Election Speculation

Rumours persist in speculation of an election early in 2009. By this I do not mean that like a sniffer dog I skulk in the corridors of Whitehall, or that I have been party to political pillow talk. Nothing so illicit. I simply mean that after chatting with friends I have heard rumours, from those apparently in the know, that there is an election likely early in 2009. And if these rumours have reached my ears they must be pretty insistent rumours, as I have not one jot of insider knowledge of my own to go on.

Personally I am indifferent as to when the best time for an election would be, for Plaid. The sight of Brown clinging on to the bitter end would be amusing/dismaying. and things as they are with the economy Things Can Only Get Worse. So in many respects the longer Brown waits the better. Regardless of when the next election happens it is likely to be coloured by what effects people most anyway- hatred of the tories or disappointment with New Labour, and in this equation Plaid are likely to do well. If an election was called in Feb it would most likely be a parliament close to hung. This would give the balance of power to Celtic Nationalists and Lib Dems and this would be pretty much the ideal result for Plaid. Whoever wins we will be stuck with either another New Labour or a Tory government regardless. This, in my opinion, makes the case for further devolution as strong as it has ever been, and much needed. Wales needs to be a bastion of de-centred social democratic governance, a world apart from the values of middle england. We will only be able to make this a reality with a proper parliament with proper powers.

Bring on the All Wales convention.
Bring on the euro elections.
And yeah, bring on a general election sometime too.