Cod Almighty
There's a fish and chip shop down the road called 'Cod Almighty'. That doesn't beat 'A Fish called Rhondda' but it's not bad and it claims to sell the best fish and chips in the valleys. It looks really impressive and every time I drive past it on the way home, I can't help but crane my head to see if it's open. Call it post-Newyddion munchies. But it never is open and as far as I know it never has been.
By now it's become a bit of a landmark. My colleague moved into a new flat a few weeks ago, 'opposite that chippie that's never open'. Now given we both live in Canton, it's probably part of a film set and will stay closed - open to offers from the next television company lucky enough to get a drama commission, never open for business.
Now you might argue the Assembly is well and truly back in business. The government's getting on with it, signing 'historic' agreements, listing priorities, forming commissions, learning to get on with each other, learning to get in there quickly to deny any allegations of a split when they've forgotten they're meant to be friends here, enemies elsewhere. Toothy smile for the cameras here, 'fight tooth and nail' everywhere else, as Peter Hain puts it It can get confusing I imagine.
The Tories have promised 'robust opposition', the Lib Dems are doing their best to move on from where they were before the Summer recess, tough as that'll be until the leader stays or goes.
But leaving the Senedd every day this week has still felt a bit like driving past 'Cod Almighty' - you know what it's meant to be like, you know what it could be like very soon, you can even smell it but somehow, it still feels like a bit unreal, like a film set. Everyone's talking about a honeymoon period, about having to get used to a government with such a hefty majority, about the calm before the storm. I'll stick with the film set analogy and hope it starts to feel more real once the conferences are over.
Mind you some AMs have settled into the brave new world with ease. Here are . And another AM finds it such a doddle that messages scrawled on their Facebook wall during plenary get answered ... from the chamber. Talk about multi-tasking.
I'm Betsan Powys, ´óÏó´«Ã½ Wales' political editor. I'll be blogging the inside track on .
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Isn't it called the Cod Father?
Isn't it called the Cod Father?
Best chip shop name is from Belfast:
"For Cod and Ulster"
As you live in Canton, you may care to visit the 'Cod Father' on Cowbridge Rd. East, just across and down from the Castle Bingo.
Freshly cooked fish and a generous portion of chips are always available, as well as a good variety of other dishes. They even do a good deal for pensioners, not that you're ready for that yet! ;¬)>
Your perfectly plaiced pal.
johnny.
David Davies [Conservative MP and V. Special Constable ~ Monmouth] has just promised [Devo] Nick Bourne, a private or public [PFI?] "battle" over the slide to further powers for the Assembly!
Further Devolution = "Soviet Style Poverty!"
It's the way he tells' em!
Look out Nick...he's on patrol coming your way, blue lights flashing!!!
Cod Almighty? There's certainly something fishy about this Labour/Plaid Cymru coalition.
For the past eight years the Welsh naionalists have (correctly) been saying how inept the Welsh Labour Government has been. Now, suddenly, the Messiah Cymreig from Ynys Mon - Ieuan Wyn Jones AM - has seen the light and Labour is suddenly wonderful in his eyes.
This is more a road to Llangefni than a road to Damascus conversion!
Maybe the Plaid supremo Ieuan Wyn should reflect on the coup in his party a few years ago, in which the Rt Hon Dafydd Wigley was stabbed in the back and deposed by Ieuan, Helen Mary Jones et al.
If the popular Mr Wigley was still Plaid's leader the Welsh nationalists would probably be the largest party in the Assembly by now, and wouldn't have to sell out to Rhodri Morgan.