Neuro-surgery and nurses

We now know that there will be a Labour-Plaid coalition*. However, even if this agreement had not been reached, there are already two
good reasons for the electorate not to have given Labour an overall majority.

The Assembly government agreed to pay the nurses pay award in full, without staging, as has been done in Scotland. Edwina Hart said that this was a principled decision, and drew attention to her trade union roots. Yet, as pronouncements by Rhodri Morgan showed, there is little doubt that Wales would have followed the English example if Labour had been able to govern alone.

Neuro-surgery in Swansea has been saved. (And to those consultants who claim that Wales cannot afford more than one neuro-surgery unit, may I suggest that the Cardiff one be shut down? Cardiff and Newport can easily be served by Bristol.)

- Frank Little

*Plaid's special conference agreed to share power by 225 votes to 18, or 92%.