To think that Mark Drakeford is a power mad dictator?

[LittleLapwing]

Half the shops covered in plastic. Can’t buy clothes, duvets, books, DVDs, tins but not tin openers.
All the Halloween and bonfire night stuff that’s just been stocked is behind a cordon. Presumably now destined for landfill.

Autumn half term after a shitty year and I can’t even do a few seasonal treats for the kids.

AIBU to think that Mark Drakeford is a power mad dictator, and that his ridiculous game of Covid oneupmanship with Nicola and Boris needs to stop!?

The Senedd, the seat of government, is, of course in Glamorgan rather than Cardiff. (A fact that suddenly became relevant due to local lockdowns.)

Where is Glamorgan? If you are talking about the Vale of Glamorgan The Senydd is definitely not there. Cardiff is in South Glamorgan. There is no County called just Glamorgan. That went out with the Ark when the boundaries changed 😂

I wouldn’t want to be in charge currently and presumably he is acting as he believes best. Can’t win though, do nothing and be blamed or do something and still be blamed.

In the link quoted above by WitchQueenofDarkness, a QC demolishes the legality of much of what Drakeford has publicly stated is now law in Wales:

.Welsh Government guidance is incorrect when it says that “people should not leave home to buy any goods that aren’t essential during the firebreak“. People may leave home if it is reasonable to do so.

2.It is perfectly lawful for supermarkets to display and sell birthday cards and other non-essential goods.

3.The test is not whether goods are “essential” or “non-essential”: it is whether premises may remain open because they are exempted from closure by Part 3 of Schedule 1 to The Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (No. 3)(Wales) Regulations 2020.

4.Supermarkets, convenience stores, corner shops, newsagents and post offices (among many others) are all exempted and may display and sell anything which they or another exempted shop may.

Does this leave open the possibility of people sueing the Welsh Government for damages over illegal and unenforcable rules imposed upon them?

By this lawyers mean respect for the rule of law - very basically, laws must be put into legislation in order to bring about binding rules. We do not legislate in this country on the basis of one man's statements as to what he would like the law to be.

How on earth did a part of the UK get into this state?

Machynleth?

Machynlleth. Yes a lovely little town which historically should be the capital of Wales

The Senedd is in Cardiff? It's in Cardiff Bay, definitely the "Cardiff" end rather than the Vale of Glamorgan end!

Fucks sake you don’t need to know the grid reference for the Senedd to be allowed an opinion

@110APiccadilly

The Senedd, the seat of government, is, of course in Glamorgan rather than Cardiff. (A fact that suddenly became relevant due to local lockdowns.)

Where do you live, @110APiccadilly? The Senedd building is in Cardiff Bay. Definitely Cardiff. I live in Penarth, just over the barrage from the Bay. Cardiff, in fact, extends all the way along the barrage and into the car park our side. We are in the Vale of Glamorgan. The Senedd is definitely in Cardiff As a PP has said, Glamorgan doesn’t exist. So - your ‘became relevant due to local lockdowns’ implying to those who have no knowledge of Welsh affairs that there was a whole load of laughable cock-ups as a result looks rather like a lie, doesn’t it? You can’t just make stuff up.

I however have been under lockdown regulations since the start of October so it's been a lot longer for me than just 17 days
This feels a bit like misinformation, @Elphame
Yes, local restrictions have been in force, but they haven’t been lockdowns like this, have they? I live in an area which had them. Shops, pubs etc were all open. There was travel restriction and restriction on meeting people indoors, that’s all. It was a bit f a nightmare for me (I live alone and my bubble household was in the next door county) but I wouldn’t compare it to this.
I think it’s the right decision. Everyone I know thinks it’s the right decision. The non-essential shopping is a bit more controversial, but most can a) see the reasoning even if they disagree, and b) don’t feel the need to have a drama about it for the sake of 17 days.

@LittleLapwing

Fucks sake you don’t need to know the grid reference for the Senedd to be allowed an opinion

I think you probably need to know a little bit about how and where the WG works to start throwing around accusations of dictatorship, yes. At least you do if you don’t want to make yourself look a bit of an idiot.

😂😂😂😂
I’m finding the sanctimony hilarious. I know people like this in real life and I can just PICTURE the self righteous drawing-up-of-oneself 😂

@110APiccadilly

The Senedd, the seat of government, is, of course in Glamorgan rather than Cardiff. (A fact that suddenly became relevant due to local lockdowns.)

This makes no sense whatsoever on several levels.

This thread is getting rather like a Monty Python sketch

Speaking of Sanctimonious, the first minister isn't actually based at, nor working for, the Senedd. The Welsh Government is in fact in Cathays Park. Definitely Cardiff

@IamaBluebird

This thread is getting rather like a Monty Python sketch

That’s the best summing up of nationalism I’ve ever heard 😂

Well, my Cardiff based colleagues told me a couple of weeks ago they couldn't go into Cardiff Bay because it was in (Vale of) Glamorgan and I believed them, but either they were mistaken or I misunderstood. I've never lived in the south of Wales - currently more or less in the middle.

@110APiccadilly

Well, my Cardiff based colleagues told me a couple of weeks ago they couldn't go into Cardiff Bay because it was in (Vale of) Glamorgan and I believed them, but either they were mistaken or I misunderstood. I've never lived in the south of Wales - currently more or less in the middle.

They were mistaken or having you on. It’s definitely Cardiff. Or they work in Cardiff but live in the Vale, and meant they couldn’t visit due to that and you misinterpreted due to (understandable) lack of geographical knowledge. However @tempnamechange98765 The WG and FM are definitely based at the Senedd.

@tempnamechange98765

Speaking of Sanctimonious, the first minister isn't actually based at, nor working for, the Senedd. The Welsh Government is in fact in Cathays Park. Definitely Cardiff

Actually I’ve had to quote this and look at it further. FM doesn’t work ‘for’ the Senedd, no. It’s an elected Par,is ent which he leads. The Senedd building, where this Parliament meets, is in Cardiff Bay. What do you think the Senedd is? You can find out all about it here : senedd.wales/en/abthome/Pages/abthome.aspx

Parliament. Not whatever my iPad just typed.

@110APiccadilly

Well, my Cardiff based colleagues told me a couple of weeks ago they couldn't go into Cardiff Bay because it was in (Vale of) Glamorgan and I believed them, but either they were mistaken or I misunderstood. I've never lived in the south of Wales - currently more or less in the middle.

The only thing I can think of is that they were talking about Penarth Marina or something like that?

Sorry to split this up so much. Not firing on all cylinders today. The building/organisation in Cathays Park is the Welsh Government building, where all the civil service type stuff goes on.

@pinkearedcow could be I suppose, but I don’t know of anyone who could be remotely described as ‘Cardiff based’ who would mix up Penarth Marina and Cardiff Bay.

Not the point of the post at all but this is making me feel nostalgic. I used to go running past the Senedd building and over the barrage to Penarth Marina, lovely place.

Yes in his Member of the Senedd role, he works "for" the Senedd (I use that term loosely) but that role is as elected by his constituency. The First Minister role is a Cabinet role and so Welsh Government based, not Parliament based.

In terms of the actual building he works in I imagine (pre COVID) he flitted back and forth depending on what meetings were on etc. Meetings with Government Officials and so on would've taken place at Cathays Park.

What a nerdy discussion