A WELSH GREEN NEW DEAL

TATA STEEL: Plaid Cymru pledges ‘a Welsh Green new deal’ to safeguard communities from job losses

 

Plaid Cymru has pledged a ‘Welsh Green New Deal’ as part of their general election campaign.

 

Plaid Cymru spokesperson for Economy and Energy, Luke Fletcher MS said that Plaid Cymru’s Welsh Green New Deal would “safeguard communities in south Wales from thousands of job losses in the steel industry” and would create “rewarding, meaningful and fair work emerging in the green and net-zero sector to build a thriving economy” across Wales.

 

Tata Steel plans to close both blast furnaces in Port Talbot by the end of September. A new £1.25bn electric arc furnace, which melts scrap steel, will begin construction in Port Talbot in summer 2025.

 

Almost 2,800 jobs are expected to be lost if the plans go ahead – half of the workforce at the plant.

 

Luke Fletcher will join Rhun ap Iorwerth today on the campaign trail in Aberafan Maesteg, the constituency where the Tata Steel plant is located.

 

Plaid Cymru is also demanding that more powers over Wales’ economy and resources – including the devolution of the £835m worth Crown Estate to Wales, as part of its election campaign.

 

Plaid Cymru have advocated to retain the ability to produce primary steel in Wales and have fiercely opposed Tata’s current plans to close its blast furnaces in Port Talbot.

 

Mr Fletcher has long campaigned for the Westminster government to nationalise the Port Talbot steelworks. Failing this, the party believes that the Welsh Government should explore options for the compulsory purchase of the plant while future options for greening steel production – including through replacing coal with green hydrogen – are developed.

Plaid Cymru spokesperson for Economy and Energy, Luke Fletcher MS said:

“Wales’ economy is being held back by Westminster parties. Yet after 14 years of Tory austerity and 25 years of a Labour Welsh Government, Starmer is not offering the hopeful vision that Wales desperately needs.

“From thousands of good paying and highly skilled jobs at risk in south Wales, to Westminster’s failure to give Wales the powers we need to be in charge of our own economic destiny – we know this isn’t as good as it gets.

“Plaid Cymru has a clear vision when it comes to safeguarding these jobs through a just transition, and seeking powers over our natural resources to help Wales unlock its green potential.”

“Communities in and around Port Talbot know all too well that neither Labour nor the Tories have a plan to invigorate our economy. Neither party and their respective governments have shown any real direction when it comes to saving the thousands of jobs at risk from Tata’s decisions, nor any wider policies to support a just transition.

“Plaid Cymru’s Welsh Green New Deal sets out Plaid Cymru’s exciting vision for Wales’ green economy. Not only do we set out plans to safeguard communities in south Wales from thousands of job losses in the steel industry, but we have an ambition to create rewarding, meaningful and fair work emerging in the green and net-zero sector to build a thriving economy.

“On 4 July the people of Wales have an opportunity to elect a Plaid Cymru MP to fight for their behalf in Westminster and to demand the powers we need to unlock our potential as a country.

ENDS