Likely Labour leadership hopefuls trail Plaid on TV

Mar 22 2008 by Martin Shipton, Western Mail

THE likely leading contenders for Rhodri Morgan’s job are being left trailing by Plaid Cymru in the TV exposure stakes, according to new research.

The First Minister has said he will be standing down next year, and his successor as Welsh Labour leader will be chosen by a party ballot. Whoever wins the contest will automatically lead the Labour-Plaid Cymru coalition.

But Carwyn Jones and Andrew Davies, the two likely front-runners for the high-profile job, lag way behind Plaid’s Ministers and even trail most of their Labour colleagues in the number of TV appearances they have made.

Yesterday Plaid Cymru’s headquarters released statistical details of TV appearances made by the seven Labour and three Plaid Cabinet members since last May’s election. The TV programmes monitored were the ITV Wales news bulletins at 8am, 1.45pm and 6pm, the BBC Wales bulletins at 8am, 1.30pm, 6.30pm and 10.25pm, S4C’s Newyddion, and the political programmes Dragon’s Eye, The Politics Show, Waterfront, Sharp End, AM/PM, Maniffesto and CF99.

Unsurprisingly, the First Minister has appeared most frequently – 211 times in total.

But the next three leading positions were taken by Plaid Ministers – Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones (188), Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones (73) and Heritage Minister Rhodri Glyn Thomas (59).

Labour’s Cabinet Ministers come in behind: Health Minister Edwina Hart (55), Education Minister Jane Hutt (35), Environment Minister Jane Davidson (27), Counsel General and Leader of the House Carwyn Jones (24), Social Justice Minister Brian Gibbons (22) and Finance Minister Andrew Davies (16).

Carwyn Jones and Andrew Davies, must feel some concern about their relatively low public profiles. They will doubtless seek to increase their visibility as the leadership election gets closer.

For Carwyn Jones, whose responsibilities amount to providing legal advice and the internal running of the Assembly Government, it is perhaps inevitable that he will be overshadowed in terms of TV exposure by colleagues whose portfolios cover major areas of public spending. Mr Davies, however, could be forgiven if he felt aggrieved at the lower profile he has had since becoming Finance Minister – especially as Plaid leader Ieuan Wyn Jones is frequently interviewed in his capacity as Minister for the Economy and Transport, the post previously held by Mr Davies.

A Plaid Cymru headquarters spokesman said, “Plaid Ministers have taken remarkably well to entering government. It is widely accepted that they are well respected as ministers and are doing a good job in government. In terms of press coverage received by the ministers the party is very happy. Ieuan Wyn Jones is increasing his profile within the country and both Elin Jones and Rhodri Glyn Thomas are becoming well-known figures.

“Any fears within the party that we would be ‘drowned out’ by the Labour Party have been proven wrong. We are successfully keeping a strong and distinctive voice and are building well for forthcoming elections.”

A Labour Cabinet spokeswoman did not wish to comment.