NOT ANGRY, JUST DISAPPOINTED

Plaid Cymru Leader Adam Price challenged the Labour party's record in Wales ahead of the Channel 4 election debate yesterday.

Writing in the New Statesman Plaid Cymru Leader Adam Price said that Labour had been in government in Wales for twenty years but had failed to deliver 'real change'. Citing worse A&E waiting times than England, rising homelessness and a decline in life expectancy, Mr Price said that Labour was "not part of the solution in Wales" but rather the "source of the problem".

Noting that Labour had voted against banning zero hour contracts 'seven times'  and had invited more privatisation in Welsh rail, Mr Price said that Labour's record in Wales "bears little resemblance to their promises".

The Plaid Cymru Leader said that change would only come for Wales "when we change the way we vote" and that the choice wasn't binary but rather a choice to send Labour and Tory MPs to Westminster to "fight each other" or send Plaid Cymru MPs to "fight for Wales".

Plaid Cymru Leader Adam Price said,

"In Wales, Labour has had twenty years in government to deliver 'real change', but barely any change has been realised. They should have a record to champion, but instead they find themselves defending worse A&E times than England, rising homelessness and declining life expectancy.

"Labour are not part of the solution in Wales, they are a source of the problem.  From voting against a ban on zero-hour contracts (seven times), to inviting more privatisation into Welsh rail, Labour's record in Wales bears little resemblance to their promises.

"When politics is changing so rapidly beneath our feet, the Labour party in Wales has stood still. And when you stand still in politics, you are going backwards. To vote Labour in Wales would not be a change, it would be more of that same managed decline.

"Change will only come for Wales when we change the way we vote.

"This election is not just about who has the keys to 10 Downing Street, but what we hope for as a small nation on this island.  As much as the Boris Johnson vs. Jeremy Corbyn debates make it look like you face a binary option, you won't be casting a vote for them, you will be electing a Member of Parliament in a few days' time to represent you and your community. 

"Your choice will be to either send Labour and Tory MPs to Westminster to fight each other, or send Plaid Cymru MPs there to fight for Wales.

ENDS

OUR MANAGED DECLINE

As Jeremy Corbyn comes to Wales, Plaid Cymru's Liz Saville Roberts, has challenged the Labour leader to defend his Welsh Government's record of "managed decline". 

Liz Saville Roberts said:

"Worse A&E waiting times than England, homelessness rising and child poverty at sickening levels, that is the record of the Labour Government in Wales.

"In the TV debates, Labour Shadow Ministers couldn't defend their record to Adam Price, how can Jeremy Corbyn defend it now?

"The question is, who is more embarrassed of who - Jeremy Corbyn of Labour's record, or Labour in Wales of Corbyn's weak leadership?

"The only way we will get 'real change' in Wales is if we change the way we vote. Plaid Cymru will make Wales matter to Westminster. Make our nation's voice heard on December 12th." 

ENDS

PLAID’S PLEDGES TO NEWPORT

We want to see a Wales with a better sustainable democratic future – its time to change Newport and change Wales.

Newport must directly benefit from the green energy revolution, with its deep water port and highly skilled and experienced workers - our city should be at the forefront of the development of off-shore wind, tidal lagoons, tidal turbines and a revisited Usk river barrage. 

Newport needs decent affordable public transport. A well-planned Metro is the only realistic option, which will save our environment, our time, and our money. 

We need a new railway station at Caerleon and revived direct hourly rail service from Ebbw Vale via Rogerstone into Newport.

We need new railway stations at Llanwern and Magor and better local rail services to Cardiff and Bristol.

Wales needs major investment in environmentally sustainable affordable homes and to bring in rent relief for people who pay more than 30% of their income on rent.

We must reverse the tide on rough sleeping in our city, not by punishing the vulnerable as Labour and the Tories wish to continue to do, but by providing safe, accessible, and supportive services for everyone who need them. 

Plaid aims to create a Welsh justice system, devolve policing and create a new crime prevention fund to recruit 1600 extra police officers, that being at least 2 for every community in Wales, to keep us safer.

We face a double problem, a Labour dominated national assembly that’s bereft of ambition, ideas and the tools to do the job. We also have an increasingly dysfunctional Westminster that is simply not interested in Wales and Newport.

If it is not us, then it’s no one - Wales it’s us!