Some Thoughts about the opening of the Senedd

1. Excellent move to have all the judges in Wales present at the ceremony. It's time the North was taken out of the Chester circuit – Wales isn’t a region any more. Verdict - one nil to the Senedd.

2. Good to see representatives of the various religions and denominations in Wales. Verdict - one nil to the Senedd.

3. Rhodri Morgan's speech was the usual after-dinner jovial stuff. A good move to lighten up the procedures, but, hmmm, one can't help thinking that a British Prime Minister (or the Prime Minister of what Labour would consider a 'proper' country) would be quite so flippant. Of course windbag's kokey speech shows that the Senedd is not a stuffy institution up it's own arse with etiquette and blokes in tights. Wales is different, more 'democratic' and up-front, more ‘special’... like some kids are more 'special' than others. Isn't that the real reason for the speech? Jokes to hide any references to the true historic moment of the occasion? Verdict on speech - nice speech but won't dare speak so flippantly if he were opening a 'proper' parliament i.e. Westminster. Score draw.

4. Still, Morgan spoke more Welsh than Dafydd Elis-Thomas. Verdict - one nil to the windbag, fairplay.