Tory comments on Remploy reinforce Plaid’s devolution calls

Time for Labour to stop the rhetoric and take action

Plaid Cymru has reiterated its call for the Welsh Government to take real action to protect the interests of Welsh Remploy workers by bringing it under Welsh control following callous comments made by the Tory Pensions Secretary. Comments by Iain Duncan Smith which suggest that Remploy factories do not offer ‘proper jobs’ have revealed once again that the UK Government fails to understand the importance of continued support for disabled and vulnerable workers.

The Welsh Government has been accused of hypocrisy by Plaid Cymru after a Labour Minister declared the decision ‘wrong’ on social and economic grounds. This is despite a similar move by the former Labour Work and Pensions Secretary Peter Hain to close Remploy factories in 2007, where the closure of 28 factories was approved.

Plaid Cymru has now called on the Welsh Government to actively seek the devolution of the budget so that it can be protected and to avoid the closure of Welsh Remploy factories.

Plaid Cymru’s spokesperson on Equal Opportunities Lindsay Whittle said:

“Plaid Cymru has long called for the budget for Remploy to be devolved so that it can be protected, and that is what the Welsh Government should be seeking to do. Clearly the Tory Secretary for Pensions doesn’t understand the importance of Remploy. These are factories that employ thousands of disabled workers who will find it extremely difficult to find work anywhere else.

“Remploy workers are facing redundancy and all the Labour Government is doing is wagging its finger. This rhetoric has no impact on the workers who want to know that their government is actively looking to support and protect their livelihoods.

“It is high time Labour listened and took action. Thousands of workers are facing redundancy and any hope of future employment is slim. Talk is cheap; Labour now needs to act.”

Job-creating powers could help transform nation's economic fortunes

Majority back Welsh responsibility over income tax

Plaid Cymru has welcomed the findings of a Western Mail poll which show that the vast majority of Welsh voters support the devolution of tax-varying powers to Wales.

Plaid Cymru Leader Leanne Wood AM said;
"The fact that a clear majority want to see the transfer of these powers to our nation is very positive news.

“Plaid Cymru's submission to the Silk Commission has called for the Welsh Government to be able to set Welsh income tax rates.

“Having these powers in Wales would give us more tools to focus on economic growth and the creation of more jobs that would then increase the tax base.

“Surely any self-respecting Welsh Government would prefer to have control over these job-creating levers rather than see them remain in the hands of a remote government in Westminster which doesn't place the economic well-being of our nation as a priority or even an after thought.

"People are saying clearly that they want our nation to take greater control over the economic tools that can help to improve our lives. The First Minister and his Labour Government now have a big decision to make - the choice is between taking responsibility for ourselves or to continue to blame others; the choice is between home rule or continued Tory rule."

WELSH HEALTH SERVICE

THE FACTS ABOUT 

WELSH HEALTH 

SERVICE

The health services we depend on in our local hospitals are under threat. Labour is in government in Wales – and it is Labour that controls the Welsh health service.

Despite promising just before last May’s Assembly elections hospitals or centralise core health services, Labour is now doing just that.

The Labour Health Minister has asked local health boards to make plans which will lead to downgrading hospitals and centralising core services.

This may all sound familiar to you. That’s because Labour attempted to do exactly the same thing in 2007.

Back then, as a condition of our coalition deal, Plaid Cymru stopped those plans. Together, we safeguarded the future of our local hospitals and invested in them. Now we need to do the same again

                                                                                                          

FACT CHECK

Fact:   Labour is in Government in Wales

It is Labour that controls the Welsh health service, not the UK Government.

Fact:   Labour denied they would downgrade hospitals or centralise health services just before the 2011 election

Now in government Labour is drawing up plans in all areas of Wales that will lead to the downgrading of hospitals and the centralisation of core services.

Fact:   The Conservatives’ NHS reforms are for the English NHS , Labour in Wales is also trying to dismantle local health services.

What’s the alternative?

Fact:    Plaid Cymru is committed to our District General Hospitals and the essential services they provide

Downgrading hospitals and centralising core services causes increased risk for patients and can lead to increased costs too

Support for greater powers, or independence for Wales has increased significantly - ITV-YouGov poll

Commenting on the ITV-YouGov poll released today (Thursday), Plaid Cymru’s Jonathan Edwards MP said;

“Support for greater powers, or independence for Wales has increased significantly in the space of just a year - up from 17% 42% when people consider the possibility of Scottish independence.

“There can be no doubt that political structures of the United Kingdom are changing. Wales must not be defined purely in relation to what happens north of the border. We must chart our own path.

“Wales is clearly growing in confidence and people are now leading the calls for greater responsibilities to be transferred so that we in Wales can create jobs, help our businesses grow and improve people’s lives.

“Plaid Cymru will be setting the agenda on these issues by showing how control over our own affairs will give Wales the best possible chance to help our nation flourish.

“Meanwhile, the unionists parties face a major crisis in terms of the future of the UK.

“Only yesterday, Labour united with the Tories in Westminster to vote against giving Wales control over our vast natural resources. It seems that once again, Labour prefers Tory rule to home rule.” 

Plaid proposed energy revolution - Labour and Tory MPs team up to vote it down

Extraordinary scenes as labour block devolution of energy powers to their own Government

Plaid Cymru MP Jonathan Edwards yesterday repeated calls for energy powers to be transferred to the Welsh Government, currently run by Labour - but his motion was defeated by Labour MPs, who teamed up with Conservatives MPs to stop their own party in Wales taking these powers.

Jonathan Edwards hoped to introduce a bill in Westminster which would give the Welsh Government powers over energy generation in Wales – something supported by both Labour and the Conservatives in their Welsh general election manifesto last year, where they argued that there should be an increase from the present 50MW limit.

Mr Edwards argued that the proposal would lead to equality with Scotland and Northern Ireland and that it would allow Wales to better fight fuel poverty if we had responsibility for our own resources.

His proposal was defeated by 239 votes to 44 after Labour and Conservative MPs teamed up together against the Bill.

Commenting after the vote, Jonathan Edwards said:

"It is extraordinary to see Labour MPs from Wales teaming up to vote with the Conservatives against a motion that would empower the Welsh Government which they run. Do they just not trust Carwyn Jones with these powers?

“My Bill was simply titled ‘Energy Generation Wales’ and, although our policy is for full transfer of powers to Wales, it would have been open for other MPs to amend and put forward their own suggestions.

“This was an opportunity for Labour to introduce proposals from the manifesto on which their Welsh Government were elected last year but their MPs in London seem strangely keen that Wales should not have these powers.

“When you see the Conservatives and Labour walking through the lobbies together in London then you know that they are doing something which is good for Westminster, not for Wales.

“It is a strange world where Labour would so obviously rather have the Conservatives in charge of energy in Wales than take responsibility for it themselves.

"In 2012 alone, Labour MPs from Wales have voted in favour of NHS privatisation, a reduction in farming subsidies for Wales and now against Wales having the same energy powers as Scotland and Northern Ireland.

"If Carwyn Jones can’t persuade Welsh MPs to support his policies, then it makes you wonder if he has any influence on his own party – never mind his complete failure to influence the Tories in charge at Westminster." 

Partnership of equals: the only positive way forward for the nations of these Isles

25/01/2012

Current devolution settlement will always hold our nation back

As the Scottish Government today announces its plans for the independence referendum, Plaid Cymru’s MP for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, Jonathan Edwards has said that the current devolution settlement delivered by Labour wasn’t sustainable and would always hold our nation back.

He said that public opinion and events had left most of the political establishment behind over further constitutional change and the time had now come for Wales to chart its own course and take control over the vital job-creating economic levers in order to flourish.

Plaid’s Jonathan Edwards MP said;

“As these events unfold in Scotland, people in Wales are already talking about what's best for our nation’s future and considering independence as a real choice.

“The status quo, supported by all three of the Westminster parties, isn’t serving Wales well – and taking greater control over our own affairs through independence, with the agreement of the people of Wales, will mean that we can create more jobs, help our businesses grow and help our nation reach its potential.

“Even for those who believe in the preservation of the UK, a partnership of equals with England, Scotland, Ireland will never be achieved under the current settlement.

“The Labour First Minister has recently made a few belated statements in reaction to events in Scotland, suggesting that making alterations to the makeup of the House of Lords would be enough.

“Public opinion has left him behind on this issue.

“The truth is that a little tinkering on the edges of the UK’s constitution whilst keeping so many of the job-creating economic levers at Westminster, as he is advocating, will neither be sustainable or in Wales’ best interests.

Jonathan Edwards added;

“Unionism is in crisis. The Westminster parties are unable to present a coherent and positive argument for the preservation of the United Kingdom in its current form, or for that matter, in any form.

“The big question that needs asking is if the United Kingdom is so good for Wales, how has it, and successive Westminster Governments, Labour, Tory or Liberal continued to see Wales fall behind.

There’s no good tinkering on the edges as the First Minister is suggesting – we need to know details of exactly what job-creation and economic levers he will support.

“We in Plaid Cymru want our country to stand on its own two feet, an independent nation with the tools to help improve the lives of our people.

“Plaid will be putting forward detailed proposals to the Silk commission on the next steps we want Wales to take to improve the lives of our citizens, create jobs and help our nation flourish. The question now is whether the Westminster parties will join with us in seeking the powers to help Wales chart its own course with the economic levers we need to succeed.