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Wall to wall watching

• Betsan Powys
• 10 May 07, 11:15 AM

I'm glued to News 24 and that cavalcade making its way to Sedgefield.

What I should be doing is getting my act together to chair a discussion for the Manylu programme on Radio Cymru. Given that Carwyn Jones is on the panel, alonside the "old blogger" Glyn Davies, the winner and loser in Ceredigion - Elin Jones and John Davies - is should make for an entertaining half an hour.

And plenty to talk about. Glyn may be gone from Cardiff Bay but his blog is still worth reading. He's more or less stated now that he's intending to stand against Lembit Opik MP at the next general election and has issued a direct challenge to Ieuan Wyn Jones to get out his paintbrush and bring that rainbow coalition to life if he gets half a chance.

Ieuan has the chance to claim the glorious mantle of First Minister - but has he got the b***s. Or at least are they big enough to ring his pals Mike German and Nick Bourne to prepare a strategy to create a coalition government. Or will he prop up Rhodri Morgan's 32% Labour vote - either in formal coalition or as compliant Leader of the Opposition (a la Dafydd El). Go on Ieuan. Surprise us. Cast off the wobbly sobriquet. Stand up tall (well, as tall as you can) and take your place in history. I am behind you.

Yesterday I shared a studio with the brand new - well renewed anyway - Presiding Officer who said his money was on something other than a Lib-Lab pact. What? Wouldn't be drawn and yet the talk coming from the Plaid Cymru camp suggests Glyn should keep watching too. The Plaid group meet again next Wednesday and if there's no silver lining around the current cloud surrounding the Labour/Lib Dem talks, then that old rainbow could yet have its chance to shine. (Wow. Extended metaphor or what ...)

Do we really believe that? It would have to be a Plaid/Lib coalition with the Tories providing numbers and support. Can't see the Plaid young guns accepting a full-on deal with the Tories ... For their part they're just pleased to know we're all still talking about them.

Another story to throw in the pot. I seem to remember a few of you asking on election night how long it would be before someone called for Janet Ryder to stand down in favour of Dafydd Wigley. The answer is less than a week. blog is congratulated by one for taking the plunge. The Welsh-language magazine Golwg has more.

As Rosemary Butler, the new Deputy Presiding Officer put it yeterday, 'we live in interesting times'.

Back to News 24.