So Plaid Cymru Are "Political Point Scoring" Over Ford's Bridgend Plant......Good

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

I've been feeling anything but. Which is why I haven't been writing anything for a couple of days and is why I hope you'll forgive me for chatting about something revealed on Monday.

It appeared that since 2017 there was a taskforce set up by the Welsh Labour government to protect jobs at the Ford Bridgend plant which is due to be closed next year following Ford's recent announcement….hurrah. The taskforce consisted of representatives of Ford, the Welsh government, the Welsh office in London and the Trade unions.

Only it appears their taskforce did nothing for nine months anyway between 9 July 2018 and 8 March 2019 given that they did not meet for that period. Even then the first meeting was a couple of months after Ford announced redundancies at the plant (so before the recent closure confirmation).

Why? Who knows?  Plaid Cymru's leader Adam Price attacked the news.

Welsh Labour's response? Well it appears there is no response to the issue of why this taskforce didn't meet for such a long and crucial period. Only that they "strained every sinew" to keep the plant open. But how can that be the case when the muscle of the taskforce was left flaccid?

Both the unions and Labour focus blame on Ford and Brexit, which is probably correct but doesn't mean Labour should not answer this question or is blameless in their handling of it. Indeed the union accuses Plaid of "political point scoring" but you have to ask yourself why didn't the union call for more meetings with the taskforce over this period either? This is the question neither Labour or the union answers. They just say there were other meetings, again probably true, but not an explanation as to why this taskforce was considered in this period unimportant.

But let's be clear. Plaid Cymru is right to be political point scoring. It is the duty of an opposition to ask questions as to the actions of the government of the day. "We did our best" is not a good enough answer. It's Welsh Labour's job to show how they did their best and no patronisingly arrogant response will hide that fact.

Until the next time.