The National Assembly for Wales re-convened today after last Thursday’s election. First item on the agenda was the election of a new Presiding Officer (PO: equivalent of the Speaker in the Commons) and deputy. After much speculation on alternative candidates, the PO election turned into a straight fight between long-time Plaid Cymru members Elin Jones and Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas, a former holder of the post. Jones won the secret ballot narrowly; her deputy will be the veteran Labour AM Ann Jones, who beat her party colleague John Griffiths by a single vote.
That, we thought, was the drama over for one afternoon. The election of the First Minister was the next item of business, and Carwyn Jones’ re-election appeared to be a formality. But then rumours started circulating that it might not be quite so straightforward. And so it transpired. Jones was nominated by Labour; but also Plaid Cymru nominated their leader Leanne Wood. It appeared at first that Wood was simply making a futile gesture, as did Ruth Davidson in standing for First Minister in the Scottish Parliament when Nicola Sturgeon was confirmed in the role in late-2014.
Content from our partners
