A sensible and stable way to govern Wales

Written by Jenny Randerson AM and published in Cardiff Post on Thu 24th May 2007

The electorate presented us with quite a poser on 3rd May. No party has an overall majority in the Assembly, but we have to find a sensible and stable way to govern Wales for the next 4 years. Despite the Liberal Democrat/Labour Partnership Government from 2000-2003, we are not yet used to coalition government in Wales.

Many column inches and many hours of air-time have already been spent speculating on the possibilities. Should another party (either Plaid Cymru or my own party, the Welsh Liberal Democrats) go into some kind of arrangement with Labour, who are the largest party? Or should the 3 smaller parties try to form a coalition of their own? Together, the 3 smaller parties represent the views of 60% of those who voted. They may seem unlikely bedfellows but a close examination of their manifestos reveals they have many policies in common.

I have taken half-an-hour off from intensive discussions in order to write this column. I can, therefore, give you the "inside" view - in contrast to all the journalists who comment from outside. I do not know whether we will get there in the end but, at the time of writing, we are moving strongly in the right direction.

Whatever happens next week - who ever finally becomes First Minister - I know it was worth the effort to explore the possibility of an alternative to endless Labour domination in Wales. We have already chipped away at that, with the Liberal Democrats now running the Council in Cardiff, Swansea, Wrexham and Bridgend. The prospect of change at Assembly level is exciting.

This week, ordinary members of the public - not party activists - have congratulated me on our bold step. The Echo survey showed 57% of local people supporting change. For 100 years, Labour has dominated Welsh politics. I don't know yet if we will manage to change that because we may yet hit a huge stumbling block. But I know it was worth the effort to try.