Changing places and early doors

What it about the Western Mail? Even when they try to make nice they manage to sound as inappropriate as a Gordon Brown condolence letter. Witness the uncharacteristically generous review of Andrew Davies’ accomplishments as finance minister by Shipton of the Mail. Talk about rubbing salt into a poorly healed wound.

Everyone knows that it was the economic development portfolio that the Swansea West AM most coveted and even periodically managed to hold onto – except for those times when it was given to Mike German and later to Ieuan Wyn Jones as coalition-building concessions. Davies took the finance role on sufferance and as a favour to Rhodri – but he always saw it as a demotion.
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Having decided that a statement about not standing in 2011 equates to a cabinet resignation, Ms Davidson notwithstanding, Shipton reckons that “Carwyn Jones needs to ensure that he has someone he can rely on to do just as efficient a job as finance minister”. Hence the unexpected accolade aimed at Edwina Hart’s for her “political passion, economic know-how .... and an element of ruthlessness” – note the absence however of any mention of ‘leadership’ qualities.

It’s difficult to decide if the article is intended as a speculation piece on the possibility of a baton change or if the paper thinks it is passing on a message. But we shall have to wait till next week to see if the Mail is any more successful in shaping the cabinet as it was in changing the Welsh tory leadership.

But if CJ does move Edwina from health to finance then there might be a few prodigal Unison members finding out that her successor has a very different view on the no-redundancy policies she insisted upon following recent NHS mergers.