Institute of Welsh Affairs

agenda - Politics and Policy

Politics and Policy
Cowbridge Woman Gareth Hughes unpicks the current debate inside Welsh Labour.	Winter 2007/08 Page 10
Battle of the blogs Vaughan Roderick unravels the coalition talks.	Winter 2007/08 Page 12
Progressive consensus John Osmond examines the new coalition’s policy commitments.	Winter 2007/08 Page 14
Igniting Change Laura McAllister looks at the prospects for a Welsh Convention.	Winter 2007/08 Page 16
Reconciling the Budget Jeremy Colman explains how the 2006 Wales Act ensures the Assembly Government is held to account for its spending.	Winter 2007/08 Page 19
Welsh Law Keith Patchett explores the consequences of establishing a distinctive jurisdiction for Wales.	Winter 2007/08 Page 22
Mixed Messages Denis Balsom looks beneath the surface of the Assembly’s third term election.	Summer 2007 Page 10
Damaging for devolution A vigorous debate on Welsh issues is impossible when fewer than a third of the Welsh population read or tune in to Welsh news, says Lee Waters.	Summer 2007 Page 13
Law Focus I) Scrutiny under examination Aled Eirug highlights the need for reform of the Assembly’s committeee system to ensure good scrutiny and effective use of members’ time.	Summer 2007 Page 15
Law Focus II) Switching circuits The breaking of the courts’ link with Chester has created a Wales-only judiciary for the first time since 1831, says Keith Bush.	Summer 2007 Page 18
Law Focus III) Llyfrau Da Wales should celebrate the return of law-making powers by putting the books of Hywel Dda on display at the Senedd, suggests John H Davies.	Summer 2007 Page 21
Will Labour win again? Richard Wyn Jones and Roger Scully read the runes for the forthcoming National Assembly election.	Winter 2007 Page 10
Time to deliver An introduction to the IWA’s exciting new publication examining policy options for Wales during the Assembly’s third term.	Winter 2007 Page 13
Holding the reins David Lambert and Marie Navarro ask whether the Assembly is ready to take on legislative powers.	Winter 2007 Page 16
Spending squeeze Eurfyl ap Gwilym forecasts how UK budget decisions will impact on the Welsh block.	Winter 2007 Page 19
Roller Coaster David Williams reflects on his highs and lows in following the National Assembly’s first six years.	Winter 2007 Page 22
Gender budgeting Jackie Jones describes a new initiative in policy making.	Winter 2007 Page 25
Life After Rhodri Lee Waters wonders whether the First Minister may be retiring sooner than planned.	Summer 2006 Page 10
Thank the Lord Laura McAllister delves behind the mask of the Presiding Officer.	Summer 2006 Page 13
Second Constitution Dafydd Elis-Thomas explains the significance of the Government of Wales Bill as it reached its final stages at Westminster.	Summer 2006 Page 16
Short termism Eurfyl ap Gwilym calls for an Assembly Finance Committee to keep a sharper eye on spending patterns.	Summer 2006 Page 19
When I’m sixty four Madoc Batcup argues that UK pensions policy works against Wales because of our relatively low GDP.	Summer 2006 Page 22
Too difficult? Sarah Stone challenges many of the assumptions around charging for home care in Wales.	Summer 2006 Page 26
Tide turning Iwan Ball queries whether political will is now flowing in favour of the Severn Barrage.	Summer 2006 Page 28
Poles Apart Jonathan Adams recommends how Cardiff Bay can be connected with the city centre.	Spring 2006 Page 10
Barnett Squeeze Eurfyl ap Gwilym estimates that Wales has been denied more than £1 billion by the Treasury over the past five years.	Spring 2006 Page 13
£77m merger Rhobert Lewis discusses the arguments for an all-Wales police force.	Spring 2006 Page 17
Nation builder Richard Brunstrom says an all-Wales force should be part of the devolution process.	Spring 2006 Page 20
North Wales voice needed Dylan Jones-Evans questions the centralisation of power in Cardiff Bay.	Spring 2006 Page 22
Making politics breathe Ferdinand Mount says everything in Britain has been modernised except its politics.	Spring 2006 Page 25
Route Map to Power Richard Wyn Jones interviews Secretary of State for Wales Peter Hain on his Assembly Bill and adds his own commentary.	Winter 2005/06 Page 24
Working Together Rhodri Morgan describes how the Assembly Government’s Making the Connections public reform agenda is being put into practice.	Winter 2005/06 Page 29
Delivery Jeremy Beecham explains how he is approaching his review of local service delivery in Wales.	Winter 2005/06 Page 33
State Building Clive Grace says Welsh public services need significant change and reform.	Winter 2005/06 Page 35
Untangling the Labyrinth Meilyr Ceredig previews the launch of separate websites to cover the Assembly’s executive and legislative functions.	Winter 2005/06 Page 38
Internal Borders Rhys Jones and Carwyn Fowler ask a politically loaded question.	Winter 2005/06 Page 40
Virtual Parliament John Osmond unpacks the recent White Paper extending the Assembly’s powers.	Summer 2005 Page 25
The New Centralism Kevin Morgan and Stevie Upton query whether merging the Quangos into the Assembly Government will achieve the desired results.	Summer 2005 Page 29
Reality Cheque Teresa Rees argues that an evidence base should inform student funding decisions.	Summer 2005 Page 32
Geography of Opportunity Bruce Katz describes the evolution of American neighbourhood policy and what it could mean for Wales.	Summer 2005 Page 35
Gwynfor Dafydd Wigley looks at the career of ‘the greatest Welsh statesman of the 20th century’.	Summer 2005 Page 37
Watershed Denis Balsom suggests that the 2005 general election will have a lasting impact on Wales.	Spring 2005 Page 19
High hopes Vernon Bogdanor queries whether Welsh politics have yet ‘come of age’.	Spring 2005 Page 22
An alternative government Nick Bourne argues that the opposition parties in the National Assembly need to entertain the idea of coalition.	Spring 2005 Page 24
Democratic deficit Adam Price says that with its permanent majority the Assembly is replicating Westminster’s ‘conformity of indivisible power’.	Spring 2005 Page 27
Seats and votes John Cox argues for ‘enabling legislation’ to implement Richard and says STV is key to maximising turnout in Assembly elections.	Spring 2005 Page 29
Swimming in clear red water David Morris explains why Welsh Labour activists have formed a new ‘grassroots’ organisation.	Spring 2005 Page 33
A Charter for Wreckers Dafydd Wigley questions Labour’s response to the Richard Report.	Autumn 2004 Page 10
Words not deeds, please Just how radical are the Welsh? ask Richard Wyn Jones and Roger Scully.	Autumn 2004 Page 13
Brand that Binds A common labour identity is being maintained, says Martin Laffin.	Autumn 2004 Page 15
Labour’s hold weakens Jonathan Bradbury suggests assumptions about minority ethnic electoral behaviour may need to be revised.	Autumn 2004 Page 18
Debate lost in bonfire heat Kevin Morgan fears control not accountability was behind the quango mergers.	Autumn 2004 Page 20
Richard’s Radical Recipe Richard Rawlings finds the Richard Commission went for the radical option on all the key choices it faced.	Summer 2004 Page 27
Size Matters John Osmond addresses the Commission’s most politically sensitive recommendation.	Summer 2004 Page 32
Electoral Indigestion Denis Balsom examines Richard’s recommendation that STV be used for assembly elections.	Summer 2004 Page 34
Cross-border Obfuscation Lord Elis-Thomas assesses the difficulties of disentangling Welsh from English primary legislation.	Summer 2004 Page 37
Rhodri’s Retreat Alan Trench objects to Rhodri Morgan’s latest devolution compromise.	Summer 2004 Page 40
By thy deeds Jon Owen Jones argues that performance indicators should be made to count in local elections.	Summer 2004 Page 57
Must Plaid lose? Richard Wyn Jones and Roger Scully ask whether Plaid Cymru will be an eternal party of opposition in the Assembly.	Summer 2004 Page 60
Slippery slope Duncan Tanner and Andrew Edwards revisit the dire predictions of the No campaigners in 1979.	Summer 2004 Page 63
Sennedd 04 Dafydd Glyn Jones proposes a second chamber for the National Assembly.	Summer 2004 Page 67
Carwyn’s Future Peter Stead takes a look at Welsh Labour’s brightest prospect.	Spring 2004 Page 24
Market Solutions for the Public Sector Gerald Holtham argues that PFI contracts can be better designed.	Spring 2004 Page 26
Golden Threads Gillian Bristow explores the Assembly Government’s Partnership Councils.	Spring 2004 Page 28
Making It Happen John Kelleher and Huw Vaughan Thomas discover how partnerships can work successfully in north Wales.	Spring 2004 Page 30
Grasping a Mirage Sarah Stone poses key questions for those involved in partnerships.	Spring 2004 Page 32
Climbing Higher Steve Hill says prevention rather than cure is one policy area where the Assembly Government can make a difference.	Spring 2004 Page 34
Gotcha Journalism Leighton Andrews argues the media should not be the Government’s opposition.	Spring 2004 Page 36
Peter’s question for Ivor Alan Trench says the Richard Commission should address constitutional principles not questions about service delivery.	Winter 2003/04 Page 30
Leashed Watchdogs Leighton Jenkins argues that the Assembly’s Committees lack the powers to do their job.	Winter 2003/04 Page 32
Legal Wales Keith Bush reports on how Welsh incorporation into England is being reversed.	Winter 2003/04 Page 35
Virtual Majority Leighton Andrews reports on his first six months as an AM.	Winter 2003/04 Page 37
Clear Welsh Water Nick Bourne outlines new directions for Welsh Conservatism.	Winter 2003/04 Page 39
Nation-Building Cynog Dafis explores Plaid Cymru’s future in the wake of its May 2003 election setback.	Winter 2003/04 Page 41
Backlash Simon Brooks explains why 8874 people in Ceredigion are demanding a mayor.	Winter 2003/04 Page 44
Our asylum test Tom Cheesman calls for better treatment of displaced persons in Wales.	Summer 2003 Page 28
The importance of Welshness Anlaysing the fall-out from the 2003 Assembly election Richard Wyn Jones and Roger Scully question how far it saw Wales ‘come home to Labour’.	Summer 2003 Page 32
Stirring up apathy David Williams reveals how far the press and media got through to the electorate in the campaign.	Summer 2003 Page 35
Plaid Cymru’s future Helen Mary Jones says devolution is not a process or an event that should be supported by nationalists. Rhodri Glyn Thomas advocates a new way forward for achieving greater autonomy for Wales.	Summer 2003 Page 37
Downsizing debate Clive Betts bemoans an attempt to curtail the work of the Committees in the National Assembly.	Summer 2003 Page 41
Wicked issues Clive Grace outlines the role of the new Wales Audit Office.	Summer 2003 Page 42
Clear Red Water Rhodri Morgan describes the distinctive policy approach developed by Cardiff Bay over the past three years.	Spring 2003 Page 13
Red Green Progressive Policies Adam Price speculates on whether a coalition between Labour and Plaid Cymru is possible.	Spring 2003 Page 15
Our Man in Whitehall Jessica Mugaseth comes face to face with Peter Hain.	Spring 2003 Page 16
The Devolution Dividend Kevin Morgan asks whether the Assembly is worth having.	Spring 2003 Page 18
Art of Conversation in the Bay David Melding wonders whether Wales has become a more eloquent political entity since devolution.	Spring 2003 Page 23
Devolution's Colour Code Charlotte Williams assesses the impact of the National Assembly on ethnic minorities.	Spring 2003 Page 26
Trajectory of Change John Osmond puts the Richard Commission on the Assembly's powers under the spotlight.	Spring 2003 Page 29
As Need Should Have It Ron Davies says the burden of Wales' health budget makes the case for revising the Barnett formula.	Winter 2002/03 Page 11
Spend Now, Pay Later Nia Richardson finds the Assembly Government struggling to discover a "Welsh way" on the Private Finance Initiative.	Winter 2002/03 Page 14
The Price of Saying No Jon Owen Jones warns that Wales could lose out by dragging its feet.	Winter 2002/03 Page 17
Developing Welsh Policy Capacity Nick Bennett on the role of Special Advisers in the Welsh Assembly Government.	Winter 2002/03 Page 19
Status Quo will Undermine the Union Greg Walker says that to survive Welsh Conservatives should embrace devolution.	Winter 2002/03 Page 20
Let's Make It Work Richard Wyn Jones and Roger Scully find that support for a Welsh Parliament is growing.	Winter 2002/03 Page 23
Grassroots Power Graham Benfield reports on a survey into Welsh civil society.	Winter 2002/03 Page 26
Policy and the Third Sector Elin Royles analyses how civil society has engaged with Objective 1.	Winter 2002/03 Page 28
Assessing Welsh Funding Needs Gillian Bristow assesses conflicting views around the benefits for Wales of renegotiating the Barnett formula which determines the Assembly's funding.	Summer 2002 Page 8
Turf Wars Over English Devolution Though the Government’s proposals for English Assemblies go further than expected, John Tomaney and John Adams argue that they reveal a Whitehall reluctance to let go.	Summer 2002 Page 11
High Stakes In Assembly Name Change John Osmond probes the constitutional implications of the emergence of the Welsh Assembly Government.	Summer 2002 Page 14
Time To Move On From Pathology To Analysis Richard Rawlings finds that a new book from the IWA reflects the National Assembly’s broadening horizon.	Summer 2002 Page 16
Legal Lines Through The Devolution Settlement Mr Justice Thomas examines options for the development of Legal Wales in relation to future constitutional changes and opportunities for the Welsh economy.	Summer 2002 Page 17
Joining the Loop of Policy Influence Martin Laffin, Gerald Taylor, and Alys Thomas probe local government networks that are evolving in response to the Assembly.	Summer 2002 Page 21
Welsh Labour’s Expanding Policy Process Declining membership has led Welsh Labour to look more widely for new ideas but the leadership may find some are too challenging, says Gerald Taylor.	Summer 2002 Page 23
Linking Language To Regeneration Roger Roberts believes Welsh Liberal Democrat communitarian values come through in its new thinking on language policy.	Summer 2002 Page 26
A Report Destined for the Long Grass Denis Balsom reports on the outcome of the Sunderland Commission on electoral arrangements in Wales.	Summer 2002 Page 28
Welsh Scrutiny For Welsh Bills Jon Owen Jones says we should revive Lloyd George procedures to deal with Welsh legislation at Westminster.	Spring 2002 Page 35
Creating Legal Wales Winston Roddick QC examines the National Assembly’s growing impact on Welsh legislation.	Spring 2002 Page 37
Oiling The Usual Channels Looking at the way the Assembly operates Glyn Davies calls for a bar to be installed.	Spring 2002 Page 39
Local Government To Measure Itself Steve Martin unpacks local government ‘Best Value’ and explains why the Welsh system is beginning to diverge from England.	Spring 2002 Page 41
Over-worked, Under-Resourced and Unloved Kevin Morgan assesses the National Assembly’s record, half-way through its first term.	Autumn 2001 Page 38
Responsibility Without Power Carwyn Jones reflects on the Assembly Administration’s handling of the foot and mouth emergency.	Autumn 2001 Page 41
Conservatives Should Finish the Job David Melding argues that the party least sympathetic to devolution needs to become its most conspicuous supporter.	Autumn 2001 Page 43
Welsh Labour and the 2001 General Election Mark Lang examines how the Welsh Labour Party came to terms with its first post-devolution General Election.	Autumn 2001 Page 45
Empowerment from Within Michael German argues that devolution should extend to Community Councils.	Autumn 2001 Page 47
Wales Becomes Interesting Dafydd Trystan asks whether Wales will continue to be a land safe for Labour.	Spring 2001 Page 31
Lifting the Lid on the Assembly's Engine Room Robert Hazell greets the appearance of the IWA's new book on the work of the Assembly and its committees.	Spring 2001 Page 33
Let's Abandon the Tired Old Westminster Stereotypes Val Feld provides an insider's critique.	Spring 2001 Page 35
The Language Basket Case Rhobat Bryn Jones argues that the Assembly's inquiry into the Welsh language should take it seriously as a consumer issue.	Spring 2001 Page 37
A Fillip for British-Irish Relations John Griffiths and Dai Lloyd Report on the National Assembly's Membership of the British-Irish Inter-parliamentary body.	Spring 2001 Page 40
By Their Deeds Shall They Be Known Kevin Morgan reflects on Lib-Labism and the birth of coalition politics in the National Assembly.	Winter 2000/01 Page 23
A Coalition of Minds or Convenience? Jonathan Bradbury discovers a complex range of attitudes behind the new deal between Labour and the Liberal Democrats in the Assembly.	Winter 2000/01 Page 25
Partnership in Leadership Alan Storer assesses the impact of the coalition on the operation of the Welsh Cabinet.	Winter 2000/01 Page 28
An Opportunity to Renew Our Local Democracy Ewart Parkinson assesses the impact of the new Local Government Act.	Winter 2000/01 Page 30
Squeezing the Life out of Local Democracy Geoff Mungham argues that the local authority ‘modernising’ agenda, exemplified by Cardiff County Council, is creating a new elected underclass.	Summer 2000 Page 38
The ‘Quiet Earthquake’ Explained Richard Wyn Jones and Dafydd Trystan unpack new data that confirms a fundamental electoral shift in Welsh politics took place in May 1999.	Summer 2000 Page 41
Lies, Damned Lies and ... Lila Haines and Lisa Turnbull call for a more comprehensive set of Welsh statistics so policy-making can be effectively monitored.	Summer 2000 Page 44
The Assembly's First Budget Nigel Blewitt unravels an historic first in Welsh democratic accountability.	Winter 2000 Page 6
Dynamic Devolution First Secretary Alun Michael outlines his "big idea" of building a new Wales.	Winter 2000 Page 25
We Need a Coalition of Ideas Ron Davies calls for agreement between the Parties on policy priorities and new powers to take the National Assembly forward.	Winter 2000 Page 27
Coping with the Fixed Term Mari James and Glyn Mathias analyse the Assembly's struggle to come to terms with inclusivity and consensual politics.	Winter 2000 Page 32
Working at the Hub J. Barry Jones and Alan Storer unpack the civil service Policy Unit which, they say, is critical to the Assembly's success.	Winter 2000 Page 34
Poll Confirms Emergence of New Welsh Politics Denis Balsom analyses the results of the first Welsh poll since the May 1999 Assembly election.	Winter 2000 Page 36
Musical Chairs in Our Town Halls Rachel Ashworth and George Boyn explain the new structures that are being imposed on local government.	Winter 2000 Page 38
Casting Out False Gods Peter Hain argues that all the parties need to learn from the new politics, not least Labour.	Winter 2000 Page 40
Consequences of Closing Down Debate Ceri Evans poses questions about the future of Welsh Labour.	Winter 2000 Page 43
A Quiet Electoral Earthquake Dafydd Trystan and Richard Wyn Jones piece together a script torn up by the voters.	Summer 1999 Page 26
The New Lobbyists The National Assembly is spawning a new breed of political activists. Here Sian Phipps and Cathy Owens describe their contrasting roles.	Summer 1999 Page 28
Tackling the Citizenship Agenda Howard Marshall argues that the new politics of ‘Social Partnership’ requires the Unions to re-think their traditional role.	Summer 1999 Page 30
Living with the Lawyers Richard Rawlings explores how far the National Assembly’s legislative powers will reach, concluding that devolution represents serious legal business.	Summer 1999 Page 32
A Crowded Legislative Timetable The Assembly’s secondary legislation powers will result in a growing divergence in public law between Wales and England, predicts David Lambert.	Summer 1999 Page 35
Skirmishes in a Minefield of Statutes Luke Clements explains that when it legislates the Assembly will, from the start, have to take account of the 1998 Human Rights Act.	Summer 1999 Page 37
Now the Agenda is Political Rachel Lomax surveys the processes underway in establishing the National Assembly.	Spring 1999 Page 13
A Journey with no known Destination Gerald Holtham says the IWA’s National Assembly Agenda is short on rhetoric, but long on hope for improvement.	Spring 1999 Page 15
A Trajectory Too Far John Osmond looks at Ron Davies’ career and his latest intervention, the IWA’s Gregynog Paper Devolution: A Process Not an Event.	Spring 1999 Page 17
Wales in Whitehall Huw Roberts says top civil servants hold a key to our future.	Spring 1999 Page 18
A New Political Geography Dafydd Trystan polls the polls and comes up with predictions for the first National Assembly elections.	Spring 1999 Page 20
Peering into an Uncertain Future Isobel Lindsay charts the complex territory of contemporary Scottish party politics.	Spring 1999 Page 22
How we Voted on Wales’ Future Richard Wyn Jones and Dafydd Trystan report on the 1997 Welsh Referendum Survey.	Summer 1998 Page 11
Creating the ‘New Politics’ Andrew Davies explains how Labour is tackling the ‘Jobs for the Boys’ problem.	Summer 1998 Page 14
‘Twin to Win’? Chris Roberts puts the case for ‘twinning’ to ensure gender balance in the Assembly, approved by 51.59% at Labour’s Swansea conference in May.	Summer 1998 Page 17
“It’s the Economy Stupid” Nigel Blewitt sets out his priorities for research into the Welsh economy.	Summer 1998 Page 19
Assembly Poll revealed unity amidst diversity Looking behind the referendum split Denis Balsom finds room for consensus.	Winter 1997/98 Page 11
Making the Assembly Work.	Winter 1997/98 Page 14
Voting for the Assembly Iain Byrne analyses what the results of the first Assembly elections might look like.	Winter 1997/98 Page 17
A Direct Route to Brussels Lord Roberts welcomes the IWA’s new report Wales in Europe: The Opportunity presented by a Welsh Assembly.	Winter 1997/98 Page 20
Choice between a New Start or More Misery Conservatives must work with the Government to create a stable constitution, says David Melding.	Winter 1997/98 Page 22
The Landslide Inheritance The upheaval caused by the election has changed the geology of Welsh political life. Barry Jones says all the parties will have to adjust.	Summer 1997 Page 8
All you wanted to know about referendums … but were afraid to ask Richard Wyn Jones looks forward to the September campaign, taking on board two reports on the conduct of referendums, by the Constitution Unit and the Institute of Welsh Affairs.	Summer 1997 Page 10
Polling ahead of the game Denis Balsom looks at the polls and suggests a balance of power within the Assembly.	Summer 1997 Page 12
Making the change happen Robert Hazell examines how the projected Welsh Assembly legislation fits into the wider programme of constitutional reform.	Summer 1997 Page 14
Empowering the party Gareth Hughes argues that the Labour Party in Wales must change from one that takes its agenda from London to one that sets its own.	Summer 1997 Page 18
The Way Ahead (Again) by Kevin Morgan	Winter 1996/97 Page 11
Loving to hate the car Following two years consultation the Countryside Council for Wales has issued a policy document Transport and Rural Wales. Gareth Wyn Jones says it reveals contradictions at the core of the Council’s remit.	Winter 1996/97 Page 12
Towards a Federal Britain? The Constitution Unit’s report An Assembly for Wales, published in June 1996, set the terms of the current devolution debate. David Melding takes a sceptical view of its findings.	Winter 1996/97 Page 14
Power and Politics Keith Patchett argues that the Executive Assembly being proposed by Labour might leave Wales in a weaker position than is presently the case.	Winter 1996/97 Page 16
The tools for the job Ron Davies tackles the criticism that Labour’s Assembly plans are flawed because they do not contain legislative powers.	Winter 1996/97 Page 18
Victoria Winckler on Strategic Partnerships and a communitaire spirit.	Summer 1996 Page 8
Michael German and Jon Stevens on Integration and the Welsh European project.	Summer 1996 Page 10
Denis Balsom takes the temperature of Home Rule.	Summer 1996 Page 12
J Barry Jones on Fitting an Assembly into the existing system.	Summer 1996 Page 14
The Proposed Welsh Assembly by J Barry Jones.	Volume 1 Issue 3 August 1995 Page 5
Yes Minister – Myth or Reality by Ivor Lightman.	Volume 1 Issue 2 April 1995 Page 17
Wales’ Unhealthy Information Gap by Geraint Talfan Davies.	Volume 1 Issue 1 November 1994 Page 1
Beyond the Quangos by Professor Kevin Morgan.	Volume 1 Issue 1 November 1994 Page 9