Poll on Assembly Powers

No surprises here in the poll was carried out by the Institute of Welsh Politics (IWP) for the Assembly Commission (see BBC). The Conservative rank and file in particular, and if truth be told the leadership as well, see the Assembly as a threat to the Unionist hegemony. Lets expect no support for additional powers from that direction. The Labour Party has delivered devolution, credit where credit is due, but it is seriously split between two equally influential camps. The pro Assembly faction see the Assembly delivering the kind of 'clear red water' policies not seen in London and want to go further. The anti Assembly faction is mainly encamped with the Labour MP's who see the current Assembly as an erosion of their influence let alone a Parliament or an Assembly with additional powers. Many of the arguments offered by this group are arguments of self preservation rather than principled aspects of policy (Don Touhig, Kim Howells, Peter Hain). Even though it is an unionist party (deliberate small 'u' here) the Liberal Democrats see the Assembly as the only body where sooner or later will have a chance at government (they weren't particularly successful the last time they tried and I have no real wish to see them back. Expect Liberal Democrat support for further powers. Self determination is a raison d'etre for Plaid Cymru, the competence shown by our Ministers goes some way to shoot the fox raised by Dr Kim, and the lead shown by the SNP in Scotland is another example of what can be done. These polls are an useful measure of the task we face in persuading the electorate that a Parliament is required in Cardiff.