It can be hard to see history when it is happening all around us. In Westminster, Labour are facilitating a coup (luckily no violence involved) and the little people (us) get no say. As our politicians plumb new depths of anti-democratic behaviour, there is every reason to despair. But just occasionally we see a beacon of hope. And the good news is that it’s here in Wales.

A politician who is right on top of his brief. He has been shadowing his department for years. He has the intellectual curiosity to get out, down and dirty and to really understand the difficult issues. He has put in the hard yards to come up with sensible, pragmatic solutions. His ideas have gone into a manifesto, and on entering Government with a democratic mandate, he has hit the ground running, fast.

Even now, with all the pressures of office, he still finds time to get out and mix with real people. To listen with interest and respect to their concerns and ideas, demonstrably maintaining that intellectual curiosity. He takes care not to over promise, acutely aware of financial realities, and is wise enough to realise that it isn’t always about spending more money, but about spending it better.

Patrick Loxdale
RIGHT FIELD (Cambrian News)

I’m talking about Llyr Gruffydd, Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability. It can be hard to praise someone of a different political tribe, but if you believe first and foremost in democracy (I do), then it’s just as important to recognise the good as to call out the bad.

In Agriculture, it is great to have someone in government who is committed to tackling our most difficult issues, head on; to following good, sound science much of which is being produced in Wales. At a time when UK farming is up against it big time, there is some genuine optimism here.

Of course we aren’t seeing this leadership across Welsh Government. A lot of people who voted Plaid in Ceredigion-Penfro are feeling desperately let down in another important area; the NHS and healthcare. There’s no doubt that during the Senedd Election campaign, Plaid Cymru (and the Reform opposition) tapped in to the very genuine anxieties about rural healthcare. They garnered your votes promising something better for West Wales. But now, as our critical services in Bronglais and Withybush are being withdrawn, they hide behind the pitifully inadequate excuses that Labour used to peddle. It’s all “down to Hywel Dda Health Board, and there is nothing that can be done”.

That is nothing less than a pathetic dereliction of duty. It is also profoundly undemocratic that the peoples’ elected representatives have no control over one of our most important public services. It is plain for all to see that withdrawing Emergency Surgery from Withybush, and Stroke Services from Bronglais are a disaster. HDHB aren’t delivering here (in fairness their remit is impossible) and the Welsh Government need to intervene and grip this right now.

There is nowhere for Elin Jones and Mabon ap Gwynfor to hide on this. They are both the senior MSs in their respective rural constituencies, and very senior Welsh Government Ministers too. They are not on top of this, or ahead of the game. Joining protests and calling out the problem during their time in opposition isn’t enough. They clearly haven’t made the effort to really understand what is going on here and as a result they have no plan to fix it. We need good leadership, not warm words.

Over in Westminster (shortly to be transferred up north!) Andy Burnham promises us a socialist nirvana based on his alleged success with “Manchesterism”. With no mandate for his radical changes, he stated that they are “not up for negotiation”. That’s not democracy. No detail on how it is to be funded confirms no real plan. Burnham is a Mabon and not a Llyr, and that doesn’t look good.