Done deal

There is still a bit of ground to cover between now and 6th December and ample scope to unpick the budget deal between Labour and Lib Dems. But Plaid will find little traction in their assertion that "it is bad for the economy" - especially as Kirsty is also pushing Carwyn into signing up to a stimulus package.

Observers had already commented that there were very few hard elements to the proposals mentioned by IWJ. The party clearly had more interest in how key figures were positioning in readiness for the forthcoming leadership contest and it showed.

It remains to be seen if this a lost opportunity that the Party of Wales comes to regret at length. An more immediate and intriguing question however is whether Iuean's successor turns out of those AMs advocating the hardball tactics that made a deal impractical.