New Plaid Cymru Leader Unveils Economic Commission

“Welsh economy must harness our strengths as an industrious nation, rich in natural resources.”

Plaid Cymru Leader Leanne Wood AM has announced the formation of an Economic Commission which will develop the party’s vision for the Welsh Economy over the coming decades.

The Commission will be headed by former Plaid Cymru MP Adam Price and will focus on developing targeted sectors in the Welsh economy that have potential to create significant employment opportunities in the future.

The Commission will be tasked with reporting back to the party regularly over the coming years in order to secure a package of economic measures that will be fit for delivery following the next Welsh General Election in 2016.

Plaid Cymru Leader Leanne Wood AM said:

“Plaid Cymru has shown that as a party we can deliver on our vision.  We have demonstrated the importance of creating the right circumstances to allow business to grow and provide jobs.

“I said I would lead the official proposition as Plaid Cymru leader, and this is the first step in preparing those plans. This Commission will play a key part in building an alternative vision and responding to the biggest question which faces most people in Wales: their and their families’ own economic security.

“Plaid Cymru is the only party focussed on bringing together tailor-made policies in order to transform our economy – creating more jobs and prosperity for the people of our nation.”

Adam Price said:

“The Plaid Cymru Economic Commission will provide an exciting opportunity for us all to take a fresh look at the vast array of possibilities that lay ahead.  My focus will be laying the groundwork for the creation of landmark policies which will enable us as a nation to grow.”

It’s time to stop believing that poverty is inevitable

Plaid Leader’s pledge to push hope in inaugural speech

Leanne Wood will use her inaugural speech as Plaid Cymru Leader to urge the people of Wales to build a nation that offers hope, not despair to its people.

At her party’s Spring Conference in Llanelli, Leanne will emphasise Plaid’s message that poverty and hardship do not have to be inevitable. She will say:

“For real progress we need to learn to hope. To dream big dreams. Let’s decide today, from now on, to do politics differently. Let’s decide to do our politics positively. Let’s talk about ideas. Not personalities. Let’s talk about our vision of what Wales can be.

“Let’s push hope not fear. And optimism, not despair.

“If we can do that, not only will we see a better politics, but we will also see a better Wales.”

“Plaid Cymru must become the party of hope. In our day-to-day
practical work, we will fight to protect jobs, we will defend those things that are important to people.

“We will fight to protect pay and to protect our local public services. We are the party which has respect and which shows common decency towards pensioners, young people and people without work.”

Ms Wood will outline her determination to focus on Wales’ economy in order to bring about a better future. She will say that sustainable
development, and renewable technologies in particular, offer the opportunity for a second industrial revolution in Wales.

“I think there are three giant goals we need to set ourselves in the coming decade. We must build the green economy, invest in
our knowledge base and create the infrastructure for success in the 21st century.”

“Let’s get the tax powers that can power our economy, so we can reward those Welsh companies that invest in the sectors of the future.
And let’s make sure the best of our companies invest in our most
precious workforce: our people.”

Leanne will also use her speech at Ffos Las in Carmarthenshire to outline the crucial role local authorities can play in changing Wales’ economic prospects. She will also talk about what motivates her
as Plaid Cymru Leader.

“We will not accept that our poverty is inevitable. We will not accept what our opposition says: that this nation cannot be successful. We will believe in the ability of our businesses to thrive and in our families to prosper.

“In fact we are finished with putting up with things as they are because that’s how it has always been. We are done with simply
surviving and with just muddling through. We want our people to soar.” 

PLAID ATTACK POLARISING UNION

30 YEARS OF TORY-LABOUR GOVERNMENT MAKES RICH RICHER AND WALES POORER

Plaid Cymru Treasury spokesperson Jonathan Edwards MP has used his Spring Conference speech to criticise ‘the polarising union’, attacking three decades of economic policies from British Conservative and Labour governments.

He also responded to Wednesday’s Budget speech by UK Chancellor, George Osborne, in which he cut tax for mega earners while announcing proposals for regional pay, a further £10bn of welfare cuts and the so-called ‘grannytax’ where pensioners tax-free
allowances have been frozen.

Mr Edwards said:

“The British state is a polarising union, not a redistributive union.

“After three decades of increasing inequality we saw a Budget on Wednesday in which the richest in the British state were given a tax break worth thousands of pounds each. 

“At the same time, the Tories announced real terms pay cuts for public sector workers, a further £10bn of cuts to the needy and vulnerable on welfare and a tax grab from pensioners.

“These last three decades have shown that the alternative to the austerity cuts won’t come by changing the colour of the government in London.   

“The Labour-Tory tag team at Westminster has polarised wealth at an unimaginable scale, sucking up to the City and feeding the financial sector at the expense of the working people of Wales. 

“Last week’s highly disappointing GVA figures for Wales – again bottom of the British state - made the challenge for us clear.

“We cannot rely on Westminster and London politicians to do what is right. 

“If we are to break this economic cycle then we must take responsibility for our future – to develop our economy, invest where we think is right and fight for a better Wales.

“Only Plaid Cymru have this positive agenda for a fairer society.”

Concerns raised that AWEMA bosses to receive pay-offs

Plaid AM asks for guarantee that no public money will be spent

A Plaid Cymru AM has asked for assurances from the Labour Welsh Government that no public funds will be used to pay-off AWEMA officials implicated in the charity's financial mismanagement.

Bethan Jenkins AM said that sources connected to AWEMA had raised concerns that officials implicated in recent reports into financial mismanagement at the charity would receive 'redundancy payments' as the organisation's affairs are brought to an end.

Ms Jenkins said that given the extent of maladministration highlighted in last week's official report, and previous reports, it would be scandalous for those responsible to receive any further public money.

Plaid Cymru AM Bethan Jenkins represents South Wales West where AWEMA is based. She said:

"People connected with AWEMA have voiced concerns that those at the centre of allegations of financial mismanagement at AWEMA will now receive pay-offs as the charity is wound up.

"It cannot be right that any public funds should be given out in this way. Those responsible for the financial mismanagement at AWEMA should not be allowed to receive any more taxpayers’ cash.

"I've asked the Welsh Finance Minister for a cast-iron guarantee that no public money will be given to those people implicated in the affair, unless they are first cleared of any wrongdoing."

Plaid Cymru bids the Welsh Six Nations squad good luck

As the 2012 Six Nations competition gets underway, Plaid Cymru AMs have wished the Welsh squad good luck.

The leader of Plaid Cymru Ieuan Wyn Jones has said:

"The squad did us proud out in New Zealand last autumn, and I’m looking forward to an equally impressive performance in this Six Nations. Their thorough preparations have made them a physically and mentally strong team that we are all extremely proud of.

"I’m sure that they will enjoy great success in this campaign, and I wish Warren Gatland and the squad the best of luck."

Plaid Cymru’s spokesperson on Sport Bethan Jenkins AM said:

"The professional attitudes, great team spirit and hard work and dedication of our national rugby team make them excellent role models for young people. I look forward to cheering them on every step of the way during this Six Nations tournament, and I wish them the best of luck!"

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."