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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Elis-Thomas angry at budget vote | Elis-Thomas angry at budget vote |
| (4 days later) | |
| The Welsh assembly's presiding officer has accused opposition parties of "playing government" by refusing to back Labour's spending plans. | The Welsh assembly's presiding officer has accused opposition parties of "playing government" by refusing to back Labour's spending plans. |
| Dafydd Elis-Thomas told the BBC he would prefer the opposition to try to bring down the government rather than pick off parts of its proposals. | Dafydd Elis-Thomas told the BBC he would prefer the opposition to try to bring down the government rather than pick off parts of its proposals. |
| He was speaking after parties united to try to impose changes on the draft £14bn budget by voting against it. | He was speaking after parties united to try to impose changes on the draft £14bn budget by voting against it. |
| All-party talks to hammer out a deal could see changes amounting to £150m. | All-party talks to hammer out a deal could see changes amounting to £150m. |
| Speaking on the BBC's Politics Show programme, Lord Elis-Thomas said the talks meant the full budget was being left unscrutinised. | Speaking on the BBC's Politics Show programme, Lord Elis-Thomas said the talks meant the full budget was being left unscrutinised. |
| He denied "cosying up to Labour", adding that it was his job to make sure the government gets its business through. | He denied "cosying up to Labour", adding that it was his job to make sure the government gets its business through. |
| We've got to behave like a proper parliamentary body Dafydd Elis Thomas | We've got to behave like a proper parliamentary body Dafydd Elis Thomas |
| He said: "This is no way to scrutinise a budget. In my book a budget is never scrutinised on the floor of an assembly. | He said: "This is no way to scrutinise a budget. In my book a budget is never scrutinised on the floor of an assembly. |
| "We had a short discussion about some items that sought to be amended, but a budget should be looked at throughout the year by a finance committee, and that will happen after 2007 [following the introduction of the Government of Wales Act]. | "We had a short discussion about some items that sought to be amended, but a budget should be looked at throughout the year by a finance committee, and that will happen after 2007 [following the introduction of the Government of Wales Act]. |
| "It's a bit strange when the opposition decides to be the government for 10 minutes then goes back to being the opposition. | "It's a bit strange when the opposition decides to be the government for 10 minutes then goes back to being the opposition. |
| "No local government in Wales would run their budget the way they did in the assembly. | "No local government in Wales would run their budget the way they did in the assembly. |
| "This is not the way to do it, taking things up to the wire. There must be a sensible way over a period of time in proper budgetary scrutiny like every council in Wales." | "This is not the way to do it, taking things up to the wire. There must be a sensible way over a period of time in proper budgetary scrutiny like every council in Wales." |
| Changes | Changes |
| According to Lord Elis-Thomas, the correct way to oppose the government was to put forward censure or no confidence motions. | According to Lord Elis-Thomas, the correct way to oppose the government was to put forward censure or no confidence motions. |
| "If the opposition wants to oppose, then the sanction is to vote the government down. That's the kind of democracy I'm used to. | "If the opposition wants to oppose, then the sanction is to vote the government down. That's the kind of democracy I'm used to. |
| Dr Marek took part in the draft budget debate and vote | Dr Marek took part in the draft budget debate and vote |
| "We've got to behave like a proper parliamentary body," he added. | "We've got to behave like a proper parliamentary body," he added. |
| Lord Elis-Thomas also touched on the stand-off with his deputy presiding officer, Dr John Marek, over who would chair the debate and a long-running disagreement over constitutional changes to the assembly next year. | Lord Elis-Thomas also touched on the stand-off with his deputy presiding officer, Dr John Marek, over who would chair the debate and a long-running disagreement over constitutional changes to the assembly next year. |
| Lord Elis-Thomas agreed to chair the debate in the end after first asking his deputy. | Lord Elis-Thomas agreed to chair the debate in the end after first asking his deputy. |
| If Wrexham AM Dr Marek had chaired, he would have been unable to vote with the opposition against the draft budget and it could have been passed. | If Wrexham AM Dr Marek had chaired, he would have been unable to vote with the opposition against the draft budget and it could have been passed. |
| "I will not let anything disrupt the workings of the assembly and I wish that this would stop," Lord Elis-Thomas said. | "I will not let anything disrupt the workings of the assembly and I wish that this would stop," Lord Elis-Thomas said. |
| "What I care about is the future of devolution in Wales. That's what I have committed my political life to and I intend to make sure we have the best possible system for the people of Wales. | "What I care about is the future of devolution in Wales. That's what I have committed my political life to and I intend to make sure we have the best possible system for the people of Wales. |
| "When the deputy presiding officer doesn't conform to the rules of the job, I can't do anything about it. He's elected by the assembly members, it's in their hands." | "When the deputy presiding officer doesn't conform to the rules of the job, I can't do anything about it. He's elected by the assembly members, it's in their hands." |
| Mr Marek denied Lord Elis-Thomas' claims he had refused to sit in for him during the budget vote. | Mr Marek denied Lord Elis-Thomas' claims he had refused to sit in for him during the budget vote. |
| Mr Marek said: "If he'd instructed me to sit, I would sit. I have always stated that view. I have told him that on more than one occasion." | Mr Marek said: "If he'd instructed me to sit, I would sit. I have always stated that view. I have told him that on more than one occasion." |
| He claimed he told Lord Elis-Thomas on the morning of the debate that he would chair it if he was instructed to, but was told the presiding officer would sit instead. | He claimed he told Lord Elis-Thomas on the morning of the debate that he would chair it if he was instructed to, but was told the presiding officer would sit instead. |