I know what you’re saying, and the belief – the desperate belief – of the people in Ebbw Vale shown in the WIWO prog was quite moving. You’re also right about the Cardiff agenda. And I can’t fault your assessment of Labour carrying on as if nothing has happened.

Which makes me suspect that ‘Welsh’ Labour is heading for a crisis in the near future: a) because people in areas like Ebbw Vale aren’t going to accept jam tomorrow for another hundred years, b) the Corbyn effect hasn’t yet hit ‘Welsh’ Labour, c) as I say in my latest post, Labour has lost recent by-elections in Cardiff, there have been resignations in Caerffili, and de-selections in Bridgend and other places.

From a Labour perspective, the one ray of sunshine is that there’s no effective opposition, allowing Labour to struggle on for a bit longer.

Don’t get me wrong the jobs and investment would be great and i agree that the Heads of the Valleys are being shafted because it doesn’t suit Labour’s Cardiff agenda, but the CoW is making big promises to pretty desperate and disillusioned people who need some tlc, not another kick in the teeth and that’s why i mentioned the Welsh Affairs meeting and Labour’s no show. They’re acting as if the Brexit voted didn’t happen and gullible voters in Blaenau Gwent will come back to them at the next election – really?

If the Circuit of Wales goes bad and post Brexit communities like Ebbw Vale don’t see improvement then voters are likely to turn to what speaking for them, my guess is that’ll be whatever replaces UKIP God help us.

When you mention that it makes me think of the strange business of Alun Davies the local AM. He overstepped the mark in his support of the project, and he lost his ministerial job, but at least he could argue that it is his constituency. But then, is he on a ‘promise’?

As we know, Kinnock has announced he did not receive payment for his work. But there are quite a few rumours on social media that he’s been promised a share in the development company, indeed may already have a stake in it. To me this is similar to rumours about Peter Hain’s relationship to Hafren with the Severn Barrage scheme. No money that anyone can pick up as changing hands yet surely inconceivable that these men of fine principle were acting solely out of the kindness of their hearts. That would be in total contrast to their behaviour over many decades.

It could be that within a few years of his death Kinnock will be as reviled as George Thomas, just for different reasons. The high point of his political career will be putting down Militant – ‘Who were they?’.

Actually, I think Shippo of the Mule has realised that he’s about to hit a mother-load of sellable tabloid dirt on Lord Kinnock. No need for fatty to put in much legwork. Of course, this mutual back scratching and arm-twisting in Labour Party circles is so typical of the way the Bully of Bedwellty tried to influence McCarthy. I suspect this is just a minor skeleton in the Kinnock wardrobe. As soon as Article 50 is signed there will be hoards of current and former civil servants and chin bashed commissioners in the Brussels only too willing to spill the beans on his type of Operandi during his stint as European Commissioner and EC president

Sorry, correction made. Or should that be correction unmade?

To the Editor – In my last comment I deliberately wrote “1000 year rhech” as was attributed to CJ, well known windbag !

When I read that double-page spread in yesterday’s Mule I wondered what was behind it. Clearly the movers and shakers in Cardiff, those behind the Cardiff City State (because it goes beyond a region), don’t want major investments outside of Cardiff, and certainly not within 70 or so miles. This explains the opposition to the Circuit of Wales and might also explain why we’re hearing so much now about the Cardiff tidal lagoon, raising suspicions that the one planned for Swansea has been sabotaged from Cardiff.

The spat between local bigwig (and former council leader) Hedley McCarthy and Kinnock is significant and, I suspect, long-standing. There’s no doubt that McCarthy and Shipton collaborated on yesterday’s spread, But I was surprised to see letters between McCarthy and Kinnock used. So thus far we have a very personal squabble between two Labour figures being exploited by the WM which wants to undermine the CoW.

Which means that McCarthy, a Blaenau Gwent councillor, has lined up with the opponents of the CoW to pursue his vendetta with Kinnock. I can only assume that he’s standing down at next May’s council elections. And that McCarthy was so ready to put the boot into the noble lord suggests that Kinnock is not universally loved among his ain folk.