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Election 07

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Making Hay

  • Mark Devenport
  • 30 Apr 07, 06:20 PM

Just reported on Radio Ulster's Evening Extra that Willie Hay will be the next Speaker. Sinn Fein had been keen that the role should be rotated with two years for the DUP, followed by two years for Sinn Fein's Francie Molloy. But although they are keen to secure the position in the next Assembly, they have now conceded that the DUP can take the job for the next four years.

An eviction and an extension

  • Mark Devenport
  • 30 Apr 07, 05:51 PM

The incoming Enterprise Minister, Nigel Dodds, has been evicted from his office at Stormont. He had to leave so the wall separating the office from the DUP's meeting room could be knocked down, in order to accommodate the bulging numbers of their Stormont team. The North Belfast MP wasn't homeless for long - in unionism's answer to the domino effect, he's been given a bigger office, which used to belong to the UK Unionist Bob McCartney.

Backscratching "inappropriate"

  • Mark Devenport
  • 30 Apr 07, 10:23 AM

When the news broke that Bertie Ahern had been invited to address both Houses of Parliament at Westminster on May 15th, it appeared obvious that mutual backscratching was the order of the day. Bertie would say nice things about Tony the departing statesman, and in return get a newsworthy platform a few days before going to the polls in the Republic.

Over the weekend the Taoiseach confirmed the Irish election date as May 24th. Shortly afterwards the former Irish Labour leader Ruairi Quinn criticised the timing of the Westminster invitation as a serious error of judgement. Mr Quinn said the event should be rescheduled for after polling day. He added that he was sure the British authorities "would not have wanted to leave themselves open to the claim that such an event might have an impact on the internal political situation in this country."

Sinn Fein's Mary Lou McDonald has rounded on Ruairi Quinn accusing him of being "totally begrudging and negative".

So what's the betting this event will be postponed until after May 24th?

Postman knocks twice

  • Betsan Powys
  • 30 Apr 07, 09:49 AM

Plaid are 'horrified' that some of their leaflets have been delivered to part of North Wales with BNP leaflets inside them.

It looks as though the Royal Mail who "have an incredibly difficult job to do at election time" have inserted BNP material into Plaid's 8-page brochure.

Oops.

Battlegrounds

  • Betsan Powys
  • 30 Apr 07, 09:12 AM

In the Senedd building first thing this morning and the cleaners were already hard at it mopping the slate floor. No sign of blood after last night's debate between the party leaders but not much love lost either. Before the programme Rhodri Morgan, Nick Bourne, Mike German and their advisers shared a room, had a chat. Ieuan Wyn Jones and his team stayed away.

Some of the security staff in the Bay this morning were there last night or had been at home, watching on television. They were taken aback that Rhodri Morgan seemed to have lost the audience by the end. 'They weren't with him, were they?' Not clear who they were with mind you.

The Independent newspaper has today identified 6 battlegrounds in Wales: Montgomeryshire is in there, along with Blaenau Gwent which the paper says is 'under threat' from independent candidate Trish Law. Not quite how I'd put it.

The paper reports that Labour's canvassing returns show the party could lose six seats to the Tories - pretty much what one of the Wales 60 said that Peter Hain had told him in New Tredegar when the party launched their manifesto. Is that on top of losses to Plaid? How confident are they there won't be any of those?

Mr Hain is sticking to the mantra: "There is a real risk of the Tories coming in to power". Are you starting to believe him?

By the way I caught Karl the former (now revived) bookie scrutinising the weather forecast this morning. Odds on turnout imminent. Let's just say he's offering a 100 - 1 on a 60-61% turnout and doesn't venture any higher. More details from Vaughan later.

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