No blame, no excuses - but it's their fault

Anyone remember the "no blame, no excuses" culture?

It was supposed to arrive at a Welsh Assembly near you after March's historic/routine* (take your pick) referendum vote to give the Assembly more powers.

Almost four months on, amid much sniping between Wales and Westminster, it may be time for a progress report.

During the last 10 days, the Welsh Government has accused its UK counterpart of "a slap in the face for the people of Wales", a "categorically untrue" statement on energy policy, and of being "provocative and unhelpful" over the pensions of teachers and public servants.

Today, the First Minister accused the Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition of having caused an increase in homelessness through welfare reform policies, some of which were only introduced in April with others not due to start until 2013.

It has so far escaped the blame for last weekend's heatwave, the rain during the first Test in Cardiff and the Bluebirds' play-off failure but there's still time.

At Westminster, Plaid Cymru and Labour have been playing their own private version of the blame game, taking potshots at each other over doomed parliamentary attempts to reverse the rise in VAT.

Some are ready to take responsibility. The Welsh Government has claimed that "business, enterprise and inward investment is a devolved matter" which suggests it will take the flak when companies leave Wales.

But the "no blame, no excuses" culture appears to be a work in progress.