rules

Edinburgh government fears measures will weaken protection but bows down to ‘logistical realities’

www.independent.co.uk

It seems unlikely that they won't follow Scotland's lead - for the same logistical reasons that have driven Scotland's decision.

 

[geoff]

Not to follow England and Scotland would be absolutely disastrous for CWL, and certainly put airlines and passengers off using the airport.

 

[Jerry]

It seems unlikely that they won't follow Scotland's lead - for the same logistical reasons that have driven Scotland's decision.

Yes it does seem unlikely that they won't follow Scotland

Not to follow England and Scotland would be absolutely disastrous for CWL, and certainly put airlines and passengers off using the airport.

It definitely wouldn't help with CWLs recovery but I suspect that for the FM that isn't at the top of the list of priorities and he said he's concerned about not being able to pick up new variants. But as long as there's some sort of testing regime in place the travel industry will struggle to recover especially airports like Cardiff that are more reliant on holiday and leisure travel than others.