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| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| Hain speech follows coalition row | Hain speech follows coalition row |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Peter Hain is addressing the Welsh assembly a day after a row appeared to threaten the Labour-Plaid Cymru assembly government coalition. | |
| The Welsh secretary's speech will be scrutinised for his views on the timing of a referendum on future powers. | The Welsh secretary's speech will be scrutinised for his views on the timing of a referendum on future powers. |
| The row between Labour and Plaid Cymru over the issue was described as a serious threat to their partnership. | The row between Labour and Plaid Cymru over the issue was described as a serious threat to their partnership. |
| But the parties later appeared to have settled their differences when their leaders issued a joint statement. | But the parties later appeared to have settled their differences when their leaders issued a joint statement. |
| Mr Hain is on record as saying he does not believe a referendum should be held before May 2011. | Mr Hain is on record as saying he does not believe a referendum should be held before May 2011. |
| This runs contrary to the coalition agreement between Plaid Cymru and Labour. | This runs contrary to the coalition agreement between Plaid Cymru and Labour. |
| Helen Mary Jones AM, Plaid Cymru's deputy leader in the assembly, said the "serious disagreement" centred on the issue of a decision on the referendum being decided jointly by the parties and not by Labour alone. | Helen Mary Jones AM, Plaid Cymru's deputy leader in the assembly, said the "serious disagreement" centred on the issue of a decision on the referendum being decided jointly by the parties and not by Labour alone. |
| She said the coalition remained "strong and solid" after the first minister and the deputy first minister "were able to put it right very quickly". | She said the coalition remained "strong and solid" after the first minister and the deputy first minister "were able to put it right very quickly". |
| I think the very fact that we can have such a serious disagreement... but that we were able to put it right very quickly and get back on track, is a testimony to the trust that has been built up, and that has now been restored Helen Mary Jones AM, Plaid Cymru | I think the very fact that we can have such a serious disagreement... but that we were able to put it right very quickly and get back on track, is a testimony to the trust that has been built up, and that has now been restored Helen Mary Jones AM, Plaid Cymru |
| She said: "I think the very fact that we can have such a serious disagreement - it was a serious disagreement, I don't think anybody is underplaying that - but that we were able to put it right very quickly and get back on track, is a testimony to the trust that has been built up, and that has now been restored." | She said: "I think the very fact that we can have such a serious disagreement - it was a serious disagreement, I don't think anybody is underplaying that - but that we were able to put it right very quickly and get back on track, is a testimony to the trust that has been built up, and that has now been restored." |
| She added that the proposed referendum was "not about power for its own sake". | She added that the proposed referendum was "not about power for its own sake". |
| She said: "It's about having the tools to do the job to look after the people of Wales, especially when we're facing a Conservative government in London that may have very different views from what our coalition wants to deliver here." | She said: "It's about having the tools to do the job to look after the people of Wales, especially when we're facing a Conservative government in London that may have very different views from what our coalition wants to deliver here." |
| Caerphilly Labour AM Jeff Cuthbert, a member of the Welsh party executive, said there was "no question" of the party not considering the issues surrounding a referendum, but that had to been seen within the context of the impending general election. | Caerphilly Labour AM Jeff Cuthbert, a member of the Welsh party executive, said there was "no question" of the party not considering the issues surrounding a referendum, but that had to been seen within the context of the impending general election. |
| He said: "You can't help but drift into party politics here. | He said: "You can't help but drift into party politics here. |
| 'Pubic opinion' | 'Pubic opinion' |
| "Labour does not want to lose power in the UK and in Wales. Labour have got an awful lot at stake in terms of the general election. So no-one can say that we mustn't put the general election first. | "Labour does not want to lose power in the UK and in Wales. Labour have got an awful lot at stake in terms of the general election. So no-one can say that we mustn't put the general election first. |
| "But let's not overstate this - we will fight the general election campaign hard but we are not ruling out the issues to do with the referendum, and that's clear in the [two parties' joint] statement. | "But let's not overstate this - we will fight the general election campaign hard but we are not ruling out the issues to do with the referendum, and that's clear in the [two parties' joint] statement. |
| Let's not overstate this - we will fight the general election campaign hard but we are not ruling out the issues to do with the referendum Jeff Cuthbert AM, Labour | Let's not overstate this - we will fight the general election campaign hard but we are not ruling out the issues to do with the referendum Jeff Cuthbert AM, Labour |
| He added: "While it's clear in that agreement, that there should be referendum either on or before the next assembly elections, it's also clear that both parties will assess the state of public opinion." | He added: "While it's clear in that agreement, that there should be referendum either on or before the next assembly elections, it's also clear that both parties will assess the state of public opinion." |
| On Tuesday, senior Plaid sources had threatened an end to the coalition if the issue was not clarified. | On Tuesday, senior Plaid sources had threatened an end to the coalition if the issue was not clarified. |
| It followed a Labour statement ruling out any progress before the UK general election on a referendum to give the assembly full law-making powers. | It followed a Labour statement ruling out any progress before the UK general election on a referendum to give the assembly full law-making powers. |
| Sources had called the Labour news release the most serious threat to the coalition since its formation in 2007. | Sources had called the Labour news release the most serious threat to the coalition since its formation in 2007. |
| Early referendum | Early referendum |
| The party described it as a "serious breach of trust" and "completely unacceptable". | The party described it as a "serious breach of trust" and "completely unacceptable". |
| Labour's statement was issued at midday on Tuesday as a joint response by the Welsh Labour leadership to a report by the All Wales Convention published last week. | Labour's statement was issued at midday on Tuesday as a joint response by the Welsh Labour leadership to a report by the All Wales Convention published last week. |
| The report was commissioned by the assembly government as a central part of the Labour-Plaid coalition, which was formed in 2007 after the last assembly election. | The report was commissioned by the assembly government as a central part of the Labour-Plaid coalition, which was formed in 2007 after the last assembly election. |
| A joint statement later from the two party leaders reaffirmed the commitment to an early referendum. | A joint statement later from the two party leaders reaffirmed the commitment to an early referendum. |
| This means Mr Hain, who will be talking about the implications for Wales of the recent Queen's speech, is likely to face searching questions from AMs about where he now stands. | This means Mr Hain, who will be talking about the implications for Wales of the recent Queen's speech, is likely to face searching questions from AMs about where he now stands. |