Don't gamble, Peter Hain warns left voters
WELSH Secretary PeterHain said today left-leaning voters would have to "take sides" in the forthcoming election and warned them not to "gamble" with other parties as Welsh Labour gathers for its conference.
Mr Hain urged voters not to flirt with the Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru or the Greens and stick with Labour to stop the Conservatives winning.
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Don't gamble, Peter Hain warns left voters
Labour said it would have an "unstinting focus" on the general election, which must be held no later than June 3, at this weekend's conference in Swansea.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown last week escalated the pre-election skirmish and revealed Labour would campaign under the slogan "A future fair for all".
Despite a week of potentially damaging claims about Mr Brown in a book by political commentator Andrew Rawnsley, Labour officials said they had been buoyed by a diminishing Tory lead in opinion polls.
Mr Hain said: "Labour has led the country through over 10 years of good times, and now also through the bad times.
"But, with a hard won recovery coming, this is not the moment to start gambling.
"It's a time to make serious judgments about the future of Wales and the future of Britain.
"And that will mean making a decision between the Tory way and Labour's continued leadership."
He added: "I know there are tens of thousands of people in Wales who see themselves not as dyed in the wool Labour supporters, but as progressive supporters who may vote for the Liberal Democrats or Plaid Cymru or the Greens.
"I am not asking them to sign up to every dot and comma of Labour's policies and proposals, still less to renounce their principles.
"But the truth is that this coming election will be one where we have to take sides."
First Minister Carwyn Jones will tomorrow deliver his first conference speech since being elected Welsh Labour leader in December.
He will highlight the big challenges facing public spending, the economy and the environment, and will urge voters not to jeopardise Labour's record in office with a rallying cry about the threat of a Conservative government.
Mr Jones said: "This is an important moment for Welsh Labour as we gather in Swansea to discuss new ideas and to reaffirm our values before the general election battle begins in earnest.
"Labour, working together in the Assembly and in Westminster has a proud record of achievement to campaign on, but we still have plenty of work to do."
Mr Hain is due to speak to the conference on Sunday.
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by Heather, Mumbles
Tuesday, March 02 2010, 11:03AM
“Mr Hain has many talents: one he has yet to discover, like sticking that finger up his snout rather than in my chops.”
by James Sheridan, Swansea
Monday, March 01 2010, 10:52PM
“Cllr.Tony Wyn-Jones, Neath
I have spoke to Linda earlier today and I informed her about your wish to meet us. She told me she would contact you. If I can help the people of Neath, in collaboration with others, I will, Cllr. Wyn-Jones. Linda has my telephone and e-mail contact details, so by all means, if you wish, communicate with me via those methods. I sincerely hope that your health improves, Cllr.Wyn-Jones.”
by James Sheridan, Swansea
Monday, March 01 2010, 8:06PM
“Paul, Morriston
The fact is Paul, I honestly thought the Lib Dems and their pals, were genuine in their promises to make Swansea a better place and ensuring that our city's people were to be well looked after! Sadly, since the local elections of 2008, I have seen a marked decline in our fortunes as a city, though I hoped that local & National governments would make the right decisons for our city and our nation. This as we know, didn't happen.
As last year progressed, I saw our city and its people suffer even more, hence I haven't posted any positive comments this year under my name!
The Lib Dems Political opponents can be easily criticised, as they allowed the Lib Dems to have the opportunity to gain control of Swansea not just in 2008, but in 2004 as well! The Lib Dem's opponents Policies did little to prove to the Swansea Electorate, that they could do any better! Labour were the biggest villains over this, as Swansea, so long a Labour stronghold, treated the Swansea Electorate with contempt when they last led the Council Administration, including over the Leisure Centre! The sad thing is, as I have said in my earlier posting, there are still many good people in the other Parties in Politics local & National (except the BNP!), it is a pity if we ignore their worth to us and their willingness to get our nation back on its feet Economically and (in some cases) Socially.
Yes I did get into Politics to help others! If I wanted to be "....perspective career politician....", as you imply, that would have happened many years ago! With exceptions, I think, hand on heart, most Politicians do want help others when they are considering the prospect of entering Politics. But as we have seen, the Electorate gets left behind when some Politicians see themselves as above the Electorate and they think that we owe them a living when in fact, it should a privilege to represent us! You have only got to look at the actions of the parasite Party that is the BNP, which I have constantly made adverse comments about, and how they feed off hatred, resentment and job loss to the detriment of the Ethnic Minorities that are here in the UK legally!
You asked;
"....if you really got into politics to help others why aren't you actively opposing the muppets in Swansea now.....?", I suggest Paul, you read my comments in response to your previous posting, which I have reproduced for you below;
"Quite simply, Paul, they, as a collective, stopped caring about people, so I made the decision to not to renew my membership of the Party nor did I attend the last AGM or the Party Conference in Swansea. This has given me the opportunity to have a 'free voice' to air my views without being 'shackled'!"
Consider this Paul, to be the beginning of my criticsm of Parties, including the Lib Dems, who have not done enough to ensure that we the Electorate, have a decent future to look forward to!”
by anon, Neath
Monday, March 01 2010, 7:47PM
“"If you want to be rid of Hain vote Plaid, it's the only way he's going to be beaten"
Replace a donkey with a dead donkey. forget it.”
by Paul, Morriston
Monday, March 01 2010, 4:35PM
“James, if you got into politics to help others why were you supporting the useless, greedy incompetent LibDems in Swansea for so long? You should have been opposing them, after all they have been incompetent for more than the last year! And I seem to remember you supporting them on this site only a few months ago (whilst, I might add, simultaneously criticising their opponents)! Now of course, they stand to do very badly in the elections so any perspective career politician would sense which they way the wind is blowing and rapidly desert their sinking ship...!
You may think I'm sad Mr Sheridan but I suspect that is because I hit a nerve. Lets see if I can hit another by simply asking you this, if you really got into politics to help others why aren't you actively opposing the muppets in Swansea now.....?”