After a busy, but rewarding, few weeks on the campaign trail, it has been good to get back into the swing of things as one of the new Members of the Senedd for Sir Fynwy Torfaen.
Last week, we elected a new presiding officer, and I would like to congratulate Huw Irranca-Davies on his appointment. We also saw the election of our new First Minister for Wales, and I would again like to offer my congratulations to Rhun ap Iorwerth.
Rhun is the 7th First Minister of Wales, and the first who does not represent the Labour Party, which is a huge change in our political landscape here in Wales.
Plaid Cymru now have the responsibility of fixing the mess that Labour have left Wales in, and I sincerely hope they are up to the task, but I fear they will fall short of the mark based on their election manifesto.
This week, the First Minister spoke on his priorities. I want to highlight that whilst a number of Plaid’s aims are admirable, there are serious questions about how these commitments will be funded.
They have pointed to a number of mechanisms and financial pulleys in their manifesto, but seem to have skirted around the cold hard truth that a significant amount of them are not within Wales’s power to grant.
Increased borrowing powers, reforming the Barnett formula, HS2 consequential funding, new tax powers and the devolution of the Crown Estate are all examples of how they would pay for their manifesto commitments, yet they depend on UK Government approval.
Labour in Westminster enjoy a U-Turn, but their Ministers have been clear, there will be no HS2 consequential, no devolution of the Crown Estate, and only a vague “reset” in relations with the devolved administrations, so how will Plaid pay for all of their promises? That remains to be seen.
What Wales needs is a government that is ready to govern, not one that makes pledges based on uncertain assumptions.
The realities of Government will no doubt be hitting Plaid hard, and the realisation their will be no blank cheque or sweeping changes from UK Labour to fund their promises.
The Welsh Conservatives will continue to stand up for our communities, proposing sensible, fully costed policies that do not rely on the assumed support of another government.
That is the difference between a party that is fiscally responsible, and one that doesn’t know where to begin.
Peter Fox OBE MS
