What happens at the end of the race?

Now that the starting gun has been fired at the National Assembly for Wales to hold a referendum on “powers” I wasn’t sure if this left me feeling positive or not.

Image via Wikipedia

For some strange reason I can’t help but think that the arguments are still all about process, the process of law making that is.

For the life of me I can’t see how we will be able to make any more laws, it’s just that the laws that will be made won’t have to go through a process involving MP’s. And they might, yes only might, get made faster.

So on the one hand I feel something positive will come from it: legislation for Wales, made in Wales.

But on the other hand I can’t help thinking that we are still missing the bigger picture. The Government of Wales Act appears to be such a dog’s dinner of legislation, rushed through with improper thought and scrutiny, that it needs to be serisouly overhauled or replaced.

Which leads me to my concern: the excitement over a referendum for more “powers” will be a smoke screen that takes away the focus for what we really need in Wales, namely a bigger review for the creation of an acceptable, workable and sustainable means of governing our country.

If the referendum does become a smokescreen then I’m not in favour of it, but will still be voting Yes.