15/04/2012 Sunday Politics Wales

Later in the programme, we'll hear from Plaid Cymru about their local

government election campaign and we'll also have all the latest

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 1736 seconds

political news in Wales this week, How low I am Carl Roberts and on

the Sunday Politics Wales, with the council elections just weeks away,

we continue our light grilling of the four main parties. Today it is

Plaid Cymru, who lead Gwynedd and Caerphilly, but also help run

Cardiff and Conwy. I will hear from their local government spokesman

Rhodri Glyn Thomas later. Here are my studio guest. The Conservative

Nick Ramsay and the Liberal Democrat Eluned Parrott. Welcome to

you both. We will start with a a row at UK government level, plans

by the government to cut tax relief on charitable donations. The

treasurer of your party says it will discourage people from giving

to charity, were as the Liberal Democrats think it is a good way of

stopping wealthy people taking advantage of tax loopholes. I do

not think it. People giving to charity. I think there was well

meaning behind these proposals, but we know there have been problems

with certain people writing of their tax bills, using the

charities to do that. It needs to be looked at. The danger is that

when you're party is making cuts to public budgets, they are

encouraging... The big society, more voluntary influence, by giving

less money to charity, they will not be able to pick up the slack.

There is no intention of the government to try to stop people

giving to charity. If the government had not taken action, it

is a no-win situation. Then people would have said that the Coalition

were allowing people to get away with writing of their tax bills.

Something had to be done. It may not be perfect, and the government

they have to look at this, but we are on the right track. A Paddy

Ashdown is not happy about this. It is one of those circumstances where

it is the unforeseen consequences we have to worry about. If there is

a problem with people picking and choosing how they are going to

spend their money, rather than paying into the public part and

pain for everyone's schools and hospitals, this needs to be

addressed. If there is a risk that charities will suffer, we need to

look at that very carefully. will leave it there for now.

Wander into your local high street at the moment and there is a fair

chance you will run into some of our politicians, which may or may

not be good for business. It is a sign that the campaign for the

local elections is in full swing. We have already considered the

Liberal Democrats' prospects on May 3rd and we will look at how the

Conservatives and Labour might do in the coming weeks. Today, our

reporter turned his attention to Plaid Cymru. This woman is

campaigning in her first election as leader of Plaid Cymru. Female,

socialist, republican, she has lived almost all her life in the

South Wales valleys. She is hoping to reach it places the party has

struggled to win over in previous elections. Riverside of me here or

two local authorities with plight Cumbrian power. To my right, there

is Cardiff, where it is the junior Partick with Liberal Democrats. To

my left, Caerphilly, Clyde, is leading their in conjunction with

independence. Apart from the occasional falling out, they have

remained by and large fiercely loyal to the Labour Party for

nearly one century. Plaid Cymru knows winning ground in the that

Leeds is key to challenging Labour's dominance. It has been

playing down its chances, both here and across Wales. I think it is a

tough one for the party. It is why you get those in and around the

leader saying we are in it for the longer term. She has had a matter

of weeks to make an impact and you cannot see this as a referendum on

her. Labour are licking their lips and saying come and get us if you

think you're hard enough. You're saying that you will win the

valleys, and we have won it before, let us see what you have got.

come we did well in the 2008 elections in rural areas. They had

darker moments in some traditional areas. Polls suggest that the

outlook for Labour is much brighter than four years ago. It could be

well placed to rain on Plaid Cymru Parade on May 3rd. He the hold on

to some of the territory they made an get an outright majority in

Gwynedd and if they can pull off a surprise, perhaps taking control of

Carmarthen, which is at the top of their hit list in terms of where

they can exert political power, that would be credible enough for

them. There Labour resurgence in the local elections could make

things difficult for Plaid Cymru and Leanne Wood has only the leader

of the party for one month. members would clearly like some

indication that progress is being made in the South Wales valleys,

not though, at the expense of the party's traditional Welsh-speaking

heartland. Of course, that is precisely the conundrum that

collecting Leanne Wood was intended to resolved.

Before we came on air, I spoke to Plaid Cymru as local government

spokesman Rhodri Glyn Thomas. The chairperson has said that the

selection would not be a referendum on the new leader so why I asked

Rhodri Glyn Thomas if this was playing down expectations. No, she

is facing reality. She was elected as leader of the party six weeks

ago and you cannot call an election later and call a referendum on her

leadership. She is impacting positively on the campaign, I was

at the launch of the campaign and clearly people are responding to

her. She is different and people are fed up with the manufactured

politicians we see these days and there is a freshness about her

which appeals to people. She listens to people, but she has

strong principles. From glancing through the manifesto, do you see

that Leanne Wood is having an impact on party policy? We see more

focus on local procurement and more environmentally impetus on the

party. He is she affecting what the party hopes to do? We did these

things when we were in government. We are hoping to replicate that in

local government. We are trying to empower people at a local level to

work to create an economy which thrives, even though we are facing

teacups from Westminster and affect a Labour government in Cardiff Bay.

The manifesto also says that your ambition for Wales is limited, but

senior sources in your party have been telling asked by your ambition

in this election is to hold on to what you have. That is not much

ambition? I am bemused by these references to senior figures. We

have fielded more candidates this time than ever. Q You expect to

win? I do. We have 551 candidates, more than there had ever been. Far

more than last time. We are looking to win control of councils, to

share control of councils and work on behalf of the people of Wales.

let us concentrate on what you are offering to do. You want to create

sustainable communities as a step towards independence. The

Independent word creeps in again. We we do not mention independence,

people accuse us of trying to hide away from the concept of

independence. When we mention it, it creeps in. It is part of the

party's ideology and what we are talking about is creating vibrant

local economies, local procurement, employment and local levels through

apprenticeships, making the economy work at a local level, were at the

environment is very bad. What is being done by governments in West

minister and Cardiff Bay is not helping the people of Wales.

Councils have less money and will be getting less money over the next

few years, do things like local procurement, do they not cost more?

Do you know that by doing that you will not be say the money? Local

procurement does not necessarily cost more. Do you know that

already? It can be more beneficial to the local economy. We have been

doing this in places like Gwynedd and Caerphilly. We did it in the

one Wales government when we were in power in Cardiff Bay, it can be

done. It strengthens the local economy. It means that it benefits

the economy. I know that the party is playing down the Lehane would

affect, but after any party takes on a new leader, there is a bounce.

Will there be a bounced for Plaid Cymru this time around? Are there

is already abounds. It has happened in the party. They responded

positively to the agenda that she set out and we see it now

throughout the country. I was at the launch of the local government

campaign in Carmarthen and she was there and people were responding

very positively to the fresh approach she offers to politics.

That will be beneficial to the party certainly at this election.

Do you think that Plaid Cymru will be leading more councils on the

days after May 3rd and at the moment? I certainly hope they will

be and it will benefit the people of Wales if they are. Thank you for

joining us. Let us see what our guests make of

it this. Your party work with Plaid Cymru on Cardiff council, are you

pleased with what they are saying? Yes. I think they will have a

bounds at the election with their new leader. It is inevitable. Be

seen to be very positive going into the election campaign in Cardiff,

with a lot of hopes. They have hopes of taking some Labour

strongholds. It is something that is worth watching. What did you

make of their offerings? I think there will be abounds, you would

expect that with a new leader. I would agree with Rhodri Glyn Thomas

when he says that she is a new kind of leader. I am not sure it is

resonating with the people it needs to. The who are those people?

think her policy is to concentrate on the valleys and get Labour votes.

If you look at north, west Wales and rural areas, I do not think may

have much to offer them. You've lost your campaign last week in a

rugby field. A what are the headlines for the prospective?

There was great enthusiasm. There was a packed a rugby club in

Newport. We are reaching out to all parts of Wales. We are fielding

more candidates. There earth no no go areas? We have got more than we

had in 2008 and it is gradual progress for the Welsh

Conservatives and the reaction I am getting is that people look to us

as the party that are talking about the issues they care about.

would expect you to say nothing less. Your party are fielding quite

a few if she were candidates than you did four years ago. Does no one

wants to represent the Lib Dems any more? It is about focusing on the

areas where we want to fight to win. We're concentrating on those core

areas of support and are fielding a good quality of candidates. Quality,

not quantity? People expect a lot from their councillors and council

leaders and the want to show that it is not just about fielding

anyone, it is about fielding the right people. A couple of people

have been turned down. Your party is in charge in Swansea Council and

in Cardiff council, two of the largest councils, do you expect

that you can be in a position in a few weeks' time after the election?

By hope so. We're getting positive reaction on the doors. People are

talking about local issues that mattered to them. In Cardiff, a

people see the jobs and prosperity that a Liberal Democrat leaders of

-- leadership has brought to them and they do not want to go back to

the bad old days of the 11% rises in council tax under Labour. They

do not want to have poor public services. They see what that with

leadership, there is a better opportunity there and I hope that

will be reflected on May 3rd. ever party you are, people like to

see you on the doorstep and that personal interaction. They want to

see face-to-face and hear what you have to say. What issues to be

raised? UK issues, Assembly related issues, was a cancer related

issues? Bit is a whole range. We work with then politics, so we are

aware of all the different levels. On the voting on what your party

has been doing in your local area or what the main government is

doing? The message has got across that my council has cut waste and

management fees in order to freeze council tax this year and we have

been saying that if we have more Conservatives in power, that is the

reality. It is easy to talk in soundbites, but people do not want

that. They know times are difficult and they know the UK government has

to sort out the mess they were left. If you make efficiency savings

locally, there is opportunity to make local areas and communities

far better. Is there a fear in your party that there will be at

backlash from the year involvement in the UK government? It could cost

you, could and it? I think before the election campaign got started,

there was some fear that that might be the case, but when we're on the

doorsteps talking to people, it is the local issues they care about.

The understand the difference between the UK level and the local

level. It is things like investment in estates... It is very localised

issues that matter and they want to see local councillors fighting for

those local things. Thank you. This week, we look back at what has

been happening in politics and we will always you through it in 60

seconds. This MPs said that several overseas companies were interested

in building a new nuclear power station, after report said that

Russia's state nuclear company wanted to get involved. The project

was abandoned by a two energy giants.

The First Minister led the delegation of business people and

academics to India. The three-day trade mission was aimed at raising

Wales's Pro Fide and building educational links.

Around 50 workers and their supporters from a threatened

factory lobby did the Deputy Prime Minister as he visited the town. It

is one of seven well sites facing closure by the British government.

A Freedom of Information request feel a -- revealed that the 22 Ms

the stood down at the last elections got more than �840,000 in

resettlement grants. Assembly officials said the rules had been

changed for the future. Before we go, let us see what our

guest think about that. Nick Ramsay, people do not like seeing

taxpayers' money given out randomly. Have you heard anything on the

doorstep yet of that use of �140,000 to give a Ms a send-off

when they leave the Assembly. focus on the issues you want, but

something like this blows up a... It is not a new story. There was

this concern about the golden handshakes when politicians or

Assembly members leave office. It is being looked at. The horse has

bolted and the remuneration panel had made clear that in future we

will be down to far less when MPs retire and it is being sorted out.

We should not have got to this position. It is not the kind of

thing that pains politicians in a good light, because people think

you have your hand in the tail and only think of yourself. In it is a

perception. It is a frustration for someone like me who is new to

politics and you do not going to rip thinking that it is a gravy

train, you go into it hoping that you can make a difference. Stories

like this, more thought needs to be given, not only to the fact that

fairness for the politicians when they are leaving, but also fairness

to the public purse. What is a reasonable amount to pay people? We

want to make sure that ordinary people can go into politics, so we

have to pay people and pay a reasonable salary if you want to

get good people. When the tax payers see things like this, they

do not think it is a good use of their money. You obviously feel

wounded by that's a! The rules have been changed now. People who decide

to step down will not be getting any payment. Will that lead people

to stay on until they lose their seats? There is a danger of that.

It is a question of balance. The old system had to change. The six

months' salary was too much, but you have to make sure that if

people are giving up the jobs, it say in their 30s, then you have to

give them something to attract them. Likewise, people will go into

politics, they always have and they always will, because they care

about it. Were it puts people of? There is a danger that it will.