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Happy St Dunstan's Day

David Cornock | 12:14 UK time, Thursday, 19 May 2011

As I was saying, my blog is going to a new home, but its departure has been delayed due to what we'll call circumstances beyond my control.

So, for the moment at least, do keep reading on a day when Wales, if not exactly centre stage at Westminster, is certainly headlining the fringe.

Westminster Hall, the second Commons chamber, is hosting the closest thing we will get this year to a St David's Day debate. You may (or may not) remember the row earlier this year when March 1 came and went without the traditional (since 1944) Welsh day debate.

Labour's Paul Murphy teamed up with Plaid Cymru's Elfyn Llwyd to try to get a debate scheduled by the backbench business committee, a committee of MPs that now plays a powerful role deciding what MPs get to talk about in the Commons.

The consolation prize is two debates on reports from the select committee on Welsh affairs; one on the Severn crossings toll, the other on "the constitutional implications for Wales of the government's proposals for constitutional reform".

The latter may not be the sort of title that features on many bestseller lists but it refers to the arguments over the cut in the number of Welsh MPs from 40 to 30, a cut to take place at the next general election.

Messrs Murphy and Llwyd are continuing their campaign for a proper St David's Day more than two months after the event.

With that campaign so far unsuccessful, Mr Murphy has promised to highlight a Welsh saint of the day in question to maintain the tradition.

Tuesday belonged to Madron, a sixth century monk and disciple of Tudwall, or so I'm told. Saturday belongs to the sixth century hermit Collen.

There is no Welsh saint whose day falls today, May 19, so the former secretary of state for Wales is going for geographical proximity.

So a happy St Dunstan's Day to all of you who choose to celebrate a day belonging to a saint from Glastonbury.

Comments

  • Comment number 1.

    Will we get to hear about the Severn Crossing tolls debate? This concerns a lot of people and with the potential for big delays coming up even more so.
    I'm not looking forward to the new format here. I've already come unstuck a couple of times on other blogs, shorter means pithier and more acidic, at least in my book.

  • Comment number 2.

    This comment has been referred for further consideration. Explain.

  • Comment number 3.

    Never complain or put forward a view or critique on a Westminster ´óÏó´«Ã½ correspondent that post their confusing words to ordinary people blogs. Very unpopular am I with the ´óÏó´«Ã½? No doubt, this post will also be referred to Mods? No matter, because this blog attracts little response as it is impossible to understand? Such a primitive am I with the tenacity to complain?!

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