"Windowlicker" Minister refuses to list Vulcan

+++++BREAKING NEWS++++
Alun Ffred Jones, Minister for Kulture and windowlicking at the Welsh Assembly Government has refused to grant listed building status to the Vulcan pub in Cardiff. The pub was recently granted a 3 year reprieve by the developers of the site and campaigners were hopeful of a more permanent solution to saving the pub. The Welsh Assembly Government and "Two fs Jones" have put the dampners on the roaring flames of protest to Save the Vulcan.
More on this story tomorrow.

UPDATE
Okay had a few complaints about referring to the Heritage Minister of the Welsh Assembly Government as a 'windowlicker' but he has sat on this for months and only gives his decision after the pub has been granted a 3 year reprieve.
According to the Minister "The pub fails to meet the required listing criteria although he does acknowledge the importance of the Vulcan in Cardiff’s history and the ‘welcome element of diversity’ it brings to its surroundings"
So why does the Minister not protect it if he acknowledges the importance of the Vulcan?

Anyway Alun Ffred Jones AM does seem quite happy to have the taxpayer pay his party, Plaid Cymru, £345 a year for his website, which is not the greatest site in the world and appears not to have updated since June last year. Why not chuck all the AMs onto blogger - it will save the taxpayer a fortune as its free and better looking than his website.
Oh and the rent for his constituency offices is paid for by the taxpayer as well. And the owners of his offices in Bangor ( rent: £715.00 a quarter) and Caernafon ( rent £1650.00 a quarter) are, Plaid Cymru, who are in effect subsidised by the taxpayer. £79.64 is also paid by the taxpayer for 'Office Maintenance' which includes 'Repairs, lighting & heating, cleaning, waste disposal'. So not just the rent is overcharged to the taxpayer, but we have to pay for the upkeep of the building! The BBC have covered this troughing by AMs to fund their own parties.
Elsewhere on the internet, there are some questions as to the involvement of the AM with a company called Arianrhod of which according to the Assembly List of Members Interests, he is shareholder. A quick check at Companies House reveals that the accounts of the company are 7 months overdue. Nearly as bad as not updating your website for a year.
He is also listed in the Members Interests as a director of Moreia Ltd, which according to Companies House is in liquidation.
All in all, with all these outside interests is a wonder that "2Fs Jones" can find the time to make any decision, let alone the wrong one.

Heritage Minister to "ignore public concerns"

The Heritage Minister of the Welsh Assembly Government, Alun Ffred Jones AM, has told the Save the Vulcan campaign that his office "will not respond further to individual postcards" sent by campaigners trying to save the Vulcan pub in Cardiff.

The North Wales Plaid Cymru AM is clearly not interested in trying to save part of the history and culture of the Capitol, after all his constituency is Caernafon in North Wales and ignoring the public support for the Vulcan is not going to effect his majority one bit.

The Welsh Assembly Government’s own website proudly claims that the objectives for the Heritage department include:
• Widening access to arts and culture for all
• Conserving, protecting, sustaining and promoting wider access to the historic environment of Wales
• Promoting and developing tourism in Wales.

Unfortunately it appears the Heritage Minister chooses not to read or take notice of his own department's website. Perhaps if Alun Ffred Jones AM offered a bit more clarity on his own dealings with property companies then his office might respond to the criticism levelled at it by campaigners trying to save the Vulcan.

The Save the Vulcan campaign has generated unprecedented support, including:
• 5000 signatures on the petition
• Celebrity support from Rhys Ifans, Huw Stephens, John Inverdale
• Political support from Glenys Kinnock MEP, Jenny Willott MP, Jenny Randerson AM, Chris Franks AM, Leanne Wood AM, David Melding AM, Nick Bourne AM, Cllr Nigel Howells and Cllr John Dixon, among many others.