Labour, propped up by Plaid Cymru has failed Wales for over 27 years in Wales, with our economy consistently lagging the rest of the United Kingdom.
Data from the ONS and others consistently point to Wales having lower productivity, lower average earnings, and lower ‘gross added value’ per head than the UK average, but this does not have to be the case.
Despite Labour being focused on dragging down the economies of the entire United Kingdom, there is an opportunity in two weeks to stop this trend in Wales.
The Conservatives have always and will always be the party of sound economic policies and fiscal responsibility.
People will always point to the Truss budget, and it’s right to acknowledge that it created challenges, but just look at the improvements made under Rishi Sunak when he was Prime Minister.
Inflation fell significantly, interest rates stabilised, GDP showed growth, government borrowing reduced, and productivity, output, employment and wages all saw improvements.
This showed the strength and credibility of the Conservative Party’s economic approach, and these same underlying themes of economic growth and responsibility are what the Welsh Conservatives would deliver in Wales.
We would introduce a 1p income tax cut, scrap land transaction tax on main homes, cut student loan interest and reform the local government funding formula.
These measures would put more money into your pockets, make it easier to move home, allow young adults to move forward and put funding into the areas of Wales that have been punished by Labour for so long.
Unlike the other parties standing for election, who are happy to throw around huge headline figures and expect the Welsh taxpayer to foot the bill, the Conservatives have costed how these policies would be funded.
By enacting efficiency savings across Welsh Government, returning the Central Services budget to previous levels, reducing reliance on agency staff and rebalancing the business rates multiplier; these steps will fund the excellent policies we have put forward. That is what a fiscally responsible party does.
In just over two weeks, the Welsh public will go to the polls to vote for the next Welsh Government.
No party can get a majority, there is no more tactical voting, and every vote goes directly to electing who you want.
We must ensure there are as many economically responsible MSs elected as possible, and that is why every vote for the Welsh Conservatives matters now more than ever.
Peter Fox OBE - Lead Conservative Candidate for Sir Fynwy Torfaen
