That might be an advantage! You will not suffer instant disbelief, as I am! Mind, I begin to think that anything is possible now! President Trump, Brexit, only one Scottish Labour MP - When will Putin make his State Visit to the USA and stay at Trump Tower??? 
It still happens. We have accepted that sexuality is not a simple binary gay/straight classification but a complex interaction of personality spectra. There is still homophobia and a pressure to conform to a cultural norm. Hopefully he has an interesting story. If he didnât still have feelings for Lowri, he would have long gone, itâs interesting.
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thanks for this thread - I do like the show but am far from politically astute (which will probably be evident from my questions) so appreciate reading opnions. Oh, and I live in the U.S.
So what does it mean that they have a âcoalition governmentâ?
And as for the portrayal of the Senedd, I am missing this. So when they refer to having a vote on something, they are referring to the Senedd, right? There are no actual scenes that portray the Senedd are there?
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A coalition government is where more than one political party forms the government, by agreement of the coalition parties. A coalition government will normally have enough representatives to win a majority of any vote.
This is the ârainbow coalitionâ of the Conservatives, ânationalistsâ and Liberal Democrats (Blue, green and orangy yellow). That was discussed a few years ago as the only way to keep the Labour party, âsocialists [???]â out of government
The government is the executive selected from the coalition parties (these are the meetings around the table they have). Then legislation is voted upon in the Senedd (which we donât see), by all representatives, whether they are in the government or not. So, if a couple of people in the government vote against the governments proposal (effectively losing the coalition their majority on that vote) it is defeated and either it has to think again or abandon the idea put forward.
In the programme the three parties seem incredibly determined to get this coalition together and prevent fresh elections, and are prepared to make huge sacrifices to keep the TV series, sorry government, going. In reality with the proposals put forward the coalition would not last a single day, which is what I think a lot of people donât like, itâs too far fetched.
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I suspect they arenât allowed to film in the chamber. They film around it and in publicly accessible parts, but they obviously canât interfere with the business. In English itâs called The Welsh Assembly, y Senedd refers to building and the people.,Roughly like Congress, but with no Senate or President!
Since I wrote that @Y_Ddraig_Las put in his explanation, so I can stop there! There was one try at a rainbow coalition in the past, but anything involving theTories is almost sure to fail. Now, however, with UKIP + Tories? No, I canât see it!
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Elin Jones, the current presiding officer, was interviewed at the National Eisteddfod and she said she would welcome filming in the senate, James Bond was mentioned.
It is a government building, so getting time to use the space for non-government business is difficult and the government would have to agree to the filming and they would make sure no political bias could be construed from the choice of film and I suspect âbyw celwyddâ would fail to be agreed upon.
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So, the in program,would the 3 parties, Conservatives, Nationalists, and Lib democrats, correspond to 3 actual parties in Wales? (supposedly, I mean)
And if the coalition is an official government, how is it that the Socialists (in the program) are not able to be part of the coalition? Does the coalition get formed by a vote in the Senedd?
How often can âfresh electionsâ take place - is there a set time frame?
Thanks much for your reply!
Coalition is formed when no party has a majority. Realistically, the nearest to having one is likely to be Labour. They then try to find allies. It may end up as a loose alliance, vote by vote, or a more formal thing. Currently, in reai life, Kirsty Wiilams (sole remaining LibDem) is a Minister (Education) in Labour Government.
In Byw Celwydd, Toriies, LibDem and Plaid have agreed to form coalition.
There is no real equivalent in US. Like more right wing Democrats voting with Republicans maybe?
An official government? Well, the current one in Wales is Carwyn Jonesâ Labour Party+ Kirsty! In Westminster, Tories led by Theresa May. In USA? Trump and majorities in House and Senate, I guess.
Elections in UK used to be 5 years or when the PM thought he/she could win. Now, I think, 4 yearly in Wales, 5 in UK
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The three coalition parties are supposed to roughly correspond with three of the actual parties, yes
The socialists can join the coalition, but the other three would have to agree to this. This would be strange as the there would be very few AMs left outside of the coalition, opposition would then effectively be within government, there would be little point to this as everyone could then vote on an issue by issue basis. In fact there would only be UKIP left, or the pro-UK, anti-EU party as the opposition in such a scenario.
The assembly is re-elected at every 5 years unless government breaks down. I believe that it is similar to the UK government that if the government loses a vote of no confidence, such as the coalition breaking down, then fresh elections are triggered.
So, in the series say the Democrats leave the coalition, a vote of no -confidence is then lost, then a fresh election happens, and a fresh attempt at forming a government happens. If no government can be formed, then we keep having fresh elections until a government is formed. Though these repeated elections have yet to happen, the politicians usually find a compromise.
I forget just how complicated democracy in Wales is, you realise it when describing to someone outside and trying not to be biased by own views.
My apologies for any bias I may have shown.
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Ditto for any bias Iâve shown here! Everyone knows Iâm an unreconstructed long term Nationalist!
Oh, @debw12, one point. Currently in Byw Celwydd, there is no mention of UKIP - the party just isnât there! I cannot actually imagine a series featuring them, as the real life âkippersâ are more amazing than anyone could make up! e.g. their Leader in the Senedd is one Mostyn Neil Hamilton. Years ago he was Tory MP for Tatton, England. There was a big scandal about MPs taking cash for asking questions of benefit to commercial interests, foreign powers etc without declaring an interest. (They are supposed to say, âIâm on this companyâs pay roll!â in a Declaration of Interest Statement). Mr. Hamilton came out of this scandal very badly, but couldnât be stopped from standing again for Tatton in the next election. A very honourable reporter called Marttin Bell stood against him as the 'anti sleeze candidate and won! From thence, Hamilton and wife seem to have lived off her earnings as ârealityâ TV personality - battleaxe type. He is a lawyer, but whether practicing seems in doubt. He takes much joy in being very rude to people. How he ever got elected into Senedd is a mystery, but Proportional Representation and the List System rule!