Hill Kill Bill?
It's not often that Quentin Tarantino is evoked in the hushed, brushed wood environs of the Senedd. In fact, I think it's a personal first - and it was all about who fills the shoes of the outgoing Presiding Officer and his deputy. In other words, as Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas exits stage left, who fills his shoes and that of his deputy.
In Quentin's list of characters, Presiding Officer = Speaker of the Assembly.
We know for sure that the former deputy, Labour's Rosemary Butler, becomes the boss in the next Assembly. Then last night came a message. The rumours that the Conservative, David Melding will, after all, be standing as Deputy Presiding Officer are absolutely true, it said but it's not true that the campaign to get him elected is called 'Kill Bill.'
That last bit was a joke, in case you start to worry that things have taken a particularly nasty turn down in Cardiff Bay. The joke was at the expense of William Graham, also a Conservative member. He'd already made it clear he'd like to be considered as DPO and yesterday afternoon, most of us thought he might well be elected.
But if Mr Melding does indeed throw his hat into the ring, all that could well change. I don't know what Quentin T would make of David Melding but he's a politician who has a very big brain, a strategic - and open - mind, he does heavy-duty influence with a very light touch and has probably the biggest cross-party fanbase in Cardiff Bay.
The question then: will William Graham stand and fight, or not? He may be the politest man in Cardiff Bay but he's no push over.
What we know for sure is that Dafydd Elis-Thomas leaves the big chair - a man who knew exactly when to kick over the traces (as we say in Welsh and I hope, in English) and exactly when to soothe and schmooze and who did both with some vigour. But while he now returns fully to join his colleagues in the Plaid Cymru group (with equal vigour, I'm sure) I gather he won't be joining the Plaid Cymru benches in the chamber.
There's one too many Plaid AM to fit into the space next to the Liberal Democrats apparently and so Lord Elis-Thomas - I'm told - will have to cross the gangway and sit with the Labour group. Given his undisguised talking-up of a deal between Plaid and Labour "sooner than all of you think" on Radio Cymru this morning, I'm sure he'll find it a very handy place to be.
"You wouldn't bet against some sort of deal between Labour and Plaid in the future" is, from memory, what I said on the Ten o'clock news last night. So how soon is "sooner than all of you think" I wonder?
How's this for a plan? A decision in the Plaid ranks not to go in for long drawn out introspection, a short, sharp inquiry into what went wrong for them in the election and how to set about sorting out structures and strategies, a new, young, leader in place by the Autumn and another four year deal struck with Labour next year?
I'll let you have a stab at the rest of the script.
UPDATE
Well, the script on the DPO job is getting more interesting by the minute.
William Graham has just issued a furious press release attacking political commentator and public affairs consultant for what he calls "unwelcome and unprecedented interference" in this afternoon's vote.
In a statement, Mr Graham said, "A well-known political commentator is trying to influence the vote for the Deputy Presiding Officer.
"This outside interference is unprecedented and unwelcome in a Members secret and un-whipped ballot."
The response from Mr Hill? "Like others who work with Assembly Members, I've not hidden my support for David Melding. It's hard not to be impressed by him. He will win this contest on merit. Though I should probably stop retweeting other people soon and get on with some work."
If the Presiding Officer and First Minister votes are likely to be foregone conclusions this afternoon - the deputy Presiding Officer one is anything but, by the looks of things.
UPDATE 1600
David Melding - 46
William Graham - 12
Team Butler-Melding it is.
I'm Betsan Powys, Â鶹Éç Wales' political editor. I'll be blogging the inside track on .
Comment number 1.
At 11th May 2011, Decentjohn wrote:Let me start by saying that the voting system for the Assembly is unfair - no stupid. However it is what we have.
Is it not therefore appalling that Elis - Thomas has implied that a deal has been done behind closed doors between Labour and Plaid? I thought that Plaid were the big losers in the recent election.
Having been rejected by the Welsh electorate, Plaid are the last party that Labour should be doing deals with.
Frankly who cares who the DPO is? The overwhelming majority could not ell you who the last DPO was and care ven less
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Comment number 2.
At 11th May 2011, Gwyrangon wrote:Plaid does another deal with Labour which allows them to pretend it wasn't such a bad result as people are making out - back to where we were before - and this allows the leadership to avoid a lengthy and damaging inquest.
Fine in the short term but no answer to the long term problems facing Plaid Cymru.
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Comment number 3.
At 11th May 2011, alfsplace1986 wrote:1. Decentjohn
I would have thought it would be the LibDems were the 'last' party Labour should be doing deals with. Wasn't it they who had a greater rejection by the electorate.
In your justification then, it should be the Consevatives.
Can't see that happening some how.
So?
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Comment number 4.
At 11th May 2011, Decentjohn wrote:3 alfspace1986
I had thought that PC had lost 4 seats and the LibDems lost one seat! Depends on how you measure rejection I suppose! I admit we have a crazy electoral system.
I cannot say that I am a fan of the Conservatives - but being the second largest party means that they represent a large chunk of our electorate. So?
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Comment number 5.
At 11th May 2011, RW49 wrote:Plaid back in tandem again, well I wouldn't rule it out. A poison chalice awaits, the education portfolio.
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Comment number 6.
At 11th May 2011, alfsplace1986 wrote:4. Decentjohn
Fair play, that is the biggest twist of statistics I have ever seen.
Have you thought of becoming a Politician.
Or are you one already
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Comment number 7.
At 11th May 2011, Daviddwr wrote:Plaid would do very well indeed to decline any offers. This is a time to reflect at length on how matters have developed in Catalonia and Scotland and the plethora of lessons to be learned.
I think a Lab-Con coalition would be a hoot. You never know...
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Comment number 8.
At 11th May 2011, alfsplace1986 wrote:7. WelshKnot
Now that would be very interesting, very interesting indeed.
Especialy where the Labour cannon foder are concerned.
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Comment number 9.
At 11th May 2011, alfsplace1986 wrote:What has realy surprised me is how quiet Peter Hain has been.
Normaly it never takes him long to start crowing.
Has Carwyn put him in his place I wonder.
If he has, he may be stronger than we think.
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Comment number 10.
At 11th May 2011, caradog_minchin wrote:Post 7. IWJ's speech in the Senedd earlier sounded more like an overture to continue his role in Government - he even conveyed a bit of a threat....
Melding's election as DPO looked like welcome free-thinking showing the benefit of secret ballots...
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Comment number 11.
At 11th May 2011, alfsplace1986 wrote:Why isn't the Â鶹Éç covering this.
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Comment number 12.
At 11th May 2011, Decentjohn wrote:6 alfsplace1986
Gosh - I wish that I was
9 alfsplace1986
Very interesting point - Hain, thankfully, has been very quiet, long may that continue. Like you I wonder why!
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Comment number 13.
At 12th May 2011, alfsplace1986 wrote:How quiet this post has gone since we mentioned Peter Hains' mysterious and un-characteristic non showing since the Labour 'minor' victory.
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Comment number 14.
At 12th May 2011, Glyndo wrote:13. At 08:51am 12th May 2011, alfsplace1986 wrote:
“How quiet this post has gone since we mentioned Peter Hains' mysterious and un-characteristic non showing since the Labour 'minor' victory.â€
Yes, he has been uncharacteristically quiet, perhaps a solid majority would have brought him out of the woodwork?
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Comment number 15.
At 12th May 2011, dispozest wrote:I can't wait to see whether David Melding manages to do less or more damage to core Conservative values from the position of DPO than he managed to do as one of its core policy makers.
There's little wonder he's so popular with the Tory Party's opposition generally - must be 'cos they think he's one of them! It didn't take him long to drive me out of the Conservative Party anyway! Though Nick Bourne and several of the others did their bit as well...
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Comment number 16.
At 12th May 2011, Daviddwr wrote:# 9, 12, 13 & 14;
And long may it continue!
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Comment number 17.
At 12th May 2011, caradog_minchin wrote:Watching S4C's "CF99" last night, and needing English subtitles to aid my grasp of the quickfire discussion, I spotted a strange phenomenon.
Every time IWJ was mentioned this was shown as 'United Nations win Jones'. Does the subtitling machine know something about IWJ's future we don't?
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Comment number 18.
At 12th May 2011, rhetoric-politico wrote:well there is another feather in the cap of Daran Hill!
To be honest (Daran..) William Graham would be far better suited for presiding officer. He looks the part for the role. An experienced bowls referee or a judge at 'One man and his dog' or any other officiating where opposing sides take place.
He would fit the role very well.
It would also leave David Melding free for the gas bagging in plenary. We won't hear him now in plenary. One of the more rhetorically able Assembly members.
Well done Daran!
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