Profile avatar
paulsilk.bsky.social
Former parliamentary official. Devolution, parliaments, the constitution, rural Wales, Ukraine, amateur theology, and incompetent language-learning
40 posts 996 followers 407 following
Prolific Poster
Conversation Starter
Posts 31 Comments 14

It isn't easy to say what has been most repugnant recently, but Vance and Trump's verbal assault on a polite and brave man speaking his third language was a disgrace

submitted 8 hours ago • 0 comments

Well done Germany. (Turnout in the 2024 UK General Election was less than 60%. Which isn't great.)

submitted 5 days ago • 5 comments

Most Constitutions allow the postponement of elections in times of national emergency, and President Trump himself suggested that the USA elections in 2020 might be postponed until people could "properly, securely and safely" vote (albeit that this is difficult under the US Constitution)

submitted 9 days ago • 0 comments

Visiting the Capitoline Museums and seeing the bronze cast of the Lex de Imperio Vespasiani, couldn't help thinking that executive orders are nothing new

submitted 18 days ago • 0 comments

Very sorry to hear of the death of Dafydd Elis Thomas. He was certainly mercurial, but he was an enormous figure in the development of the Welsh constitution. I liked him a lot. RIP

submitted 22 days ago • 0 comments

As Porfirio Díaz so perceptively said, "poor Mexico: so far from God, so close to the USA"

submitted 26 days ago • 0 comments

Grim news from Cardiff University. I understand the pressures, but it is hard to conceive of a university that does not teach and research foreign languages, music and theology

submitted 32 days ago • 4 comments

Russia wipes out three generations of a family in one strike

submitted 32 days ago • 1 comment

The appropriation of the term "America" by the USA is annoying. Mexicans are Americans too, so the name "Gulf of America" may not worry them. At least it's better than its earlier name - Golfo de Nueva España. And Mexicans (and everyone else outside the USA) can continue calling it Gulf of Mexico

submitted 39 days ago • 0 comments

This should interest @studyofparl.bsky.social members - Anwen will be a brilliant Chair www.gov.wales/written-stat...

submitted 42 days ago • 0 comments

Now I certainly can't comment on her pronunciation, but she's got a lovely voice - and courage. Da iawn yn wir! BBC News - First Minister Eluned Morgan sings Japanese anthem - BBC News www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/...

submitted 50 days ago • 0 comments

BBC News - Japanese UK ambassador sings Welsh anthem - BBC News www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/... This is lovely. Good voice and spirited attempt at pronunciation. Puts one former Secretary of State to shame

submitted 52 days ago • 1 comment

Very sorry to read this. Jenny was always a pleasure to work with - kind, decent and committed to the causes she cared about

submitted 54 days ago • 0 comments

www.gov.uk/government/s...

submitted 67 days ago • 0 comments

Lords Committees have criticised inappropriate delegation of powers in two Bills that House will consider this week: the Great British Energy Bill and the Data (Use and Access) Bill. Let's hope that the Attorney General's pledge to stop inappropriate delegation bears fruit

submitted 89 days ago • 0 comments

The latest edition of our regular constitutional review is now available! Monitor 88 covers the new government's early months, highlighting positive first steps, but also many opportunities for quick wins not taken. Read it 👉 www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution....

submitted 94 days ago • 1 comment

Very interesting post about Scotland that equally applies to Wales

submitted 110 days ago • 0 comments

Welsh (and Scottish) friends: if you haven't already, do read JMG Le Clézio's Chanson Bretonne. It's a lyrical picture of a Celtic past and future

submitted 142 days ago • 0 comments

Delighted that the modest, scholarly and liberal English Dominican, Timothy Ratcliffe, is to become a Cardinal

submitted 145 days ago • 0 comments

Excellent post - and I would add one more issue: how relations with the other UK legislatures and governments will be improved

submitted 146 days ago • 0 comments

As always, the Constitution Committee's Report is rich and thoughtful. To bang an old drum, we also need to see better interparliamentary relations mechanisms developed, too

submitted 155 days ago • 0 comments

Interesting (and worrying) post: devolution rolled back and legislatures sidelined

submitted 165 days ago • 0 comments

No less than seven pages of the Renters' Rights Bill are in Welsh. How are they going to be properly considered in the monolingual Westminster Parliament?

submitted 170 days ago • 3 comments

constitution-unit.com/2024/09/12/s... Very good report from Constitution Unit, encouraging transparency in allocating select committee memberships

submitted 170 days ago • 0 comments

One parliamentary conclusion from the Grenfell report: perhaps Governments will now be less willing to disregard well thought through select committee recommendations in the way they did in 1999. Credit to the Environment Sub-Committee at the time (and its staff)

submitted 177 days ago • 0 comments

BBC News - Giant seat part of plans for more Senedd politicians www.bbc.com/news/article... Nor will a Senedd seat that stretches from Swansea Bay to the border with Shropshire do much for democratic engagement

submitted 179 days ago • 0 comments

If you are the right person for this post, please apply. If you know the right person, please ask them to apply

submitted 186 days ago • 0 comments

www.aber.ac.uk/en/about-us/...

submitted 199 days ago • 0 comments

The Downing Street Cat explains freedom of speech to Elon Musk

submitted 203 days ago • 0 comments

Good to see this step forward. I hope a future Westminster Government will be sympathetic to the devolution of justice www.gov.wales/written-stat...

submitted 472 days ago • 0 comments

Laura (not here yet) makes a powerful case for the Union to be refashioned www.walesonline.co.uk/news/news-op...

submitted 488 days ago • 0 comments