Saturday, May 05, 2007

First Green Shoots

Evan Edwin Jerman (1912 - 2007) was buried today. I don't suppose he knew much about blogging - and I don't know whether there is a blogosphere in the ever after. If there is and Edwin reads this post, I just want to say "Thanks Edwin". I daresay you are wandering if my mind has gone, along with my seat in the Assembly! Let me explain.

At the request of the family, I read a 'eulogy' at the funeral this afternoon, which took place in my local Berriew Church. There was a big congregation and I needed to get it right. I had to forget the pathetic self-pity I've been suffeering from since losing my Assembly seat on Thursday. For an hour or two the only thing that mattered was 'getting it right'. And then it got better. Over the sandwiches, almost the entire room seemed to be commiserating with me and begging/challenging/ordering me to stand against Lembit Opik in the next General Election. I felt the first green shoots of recovery emerge out of the oppressive blackness of electoral defeat - a bit like the first stirrings in the loin area after my bowel cancer operation.

Politicians are odd people. Many of us love our jobs in a totally irrational way. They take us over like an alien force - and when we lose, our world simply fall apart. Edwin Jerman was the father-in-law of Delwyn Williams, a former Conservative MP who lost Montgomeryshire in 1983. I talked to Delwyn about this after the funeral and he told me that, at the time he felt like a turkey with its head cut off. I did a good job today, and met a man who understands - and 'lo and behold' here I am back at the keyboard.

I can't read my usual bloggers though, because Cairsey told me that they are littered with kind comments. Even Arsembly for God's sake. And there's another strange thing. I can't read nice comments without crying. Now, I'm no 'new man' on this issue. When I was young, real men didn't emote - until the brilliant yob, Gascoyne came along - the big girl. But since that 4 days on morphine, after the surgeon cut away my rectum, anus etc in 2002, I cry at the slightest provocation. My eyes go all misty and my voice goes squeaky and breaks up. If only I could control this like Blair does, it would be politically useful.

And what about politics. I haven't looked yet. I hope Nick Bourne is on the phone to Ieuan and Mike about a coalition. Please don't tell me we have to wait another 4 years. If we have a Labour government, propped up by the Lib Dems, with Ieuan as Leader of the Opposition and Nick leading a noisy 'ginger group', I could be thinking what the hell have I been so depressed about over the last day or two. And come to that, I wander whether Mike German has been asked to resign as leader yet? The emoting Kirsty must be plotting. Just blogging has perked me up no end - and I swear the shoots have become a smidgen greener over the last few minutes.

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

You can read my blog then, Glyn, as I wrote my "ode to Glyn" last month. Okay, I did mention you actually (just skip the "Tory losses" bit on my election analysis). I take it from your post here that you are poo-pooing Arsembly's rumour that Tory AMs are baying for Bourne's blood as a result of you losing your seat.

Anonymous said...

Don't make us all cry Glyn, my tears from here in the very north of montgomeryshire will flood down and merge with the tearfull rivers from the rest of the county creating a tsunami threatning the assembly in Cardiff, and we wouldn't want that would we, save it for next time
Pob hwyl AD

Blamerbell said...

Dal ati!

A Davies v Opik contest would be very healthy for Welsh politics. But I'll be damned if I'm still blogging then:)

Anonymous said...

Don't do it Glyn - go to the House of Lords if they want you - the Conservatives need active members for the front bench.

You v Lembit would be fun but he's too famous to be beaten now.

Anonymous said...

As a Welsh Lib Dem, I'm pleading with you to take on Lembit at the next general election. The man is a self-publicising idiot. I'd even be tempted to come and campaign on your behalf, Glyn!

Anonymous said...

Nice to read your words again Glyn. Your thoughtful attitude will be much missed in the Bay.

Anonymous said...

glyn, what will happen to your PA Phill, will he be out of a job as well :(

Anonymous said...

I have never been a fan of the Tories, but I can honestly say that I am deeply, deeply saddened by the thought that you won't be returning to Cardiff Bay for a few years. EPC committees will never be the same again.
Best of luck with whatever you decide to do until you come back.

Anonymous said...

Glyn,

Very sorry to see you haven't made it back to Cardiff, but come on you know we'd all love you to give Lembit a run for his money.

Keep up the blogging

Dave H

Anonymous said...

Glyn, if ever there was a time when Wales needed someone with your immense consensual politiking style at Westminster, its now as devolution evolves even further.

Might just move from Cardiff to Montgom to vote you in if you go for the Commons.

Surely, you'd prefer the Lords?

Ta waeth, edrych mlaen i weld chi'n fuan.

bethan said...

commiserations, glyn. Keep on blogging!

Anonymous said...

hey glyn come and stand against Huey Lewis we could do with some real competiton for him Doesnt matter where you live - he lives in Penarth
Seriously ok go for the Lords but we need your calibre in Cardiff Bay

Glyn Davies said...

sanddef - there is no reason to 'bay for bourne's blood'. I thought we did ok and are well placed for the General.

Anon - I don't want anyone else to be start crying. I only mentioned it because I like my blog to tell it as it is. Truth to tell I am a bit ashamed of my emotion.

Several - I am not at all sure about taking on Lembit. I am a bit too committed to Wales to want to be an MP. Of course, I would like the Lords, as long as I could spend half my time in Wales. But so would a lot of others - and its not my call.

And bethan - you'll do ok. I like your pluck. I just wish you liked the tories more.

Iain Dale said...

Glyn, you are a giant among dwarves. I was gutted when Matt told me you hadn't made it.

I gather you haven't got email now but when you get it back do email me.

And you really should seriously think about taking on Lembit. You know you want to!

Anonymous said...

Go on, Glyn, knock Lembit into orbit, that'll cheer you up - me too :)

Auntie Flo'

David said...

Glyn - I will be writing, but chin up for now.

jailhouselawyer said...

Actually, no, however, I was wondering if your mind was wandering. Pedantic, just a typo, and just popped over upon the recommendation of Iain dale. Does that mean anything, probably not, as he also rated Arsembly. On that occasion he was probably talking out of his...

Tortoiseshell said...

Cofion gorau Glyn!

Richard Havers said...

Brilliant!

It's your duty to go gobble up (metaphorically speaking) Limpit Optrex ASAP.

Glyn Davies said...

A comment from the great Iain Dale on my blog. Well that fully justifies my decision to continue the blog - and I will have time to keep up with the Welsh and garden blogs - as I tend to every demand of my wife as she recovers from her new knee op on Friday.

Tortoiseshell said...

Glyn,

Just a thought - have you given any consideration to renaming both of your political blogs?

You can do this without changing your username / profile etc.

hwyl.

bethan said...

I might have liked the tories more if you were there...can't say that the group enthuses me! will a New Welsh Language Act be dead and buried now?

Glyn Davies said...

Bethan, I would be deeply disappointed if the Tory group backed off support for a new Welsh Language Act - and I still believe that there will be an increasing level of support for the referendum on Scotish model of devolution.