Wednesday 20 February 2013

Save the Salmon?



After yesterdays blog on devolving Police powers  it seems Carwyn Jones  may have a battle on with his Welsh Labour MPs

Delyn MP David Hanson Labour's shadow policing minister said devolving control of the police to Cardiff would be a major step with many challenges, 

MP David Hanson said reducing crime was more important than deciding which government manages the police.


I don't want to rule anything in or rule anything out.
"What I'm really interested in is not the organisation that manages police and crime and justice, but actually what it means in terms of delivering crime reduction and justice for people who are victims of crime.
"The Welsh government have yesterday made a pitch for consideration of devolution.

"We'll look at that, but there are some really complex issues around this in relation to serious organised crime, counterterrorism, the legal system, justice, probation, which need to be examined in very great detail before such a major step would even be considered to be taken."

He added:

 "It isn't just a simple matter of devolving policing to Wales because counter terrorism, serious organised crime, cross-border issues, much of the crime in my part of Wales derives from people who live in England."

Mr Hanson stressed that he was not arguing against the idea:

 "I'm just saying there are many challenges to this."


Seems like a  let me keep part of my Job argument to me ? What difficulties are there with devolving polcinf just copy Scotland

Criminal Justice will be harder because Scotland already had a separate legal system before devolution but thaen we can look to Northern Ireland.

Carwyn should tell his fellow members 

"I don't want problems I want solutions".

The Independent Police Commisionners  seemed to be  split over the issue perhaps realising that the Assembly would probably abolish these positions if they were given Policing powers The independent North Wales Police Commissioner Winston Roddick said:

 "The Welsh government is well placed, is it not, to understand the needs and develop laws and policies for Wales and there is an interface between devolved responsibilities, such as community safety and criminal justice, which is critical."


South Wales Police Commissioner Alun Michael, a former Labour leader of the assembly and an ex-MP, said the commissioners already had regular meetings with Welsh ministers.
"This joined-up approach which the Welsh government is setting out is far better - it spells out a vision, and then allows for time to be given to these important details about the practicalities," 
Gwent Police Commissioner Ian Johnston, an independent, said that if policing were devolved it must improve services.
"Whilst I appreciate the first minister's comments were part of a submission to the Silk Commission, what is being proposed does lack detail," he said."I need more in the way of detail and clarity about how the government's proposals would work before I can make an informed comment on the proposals."

 Conservative Dyfed-Powys Police Commissioner Christopher Salmon cane up  with the usual cliche  claiming there was "no real appetite out there" to devolve policing.saying:

"It's much more to do with a power grab by political anoraks in Cardiff Bay than it is about what people really need,"

Mr Salmon told Good Morning Wales that police and crime commissioners were elected last year

 "precisely to bring a greater accountability and greater focus to the fight against crime to local people".
And of course  there was a real appetite for Mr Salmon

Who gained  32,887 votes, against 31,773 for Christine  Gwyther, a former minister in the Welsh government. The turnout was 16.4%.

Mind you 16.4% was impressive considering some results.

But there you go a man who has very little mandate defends his job from possible abolition on the grounds thatt people in Wales don't wan't control of policing devolved.

Why am I not surprised?

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