Welsh Labour Manifesto Election 2017

... APPLAUSE.

Thank you everybody for coming today and thanks For hosting us here. You

have been generous with your facilities. Working with Welsh

Government and local employers, schools and universities, our

colleges are giving young people a head start in life. We know that FE

is under massive, sustained pressure in England. It's a Cinderella

sector, they're devoid of the support that it deserves. Different

priorities, different choices, different outcomes. In the UK

manifesto launches in recent days, we saw that contrast so sharply

didn't we from Labour policies that resonated, that showed that we still

believe in society and that no-one should be left behind. From the

Tories, we had something different. I'm not sure what the official title

of the document was, but it should probably be called "cruel

intentions", the nasty party is back and how. A dementia tax, an end to

the triple lock and yet another social care contrick. It was all

made clear this morning apparently for those that watched it. They were

none the wiser as to what is going to happen in England. Their

manifesto says one thing to older people in this country, and it's

this message - the Tories are taking you for granted. They think you're

in the bag. They've moved on. They think this is over. How does that

make you feel? And what did they say about Wales in their manifesto?

Barely a mention comment for a series of thinly vealed threats

about withdrawing funding and decision-making from our

communities. We have heard Rhodri Mentioned this morning. He said we

don't trust them and they don't understand us.

APPLAUSE. On so many things, Rhodri's words

remain prescient. How proud he was of what we've helped to build

together as Welsh Labour, he was indisputably the person more than

any other who made those words Welsh Labour move from an idea, a title,

to a real campaigning fire breathing entity. We all owe Rhodri a debt of

gratitude, none more than me. I know that everyone of us in this room

could share a memory, a story or a favourite saying about Rhodri, he

truly was one of a kind. It is difficult for us to think about life

without him, not least because he was still giving so much to our

party and our country. No easy retirement for Rhodri. A bit more

time in the garden and with his grandchildren, but he was still on

the doorsteps fighting for votes, fighting for Labour. And I know our

thoughts are with Julie and the family at this difficult time.

He'll be our inspiration in the days and weeks ahead. Much was made of

Rhodri's affable nature but by God he was a determined man and he knew

the value of winning. He wouldn't accept defeat. When he got knocked

back he came back twice as strong. That's the bit of Rhodri we are

going to take into the campaign over the next few days. Rest in peace

Rhodri, we'll do our best to make you proud.

APPLAUSE. Despite the many advantage we made

as a party in Wales over the years some people have still questioned

why we need a separate Welsh Labour manifesto but it's simple, the same

reasons we produced our Welsh Labour manifesto in every general election,

we have always understood political parties don't choose what elections

are about, not even the media does that to their eternal frustration,

voters decide what the issues are that matter to them. That's why we

feel it's important for us in one document to detail what Welsh Labour

wants to do on all the things that matter to people and communities. So

alongside the commitments we have for the NHS in Wales there are

ambitious pledges about defence, tax and Brexit. We have seen already in

the manifesto launched last week by Jeremy what a difference it makes

having a stronger Welsh Labour presence in that process. A

commitment to make right the mess of the Tory Wales act and adopting our

approach which will bring clarity for devolution. As I discussed the

manifesto with colleagues across the party it made me proud we were

debating how to make this country a favour and better place to live.

Today we build on that work. Our Welsh manifesto is an ambitious,

comprehensive plan of what Welsh Labour can do together, working in

the assembly and Westminster. Unlike the Tories we stand ready to deliver

on big projects that will get our economy moving. Support for tidal

lagoons starting with the Swansea project, support also for rail

electrification. The Metro project and the new development bank for

Wales. The Tories have done nothing to advance Welsh infrastructure in

the last seven years and they will do nothing for the next five if they

are given the chance. We need a strong team of Welsh Labour MPs

working with us in the assembly, we have done so much but we need to do

more to put these issues high up the agenda. To do that we need two

Labour governments working together to make our economy work for

everyone, not just a few people at the top. Working in partnership. I

can tell you, Welsh Labour will commit to protecting the funding

that would have come to Wales through the EU, the Tories want a

promise that, our communities will lose out but we promise to protect

that money. APPLAUSE That money will be spent in Wales on

Welsh priorities, not stashed away in Whitehall is as the Tories are

threatening. We will fulfil the promises that Tories and Ukip say

they will break because we believe in fairness and delivering on what

people have a right to expect. After years of Tory cuts an estimated ?1.5

billion extra will come to Wales every year through a UK Labour

spending plan. And on the election of a Labour government in

Westminster we are committed to an immediate, brands of spending review

in Wales. We will allocate any new resources to priority areas, job

creation, the NHS and education. Remember that each cut made to the

Welsh Labour budget made our work more difficult. It denied our

classrooms the investment we would want to put in. It cut the numbers

of doctors and nurses we could employ. It closed much loved

libraries and community leisure centres because of the cuts Tories

imposed. And for what? Have they balanced the books? They have not.

Debt has doubled under the Tories. They have doubled debt and slashed

public services to add insult to injury. Look at the Tory vision now

for public services just 12 miles over the border. The trumpet

policies like grammar schools, nobody says bring back the secondary

modern is, they say bring back grammar schools. They promote

selection, they have given up on the idea of good public services for

everyone. A great education for all will be off the table and other

Tories in England. Even David Cameron's government did not go that

far. They are going to focus on the interests of the few and not the

many. That's not something we are doing in Wales, from education to

skills to the economy we are building a future, a decent home, a

good job and a great school for everyone, a fairer deal for us all.

Because fairness is at the heart of our approach. So today we set out

how we will get our economy growing again through serious infrastructure

investment in Wales. Through our new approach to developing skills and

supporting businesses to grow. And it's not just about more work, it's

about better work and today Welsh Labour also sets out our different

approach to fear work. Working through a genuine social partnership

with public service employers, businesses and trade unions we are

committed to tackling the issues. So we will establish a fear work

commission, building on what we have achieved with the workforce

partnership Council. One thing I can promise you is we will continue with

our work to repeal the UK trade union act for devolved public

services. APPLAUSE We will end the practice of

blacklisting. We will enforce ethical procurement practices and we

will end the use of exploitative zero-hour contracts. That's

something we are doing now. And that's the difference we can make

together, we need to remind people in every constituency that really

it's only a vote for Welsh Labour that can make that difference. A

vote for a Plaid Cymru in this election will help the Conservatives

build a bigger majority. It's that simple. But more than that it's time

to remind voters that time and time again Plaid Cymru do not make the

choices Wales need. Voting with the Tories and Ukip to deny the NHS more

money. Voting with the Tories and Ukip to try to form an unholy

coalition to run the Welsh government. What job would be a

Hamilton have got in that administration I wonder? It's the

different vision for Wales you want, that is what most people are saying

to me. But to get that people have to vote for it and that means voting

Welsh Labour. Nowhere is the different vision for the next five

years more stark can hear in the north of Wales, a place which is a

mystery Theresa May, should not know she this morning. Work is underway

across the Welsh Labour government to help successfully deliver the 14

billion project and ensure it brings good quality jobs, infrastructure

and housing to the entire region. No mention of that in the Plaid Cymru

manifesto and I wonder why? We announced a ?20 million fund to

establish an advanced research as to Jude which will support key

employers in the region and help develop game changing new

technologies in areas such as aerospace, nuclear and automotive.

In March we announced plans to invest more than ?200 million in the

EA 55 corridor to ensure the region has been modern strategic road

network it needs to support the growing economy. We are leading the

way in developing a North Wales growth deal which will see the North

Wales mainline electrified and new links developed with the Northern

powerhouse in England and the Midlands engine. The Tories have

gone quiet about this, just as they have fallen silent on any new

investment year in the north of Wales. We have committed ?50 million

to taking forward the first phase of the North East Wales Metro, to

develop an integrated transport system. It is a Labour who will

ensure ages two has regular and accessible links to the north of

Wales to support the economy. We are backing a third crossing to support

the economy of the north-west of Wales. ?1 million of funding to

develop a new business hub in Wrexham. And we have announced the

development bank for Wales will be located here in the north. Our

commitment to the steel industry helped save jobs all across Wales

including of course in Shotton. We are making available ?60 million for

all sites in all those sites to be developed, I can tell you that since

summer of last year the Tories have shown no interest at all in our

steel industry. We have worked with Tata Steel, we met them in Mumbai

and London and Cardiff, I visited every one of their sites in Wales

because of the sheer hard work of a Welsh Labour government we have

those steel jobs in Wales and don't ever let the Tories tell you

anything different. APPLAUSE People are right to say North Wales

is a battle ground just as it was in the assembly election, do you

remember when the Tories said they would make a clean sweep? I appeared

at the ITV studios to be told the Tories were talking up victory,

telling people they would win all their target seat in Wales and they

didn't. It was their arrogance which was there an doing and we are seeing

signs of that again, taking people for granted and thinking they have a

God-given right to rule. The people of Wales no different. They said

last year they had won Wrexham, a done deal they said, but the people

of the north of Wales show them there was no done deal, now being

taken for granted, no Tory walkover and it's what Wales needs again to

make sure we have as many Welsh Labour MPs as possible from the

north and across Wales to ensure the Welsh voice is strong in

Westminster. The strong message people can give is that only Welsh

Labour MPs will fight for jobs, only Welsh Labour MPs will fly the flag

for the North. We do not need more Tory MPs from Wales who will make up

a parliament of sheep blue rosettes. What we need our Welsh Labour MPs

fighting for their constituents and the people of Wales. This is a

manifesto for the north and the whole of Wales. I don't know how

many of you saw the TV debate on ITV last week, the Tory leader openly

mocked for repeating the Tory campaign strapline of strong and

stable, the irony this morning! The people in that crowd were right to

do so because people in Wales deserve better than slogans repeated

over and over and over again. They need policies. The Tories think they

can sneak their way through the a couple of sound bites, no new

policies and hiding their candidates. And they're Prime

Minister, away from public attention. It's an embarrassing

campaign and it's because of this simple truth. They have worked out

that the more people see of them the less they like them. The more they

are reminded of what happened the last time the Tories trampled all

over Wales, the more they are reminded of the fact that the nasty

party never went anywhere. They just got a bit better at hiding their

intentions. Well, we cannot give them a free pass, we cannot let them

hide away. Welsh Labour is here to call them out and this is what our

manifesto does today, a comprehensive vision for the future

of our country, a vision full of hope based on fairness and

prosperity for all. Because friends, this is Welsh Labour, standing up

for Wales. APPLAUSE