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Aisle three, the shadow chancellor

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David Cornock | 09:22 UK time, Wednesday, 4 May 2011

Your starter for ten. Which member of Labour's shadow cabinet is on record supporting the idea that the Welsh assembly should have tax-raising powers?

If you guessed, then take a bow. The shadow chancellor told a 5Live audience six years ago (when he was a backbencher) that tax-raising powers would help accountability.

It's an argument that's increasingly winning friends on the Conservative benches at Westminster, although there's a distinct lack of enthusiasm for the cause among Labour MPs.

This is what Mr Balls said on the publication of the government of Wales bill: "Personally I'm in favour of more powers for the Welsh Assembly. If you are going to have an elected assembly, then it's important that you get the powers for it right... I think that should include tax-raising powers too.

"If you are going to have people elected and accountable it's important they have the power to make decisions for which they can then be accountable and if they get the decisions wrong they can be thrown out."

Mr Balls was in Cardiff yesterday and my colleague Carl Roberts caught up with him in a supermarket cafe. Now he's shadow chancellor, can we expect his backbench views to become party policy?

"There's been a debate here in Wales, there was a referendum [on law-making powers], that's been sorted out. I do think the issue here is making sure that funding is fair for Wales".

Comments

  • Comment number 1.

    Did not Holyrood have these? And did they either not use them or let some powers lapse? These are questions which need answers before we embark on anything similar here.

  • Comment number 2.

    Suddenly, all politicians from the Shadow and current Government are crawling out of the woodwork looking for votes from Welsh citizens. This is also happening in England too. You don't hear a peep all year - suddenly they are all over the place - a bit like ants who burrow all year for their own ends - then, suddenly flying ants are everywhere?

    At the moment, we have the AV situation going on. Hopefully people will vote yes for AV to set a precedent and as a first step to Proportional Representation for all fair votes for all citizens of the UK, wherever they live.

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