Labour-Plaid control freakery is stifling devolution - German

12.00.00am GMT Wed 19th Nov 2008

The One Wales Government has been accused of holding back the evolution of devolution by suffocating non-government legislation at birth.The accusation - from Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Mike German - comes as the government voted down a measure to improve learning for children with special educational needs

Mike German, leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, said: "The government is becoming increasingly resolute in its refusal to allow anyone else to legislate. Rhodri Morgan recently wrote that Labour was the key to unlocking the powers of the Government of Wales Act. What we didn't realise was that he meant only Labour could use these powers.

"Time and again the Labour-Plaid Government have thwarted attempts to by Welsh Liberal Democrat and Conservative AMs to use these new powers - even where a majority of AMs agree with the broad principle of the bill. By refusing to let anyone else get their hands on Wales' legislative levers the Labour and Plaid AMs are as guilty of holding Wales back as the Labour MPs in London who believe devolution is something that has happened, rather than something that is still happening.

"It begs the question, what is the point of AMs entering the ballot, if the government will not allow anything outside their own programme to pass?

"The Assembly was supposed to bring about a more consensual style of politics.The tribal spite of the One Wales Government is a sad reflection on their inability to see a broader picture."

Notes:

The government has signalled its intention to reject Alun Cairns' measure on special educational needs this afternoon.

Peter Black has seen a measure (youth services) and LCO bid (voting systems for local government elections) voted out at preliminary stage. Mike German's measure on school closures was also voted out before its first reading.

Jenny Randerson's measure on healthier school meals has been allowed to progress so far, although the government evidence was hostile at committee stage.