UKIP

He certainly hasn't the foggiest how members of the Senydd behave, he realy is vile and he is in for a shock if he thinks he can bring that aggressive style from Westminster to Wales

Neil Hamilton is getting off to an interesting start in his new role as leader of UKIP in the Welsh Assembly. Yesterday he said that Kirsty Williams and Leanne Wood had become political courtesans in Carwen James's harem. This on the floor of the Senedd. We're not used to this kind of sexist abuse in the assembly. The new Presiding Officer is going to consider his words. I hope that she will start her new role by taking firm action. But it just serves to emphasise the nature of Hamilton - he did not know how to behave as an MP and he obviously still does not.

LOL it's very complicated if they step down...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-36247951

Yes the Hamiltons were £3million up the Khyber as a result of expense of several failed libel cases (see Wikipedia)
Party of English Nationalism? That is what they have mostly appeared to be up til now... sometimes using word England instead of UK.
Welsh lamb carcasses too small for UK supermarkets apparently.
I think there are a lot of people cross with Plaid Annie and yes, it's true, they have no hope of forming a government unless they have the support of Tory AND UKIP.
And they have been going around saying they will not work with them. If they have any sense (and we still don't know if Wood has any sense) they will back off gracefully in the next day or two rather than carrying on embarrassing themselves.
Nathan Gill reputedly drives from N Wales to Brussels to bump up his expense claim. Maybe he's going to have to fly between Cardiff and Brussels in a frantic attempt to be present when needed? If he resigns as AM he will trigger an election I suppose - not sure how that would work. Maybe he thought it would be a handy backup plan if we leave the EU as he would lose his EU salary?If he resigned as MEP e's lost a bigger salary and again I guess it would trigger an election. www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/ukips-mep-wales-nathan-gill-7990085

I seem to remember they were skint at the time of that TV programme
There is 'skint' and skint NotTooOld

I am rather cross with Plaid, cuddling up to the Tories could cost them support , I have regained respect for Kirsty for not going with UKIP and the Tories . Even if Leanne wins the second vote she will be powerless unless she and her party stay in bed with UKIP and the Tories , what is the point of being first minister , and the stupid woman wants to stay in Europe yet is working with two parties who both have Brexit supporters as leader against the one party leader who supports staying in

Jalima - I suppose with the Hamiltons (funny how you get two Hamiltons for the price of one) they probably need the money. I seem to remember they were skint at the time of that TV programme.

Surely they must be past retirement age now?
do politicians ever abide by normal rules? They can carry on for ever, it's not like bricklaying!

The party of English Nationalism, supporting the party of Welsh Nationalism
I thought they were the United Kingdom Independence Party, not just for England (nit-picking, I know, but ...)

Welsh Politics is no longer boring. It's official


Most Welsh mountain lamb gets sold to Spain etc apparently
Well, I didn't know that, and, as I commented to DH earlier this evening, we can buy NZ lamb cheaper than Welsh lamb unless it is on offer.

Oh and just to complicate matters Gill is now MEP and AM... Watch this space
He can't fulfil both jobs satisfactorily, surely? It's not as if they are next door to each other.

Well, this has certainly put the cat amongst the pigeons!

True Jess and it's worrying

Of course there is the up side that farmers would perhaps be free of some of the regulations that protect animal welfare and traceability of animals...

As my DH says, the Brexiters are always talking about what they will do with the money they will "save" by coming out of EU and they would appear to have multiple spending plans for the same pot of money.
Gwynedd County Council are jointly anti-brexit - they presumably have worked out the likely negative impact on the rural economy if we leave. Hill farms only viable with EU to help. Not to mention the money that comes in for various projects. e.g. we are getting EU money for the infrastructure for a much-needed science park.

The National Farmers Union supports staying in, but I spoke to many farmers during the campaign and for the large Majority it was the same, they think they will be free of restrictions but still get the same or more in subsidies

Be interesting to see what Nathan Gill will do now

Oh and just to complicate matters Gill is now MEP and AM... Watch this space

People did not vote for Hamilton as such. There's a kind of PR in Wales for the assembly that gives a proportional number of seats to the parties. This sits alongside a first past the post constituency vote for a local AM. Complicated!

This afternoon has been highly dramatic in the Senedd. Carwyn Jones, Labour, has been First Minister for some time. The first day of business required the Senedd to elect a First Minister. Leanne Wood (Plaid) was also nominated as FM. Labour has twice as many seats as Plaid - 1 short of an overall majority. There was a tie in the vote because UKIP backed Wood. This might seem logical (The party of English Nationalism, supporting the party of Welsh Nationalism). However many people view Plaid as a left of centre party. Plaid is in favour of remaining in EU.
There are people saying different things about whether this was planned in advance.
Hamilton probably wanted to lead UKIP in the Senedd cos there is extra pay I think. We now have Gill as party leader in Wales and Hamilton as leader of the 7 UKIP AMs.
I think many of those who voted UKIP in Wales are poor and disaffected. They are worried about immigration despite it being really rather difficult to spot an immigrant in some areas. (like here - virtually no immigrants but 2,500 votes for UKIP).
Welsh Politics is no longer boring. It's official.
As for the farmers... if they would jettison the farm subsidy in the hand in the hopes that politicians will give them money post Brexit they are very optimistic. However they are not an optimistic bunch and they are very aware of the affect of market forces on the price of their products. Most Welsh mountain lamb gets sold to Spain etc apparently...

...'a self-serving cunning man......'

Sounds like most politicians?

Do you mean Hamilton wants to be deputy leader of UKIP?

As I expected, I just telephone a friend in the Senydd, Hamilton wants to de deputy leader .

Not a case of him being on the up Nottooold, he is a self serving , cunning man

If the second vote is a tie we could be in for a second election . It's a mess

Exciting stuff in Wales, then, Anniebach. I thought the Hamiltons were complete has-beens, now it sounds like they are on the up. I saw a TV prog about them years ago which they came out of better than you would expect, especially Mrs H. Surely they must be past retirement age now?

It's started , UKIP AND Tories are joining ranks, they voted for Leanne of Plaid to replace Caerwyn as first minister of the assembly , Lib went for Caerwyn , she said she would not join the UKIP/Tory rabble , this makes things difficult for Leanne , she is very much against UKIP and Tories, on the second vote will she put her ego before her principles , forgetting how disliked the Tories are in the Rhondda

True Daphne but he is so cunning , Reckless doesn't have Hamiltons track record which goes in his favour , can't see UKIP being a problem , only seven out of sixty members . Plaid will never support them against labour , Tories may though

He's going to have to fight off Reckless, if he is looking for the leadership.

Hamilton was voted to stand by party members , both Farage and Gill spoke out against it but nothing they could do

They don't care a toss about Wales, Reckless only stood here because he failed in England .

I believe Hamilton is after the position of leader of UKIP , he failed in England so standing in Wales is a getting in by the back door , all depends on the referendum though

Yes Jalima, the farmers are supporting Brexit, one did speak with common sense yesterday, he said - and what of the subsidies , if we leave Europe where in priorities will we come with Westminster

Rhondda voted for Plaid because Leanne is a Rhondda girl, come the next election the Rhondda will vote Labour

Labour only lost one seat in the election , yes the referendum made the difference this time but UKIP didn't win a first vote

Labour, Plaid , Libs support staying in Europe. The leader of Welsh Conservatives campaigned on out, he was not voted as leader in the assembly by his party and there is talk he will be out soon

Why are the voters not voting for Plaid Cymru if they are disaffected with the Westminster government? They could be fed up with the Labour-run Welsh Assembly? But if so, why not vote Lib Dem or Tory.
I think it could be to do with the referendum.

Good questions Alea

anniebach did you post on another thread that Welsh farmers are for Brexit? Could that be the appeal?

nigglynellie DH came into contact with NH and Christine when he worked in Wiltshire.

Neil Hamilton lives in Wiltshire, and to say that Wales is welcome to him and his wife is an understatement!