A Ten Month Generation

Speaking during the debate on the Government of Wales Bill in January, Peter Hain, Welsh secretary said:

The Bill delivers a lasting settlement that will settle the constitutional argument in Wales for a generation or more.

Instead of constantly revising and returning to the issue of its powers and electoral arrangements, the Assembly will now be able to focus on policy development and delivery, in education, health and all the other devolved fields.

Not that much of a "lasting settlement" though it would appear, at least not according the BBC yesterday:

A chairman has been appointed to lead a convention to prepare the way for a referendum on establishing a full law-making parliament for Wales.

First Minister Rhodri Morgan and his deputy Ieuan Wyn Jones announced that former UK ambassador to the UN Sir Emyr Jones Parry, 60, was taking on the job.

A "generation" is obviously a short-time in Welsh politics, but at least there'll be no more "constantly revising and returning to the issue of its powers and electoral arrangements"........