Carwyn Jones response to Assembly election timing offer is petulant and childish - Black

Responding to the announcement by the Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, regarding Assembly elections and the subsequent comments by the First Minister, Peter Black, Welsh Liberal Democrat AM said:

“It is encouraging that Westminster is now taking a leaf out of Wales' book and legislating for fixed term parliaments. This modest reform is long overdue. It is not right that in an election, one of the contestants gets to fire the starting pistol.

“Whether Westminster chose four or five year fixed terms, there would be an issue with clashes with Assembly elections and indeed with Scottish and European and other elections.

“The Deputy Prime Minister has sensibly suggested a debate about elections timings and stressed the final decision is for Wales to take. We in the Assembly now need to have that debate in a grown up fashion.

“Instead the Labour-Plaid First Minister's response is petulant and childish. He is refusing to engage, refusing to debate. He would do Wales a great service if he stopped throwing his toys out of the pram and began to act as a First Minister."