THE Conservative Party is plotting to take powers over Welsh universities away from the National Assembly and send them back to Westminster, we can reveal.
Shadow Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan astonished vice-chancellors at a private breakfast by asking them: "Would Welsh universities be better off if higher education was not devolved?"
But apparently such questions are no longer permitted.
Interesting to see the Welsh Political Elite has not actually focussed on answering the question, but rather on the fact that she even had the temerity to ask it.
The Devolution Thought Police strike yet again.
6 comments:
Um...who ever said she wasn't allowed to say it?
All the other parties have said is that if the Tories are considering withdrawing powers from Cardiff to London (something the Welsh voters are overwhelmingly against remember) then they should be open and honest about it and not discuss it in secret meetings.
"Um...who ever said she wasn't allowed to say it?"
"Anonymous" sources within her own party for a start acording to today's Mail.
She asked a simple question without as far as the report says any demand for confidentiality. That doesn't indicate to me secret scheming to roll back the wonders of the Devolution Experiment. have there been any political answers to her question btw?
WHat? Members of a party are annoyed that another member of their party has said something that would cost them votes? Stop the press!
When the UK Tories were asked to comment they said that it was a private conversation and they would not comment on what was said there because it was confidential.
You want a political answer to her question? Simple: the people of Wales have consistently made it clear they want more powers to be devoled not less.
This is the off-record Welsh Conservatives response:
http://tinyurl.com/punqlf
Why are they and everyone else apparently afraid of a simple question (which does not in anyway commit the Tories to rolling back the devolution experiment)?
People can answer "no" but it's questions like this which must be asked and I would say make it as public as possible.
From your link, the official Tory party response:
"A spokesman for the Welsh Conservative Party said he would not discuss what was said at a private meeting under Chatham House rules"
Also
"I would say make it as public as possible."
Which is EXACTLY what the other parties have said the Tories have to do. If the Tories are considering moving powers to London from Cardiff they need to let the electorate know. As those Tory sources in the article you link to know and say, such a move would be unpopular with the voters.
I'm with O'Neill on this one. She was asking for people's opinions.
Would you rather she just imposed her will without any consultation or considerations of the pros and cons?
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