Singing from the same song sheet?

More nonsense from Owen Smith MP for Pontypridd in his Ponty Observer column this week. 

This time he is recycling the 'it's not our fault honest Gov' routine favoured by Labour politicians in these parts.

"During these tough times for families and businesses, it’s inexcusable that there are billions of pounds outstanding in tax revenue as a result of multi-millionaires stashing their money in offshore tax havens."

Of course it is Owen dear boy, but then where have you been until now?  Oh, sorry, you were in Surrey weren't you?  What I mean is where have your party been?  They were in Government for 13 years weren't they?

Am I missing something?

"Just as with phone hacking, the response to last summer’s riots, forests, the economy and the NHS, Ed Miliband and the Labour team are several steps ahead of Cameron & Co on this issue."

Obviously written before Ed Milliband and the Labour team saw the light on the road to Damascus and decided we were right.

Didn't anyone give Owen a copy of the new song sheet?

Pull the other one Owen, it's got bells on.

Seems Pontypridd MP Owen Smith is anxious to make an impression in his new role as Shadow Treasury Secretary.

On a visit to GE Aviation in his own constituency (despite the ‘North of Cardiff’ description given by Walesonline) he busied himself giving advice to the UK Government on of all things the economy.

He reportedly said that the Government had embarked on an ideologically driven deficit reduction plan, which was hampering Britain’s growth prospects and was wrong to assume that job losses in the public sector would be absorbed by job creation in the private sector.

He said: “We don’t think there is evidence that in places like Wales there is going to be a massive boom in private sector employment unless there is collaboration with government.”

Places like Wales????  I beg your pardon.

You mean with a devolved Labour Government with a Labour Minister for Economic Development? A Government that has failed Wales?  Just like the Labour Westminster Government failed in their 13 years in power.

But then what would Owen know of places like Wales; and how they were affected by years of Labour underperformance on the economy as in so many other areas.  He was at the time roaming around in his Surrey suburb picking up his substantial private sector drug company salary.

How can they have the bare faced cheek to criticize anything that is going on now given the mess that they, the Labour party, left us in?   Pull the other one Owen, it's got bells on.

Dear Carwyn – you just don’t get it do you?

First Minister Carwyn Jones is reported on Wales Online having yet another dig at the Westminster Government, saying

"What hurts Welsh families the most is the scourge of unemployment. As a government, we are determined to do all that we can to get people into work, and trying to keep people in their jobs. However, the UK Governments decision to cut public sector jobs in Wales severely undermines our efforts.”

Now Carwyn you see there is this little thing called devolution – it gives Wales a degree of autonomy, makes us grown-ups in the political sense.  With it comes responsibility.  As First Minister then you are supposed to accept some responsibility, not just the glory that comes with the title.

You cannot rely on public sector jobs to keep the Welsh economy bubbling along.  It has always been a risky strategy.  Your Government has a duty to attract private investment and permanent long term jobs.

You have failed, you and your Plaid helpers. You have let down the people of this country, and I for one cannot fathom why on earth they elected you in again to do even more damage.  But they did, so why don’t you stop moaning and blaming everyone else and get on with it.