Wales@Westminster weblog

It's Wales@Westminster weblog, BBC Wales' Parliamentary correspondent David Cornock's diary on political life. It's a two-way process though, so add your comments too.

Tuesday, 11 November

Welsh Wiggins
posted by David | 1513 GMT |

I interviewed the new shadow Welsh secretary today. Bill Wiggin has been stressing his Welsh roots, as would any English MP appointed to the job.

Not only did he go to university in Bangor, but he also served with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers in the Territorial Army.

The Leominster MP was apparently platoon commander of Holyhead, Bangor and Caernarfon, which doubtless left residents sleeping more soundly in their beds.

My inbox also received the latest update from Nick Bourne, the Tory leader in the assembly.

Apparently, he's now looking forward to working with the new shadow Cabinet, despite its lack of a full-time Welsh spokesman.

Surely this can't be the same Nick Bourne who accused Tony Blair of "complete and utter contempt" for Wales by giving Peter Hain another job during the Cabinet reshuffle last June?

Mr Wiggin will make his first visit to the assembly in his new role on Thursday. He and Mr Bourne should have plenty to talk about.

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Endangered species
posted by David | 1020 GMT |
Bill Wiggin's appointment as shadow Welsh Secretary does not appear to be quite the public relations coup the Tories may have hoped.

Michael Howard asked Nigel Evans to continue in the (demoted) role as David Curry, to whom Mr Wiggin reports, clearly thought Mr Evans had agreed to carry on.

The Leominster MP agreed to step into the breach just two years after he became an MP.

He may be an old Etonian but he did go to university in north Wales.

He's spent two years on the Welsh affairs select committee (until he was replaced by Nigel Evans last month) so probably knows more about the Wales Office than most Tory backbenchers.

The Welsh Tories' top man at Westminster also a member of the all-party group on endangered species. You can supply your own punchline.

Church leader?
posted by David | 1401 GMT |

The debate over Michael Howard's Welsh roots continues.

One "Owen Morganwg" e-mails me to say, "Who cares? He's not from NORTH WALES. By the time the TORY IMPERIALISTS next form a government in the ENGLISH PARLIAMENT, we shall have secured FULL Welsh Independence!

"Talks are already advanced with Norway and Switzerland to form an oil rich, financial service based, Charlotte Church led, Norse/Swiss/Wales Free Trade Zone.

"We have over 99% public support - a fact that you in the so-called Welsh Media choose to ignore - at your peril. The Llandaff Laffia.

"There is more to Welsh civic life than yet another new STARBUCKS in Pontcanna!"

Thanks, Owen. When Charlotte Church takes over as First Minister, we'll remember where we read it first!

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