This week sees us back in parliament, for the second time this autumn, back from all the hype and media frenzy of the conference season. Now with the Comprehensive Spending Review next week, the really hard work begins. Being in opposition is no fun, and, now that Cameron has boosted his numbers by going into coalition with the Lib-Dems, rather than trying to run a minority government, by definition we will not normally have the numbers to vote out proposals from this Conservative – Lib Dem Government. We will have to use all our vigour and skill to oppose them and try and shame them into mitigating some of the worst of their ideologically-driven attacks on the most vulnerable, and convince them of the very urgent need to continue to stimulate growth in the economy, or we will find ourselves spiralling downwards into a double dip recession. Their excuse for breaking pre-election promises and making massive cuts, as you will remember was the plight of Greece. But, as the Governor of the Bank of England has said, the UK economy is nothing like the Greek economy. Instead we should be learning the lesson from Ireland, where taking too much money out of the system too quickly has resulted in major economic difficulties.
This week will be Ed Miliband’s first time taking on the Government as the Leader of the Labour Party and therefore Leader of the Official Opposition. I for one am very pleased to have him as our leader, and I know that he enjoys excellent support here in Wales, both inside and outside the Party. After his inspirational and refreshing speech at conference, it will be in the next few weeks that he will really start to make his mark, and get down to the nitty-gritty business of trying, in difficult circumstances, to get the best for the people of the UK.