Absence of ambition and legislative lethargy – signature of Labour government

Eight months of Labour letting Wales lag behind

Plaid Cymru has attacked the Labour Welsh Government’s lack of action saying that the last eight months since the election can be summed up by ‘legislative lethargy and a complete absence of ambition’.

Plaid has published a list highlighting ten of the most significant failures of the Labour administration to date. The list highlights Labour’s failure to take much needed and bold action to help the economy:

1. Labour has failed to prioritise the fight for Welsh jobs
2. Labour has turned down Welsh economic rescue package
3. Labour has failed to bring forward any new capital projects
4. Labour’s legislative lethargy
5. Labour plans to downgrade hospitals and centralise services
6. Labour has left farmers left in the lurch
7. Labour has failed to “Build for Wales”
8. Labour has failed to arrange or hold any economic summits
9. Labour has no targets, no accountability
10. Labour has mishandled Enterprise Zones in Wales

Plaid Cymru’s Economy Spokesperson, Alun Ffred Jones AM, also repeated his calls for the government to follow Plaid’s proposals to help secure jobs and support businesses during the difficult year ahead. He said that it is vital that the Welsh government take urgent action in order to kick start the economy in 2012.

Plaid Cymru’s Economy spokesperson Alun Ffred Jones AM said;

“In the eight months since forming this Welsh Government, Labour has only managed to introduce two things - legislative lethargy and an absence of ambition

“Labour has wasted the best part of a year sitting on its hands, and this ‘list of inaction’ shows that. It puts into sharper focus the vital things that this Labour Government has failed to do during these most challenging of times. What is really striking is the amount of opportunities for Wales have been missed on Labour's watch.

“Despite finding time to write an urgent letter to the UK Prime Minister about the Welsh electoral system and the jobs of his Labour colleagues, the Labour First Minister failed to send any correspondence to David Cameron about the state of the Welsh or British economies during the first two terms of the Assembly.

“The Welsh economy is still waiting for start dates to show when building projects, vital to stimulating the economy and creating jobs, will go ahead. While the Scottish and UK Governments have brought forward six bills each, the lethargic Labour government in Wales has only managed one. Labour’s inaction is letting the people of Wales down.

“Plaid Cymru, however, is determined to maintain the pressure on Labour to take action to boost the economy. Labour needs to sit up and take action to kick start the economy for 2012. We will continue to press the Labour government to adopt our positive proposals to protect jobs and help small businesses, as well as taking forward our ‘Build for Wales’ plan which could create up to 50,000 jobs, providing a much-needed economic boost in 2012.”