大象传媒

Interesting to see the media inflating the BNP's election chances yet again. On what do you base your comments Bethan? - 'meeting more than a few of their voters in Aberdare'. Hardly scientific polling research from a Political Editor.

It's absurd that Dafydd Wigley is only second on Plaid's regional NW list.

Janet Ryder's performance has been mediocre. Dafydd is in another class. Not just on personality and celebrity ,BUT ON ABILITY.

I wonder if Janet has considered putting her party first, and.....

It will be interesting to see how many votes the BNP get on the list. The voters you met in the Cynon valley are sadly not isolated extremist.The BNP have been very clever in targeting the fears of many voters even if those fears are not supporrted by the facts. If they do well then it should act as a wake up call for all the main stream parties particularly the Labour party who have taken the working class vote for granted for far too long. Having a leaflet delivered by the local postman is no subsitute for actually listening to the concerns of voters and re-engaging the electorate in the political process.

Here is some REAL NEWS. If you visit my blog there is a picture of Rhodri Morgan with me on Rhos Prom today meeting local residents. Nothing unusual in a party leader giving a candidate a hand in a tight marginal seat. It happens all the time and is not particularly newsworthy. On a good day it might get into the local paper. But when a party leader drives right through a marginal constituency without stopping for the five minutes it takes for a photo op. THAT is REAL NEWS. So David Cameron's avoiding of Darren Millar and his refusal to pose for pictures with their Clwyd West candidate even in Llandudno is a story. Mr Millar is not so much out in the cold but in the deep freeze after his "homosexuals are sinners" performance. I believe that Mr Cameron is entirely genuine in his attempt to root out homophobes in the Tory Party and he will have been advised that this stuff is poison, not just for the Assembly elections but for his entire strategy to "normalise" the Tories. Good advice that. Why wasn't he asked the simple question "Not keen on visiting Clwyd West them Mr C."

If talking to the people on the streets is not a accurate snapshot of political views,I'm not sure what is. Perhaps pollsters have put too much'science' into their work and not enough footslogging. I'm afraid the BNP do get support from some quarters, and its the media's right and duty to observe and comment.
Its absurd that Dafydd Wigley, so esteemed a statesman that Gareth Thomas is openly prepared to say he'd vote for him, is shunted out by another candidate, simply because she's a woman.
I suspect that political correctness like this is precisely the fuel of the BNP's campaign.

To have someone unknown as Kenneth Skates top of Labour's regional list with a good chance of being elected to the Senedd if both Alun Pugh and Denise Idris Jones loses is a ridiculous state of affairs. and its all down to Peter Hain legislating to prevent candidates standing in both region and constituences... so what do we get...second rate AM's elected by default...talk about the Labour party in Wales 'shooting itself in the foot'!

"I don't think Janet has been too bad an AM, but did also wonder why Dafydd wasn't top--I don't know what the PC selection process is"

Plaid rules state that a woman should be in first place in every regional list. Hence Janet Ryder being first. She just needed to be the most voted woman in the selection contest to get first place
In In South Wales West happened the same thing with Bethan Jenkins getting less votes than Dai Lloyd but still getting first place because she's a woman

If there are people actually going to vote UKIP, or BNP its proof positive that at least some of the population have been badly affected by the lead in petrol!!!

Well I just came back from voting BNP and am hoping they get maybe one person in. This may force some of you to accept that the neither of the main parties are addresing the legitimate worries of many people of Wales.

I don't have any political statement to make,I know who I wanted to vote for and did so - which is more than most people probably did.
My husband said he wouldn't have voted if I hadn't made him,however he thinks all politicians are corrupt!
I can't comment on why people chose not to vote,everyone has their reasons.
What I can comment on is the fact that we are lucky to live in a democracy where we are able to vote and vote fairly.So many people throughout the world are unable to do so.

Low turnout is always a topic - although it does sound positive at this early stage - but remebering that people fought long and hard for the right for everyone to vote do the MPs think that voting should be made compulsory, made law?