Wales Diary

Plaid Cymru recently decided to ditch its long-standing support for the BBC following the broadcaster's decision to exclude it from the televised leadership debates in the run-up to the general election.

The party was apparently so infuriated by the decision to screen debates involving only Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg that it is likely to back the devolution of broadcasting - as will its Scottish counterpart the SNP.

Historically Plaid and the SNP have supported the continuation of the BBC licence fee, but MPs from both parties have agreed to begin a review of their respective broadcasting policies.

Plaid's Westminster leader Elfyn Llwyd said: "It is unacceptable for the people of Wales and Scotland to be short-changed in this way and for the leaders of London parties to be given an additional 90 minutes of prime-time exposure.

"It is deeply disappointing the BBC currently lacks the ambition to even try for balance."

Plaid MP Adam Price said: "Unlike the commercial broadcasters, the BBC is publicly funded and has a responsibility to reflect the new politics in the UK. The BBC might as well be called the EBC or the LBC (for England and London)."

It's true that BBC coverage of Wales leaves much to be desired, but it is also true of commercial radio and television and in newspapers and magazines.

National newspapers are 87 per cent published in England - and this fact is reflected by diminished paper sales in Wales.

Plaid would do well to continue working with other parties and broadcasting unions in Wales to bring about more Welsh media coverage.

Electoral suicide

Is there anybody out there who believes that the Conservative tactic of boasting of hard times ahead will all end in tears?

The last time such a strategy was tried was when Roy Jenkins as Labour chancellor bragged about wielding the public-sector axe before Labour's disastrous election loss in 1970, claiming that "the public are highly sceptical of give-away budgets immediately before a general election."

The Conservatives have ignored this warning from history, spending their Welsh spring conference in Llandudno saying that reductions in public spending will have to come this year if the party wins the general election, despite concerns that it would hamper economic recovery.

Welsh Tory leader Nick Bourne threatened Wales with an independent review to look at all aspects of assembly government spending in anticipation of tougher future settlements.

All in all, Bourne offered little of substance, though he did complain that the assembly had "frittered away" money, including funding free breakfasts for primary school children - an indication of who will suffer first under a Tory government.

The polls show that the Tory cutback threats aren't viewed well by the Welsh populace, with Labour on 37 per cent, widening its lead over the Conservatives on 29 per cent. Support for Plaid Cymru rose 1 per cent to 14 per cent, while backing for the Lib Dems fell by 1 per cent to 12 per cent.