Politics

Manifesto Destiny #3: Plaid Cymru

Published

3 years ago

April 20, 2021

Andy Chandler

PLAID CYMRU is perpetually standing at a political crossroads.

One step forward. One step back. Followed by a step to the left and a half-step to the right.

And that’s been the way of it since 1999.

When a party’s policies consistently score well with the public, yet the party doesn’t increase its number of seats, there’s an indication some deep-seated issue prevents a breakthrough.

In the parts of Wales where Plaid needs to win constituency seats, it has made little progress at the national election level in twenty-two years.

And yet its policies score well with many Labour voters. In the Valleys of East Wales, Labour’s core vote is not thrilled by that party’s record in Wales. It is soft at the edges and fed up with the same old formula. After twenty-two years of Labour government, Wales is stuck in a never-ending loop of narrow managerialism without political leadership.

PERCEPTIONS OF PLAID

The massive elephant in the room is that in Anglophone Wales – where Welsh is relatively little spoken or read – Plaid is seen less as the Party of Wales than the Party of the Welsh Language.

Running in tandem with that notion, which is supported by census data about the distribution of those with Welsh language skills, is the electorate’s perception that Plaid considers the Welsh language first and all other policies second.

To an extent, the second point is projection. People project on to Plaid what they know of Anglo-parties’ history and attribute to the Party of Wales what they know of other parties’ conduct. In Westminster, the Conservatives are a byword for back-scratching cronyism. In Wales, the Labour Party – see Neath Port Talbot Council – fulfils the same role.

Based on those experiences, the internal logic is that Plaid would prioritise the language – ‘forcing it on non-Welsh speakers’, using the English-only pejorative phrase – above good governance and good sense.

For a significant number of Wales’ voters, even among some who speak Welsh, the Welsh language is irrelevant to their political considerations.

It’s a stick with which voters beat Plaid and one which the other parties deploy.

SMALL ‘C’ CONSERVATISM

Wales is a small ‘c’ conservative country.

The rout Labour suffered in parts of Wales in December 2019 demonstrates, no matter how much activists howl, large sections of the electorate do not share Plaid and Labour’s vision of the nation. At least not when and where it counts.

And Plaid, determinedly, is a party of the left with less in common with many of its voters than it might find comfortable to acknowledge. Plaid Cymru’s contortions to satisfy a largely metropolitan interest in identity politics estrange its traditional voters with more grounded priorities. And whatever votes there in those contortions, they won’t add a single seat to Plaid’s tally.

That said, it’s grossly unfair to suggest that identity politics define Plaid Cymru. Plaid’s primary problem is marking out an identity for itself, including all Welsh nationalist sentiment instead of one part of it.

Those small ‘c’ conservatives among the Welsh electorate favouring greater Welsh autonomy should be inside Plaid’s tent. They should not feel excluded from it because they have views that irritate Party activists.

The issue of perception is perhaps Plaid’s most significant hurdle to overcome with the broader Welsh electorate. It certainly has been to date.

COMMUNICATION

For a party with so many gifted communicators both inside and outside the Senedd, and a leader who is a compelling public presence, between elections, Plaid’s communications seem a little diffuse and inclined to contrarianism for the sake of it.

Election campaigns start the day after the last election finished.

Plaid needs to spend more time driving home its core manifesto pledges on everyday issues, whether in government or not.

This time Plaid’s manifesto is admirably focused on what it wants to achieve if it forms a government.

It needs to stick to those lines as hard as possible, even if it is either not in government or in government in a joint enterprise with Labour.

Plaid also needs to accept that whatever its electoral fate on May 6, not everything it wants to do will be deliverable.

Plaid calls its manifesto ‘the most radical since 1945’. This article doesn’t make a judgement on that claim. However, 1945’s Labour manifesto came in at under 5,000 words and barely 11 pages of A4.

Plaid’s five core policy areas are interwoven in the detail of its manifesto.

A more concise document (126 pages!) that preached less to the choir and more to voters would improve it no end.

THE CORE POLICIES

As Adam Price told The Herald when he became leader, the core of Plaid’s programme boils down to five key policy areas.

1. The best start in life for every child

· Free school meals to all primary school children using quality Welsh produce.

· Investing in 4,500 extra teachers and support staff, reducing class sizes, and valuing the teaching profession.

· Childcare free for all from 24 months.

2. A plan for the whole country to prosper

· A £6bn Green Economic Stimulus to help create 60,000 jobs.

· A guaranteed job or high-quality training for 16–24-year-olds.

· Zero-interest loans to support small businesses to bounce back post-Covid.

3. A fair deal for families

· Cut the bills of average Council Taxpayers, helping the weekly budget go further.

· £35 per child weekly top-up payment to families living below the poverty line.

· 50,000 social and affordable homes and fair rents for the future.

4. The best national health and care service

· Train and recruit 1,000 new Doctors and 5,000 new Nurses and allied staff.

· Free personal care at the point of need for the elderly, ending the divide between health and social care.

· Guaranteed minimum wage of £10 an hour for care workers.

5. Tackling the climate emergency

· Set a Wales 2035 Mission to decarbonise and to reach net-zero emissions.

· Establish Ynni Cymru as an energy development company with a target of generating 100 per cent of electricity from renewables by 2035.

· Introduce a Nature Act with statutory targets to restore biodiversity by 2050.

In principle, none of the above should be particularly contentious. The climate emergency and green energy pledges will not play well among older voters. However, the environment is an issue that resonates with younger voters (aged 16-24).

Of Wales’ three main parties, Plaid has the most to gain from younger voters and mobilising them to turn out. It’s a mystery why Plaid hasn’t both encouraged younger voters to register and targeted them more assertively. Doing so would deliver a USP and a future voter base.

PAYING FOR IT

Ynni Cymru, a Welsh national energy company, is an idea Plaid floated at the start of the last Welsh Parliamentary term. It has re-emerged in a much-changed form from that originally floated. Instead of controlling green energy production, Ynni Cymru would be a staging post, a project development company similar to Transport for Wales.

The long-term aim is the establishment of a state-backed energy company.

Unnos –Land and Housing Wales – would be a clearinghouse for investment in funding affordable and social housing in the same vein.

Extending the state will come at a cost.

More public spending needs more money. That money can only come from raising taxes and more public borrowing. Plaid’s reliance on historically low interest rates to fund its plans glosses the certainty of future interest rises and their impact on those plans’ deliverability.

Plaid is at least upfront that – if it forms a government in its own right – some people will pay more tax in one way or another. And, at least, it confronts the issue of Council Tax head-on instead of pussyfooting around it like Labour. After 22 years, Labour intends to have a jolly good chat about it for the next five years.

For which reason, if no other, Plaid deserves a round of applause.

INDEPENDENCE DAY

Independence. Plaid is in favour. It promises to hold a referendum on independence if it forms a majority government.

Of all Plaid’s policy pledges, that’s the least surprising.

Surprisingly, Plaid has not – so far – managed to convert the upswing in public support for Wales’ independence into a larger poll share for itself. Unless that changes in the last couple of weeks of this election campaign, Plaid needs to ask itself why that is the case.

News

Welsh Labour Minister defends winter fuel payment cut

Published

16 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Tom Sinclair

A WELSH Labour minister has defended the decision to cut winter fuel payments for most pensioners, sparking heated debate in the Senedd. The changes, which could see an estimated 500,000 pensioners losing up to £300 this winter, have drawn sharp criticism from both Conservative and Plaid Cymru members.

During Wednesday’s debate, Conservatives called on Labour to urge the UK government to reverse the plans, warning of a “devastating impact” on vulnerable pensioners. Social Justice Secretary Jane Hutt responded by highlighting the “difficult decisions” being made due to a £22 billion “black hole” in UK public finances. Hutt argued that these cuts are a consequence of “14 years of Tory austerity and economic mismanagement.”

Plaid Cymru supported the Conservative calls to reverse the cuts but also accused UK Labour of continuing Conservative “austerity” policies. Despite the opposition, Labour defeated the motion to reverse the decision in a narrow vote, with many Labour Senedd members absent from the debate.

Both Conservatives and Plaid Cymru warned that the cuts could have dire consequences. Conservative South Wales Central MS Joel James opened the debate, stating that the Labour government would be “taking vital income away from those who most need it.” He cited Labour Party research suggesting that scrapping universal payments could lead to an increase in excess deaths by almost 4,000 this winter.

Plaid Cymru’s Sioned Williams echoed these concerns, accusing Labour of exacerbating inequality through austerity measures that disproportionately affect those on low incomes. “Austerity measures deepen inequality by exacerbating the hardship faced and felt by people on low incomes while enabling the wealthiest to shoulder the lightest burden,” Williams said.

Jane Hutt, one of only two Labour speakers in the debate, defended the cuts, emphasising the financial constraints faced by the UK government. She mentioned a £22 billion shortfall in public finances, necessitating “difficult decisions.” Hutt also highlighted efforts to promote pension credit uptake and mentioned several Welsh government schemes, such as the emergency discretionary assistance fund, which she said were underutilised by pensioners.

Despite her defence, Hutt had previously acknowledged that the cuts risked “pushing some pensioners into fuel poverty.” Welsh First Minister Eluned Morgan also stated that “no one in Labour is happy” with the move but maintained it was necessary to balance the budget.

Conservatives in the Senedd chamber challenged the validity of the £22 billion “black hole” claim. Janet Finch Saunders demanded evidence to support the figure, questioning the minister’s assertion. The Conservatives argue that the cuts will have severe repercussions on pensioners, with some, like Andrew RT Davies, pointing out that even those marginally over the pension credit threshold will lose out on the £300 payment.

Labour MS Mike Hedges was the only other Labour politician to speak during the debate, suggesting that the cuts were necessary to focus support where it’s most needed. He questioned the fairness of providing winter fuel payments to wealthy individuals, listing names like Paul McCartney and Elton John as examples of those who do not need this support.

Hedges also highlighted the complexities of predicting the impact of the cuts, arguing, “We don’t know how many people are going to die this winter. You can’t know.” He emphasised that a more equitable system would involve pension credit entitlement based on earnings.

The Conservative motion to reverse the changes was narrowly defeated by Labour, with 23 votes in favour and 24 against. Under the new policy, pensioners not on pension credit or other means-tested benefits will no longer receive the annual winter fuel payment. Previously, all pensioners were entitled to this support to help with energy bills.

The winter fuel payment, which totals £200 or £300 depending on the recipient’s age and benefits status, has been a crucial source of support for pensioners during the colder months. The changes come as part of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s plan to target support to those most in need amidst tight public finances.

A UK government spokesperson defended the decision, telling The Pembrokeshire Herald: “We are committed to giving pensioners the dignity and security they deserve in retirement, which is why we are protecting the triple lock with the state pension set to increase by £1,700 over the course of parliament.” They added that despite the financial constraints, the government aims to continue supporting those in need, with over a million pensioners still receiving the winter fuel payment and the £150 Warm Home Discount scheme.

As winter approaches, the implications of these cuts on pensioners across Wales and the UK remain a contentious and deeply felt issue.

News

The future of St David’s surgery raised at the Senedd

Published

2 days ago

September 18, 2024

Tom Sinclair

SENEDD Member Paul Davies has raised the future of St David’s surgery in the Senedd Chamber and called on the First Minister to join him in standing up for the local community.

Mr Davies explained that around 3000 patients are going to be dispersed to practices further afield under the Health Board’s current plans, including elderly patients and those with limited travel options.

Mr Davies then asked the First Minister, who is also the Regional Member for Mid and West Wales, to intervene on behalf of the local community, challenge the local Health Board and help ensure residents can continue to receive GP services in their local community in the future.

Mr Davies said, “It’s wholly unacceptable that residents living in St David’s will have to travel further for vital GP services and so I’m calling on the Welsh Government to use its powers and intervene before it’s too late. The local community is rightly upset and frustrated and it’s vital that the Health Board’s decision is challenged and a better way of delivering primary care services in the area is found.”

“If these plans go ahead, a Welsh city will lose its GP service on this First Minister’s watch and I wanted to give the First Minister the opportunity to work together on behalf of the people of St Davids. There should be no stone left unturned in trying to ensure GP services can still be delivered in St David’s and it was disappointing that the First Minister was not willing to work together on the community’s behalf.”

Politics

Wales’ First Minister sets out priorities for her government

Published

2 days ago

September 18, 2024

Chris Haines, ICNN Senedd reporter

WALES’ new First Minister Eluned Morgan vowed to focus on the issues that matter most to people as she outlined the Welsh Government’s priorities.

Baroness Morgan, who took the reins in August after Vaughan Gething was forced to resign, promised to prioritise health, education and the economy ahead of the next election in 2026.

She said her new-look Welsh Government has spent the summer listening to people in every corner of Wales, helping to shape her plans.

She told the Senedd: “Health and social care, particularly addressing those long waiting times for treatment, are the top priorities.

“There’s also a strong desire for us to make faster progress on improving education standards, and in creating jobs and growing the economy over the next 18 months.”

The first minister stressed that delivery, accountability and improved productivity will be the watchwords of her administration over the next 18 months.

Baroness Morgan, who was health secretary for three years before taking the top job, vowed to cut long NHS waits, including in mental health, and improve access to social care.

She told the chamber: “In Torfaen, young women told me they wanted more support for mental health and women’s health issues, like period pains and endometriosis. 

“The business community and housing developers in our capital city told me they wanted to see a speed up of the planning process.

“In Brecon, I was told school standards need to be raised, and many across Wales told me how they were struggling to pay their rent. One man told me his family was delaying having a second child due to worries over the rising costs….

“In the valleys, people called for better public transport links. In Connah’s Quay nearly every conversation was about the need to fix the roads.

“These conversations and many others like them have helped define this government’s priorities. We are listening. We can’t do everything, so we are setting priorities.”

She recognised concerns about the roll-out of 20 mph as protesters once again gathered on the Senedd steps, accusing ministers of ignoring nearly 500,000 who signed a petition.

Baroness Morgan cautioned that tough decisions lie ahead due to a £22bn “black hole” in the UK’s finances which she claimed was left by the previous Conservative government.

“I know that this won’t be easy,” she warned. “And I know the damage that 14 years of Conservative mismanagement has done to the UK’s public finances.

“As Nye Bevan, the founder of the NHS, said: ‘The language of priorities is the religion of socialism.’ That’s what we’re going to do in government.

“Today, we have the best opportunity in more than 14 years to realise our ambitions.”

Wales’ first minister, who was appointed six weeks ago, hailed a new dawn – with a “partnership of power” between two Labour governments at either end of the M4.

In closing, she vowed: “We have listened, we have learned – and we will deliver.”

Andrew RT Davies claimed it was the seventh such statement on priorities in the past year, saying it was the lightest on detail since he was elected more than a decade ago.

The leader of the Conservative opposition warned: “It’s no wonder those charged with delivering this … really don’t know which way to turn.”

Mr Davies criticised the first minister for “taking aim” at NHS chief executives in a BBC Wales interview, saying she appointed six of seven health board bosses.

The Tory pointed out that the Welsh Government has so far missed every target in its 2022 blueprint to reduce waiting lists.

“We’ve heard it all before,” he told the Senedd. “Time and time again, Labour ministers have come to this chamber to say that waiting lists are the priority.

“Well, the proof is in the pudding – waiting lists are going up here in Wales.”

Mr Davies also called for investment in universities and action to tackle “stubbornly high” school absenteeism rates in some of the poorest parts of Wales.

Rhun ap Iorwerth called the first minister’s statement “very, very thin” and claimed the Welsh Government wasted five weeks before appointing a permanent cabinet,

Plaid Cymru’s leader criticised a “summer of silence” from Wales’ new first minister, describing the listening exercise as a public relations stunt.

He said: “The result of the exercise … surprise, surprise was that health, education and the economy were the top priorities.

“Goodness me, if a party that’s been leading the Welsh Government for 25 years hadn’t realised those were the priorities then we’re in deeper trouble with Labour than I thought.”

Mr ap Iorwerth attacked the first minister’s “unwillingness” to fight Wales’ corner.

He said: “On the Barnett formula, HS2 consequences, on devolving the Crown Estate, justice and policing, Labour’s message to Wales is ‘no, no, no.”

During the meeting on September 17, Mr ap Iorwerth suggested the well of “clear-red water” between Welsh and UK Labour is beginning to run dry.

Responding to the First Minister’s announcement of the Welsh Government’s priorities, director of the Welsh NHS Confederation Darren Hughes said: “NHS leaders will welcome the focus on health and the wider determinants of health in the four priority areas outlined for government.

“We know that getting the NHS back on track is a top priority for the public, given it affects so many of us, including our loved ones. Nobody wants to provide timely, quality care and treatment to those who need it most more than NHS leaders and staff, all of whom work tirelessly towards this every day.

“Only by working across sector and government department boundaries as One Welsh Public Service will we be able to truly embrace prevention and tackle demand so the NHS can be there for those who need it most.”