Preparations for the General Election in Wales are really hotting-up. This week we had a visit from Nick Clegg to a nursery school in Newport. There we saw firsthand the excellent work that nursery teachers are doing to make sure that our children get the best start in life.
Our candidates are in place and are raring to go. We are fighting our strongest campaigns yet across a whole range of seats, and it is a pleasure to see the activists picking up leaflets, stuffing envelopes and preparing canvassing packs in campaign offices all across Wales.
I think the excitement comes from the fact that elections that really change things are quite rare – and this election is most certainly one of those.
And change is needed. Just look at news from Wales this week – the Welsh Government’s heavily subsidised North-South airline has been grounded because the company has gone bankrupt. And now it turns out they’re subsidising the airport as well!
By contrast the Welsh Lib Dems have laid out clear pans to invest in public transport. We have committed to making sure that we spend more on rail than on roads.
Another issue that raised its ugly head this week is Anglesey being a new nuclear base for Britain and the Plaid Cymru leader is on the radio as I write welcoming the announcement. Unfortunately, most of his party, and his party’s manifestos, disagree.
The Welsh Liberal Democrats, however, are unequivocal on this issue – we will not support new nuclear power. We would spend the money on sustainable, renewable power and in energy efficiency.
And at the same time as a report has suggested the Welsh Government could face spending cuts of up to £3 billion over 3 years, the Welsh Government are still frittering away money on gimmicks, such as a scheme of giving free laptops to children, announced this week. Never mind that these laptops will be obsolete in two years, I am genuinely worried that the Government considers this a bigger priority than closing the £500 per head spending gap between Welsh schoolchildren and their counterparts in England. We propose to begin closing this gap by investing in Wales most deprived schools.
These are just some of the examples of how Labour’s old ideas are failing Wales. I have read the final version of our Welsh manifesto, and I believe that it offers a fresh vision for a fairer Wales – delivering real change in both Westminster and Cardiff Bay. That’s why I am excited about this election, and why my party is as well.
Unfortunately, I’m not sure the public are as engaged as we are at the moment though. They are still cynical – still outraged – after the expenses scandal and ‘lobby-gate.’ We need to demonstrate that we can restore people’s faith in politicians. I have been trying to restore trust in our politicians.
For example, we announced a year ago that we would be making sure all Welsh Lib Dem candidates would have to sign a code of conduct limiting what they would be able to claim expenses for. Our candidates are sending these back by the dozen – showing that they are interested in the constituents and not in filling their pockets.
I am glad that Vince Cable has lead the charge on making sure that our party, at least, is honest on what its spending priorities are, and how it will pay for them. And that we have not ducked the big questions on how to tackle the deficit. We have begun the same process here in Wales because I believe that the same honesty is needed in next years’ National Assembly Elections.
So, that is the big challenge, overcoming people’s mistrust of politicians. But mixed in with that mistrust is a real desire for change. If we can tap into that, then it will be a good year for the Welsh Liberal Democrats.
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