Saturday, September 11, 2010

Nationalists vote against Ieuan Air

Freedom Central reports:

In a bizarre twist to the story of Ieuan Air, the Plaid Cymru Leader’s own party have voted against the North-South Wales air link. An amendment was submitted to the Sustainable Transport Motion, which was passed, advocating a withdrawal of subsidies for internal air services. The money to instead be spent on rail improvements.

Welsh Liberal Democrat Shadow Transport Minister Jenny Randerson AM said

“This humiliating vote will force Welsh voters to question what Plaid really stand for. They are for and against nuclear power. They are for and against tuition fees. They are for and against Ieuan Air. As a voter, I wouldn’t be sure what I am voting for!

“It is a clear rejection of Plaid’s record on transport in government from their own activists. It will be interesting to see whether Plaid ignores its activists or aligns itself with Welsh Liberal Democrat Policy”

The vote was supported by the party’s former chair, John Dixon.

The motion as it was passed calls for “the withdrawal of government subsidies to internal air services within Wales, with the money saved being invested in improved north-south rail services”.

The Welsh Government subsidy is £800,000 per year.


3 comments:

Frank Little said...

Plaid also is in favour of proportional representation at Westminster but goes along with Labour on supporting the status quo in Cardiff.

Anonymous said...

Listening to Ieuan Wyn Jones on the HTV early evening news, I was surprised to hear Mr Jones describing the North - South Air Link as a "Success", when the service is so highly subsidised!

I would regard this as a vote of "no-confedence" in his leadership if party members are voting against this subsidised air-link, with IW Jones being the main benificiary of the service.

Anonymous said...

It seems almost too obvious to say that surely the Lib Dems are the last party to be able to accuse other parties of not being clear what people are being asked to vote for.