Sir Eric Howells is wrong

I respectfully disagree with Sir Eric Howells' assessment. He has recently attacked the Welsh Conservative Party's“leftward drift”. It isn't helpful to talk of the left-right spectrum in today's political climate. It is an outdated and simplistic political characterisation. As I have noted in previous posts, given the unique political culture of Wales, it is essential that every political party, including the Welsh Conservative Party, carves out a distinctive Welsh identity for itself. Under Nick Bourne's leadership, I think we have done this successfully and we continue to make further electoral progress because of it.

The Conservative Party has always moved on from lost battles and has been a pragmatic party, not wedded to ideology. We seek to make things work and we are committed to making the Assembly work. Sir Eric notes that "if a vote was taken now, the result would be entirely different to eight years ago.” - Very true - the Assembly would be kept with a more resounding margin. There is no appetite for abolition and it is very unlikely that any government would roll back a devolved settlement.

The Assembly can work properly for the people of Wales and the Welsh Conservatives will endeavour to make that happen. Those in the Welsh Conservative Party who originally opposed the establishment of the National Assembly ought to move on from that battle - this debate is over - and realise that devolution and unionism are not mutually exclusive concepts. David Cameron has repeatedly called for decentralisation and Direct Democracy. If run properly, devolution could be a vehicle which will facilitate these aims and a forum which will engender real, positive change for the people of Wales.