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Plaid Cymru Senedd Member Peredur Owen Griffiths, who represents South Wales East
Peredur Owen Griffiths, who represents Plaid Cymru, is one of four regional Senedd Members serving the South Wales East region.
There has been much talk about the Labour Welsh Government’s draft budget over the last month. Labour politicians have extolled its virtues since the details were published but the reality of the budget is that it will not scratch the surface of what is needed to get public services back on track in Wales.
Whilst the Tories’ insatiable appetite for austerity (backed by Labour in opposition at various points, it must be noted) have taken a heavy toll on our NHS, our local authorities and education, we are where we are also because of Labour mismanagement whilst in government in Wales since 1999.
An unfair funding deal that leaves Wales seriously short-changed has also been a big blow to our public finances. Despite agreeing with us for years whilst in opposition, it is incredibly disappointing that Labour in Westminster are resistant to making things fairer for us now that they are in a position to do something about it. It is reminiscent of the failure to change the funding formula during their 13 years in power between 1997 and 2010.
Taking into account our needs, Wales has the worst funding deal of any devolved nation and there is no end in sight to this unfairness.
We are also deprived of £4bn from HS2 funding and other England-only rail projects that fail to deliver consequential funding to Wales.
When you add in the lack of any control over the £835m Crown Estate – which Scotland has control of in its territory – it is easy to see why Plaid Cymru refuses to back Labour on its budget. These are all things that could be remedied with the right political will.
So, when finance minister and ex-First Minister Mark Drakeford talks about a ”day of reckoning,” he is entirely correct. Where he is wrong is that this “day of reckoning” will not be for Plaid Cymru but it will be for his own party and his own government. They are the ones that could deliver a better future for Wales given that they hold power in both Westminster and Wales.
Unfortunately, they choose to do nothing about the things that could deliver transformational change. As things stand, underwhelming and unambitious tinkering around the edges will not cut it for Wales and everyone that lives here.
After the Christmas and New Year break, we are back to it in the Senedd this week and will continue to hold this uninspiring Labour government to account on the key issues of health, education, economy and transport. I know I speak for my Plaid Cymru colleagues when I say we cannot wait to get stuck in.
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Plaid Cymru