25/03/2012

:00:18. > :00:24.The sun is shining and Wales's newest city. The Conservatives had

:00:24. > :00:31.decided to come to St Asaph for their spring gathering. It is the

:00:31. > :00:36.last political party in Wales to do so this spring. We will get a pre-

:00:36. > :00:40.election rally. The politicians are here and the party faithful are

:00:40. > :00:43.here today. Perhaps the headlines in some of the newspapers this

:00:44. > :00:47.morning and not ideal for party members but they will be plenty to

:00:47. > :00:57.discuss between this, the budget and the local elections to be held

:00:57. > :01:01.

:01:01. > :01:06.in May. Plenty to discuss with my It is with great pleasure that I

:01:06. > :01:10.introduce our first speaker, Cheryl Gillan, the Secretary of State for

:01:10. > :01:18.Wales. She gives an enormous amount of time and energy to visit Wales.

:01:18. > :01:22.She also has time to all support the working party in Wales and

:01:22. > :01:26.visits various events and fundraisers. She is a member of the

:01:26. > :01:30.Welsh port and has a strong link between Westminster and Wales. She

:01:30. > :01:35.provides the important connection between the government and every

:01:35. > :01:44.aspect of Welsh life. It includes Sir important role with the

:01:44. > :01:52.National Assembly as well as with the business and voluntary sector.

:01:52. > :02:02.She is uniquely placed to represent the aspect of all life in Wales to

:02:02. > :02:02.

:02:02. > :02:06.represent us on the Cabinet. Our second speaker today is Andrew RT

:02:06. > :02:11.Davies, the Conservative leader in the Assembly. He is also a member

:02:12. > :02:20.of the board and is a key link with the Conservative group at the

:02:20. > :02:24.Assembly. He is a farmer from a well-known family in the Vale of

:02:24. > :02:29.Glamorgan. With the free time he has he likes to keep in touch with

:02:29. > :02:32.the running of the farm. He remains a prominent member of the

:02:32. > :02:36.agriculture committee in the Vale of Glamorgan and in Wales. He is a

:02:36. > :02:40.former chairman of the Vale branch of the National Farmers' Union.

:02:40. > :02:44.Since becoming Leader of the Opposition, he has displayed a

:02:44. > :02:49.massive commitment and support to the people of words and he has

:02:50. > :02:56.visited many people and places all over the country. He has also

:02:56. > :03:01.undertaken and spoken at many annual general meetings. He

:03:01. > :03:05.recently took a group visit to the North Wales area. He has had a

:03:05. > :03:08.great deal of experience in the private sector through his business

:03:08. > :03:16.interests, this gives them a distinct advantage in the Assembly.

:03:16. > :03:19.He shows -- it shows in his hard- hitting questions and regularly

:03:19. > :03:23.challenges of the First Minister at Question Time. It is my pleasure to

:03:23. > :03:33.invite Cheryl Gillan to address you and Andrew to follow. Thank you

:03:33. > :03:41.

:03:41. > :03:45.Good morning, France. Isn't it fantastic to be here in St Asaph.

:03:45. > :03:55.Who would have thought a couple of weeks ago that we would be meeting

:03:55. > :03:55.

:03:55. > :04:05.in the newest city in Wales. It is something we are very proud of. Can

:04:05. > :04:05.

:04:05. > :04:11.I also just say an enormous thanks to Mike Scott for this wonderful

:04:11. > :04:15.venue for hour rally today. For me it is really good to be back in

:04:15. > :04:22.North Wales where certainly we Conservatives have enjoyed such

:04:22. > :04:31.improving fortunes in recent years. We have gained support and seats

:04:31. > :04:36.and we have gained votes. No more than in Conservative Aberconwy.

:04:37. > :04:45.Sitting down here at the front, Janet Finch-Saunders and one so

:04:45. > :04:49.brilliantly from Plaid Cymru in the last Assembly elections. Well done.

:04:49. > :04:53.That completed the triumph of taking it from Labour at the

:04:53. > :04:57.general election and I am telling you ladies and gentlemen, let us

:04:57. > :05:05.make it a hat-trick and take control of the council at the

:05:05. > :05:09.elections in May. We want more councillors, we want control over

:05:09. > :05:14.more councils, we want more members of Parliament and more Assembly

:05:14. > :05:23.members and we want to continue with that very strong voice in

:05:23. > :05:28.Europe with Dr Kay Swinburne who is here today. It is only by winning

:05:28. > :05:34.more seats that we will have a greater say in our country's future.

:05:34. > :05:39.I bring greetings from the Prime Minister. He has been going right

:05:39. > :05:43.around the country, visiting Conservatives up and down for the

:05:43. > :05:48.forthcoming elections. He senses very best to every single candidate

:05:48. > :05:53.here and he will be coming to Wales to meet with some of you over the

:05:53. > :05:58.course of the next few weeks. This morning, we will hear from a star

:05:58. > :06:01.studded crowd. We were here from Andrew RT Davies, our fantastic new

:06:01. > :06:07.leader in the Assembly and who will hear from many of our Assembly

:06:07. > :06:10.members and councillors. I have with me our own Parliamentary

:06:10. > :06:16.Under-Secretary of State, the fantastic David Jones will give us

:06:16. > :06:21.a fantastic general view of how government is going. We can

:06:21. > :06:27.guarantee you an action-packed morning and afternoon. In the weeks

:06:27. > :06:35.ahead, we must redouble our efforts as the canvas in these local

:06:35. > :06:40.elections. The building blocks of any political party are it local

:06:40. > :06:46.government representatives. Councillors are truly the DNA of

:06:46. > :06:52.our party. We need to gain more and more at each election. We have come

:06:52. > :06:57.so far in Wales over the past decade because we have kept that

:06:57. > :07:06.momentum up year after year. We cannot afford to let the progress

:07:06. > :07:12.we have made a slip through our fingers. But these are difficult

:07:12. > :07:19.times. At home and abroad. The miserable economic legacy we

:07:19. > :07:24.inherited means we are once again teaming up Labour's mess. Working

:07:24. > :07:30.to balance the books after they left the country with the biggest

:07:30. > :07:37.debt in living memory, paying one and and �20 million a day in

:07:37. > :07:42.interest alone. But the measures the Chancellor set out in the

:07:42. > :07:48.Budget will ensure continuing economic stability, Supporting

:07:48. > :07:55.families and those on low incomes. Benefiting business to drive up

:07:55. > :08:03.growth. Paying down our debt and keeping interest rates low and

:08:03. > :08:08.confidence in our economy high. We will stick to our guns and show a

:08:08. > :08:16.we can live within our means. Let us not forget Labour borrowed our

:08:16. > :08:23.country into debt. We must now earn an hour or way out. To do that, we

:08:23. > :08:31.are investing in the tools we need in Wales to move forward. For

:08:31. > :08:35.business, super-fast broadband, mobile phone signal improvements,

:08:35. > :08:41.the rail electrification and finance for the enterprise zones,

:08:41. > :08:46.lower business taxes and at the same time, helping hard-working

:08:46. > :08:55.families by taking 95,000 people out of paying any income tax

:08:55. > :09:00.whatsoever. Reducing taxes on over 1.1 million people in Wales. We

:09:00. > :09:06.have even found additional money for the Dutch government, some 500

:09:06. > :09:13.million since 2010, over and above the a regular Bloxham. We are

:09:13. > :09:19.thinking ahead. We are now looking at the future governance of Wales

:09:19. > :09:24.through the silk Commission. Labour think we are up to something. They

:09:24. > :09:30.think we have an ulterior motive. They are right. I want to secure a

:09:30. > :09:36.future for Wales, I Want To Welsh Government to be more accountable

:09:36. > :09:42.for the money it spends. I want to make sure the decisions and

:09:42. > :09:44.expenditure are fair to taxpayers across the United Kingdom, just as

:09:44. > :09:54.all plans for electoral reform will be fair to voters across the

:09:54. > :09:59.country as well. As we approach this next election, let us look at

:09:59. > :10:05.Labour's records in Wales. Is this the sort of records that makes you

:10:06. > :10:12.proud? Under Labour, 40% of pupils start secondary schools not able to

:10:12. > :10:19.read properly. Less money is being spent on each school child in Wales

:10:19. > :10:23.compared to England. A third of children live in poverty. People

:10:23. > :10:31.cannot give the drugs they need which are available in England.

:10:31. > :10:36.Hospital waiting times and are not acceptable. Council tax has more

:10:36. > :10:42.than doubled. Households and being denied a chance to have their bills

:10:42. > :10:46.chosen as we have done in England. Prosperity levels are down,

:10:46. > :10:50.manufacturing is down, weekly earnings are down and business

:10:50. > :11:00.start-ups are down. This is what Labour has done to Wales and we

:11:00. > :11:05.

:11:05. > :11:10.Last year, Labour campaigned for primary legislative powers for the

:11:10. > :11:16.Assembly. I cannot be the only one who is underwhelmed by the

:11:16. > :11:26.legislative programme for the year. Their vision has been uninspiring

:11:26. > :11:29.and complacent. But it is a gentleman, we are planning ahead

:11:29. > :11:32.and under Andrew RT Davies's leadership in the Assembly, working

:11:32. > :11:38.with me, David Jones and Kay Swinburne and the Conservatives in

:11:38. > :11:46.the British Government, we can achieve much better for Wales. We

:11:46. > :11:53.can transform the fortunes of our country. But until we can bring

:11:53. > :12:01.about that transformation, we must try to ensure Labour to not waste

:12:01. > :12:05.the opportunity of co-operation. Let me tell you, Wales must have to

:12:05. > :12:11.governments working in the national interest, not one. Uncertainty in

:12:11. > :12:15.the global economy forces my belief that the interests of all of Wales

:12:15. > :12:25.are best served when both governments representing Wales

:12:25. > :12:32.

:12:32. > :12:42.worked together, not against each Wales's interests are also best

:12:42. > :12:44.

:12:45. > :12:51.served in the union, not on its I am hot foot from Scotland as they

:12:51. > :12:55.say. I firmly believe that Wales must not be isolated from the rest

:12:55. > :13:02.of the United Kingdom as it would under the new leadership of Plaid

:13:02. > :13:07.Cymru. I hope that Plaid Cymru voters will see in the Welsh

:13:07. > :13:12.Conservatives a great alternative. As a party, we respect the right of

:13:12. > :13:18.local administrations to make their own decisions in devolved areas. We

:13:18. > :13:21.have been crystal clear in our commitment to the Queen and to the

:13:21. > :13:31.United Kingdom and to keeping it together. I make no apology for

:13:31. > :13:37.

:13:37. > :13:43.speaking out in defence of the We Conservatives must stand at for

:13:43. > :13:48.the national interest. To be fair, Labour have said they support the

:13:48. > :13:52.union and I hope they will work with us to do just that. Just think

:13:52. > :13:56.of it, events such as the London Olympics and the Paralympics and

:13:56. > :14:04.the Queen's diamond jubilee reminders why the union is so

:14:04. > :14:09.important to all of us. They also Wales in showcasing our country as

:14:09. > :14:12.part of Britain to the rest of the world. They remind us why the

:14:12. > :14:19.interdependence of the four nations of the United Kingdom is so

:14:19. > :14:29.important. It is interdependence, not independence that we want.

:14:29. > :14:34.

:14:34. > :14:39.Conservatives will back our union So now, we face another challenge

:14:39. > :14:44.in the weeks ahead. To put power back into the hands of communities

:14:44. > :14:50.across Wales. To give people a bigger say over their own lives. I

:14:50. > :14:55.think we can only do that by acting more Welsh Conservative councillors.

:14:55. > :15:05.That means more Welsh Conservative candidates standing in May's

:15:05. > :15:05.

:15:05. > :15:10.We are on target to be fielding candidates in every council area

:15:10. > :15:14.and we must go out there and remind people what we want to do and what

:15:14. > :15:20.we have already done for local government in England since taking

:15:20. > :15:27.office at Westminster. In England we have scrapped Labour's plans for

:15:27. > :15:32.expensive and intrusive council tax revaluations after Labour has

:15:32. > :15:36.failed at costly experiment here in Wales. In England we have frozen

:15:36. > :15:43.council tax, something they but refuses to do in Wales. What we

:15:43. > :15:48.need in Wales is a great relief schemes, less red tape, a

:15:48. > :15:51.simplified planning regime. These are the things we want for Wales

:15:51. > :15:57.and only a vote for the Conservatives can deliver back. At

:15:57. > :16:07.the moment in Wales we currently hold the same number of councils as

:16:07. > :16:07.

:16:08. > :16:14.Labour. And after those elections in May I want more councillors

:16:14. > :16:18.pitting the Welsh Conservative polities -- policies into action,

:16:19. > :16:23.improving procurement, delivering value for money, and using

:16:23. > :16:30.transparency so the public can see how their money is being spent. I

:16:30. > :16:35.want us to build on the work of castles like Newport, which has

:16:35. > :16:41.invested, helps businesses we locate, and restored an iconic part

:16:41. > :16:45.of its own heritage. In the Vale of Glamorgan we have led the way it on

:16:45. > :16:50.council transparency by being the first Council in Wales to publish

:16:50. > :17:00.expenditure over �500. Newport does the same. More mature has gone

:17:00. > :17:01.

:17:01. > :17:07.further by publishing all expenditure over �1. --

:17:07. > :17:14.Monmouthshire. We face the challenge of keeping our economy on

:17:14. > :17:21.track. As we approach the next campaign let's work together.

:17:21. > :17:26.Supporting Andrew, and how would director and fantastic professional

:17:26. > :17:31.team and the voluntary party. Let's focus on the things that matter to

:17:31. > :17:36.people. Let's work together to get more people into work, help

:17:36. > :17:41.families meet the challenges of daily life, help support the old

:17:41. > :17:45.and vulnerable in our society, but also give our children the best

:17:45. > :17:51.start in life. Let's work together in winning the biggest challenge of

:17:51. > :17:56.all, the fight for the very future of our country. A country which

:17:56. > :18:05.provides stability and security, and which proves we are stronger

:18:05. > :18:09.together than we are apart. Let's go out there and take those seats

:18:10. > :18:19.and let's take the Conservatives in Wales from strength to strength.

:18:20. > :18:37.

:18:37. > :18:44.But you very much. -- thank you Now, ladies and gentlemen, there is

:18:44. > :18:48.always a double act, and I have the great pleasure to introduce the

:18:48. > :18:58.other half, our new leader of the Conservatives, at the Welsh

:18:58. > :19:08.

:19:08. > :19:15.Conservatives, will you give a warm Thank you very much for those kind

:19:15. > :19:19.and warm words and plenty for your excellent speech. One of the perks

:19:19. > :19:24.or drawbacks of the leader is people insist you read pre-prepared

:19:24. > :19:29.speeches. As many of you know I tend to stand before people and go

:19:29. > :19:33.off the cuff but when you're the leader you have to stick to a line

:19:33. > :19:39.that is what we as Conservatives believe passionately in. I'll go

:19:39. > :19:44.round this room and I can see many candidates, many former candidates,

:19:44. > :19:49.and I want to say a big thank you to you all for all the time is what

:19:49. > :19:53.you do on behalf of our great party. We are a party of volunteers, that

:19:53. > :20:01.believes in values, and a Popple, we take those follies and campaign

:20:01. > :20:07.on those venues -- and above all we take those values. We do not take

:20:07. > :20:11.anything for granted, not one inch, Yard, meter. When we are

:20:11. > :20:17.campaigning we have to fight tirelessly here in Wales to make

:20:17. > :20:21.sure we gain the ground and represent the communities that so

:20:21. > :20:31.desperately need representation here in Wales. It is great to be

:20:31. > :20:35.

:20:35. > :20:42.here in St assai. It is probably Britain's newest city -- Sidath

:20:42. > :20:47.faff -- St Asaph. We celebrate the decade -- dedication of service the

:20:47. > :20:57.Queen has given this great country of ours. This is now Wales's match

:20:57. > :20:58.

:20:58. > :21:03.-- second smallest city after son David's. -- St David's. I would

:21:03. > :21:13.like to extend my congratulations to Leanne Wood as she takes up the

:21:13. > :21:17.

:21:17. > :21:22.leadership of Wales'second smallest For a small place it has shown what

:21:22. > :21:25.can be achieved through local leadership and enterprise, from the

:21:25. > :21:29.religious leaders who came together in the 16th century to translate

:21:29. > :21:34.the Bible into Welsh, today's leaders in science and technology,

:21:34. > :21:39.who are working together to pioneer and innovate research and

:21:39. > :21:44.development, including the European Space Observatory. The people of

:21:44. > :21:49.this city may be a small community but they harness and shape the

:21:49. > :21:59.Times. Just as a mild mannered died of a man wants help shape the

:21:59. > :22:11.

:22:11. > :22:16.Though a year has almost gone since he passed away we continue to learn

:22:16. > :22:20.from his example, and it is this sense of local purpose and

:22:21. > :22:26.initiative I would like to talk to you about it today. In a few weeks

:22:26. > :22:29.many of you will become candidates in the local elections. We will be

:22:29. > :22:37.fighting these local government elections with conviction and

:22:37. > :22:40.passion, fielding candidates across the whole of Wales, from Conway

:22:40. > :22:45.around the country. We are working hard to show wealth can show the

:22:45. > :22:49.chips -- the message is just as loud and relatives as it is in the

:22:49. > :22:56.north and south, at the east and west. In rural communities as well

:22:56. > :23:06.as in our towns and cities. Today they Iraq no no-go areas for the

:23:06. > :23:08.

:23:08. > :23:14.This election is about building on the hard work our party has given

:23:14. > :23:19.two previous election candidates. We intend to fight for every vote

:23:19. > :23:25.in Wales. It would not be right for me not to mention hard work without

:23:25. > :23:30.paying tribute to Nick who led our group with dedication and skill,

:23:30. > :23:35.and I found him for all he has done for the Welsh Conservatives, and I

:23:35. > :23:39.am pleased to say he is today representing us on the Silk

:23:39. > :23:44.Commission. Since I became leader last year I have been out across

:23:44. > :23:48.the communities of Wales hearing the views of the people of Wales.

:23:48. > :23:55.In January I began the first of my community engagement for a meeting

:23:55. > :24:02.to meeting civic business leaders. A few weeks ago I continued the

:24:02. > :24:07.discussions in Anglesey. BT, NFU, Queer to, they have all come to

:24:07. > :24:11.speak to us, -- Toyota. Along with representatives from schools,

:24:11. > :24:15.colleges and universities. Local health board, local authorities,

:24:15. > :24:21.all have chosen to engage with the Welsh Conservatives. The ideas they

:24:21. > :24:25.have contributed will be used directly to guide and shape the

:24:25. > :24:29.Welsh Conservative group policy for the future. Policy that has

:24:29. > :24:35.undoubtedly made all the more stronger over the years thanks to

:24:35. > :24:39.the contribution of David Melding. He has worked tirelessly as our

:24:39. > :24:45.policy director in the Assembly since day one. He has often pointed

:24:45. > :24:50.out the people of Wales believed in before themselves. He is the Deputy

:24:50. > :24:55.Presiding Officer and I am sure you would like to take this opportunity

:24:55. > :25:05.to back him for all the work he has done over the years for the Welsh

:25:05. > :25:09.

:25:09. > :25:13.It is also a great pleasure for me to have appointed Susie Davies to

:25:13. > :25:16.take up the new role of policy director with the Welsh

:25:16. > :25:19.Conservative group. The Welsh Conservatives have long believed

:25:19. > :25:25.policy works best when it is influence and informed by those

:25:25. > :25:29.whose lives and livelihoods it has the potential to affect. That is

:25:29. > :25:33.why we continue to oppose as three- quarters of the Welsh population

:25:33. > :25:38.oppose Labour's record breaking cuts to the Welsh NHS which will

:25:38. > :25:44.see more than half a billion pounds axed from the health service over

:25:44. > :25:47.the next three years and put front line services at risk. It is why we

:25:47. > :25:50.supported local businesses in Cardiff calling for the Welsh

:25:50. > :25:54.government to bid for the Green Investment Bank to be located in

:25:55. > :25:58.our capital city and why we continue to call for the Welsh

:25:58. > :26:03.government to match the UK Government's commitment to

:26:03. > :26:06.introduce a cancer drugs fund here in Wales in order to get vital

:26:06. > :26:12.life-prolonging drugs to the patients that desperately need

:26:12. > :26:17.those drugs. Every vote for Labour candidate in mate is a vote that

:26:17. > :26:22.endorses Labour's decision to deny cancer patients access to life-

:26:22. > :26:26.prolonging drugs -- in May. In the Assembly we stand up proudly as the

:26:26. > :26:30.official opposition. We do so in order to make the strongest

:26:30. > :26:35.possible case for the people we represent. The Welsh Conservative

:26:35. > :26:40.group in Cardiff Bay the standing up, speaking out every day, four

:26:40. > :26:44.people all over Wales, and I am indeed incredibly proud to lead

:26:44. > :26:48.hour at most able group and I fed each and every one of our Assembly

:26:48. > :26:52.members, many of whom are here today, for the passion and

:26:52. > :26:57.dedication with which they fulfil their roles. Whilst others may be

:26:57. > :27:01.keen to state their case on a cause supported by only 7% of the Welsh

:27:01. > :27:06.population the Welsh Conservatives are clear the future of Wales lies

:27:06. > :27:11.in maintaining strong links with the union. We all know a debate is

:27:11. > :27:15.going on in Scotland about the future of the United Kingdom. I

:27:15. > :27:19.believe the union delivers strength for Wales. There are some in Wales

:27:19. > :27:26.who would wish to sever the ties, even the First Minister speaks of

:27:26. > :27:30.looser ties, so much so we -- that recently a thought he was a late

:27:30. > :27:35.entrant into the Plaid Cymru leadership race. We should not

:27:35. > :27:40.allow the union to crumble. Our United Kingdom has become a source

:27:40. > :27:46.of cultural ties, personal ties, common bonds, before we mention the

:27:46. > :27:50.huge economic advantages of being a global trading power. As long as

:27:51. > :27:54.the overriding majority of the winch -- Welsh people continue to

:27:54. > :27:59.loudly call on us to take our place with England, Scotland and Northern

:27:59. > :28:09.Ireland in the United Kingdom, they will have no stronger friend then

:28:09. > :28:13.the Welsh Conservative Party. -- than the Welsh Conservative Party.

:28:13. > :28:18.And they will have the support of a first-class team. I am proud to be

:28:18. > :28:24.part of a strong team in the Welsh Conservative Party, work with Kate

:28:24. > :28:28.Swindon, work alongside our fantastic members of parliament,

:28:28. > :28:31.with so many dedicated and passionate local councillors in

:28:31. > :28:38.local government, and I am proud to work with colleagues in the Welsh

:28:38. > :28:40.Office, Cheryl and David. They have announced the electrification of

:28:40. > :28:43.the Great Western main line, delivered a referendum on further

:28:43. > :28:49.powers and set up the Silk Commission. It is by being part of

:28:49. > :28:53.a team like this that demonstrates the people of Wales with Welsh

:28:53. > :28:58.Conservatives acting when people cast their vote. We to live at owl

:28:58. > :29:03.-- on our promises. We are working with local communities, fighting

:29:03. > :29:07.for local concerns. Our involvement with local communities does not

:29:07. > :29:12.stop there and it certainly does not stop on the 3rd May. Instead we

:29:12. > :29:17.plant to go even further. Welsh Conservatives believe devolution

:29:17. > :29:21.should bring government closer to the people it represents. Labour's

:29:21. > :29:25.top-down centralised control has run its course and run Wales down.

:29:25. > :29:31.Whilst Warren Gatland has given us a Grand Slam, Carwyn Jones and

:29:31. > :29:35.Welsh Labour have given us the wooden spoon. Labour feels it has a

:29:35. > :29:40.divine right to rule in Wales, and I think that is a very important

:29:40. > :29:44.point people should pick on -- pick up on. In many communities there is

:29:44. > :29:48.a belief only Labour have the right to rule, represent communities, but

:29:48. > :29:53.will we go out in the next couple of weeks and months campaigning we

:29:53. > :29:57.need to break that dominance of Labour, we need to speak up for

:29:58. > :30:03.communities across the whole of Wales so that they know there is a

:30:03. > :30:13.real Welsh alternative to the failed ideology that Labour have

:30:13. > :30:23.

:30:23. > :30:28.You have to ask yourself what did they think has been in charge for

:30:28. > :30:34.the last 10 years. Carwyn Jones offers the people nothing but

:30:34. > :30:40.posturing. Labour cannot be trusted on the economy. There is no support

:30:40. > :30:43.for small businesses. Little or no idea for the education system. A

:30:43. > :30:48.referendum that was fought last March for further law-making powers

:30:48. > :30:56.supposedly to give the government the powers to do the job, we have

:30:56. > :31:00.had one piece of legislation on local government by laws. I do not

:31:00. > :31:03.think you'll find a legislature or in the Western world with an

:31:03. > :31:08.incoming government has made so little use of its ability to

:31:08. > :31:18.legislate and govern. There is no ambition, no drive, no

:31:18. > :31:19.

:31:19. > :31:24.determination. Stone-age policies and a stone-age spirit. There are

:31:24. > :31:28.the stone-age family. What about their old comrades, Plaid Cymru.

:31:28. > :31:31.They promise just more of the same. They want to break away from the

:31:31. > :31:38.United Kingdom without answering any questions about why it would be

:31:38. > :31:43.better. For a handful of people who voted for them last year, we now

:31:43. > :31:47.have Leanne Wood. She stands for isolation, socialism, republicanism.

:31:47. > :31:52.I say directly to the people who voted for Plaid Cymru in the past,

:31:52. > :31:58.if you want eight -- if you are repeated, if you're proud of the

:31:58. > :32:08.community, heritage, culture and language than your beliefs are our

:32:08. > :32:15.

:32:15. > :32:20.beliefs in the Welsh Conservative Labour and Plaid Cymru's outdated

:32:20. > :32:24.dogma and tired ideas have run their course. If we are to tackle

:32:24. > :32:29.entrenched poverty in Wales, create economic growth and jobs and

:32:29. > :32:35.reverse the declining standards in schools, then we simply have to

:32:35. > :32:40.change the way Wales is governed. We have to give local communities a

:32:40. > :32:45.direct say in how the communities are run. Welsh Conservatives want

:32:45. > :32:50.real devolution by pushing power down to people, Welsh Conservatives

:32:50. > :32:57.will free up local communities to introduce the improvements we all

:32:57. > :33:04.want to see on council tax, Welsh Conservatives will introduce their

:33:04. > :33:08.referenda. We will freeze council tax, we will let Casodex payers

:33:08. > :33:11.decide whether their money is being spent wisely or not. But

:33:11. > :33:15.Conservatives would give local people the power to determine

:33:15. > :33:19.whether new developments can go ahead and let local committees

:33:19. > :33:25.decide whether further development as appropriate or not for towns and

:33:25. > :33:30.villages for which they live. Welsh Conservatives would have Polish

:33:30. > :33:33.business rate for small businesses freeing up businessmen and women to

:33:33. > :33:38.decide where they invest their profits. In education, we would

:33:38. > :33:43.free teachers to decide how they run their schools. We will free

:33:43. > :33:46.clinicians decide how they run their hospitals. They are not only

:33:46. > :33:53.listening to local people, we're going much further. We are putting

:33:53. > :33:57.local people in direct control in order to boost enterprise in Wales,

:33:57. > :34:03.increase standards. As you continue to campaign ahead of the local

:34:03. > :34:07.elections, tell those you meet on 3rd May that you decide. If you

:34:07. > :34:12.vote Welsh Conservatives, you will be keeping the making of decisions

:34:12. > :34:17.to yourselves about the issues that directly affect you in your daily

:34:17. > :34:22.lives. On council tax, on planning, on how to invest your own profits

:34:22. > :34:27.in your own businesses and raising standards in hospitals and schools,

:34:27. > :34:33.if you vote was Conservatives then you decide. We went to a empower

:34:33. > :34:43.people to carry on. We will empower individuals to build a better,

:34:43. > :34:53.

:34:53. > :34:59.I'm pleased to say that Andrew RT Davies gens as now in the studio.

:34:59. > :35:09.Thank you very much for coming to see us here. You mentioned the joke

:35:09. > :35:16.about Plaid Cymru and reaching out for their voters. There is a whole

:35:17. > :35:21.weight of Plaid Cymru voters out there. Leanne Wood has trenchant

:35:21. > :35:24.views about where she wants to take the party and firmly go on the

:35:24. > :35:30.Independent's report that she is left of Labour and is that the

:35:30. > :35:34.recipe Wales needs to improve on its economic performance? We are

:35:34. > :35:41.the Welsh Conservative Party and we do have proud roots in Wales. I am

:35:41. > :35:44.a proud Welshman, I was born and brought up here. I run my own

:35:44. > :35:51.business and the cast our group we have fluent Welsh speakers and we

:35:51. > :35:56.will be reaching out to all parts of Wales. You're also a very strong

:35:56. > :36:00.pro Unionist Party. Of all the speeches we have heard this morning,

:36:00. > :36:07.do you think Plaid Cymru will be turning to us are very Unionist

:36:07. > :36:11.Conservative Party and more so than under Nick Bourne, your predecessor.

:36:11. > :36:16.What we are is a Unionist Party that recognises Wales is a vital

:36:16. > :36:22.part of that union. It is not just one big blanket, it is about

:36:22. > :36:30.Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland all having

:36:30. > :36:34.identities and coming together as one entity to work. When you look

:36:34. > :36:38.at Plaid Cymru Poling, 42% of their own members do not believe in

:36:38. > :36:41.independence. What they have with the new leader is a definitive

:36:41. > :36:46.route they will be taking pictures straight down the independence road.

:36:46. > :36:49.I believe people on the centre- right will be -- will not be

:36:49. > :36:54.looking for that. They will be looking for a true centre-right

:36:54. > :37:00.party and that is what the Welsh Conservatives are offering. He also

:37:00. > :37:05.trying to attract as Labour voters he sent you have to end the

:37:05. > :37:12.dominance of Labour in certain communities. Is it just by shifting

:37:12. > :37:17.to the right? No, we are a centre- right party. What we are offering

:37:17. > :37:22.is a solution to empower people as individuals rather than have top-

:37:22. > :37:27.down approaches. What we had for the first 12 of -- 12 years of

:37:28. > :37:31.devolution is diktats from Cardiff. We went to see empowerment of

:37:31. > :37:37.communities and opponents of the individuals are people feel the

:37:37. > :37:40.decisions they take will improve their communities. Ultimately, our

:37:40. > :37:45.prosperity will be built on individuals working together to

:37:45. > :37:49.build on their own aspirations. That is what the West

:37:49. > :37:55.Conservatives's calls are about. It about coming from the grassroots.

:37:55. > :37:59.was listening to your speech and hearing you say about local

:37:59. > :38:05.communities having more say over planning and yet at the same time,

:38:05. > :38:09.in Monmouthshire, very strong local opposition to moving the cattle

:38:09. > :38:16.market in Abergavenny and that it is being driven through despite

:38:16. > :38:20.this. It doesn't seem to tally. is debatable how strong that

:38:20. > :38:23.opposition is. I know of the councillors fully engage with

:38:23. > :38:29.concerns within that area. Ultimately, there will be

:38:29. > :38:34.safeguarding the future of the town. They had to repeal an old law to

:38:34. > :38:41.push it through. Ultimately be, it is because it is the law. The

:38:41. > :38:45.charter was granted in the 19th century. Their existence is old to

:38:45. > :38:48.royal charters because that is the way things were done centuries ago.

:38:48. > :38:54.It is just a standard procedure that you have to have these Act

:38:54. > :38:59.repealed. Looking ahead to the May elections, you increase the number

:38:59. > :39:03.of councillors in took 1,000 date. What would be a good night for you

:39:03. > :39:08.in May? Let us start from where we are at the moment. We will be

:39:08. > :39:13.fighting in every a Fogarty. We hope to have more candidates than

:39:13. > :39:16.we have ever had before. At the close of ballot which is April 4th,

:39:16. > :39:20.ultimately it would be a foolish politician who tried to

:39:20. > :39:26.predetermine what the election will do. What we will be doing over the

:39:26. > :39:29.next four to five weeks is working hard to get every single vote and

:39:29. > :39:32.pointing out the Conservatives are standing for the fees of council

:39:32. > :39:42.tax, protection of our health service and improving our

:39:42. > :39:42.

:39:42. > :39:47.educational attainment levels in schools. You will know that even

:39:47. > :39:50.local authority elections are fought on national policies and the

:39:50. > :39:56.national narrative. Will you be damaged because of getting rid of

:39:57. > :40:00.the 50 p tax rate because of the so-called Granny Tax. Will that

:40:00. > :40:04.have a detrimental effect on your chances of success are struck let

:40:04. > :40:11.us look at what is happening on April 1st. They will be an increase

:40:11. > :40:15.in the state pension. In Deeside Industrial Park, with the

:40:15. > :40:18.industrial -- Enterprise Zone will be set up, there is potential for

:40:18. > :40:22.5,000 additional jobs to come to this part of north-east Wales.

:40:22. > :40:27.Ultimately, this budget was a besetting the seeds for growth

:40:27. > :40:30.opportunity and prosperity. We have to call the Welsh Government to

:40:30. > :40:37.accounts so that they play their part and that we don't fall further

:40:37. > :40:47.down the league table. They give are joining us. Let us go back to

:40:47. > :40:48.

:40:48. > :40:53.We deliver on our principles. And we deliver on our commitments and

:40:53. > :40:58.on our priorities and we did have that for our communities. In Wales,

:40:58. > :41:02.we have a records of action. Back home in Monmouthshire, we practise

:41:02. > :41:07.what they just preach. I am proud of what we have done or are doing.

:41:07. > :41:10.We may be ruffling the feathers of some in Cardiff Bay or we may be a

:41:10. > :41:15.thorn in their side. We are breaking the mould of traditional

:41:15. > :41:21.local government mind sex. They do not like it. We're doing things

:41:21. > :41:26.differently. We are pushing the boundaries. This is just another

:41:26. > :41:31.key positive of a Conservative lead administration. In Monmouth Show,

:41:31. > :41:36.we pressed the rebooked button. PC our glass as half full, not half

:41:36. > :41:41.empty. We have looked deep inside our organisation and have

:41:41. > :41:46.challenged to see if we are fit for purpose. Are we the right animal to

:41:46. > :41:50.go forward to face the challenges ahead? Among the so, we're making

:41:50. > :41:55.over �1 million a year efficiencies on management costs alone. We are

:41:55. > :42:03.changing the way we work and have reduced our accommodation,

:42:03. > :42:08.accommodation space by 50%. This drives further savings. We value

:42:08. > :42:12.outcomes from staff and not just by -- not just value by time

:42:12. > :42:17.commitment. We have priorities, education, protecting the

:42:17. > :42:21.vulnerable and economic growth. These are priority areas on which

:42:21. > :42:26.we were not dis invest. We will increase investment where possible.

:42:26. > :42:31.In the coming year, we're investing another two and �50,000

:42:31. > :42:35.specifically targeted at raising standards in literacy and numeracy

:42:35. > :42:40.and we have committed that level for the next three years. We also

:42:40. > :42:46.invested an extra �100,000 a year for three years into social

:42:46. > :42:52.services. Specific funding to help key areas such as transition. We

:42:53. > :42:59.have invested over �44 million in our primary school -- primary-

:42:59. > :43:03.school and we pledge to spend another cent to �9.5 million over

:43:03. > :43:10.the next decade. We have invested massively into hour road network.

:43:10. > :43:13.We have invested in a state-of-the- art new library, a new livestock

:43:13. > :43:18.market and will continue supporting our towns and communities by

:43:18. > :43:23.enabling businesses to flourish within them. On top of all of that,

:43:23. > :43:33.we have set a 0% council tax increase and we will do that again

:43:33. > :43:38.

:43:38. > :43:44.and again. Ladies and gentlemen, I could go on and I know my colleague

:43:44. > :43:49.-- colleague leaders would be able to add to the benefits of

:43:49. > :43:52.Conservative-run councils with their own achievements. To conclude,

:43:52. > :43:56.Conservative-controlled councils in Wales have a proven track records

:43:56. > :44:01.of getting on with the challenges that face residents and for

:44:01. > :44:07.providing better and more efficient value-for-money services. I am

:44:07. > :44:11.proud of what Monmouth Show has done and we have been able to

:44:11. > :44:15.demonstrate what a good council can look like. We will continue that

:44:15. > :44:19.working revitalising and regenerating our county for the

:44:19. > :44:24.next generation. That thought it should be about. May 3rd will be a

:44:24. > :44:34.big day for us all. If the people of Wales want a positive future,

:44:34. > :44:35.

:44:35. > :44:38.they need to vote Welsh Welsh Conservatives believe the

:44:38. > :44:42.West government should promote policies that empower local

:44:42. > :44:49.communities and have the potential to deliver long-term progress to

:44:49. > :44:56.our communities. We are the party of local power. House soars across

:44:56. > :44:59.was should be financially empowered by the council tax freeze. Sadly

:44:59. > :45:06.the Welsh Government has denied this opportunity to the people of

:45:06. > :45:12.Wales by refusing to pass on the City that -- �38.9 million special

:45:12. > :45:17.to the local authorities. We only have to see the recent Debacker of

:45:17. > :45:22.which has taken place on Anglesey. I know we have worked hard on this.

:45:22. > :45:32.They have been denied the democratic right to even go to

:45:32. > :45:36.election this year. That to me is a serious indicator of where the

:45:36. > :45:44.Cardiff centric Welsh Government are offering diktat to Welsh local

:45:44. > :45:54.authorities. Houses across Wales are struggling now to find many as

:45:54. > :46:02.

:46:02. > :46:09.a result of the lack of funding. Guto Bebb has been working with

:46:09. > :46:19.myself and we have managed to have some business rate relief for a

:46:19. > :46:22.

:46:22. > :46:28.We would abolish business rates for all small businesses in Wales to

:46:28. > :46:33.promote Welsh creation. What Conservatives believe people across

:46:33. > :46:38.Wales will be more likely to participate if councils promote

:46:38. > :46:43.transparency, accountability and openness. Welsh Conservatives would

:46:44. > :46:48.fund schools directly. They would hand head teachers, teachers,

:46:48. > :46:53.governors and parents the chance to set their own budget and priority.

:46:53. > :46:56.We believe they know what is best for school children, not

:46:56. > :47:00.bureaucrats. Welsh Conservatives want to see local people in the

:47:00. > :47:08.driving seat, concerning planning decisions, which directly affect

:47:08. > :47:16.them. I am so pleased we have Eric Pickles in the UK government. By

:47:16. > :47:21.royal assent the localism act is now active in England. It is

:47:21. > :47:26.freeing up councils, bringing about more transparency, and it has

:47:26. > :47:36.simplified the planning system. The Engineering really of getting the

:47:36. > :47:37.

:47:37. > :47:41.economy back on its feet. I know that the prospective candidates

:47:41. > :47:46.assembled here today are motivated above all by a desire to serve

:47:46. > :47:50.their friends, communities, and I know many of them are already

:47:50. > :47:55.working in communities and they are signed up to the big society. From

:47:55. > :47:59.my point of view there are few finer ambitions. At this election

:47:59. > :48:04.the people of Wales will have a clear choice. Our candidates will

:48:04. > :48:10.stand on a platform of greater localism, greater transparency,

:48:10. > :48:13.Quintet accountability, and greater freedom. -- greater accountability.

:48:13. > :48:23.A vote for the Conservatives will deliver these pledges and a message

:48:23. > :48:25.

:48:25. > :48:33.must go out to the people across I'm joined by the Secretary of

:48:33. > :48:39.State for Wales, Cheryl Gillan. Thank you for joining us. I would

:48:39. > :48:44.like to start off with some fairly disappointing, troubling headlines

:48:44. > :48:49.in the Sunday papers, the fact the Co treasurer of the Conservative

:48:49. > :48:55.Party has left the party after being accused of selling meetings

:48:55. > :48:58.with the Prime Minister in effect for �250,000. It is party funding

:48:58. > :49:03.rearing its ugly head. The Prime Minister has made it very clear

:49:03. > :49:07.this morning this is totally unacceptable, not the way we raise

:49:07. > :49:12.money in the Conservative Party, and as you said, he has resigned,

:49:12. > :49:15.and I know the Prime Minister has asked for a full investigation. How

:49:15. > :49:20.disappointed are you such a senior coach treasurer of the party,

:49:20. > :49:28.senior member, has been caught out? He is quite clear this is totally

:49:28. > :49:33.unacceptable. -- it is quite clear. There will be an inquiry. When

:49:33. > :49:40.David Cameron took over as leader there was an enormous debt and he

:49:40. > :49:45.broadened the base of donors. This type of behaviour is unacceptable.

:49:45. > :49:49.It does come at the end of the week off fairly disappointing headlines

:49:49. > :49:57.for the party following the Budget on Wednesday, specifically the

:49:57. > :50:04.granny tax, being marked by it was born, or some of the headlines --

:50:04. > :50:08.George Osborne. How surprised we at the backlash with the tax credits

:50:08. > :50:14.for pensioners? It also comes against a background

:50:14. > :50:17.of a very successful Budget, which is balancing the books, which was

:50:17. > :50:23.basically fiscally neutral, where we managed to find extra money for

:50:23. > :50:28.Wales and the Welsh government, where we managed to find money to

:50:28. > :50:33.for example improve specific things in Wales such as the money that is

:50:34. > :50:37.going to go for the one of good -- 100% capital allowances in the

:50:37. > :50:44.Deeside Enterprise Zone, improving will be offering signal, and the

:50:44. > :50:51.extra money that will go to improve the productivity of Cardiff so it

:50:51. > :50:54.becomes a high-speed broadband area -- the connectivity.

:50:54. > :50:59.Tens of thousands of pensioners will see less money.

:50:59. > :51:05.It is also a week which sees common of the largest cash increase in

:51:06. > :51:15.pensions we have ever seen together with the guarantee that there are

:51:16. > :51:17.

:51:17. > :51:23.going to be no cash losers. They will be losing out. A tense that

:51:23. > :51:29.you have to also balance the fact that we are racing those personal

:51:29. > :51:32.allowances -- Against that. That takes 95,000 people in Wales out of

:51:32. > :51:38.tax altogether and affects 1.1 million people in Wales who will be

:51:38. > :51:44.better off. Getting rid of the 50% talks back top rate tax earners and

:51:44. > :51:48.taking it down to 40%, if you're going to say Britain is open for

:51:48. > :51:52.business one will go down to 40%, why leave it at 45%? Wedding

:51:52. > :51:59.daughters born go the whole hog, take your dad to 40% -- and why

:51:59. > :52:08.didn't go George Osborne. -- take it down to 40%.

:52:08. > :52:13.Be dropped from 5245 is perfectly sensible -- this drop. -- from 50%

:52:13. > :52:18.to 45%. If this had been such a great tax, why didn't Labour bring

:52:18. > :52:22.it in over the 13 years they were in government? Why did they put the

:52:22. > :52:27.tin in the last dying days? He was not a successful tax, it is acting

:52:27. > :52:31.as a drag. Regional pay is something that has

:52:32. > :52:37.got the juices flowing in Wales in terms of the reaction to the Budget.

:52:37. > :52:42.One thing that strikes me intent of the rationale behind it, how would

:52:42. > :52:50.Curtin the salary or the paid off it DVLA worker in Swansea, how will

:52:50. > :52:55.that create a job in another area? First of all, we have asked the pay

:52:55. > :52:59.review bodies to look at this. It was the last Labour government for

:52:59. > :53:05.the Court Service that introduced local pay, and they specifically

:53:05. > :53:09.introduced local pay. What we have said and the Chancellor has said is

:53:09. > :53:14.when we have seen what comes back from the pay review bodies, he will

:53:14. > :53:19.be up to each department as to whether they implement some form of

:53:19. > :53:23.local pay services. We have still got a long way to go.

:53:24. > :53:29.There is a rationale from the Treasury they said they are keen on

:53:29. > :53:35.the idea. I don't quite understand what the rationale behind it, how

:53:35. > :53:40.does X equal why, how does cutting salaries their mean more jobs in

:53:40. > :53:46.the private sector? The public sector pay in Wales is

:53:46. > :53:53.18% higher than in the private sector. There is already an in-

:53:53. > :53:57.built disincentive for businesses looking at their wages. We are

:53:57. > :54:06.still on that journey. Don't forget it was the last Labour government

:54:06. > :54:15.that adopted local pay. We have run out of time but we can go back and

:54:16. > :54:21.see what is going on in the main Welsh Conservatives of the party of

:54:22. > :54:26.local empowerment, not dogmatic centralised control. There are

:54:26. > :54:30.individuals, enterprises, charities, social enterprises in our

:54:30. > :54:36.communities that are better placed to confront the problems our nation

:54:36. > :54:40.faces. Benefiting the most vulnerable and providing good value

:54:40. > :54:44.to the taxpayer and council tax payer. It is the Conservative-run

:54:44. > :54:51.councils in Wales that have increased transparency,

:54:51. > :54:55.accountability, and openness and delivered better outcomes.

:54:55. > :54:59.Conservatives in Cabinet in Denbighshire have turned an

:54:59. > :55:04.educational system in special measures into a success story, so

:55:04. > :55:07.congratulations to them. They have won awards for delivering a more

:55:07. > :55:12.affordable homes than anywhere else in Wales and led the way in

:55:12. > :55:18.tackling in D Holmes and Waste recycling and empowering

:55:18. > :55:22.communities -- empty homes. Conservatives and -- in Flintshire

:55:22. > :55:27.have delivered one of the best educational results at GCSE level

:55:27. > :55:33.in the whole of Wales. With the latest figures showing GDP per head

:55:33. > :55:39.in Wales is not only remained the lowest amongst the 12 UK nations

:55:39. > :55:49.and regions but fallen even further behind, Conservatives in Cabinet in

:55:49. > :55:54.Wrexham and Frenchay have turned things around. GDP per head there

:55:54. > :55:58.is going in the right direction after a decade of contraction under

:55:58. > :56:08.Labour council leadership. That is what Conservatives in local

:56:08. > :56:10.

:56:10. > :56:15.government do for the people of We cannot trust the Liberal

:56:15. > :56:20.Democrats, they are duplicitous. They voted with us in Cardiff Bay

:56:20. > :56:25.to defeat the Welsh Labour draft budget, but then did a deal with

:56:25. > :56:30.Welsh Labour to win out their final budget to go through. We all know

:56:30. > :56:34.once elected there was no such thing as an independent councillor.

:56:34. > :56:44.Remind people of that on the doorstep and give them examples

:56:44. > :56:47.

:56:47. > :56:53.Plaid Cymru is united only in its quest to destroy Britain and

:56:53. > :57:01.betrayed the inheritance of centuries. They are an abomination,

:57:01. > :57:03.and we did want their kind in a compassionate, modern, 21st century

:57:03. > :57:07.Wales putting Wales within the United Kingdom as the Prime

:57:07. > :57:11.Minister -- priority for all. Labour dogma is the devil's

:57:11. > :57:16.religion, compassionate on the surface but rotten to the core. We

:57:16. > :57:21.can provide countless examples of the disaster zone they have created

:57:21. > :57:24.and the tragedy of this is that good people, good, decent people

:57:24. > :57:29.standing in the firing line have paid the price of that, have paid

:57:29. > :57:32.the price of living in areas controlled by Labour and paid the

:57:32. > :57:37.price of racing heads above the parapet and challenging Labour only

:57:37. > :57:43.to find that machine shoots the messenger at Leeds good people

:57:43. > :57:49.without the support -- and Leeds good people without the support and

:57:49. > :57:54.help they deserve. I say to our councillors and candidates hold

:57:54. > :58:04.your heads up high, truth conquers all, go forth towards the 4th May,

:58:04. > :58:05.

:58:05. > :58:13.I'm joined by the Conservative MP for Abercorn we, venue for joining

:58:13. > :58:15.us this afternoon. -- thank you for joining us. The headlines must have

:58:15. > :58:25.been grim reading for any Conservative.

:58:25. > :58:27.

:58:27. > :58:30.So to meet the fact that granny tax was unfortunate -- certainly. Of

:58:30. > :58:40.beastly the helpline has been the fact that the 50 pence rate of tax

:58:40. > :58:44.was cut -- obviously the headline. He does fly in the face of we are

:58:44. > :58:48.all in this together when what will always be betrayed as billionaires

:58:48. > :58:52.getting the tax cut of �10,000 each when the rest of us have to

:58:52. > :58:55.struggle along. It doesn't quite tally with the narrative baby

:58:55. > :59:00.Cameron and George Osborne wanted to portray.

:59:00. > :59:03.The figures for the Budget showed the increase in tax is levied on

:59:03. > :59:11.the most wealthy in society, five times greater than was raised at

:59:12. > :59:15.the 50 p tax rate. I have already said it was a temporary measure.

:59:15. > :59:20.There is a presentation problem in the fact we are reducing that at

:59:20. > :59:26.the same time as simplifying the situation in terms of tax rates and

:59:26. > :59:30.that simplification has the response of costing money to

:59:30. > :59:35.pensioners depending on the circumstances and age. That

:59:35. > :59:38.combination has been unfortunate. He is there a case to be made

:59:38. > :59:42.pensioners have had it quite well recently and perhaps with free

:59:42. > :59:52.television licence, bus passes, with the winter fuel payment,

:59:52. > :59:56.

:59:56. > :00:00.perhaps there is room to cut back Pensioners have been well shielded

:00:00. > :00:06.from the changes. There is no doubt that there is a huge issue at stake

:00:06. > :00:14.here. The demographics of the United Kingdom means we have more

:00:14. > :00:20.people of a retired age. Two-thirds of the first spending is on people

:00:20. > :00:25.over the retirement age. The political consequences are

:00:25. > :00:31.significant and there is a lot of hard thinking to be done. You said

:00:31. > :00:35.there are consequences. I can hear George Osborne saying there be

:00:35. > :00:42.another cut in the welfare budget. Would you have the stomach to do

:00:42. > :00:51.that? The changes being implemented and are very welcome by most parts

:00:51. > :00:56.of society. An additional 10 billion will have an impact on

:00:56. > :01:00.people over the retirement age. Two-thirds of spending is on that

:01:00. > :01:08.group of society. There are difficult decisions to be made and

:01:08. > :01:12.we cannot just go ahead with no changes. One of the issues that has

:01:12. > :01:18.fanned the flames in Wales is the idea of a regional pay for civil

:01:18. > :01:23.servants. The Assembly group have told us today they are not too keen

:01:23. > :01:28.on the idea. It would you stand on that could crack I do not think any

:01:28. > :01:32.member of parliament from any region would be jumping up and down

:01:32. > :01:36.over this. We to look at this carefully put up there is some

:01:36. > :01:41.evidence that some parts of Wales, the private sector has been crowded

:01:41. > :01:44.out by the public sector. It is also difficult to argue in a place

:01:44. > :01:51.like North Wales that someone in Wrexham should be paid less than

:01:51. > :01:59.someone in Cheshire. How do you implement that sort of change? We

:01:59. > :02:04.have to look carefully. Looking at regional pay, I think it will be

:02:04. > :02:08.difficult to do it at a time of austerity. Will it get worse for

:02:08. > :02:12.George Osborne? People are saying maybe he is not the master

:02:12. > :02:16.tactician some people thought he was for that bullet just get more

:02:16. > :02:21.difficult for that individual quest Mark difficult times call for

:02:21. > :02:27.difficult decisions. He was never going to be the most popular of

:02:27. > :02:37.chances because of what he has done and they inherited from the Labour

:02:37. > :02:38.

:02:38. > :02:47.Party. By the disparity of both members of the family keeping child

:02:47. > :02:54.benefits while one member earning more loses the benefit did not go

:02:54. > :03:01.down well. In the long term, George Osborne will be measured and

:03:01. > :03:05.whether there he brings economic prosperity. We will come back you

:03:05. > :03:14.on that one. Thank you very much. We're about to go back out to see

:03:14. > :03:18.It is this Welsh Labour government that has frittered public money

:03:18. > :03:22.away on gimmicks such as free to the press kit schemes for pupils.

:03:22. > :03:27.The Welsh Government has cost thousands of schoolchildren proper

:03:27. > :03:32.classrooms with heating, lighting and computers and other modern

:03:32. > :03:35.facilities by this 3 to have crush scheme. You can call me old-

:03:35. > :03:44.fashioned if you like but I believe that parents and not teachers

:03:44. > :03:48.should be responsible for cleaning their children's teeth. This money

:03:48. > :03:52.could and should have been spent elsewhere. We believe the best way

:03:52. > :03:58.to help people improve their prospects is through education and

:03:58. > :04:03.employment. It is not rule welfare and handouts. France, it is also

:04:03. > :04:08.this Welsh Labour government whole is making record-breaking cuts to

:04:08. > :04:11.an hour Welsh NHS. The Labour Lib Dem budget will be hundreds of

:04:11. > :04:16.millions of pounds out of our health service at a time when

:04:16. > :04:20.waiting targets have been missed, one in seven and an NHS waiting

:04:20. > :04:28.list. Vacancies are not being filled and ambulances are turning

:04:28. > :04:31.up late and where frontline staff are being kept. While their

:04:31. > :04:36.Westminster colleagues protect the health budget in England, the Welsh

:04:36. > :04:43.Liberal Democrats or the flip them as as I like to call them have

:04:43. > :04:47.chosen not to predator is the NHS in Wales. What is the alternative

:04:47. > :04:51.cut back Plaid Cymru. In last year's Assembly election, they

:04:51. > :04:56.finished third for the first time with a lowest-ever share of the

:04:57. > :05:00.vote. Even nationalists themselves admit there are struggling. Former

:05:00. > :05:06.minister Rhodri Glyn Thomas has confessed that Plaid Cymru has gone

:05:06. > :05:10.backwards since 1999 by the Welsh Conservatives have created a new

:05:10. > :05:15.brand. With the arrival of their new leader, Plaid Cymru have

:05:15. > :05:21.already embarked on their extreme left-wing journey. Leanne Wood and

:05:21. > :05:25.her comrades are now besetting the party's agenda and her victory

:05:25. > :05:29.which have Plaid Cymru even further to the left, trying to keep Welsh

:05:29. > :05:33.Labour under pressure. It is now that we must show the people of

:05:33. > :05:41.Wales that the Welsh Conservatives are the only credible alternative

:05:41. > :05:46.to a leftist, ideological agenda in Wales. Only 7% of voters say they

:05:46. > :05:53.went was to be an independent country. Leanne Wood and her dogma

:05:53. > :05:57.and now the party of the 7%. Been ascended Clear message to Plaid

:05:57. > :06:01.Cymru voters in rural areas and were speaking to win it is who feel

:06:01. > :06:05.disillusioned with the extreme left-wing ideology of Plaid Cymru.

:06:05. > :06:10.We are that alternative, we must show them that the Welsh

:06:10. > :06:20.Conservative Party will represent their values, their interests and

:06:20. > :06:22.

:06:22. > :06:26.With local council elections only a few weeks away, it did seem

:06:26. > :06:35.appropriate that we spoke to the West Conservative spokesman on

:06:35. > :06:42.local government. There are eight weeks to go. You must be getting

:06:43. > :06:49.geared up. We are well and truly gear that. A successful campaign in

:06:49. > :06:55.2,000 date. What you need to do to top that? I think it is possible.

:06:55. > :06:59.Certainly here in Wales, the Welsh voters have had four more years of

:06:59. > :07:08.Labour in some of the Welsh councils and certainly for more

:07:08. > :07:14.years of Labour in the Welsh Government. One thing I a realist

:07:14. > :07:18.about today, it is a rally and David Cameron did not turn up.

:07:18. > :07:23.Would it have been more of a post for the party morale to have the

:07:23. > :07:31.Prime Minister here? Our Secretary of State has brought his best

:07:31. > :07:35.wishes today. It is not the same? It was a very good message for us.

:07:35. > :07:39.Looking at how the party will be campaigning over the next few weeks,

:07:39. > :07:47.how difficult will it be for those grassroots members knocking on

:07:47. > :07:52.doors who will undoubtedly be met by 50p tax rate and how difficult

:07:52. > :07:56.is it going to be to try and get your own local party message

:07:56. > :08:01.across? We are already out knocking on doors and I have to say I am

:08:01. > :08:06.quite heartened by the response we are getting. The one thing people

:08:06. > :08:11.are angry about and people are aware that the money did come over

:08:11. > :08:17.from England to Wales to freeze council tax. As a sudden my speech

:08:17. > :08:27.this morning, our Welsh voters are now facing another large increase,

:08:27. > :08:27.

:08:27. > :08:32.some of the highest increases, 140% since Welsh Labour came into power.

:08:32. > :08:35.Overall, council tax in Wales is lower than the average council tax

:08:35. > :08:45.in England. Is it not a little disingenuous to talk about not

:08:45. > :08:46.

:08:47. > :08:51.raising council tax when it is Lower anyway? No. There is the free

:08:51. > :08:56.evaluation -- the Adria valuation. It is not disingenuous at all. It

:08:56. > :09:03.will hit our Welsh voters and they know best how they want to spend

:09:03. > :09:06.that money. The money was allocated specifically to freeze council tax.

:09:06. > :09:12.You're the local government spokesperson. Time to put your head

:09:12. > :09:18.on the plot and say what would be a good night on May 3rd. We have our

:09:18. > :09:24.target councils and we have five target councils and certainly

:09:24. > :09:29.locally, we can build on our success. If you look at our

:09:29. > :09:39.political history over the last few years, we are steadily building up

:09:39. > :09:42.

:09:42. > :09:47.and up. We are now the official opposition in the Assembly. We run

:09:47. > :09:57.half the councils. An upbeat note to finish on. Thank you for joining

:09:57. > :09:58.

:09:58. > :10:05.us. Let us see what is going on It is a huge pleasure to be

:10:05. > :10:15.speaking to you on such a wonderful spring day. In the brand Neil city

:10:15. > :10:26.

:10:26. > :10:29.of St Asaph. I am delighted to see What a pleasure it is to be here in

:10:29. > :10:35.the Optic Technium, and of the most extraordinary buildings in the

:10:36. > :10:40.whole of Wales. The great glass wall who passed as UK men is 1,000

:10:40. > :10:47.square metres and is actually the largest photovoltaic installation

:10:47. > :10:51.of its kind in Europe. I remember a few years ago going with the Welsh

:10:51. > :11:01.Select Committee to Colorado and visiting the American National

:11:01. > :11:02.

:11:02. > :11:06.renewable Energy Laboratory. I saw a large TV array there and being

:11:06. > :11:11.told it was the largest and one in the United States. They looked a

:11:11. > :11:18.little crestfallen when I said I had a bigger one not five miles

:11:18. > :11:24.down the road here in St Asaph. There is much to Optic Technium

:11:24. > :11:26.than that. In this very building, scientists from the local

:11:26. > :11:31.university and University College London are working on a project to

:11:31. > :11:35.produce mirrors for the European extremely large telescope which

:11:35. > :11:39.will be the largest optical telescope in the world. The level

:11:39. > :11:45.of engineering accuracy that process involves is astonishing.

:11:45. > :11:49.Only a few feet from where we are sitting, engineers are polishing

:11:49. > :11:58.mirrors to an accuracy of one billionth of a metre which

:11:58. > :12:00.translates into one thousandth of the thickness of a human hair. The

:12:00. > :12:07.advanced work the university is doing in this building is matched

:12:07. > :12:12.by a cluster of other companies in this immediate area. Close by is a

:12:12. > :12:15.plant which manufacture as hi-tech military optical equipment exported

:12:15. > :12:21.around the world. A couple of hundred yards in the other

:12:21. > :12:24.direction we have to r p which is a supplier of advanced automotive

:12:25. > :12:29.components and a mile or two down the road we have the Honeywell

:12:29. > :12:34.factory making computerised environmental and combustion

:12:34. > :12:39.controls. The proud new city of St Asaph his home to a number of

:12:39. > :12:45.world-class industries which has close up this beautiful place in

:12:45. > :12:50.North was to establish and expand their businesses. But whilst St

:12:50. > :12:58.Asaph and the surrounding area is competing with other parts of the

:12:58. > :13:04.United Kingdom and Europe, and Welsh institutions are reaching for

:13:04. > :13:08.the stars, the same cannot be said of most of the rest of Wales. The

:13:08. > :13:12.hard fact is that Wales is becoming progressively poorer, not only in

:13:12. > :13:20.relation to other parts of the United Kingdom but to many other

:13:20. > :13:25.less advantaged parts of Europe. I am sure you all remember Peter

:13:25. > :13:33.Hain's classic slip-up when he boasted no matter how bad it was at

:13:33. > :13:38.least Wales was richer than Rwanda. But that gaffe frankly is not so

:13:38. > :13:46.far from the truth. As we had earlier on, the official you'll

:13:46. > :13:53.start figures show two-thirds of Wales is now poorer than some parts

:13:53. > :13:55.of Romania. Just think about that. A country that has spent most of

:13:55. > :14:00.the post war period struggling under communism and under the

:14:00. > :14:06.dictatorship of one of the most repressive individuals ever to

:14:06. > :14:10.disfigure the European stage is now a richer than most of Wales.

:14:10. > :14:14.Unbelievably, despite the hundreds of millions of pounds poured in

:14:14. > :14:21.through European objective One funding of the last 12 years, most

:14:21. > :14:28.of Wales has got poorer rather than richer. Asked Elin Jones events

:14:28. > :14:34.pointed out in an excellent article recently, back when we received

:14:35. > :14:40.funding, the West Wales Valleys were the 6th was prosperous

:14:40. > :14:45.objective one area in Europe. By 2009, it was in 47 -- 42nd place.

:14:46. > :14:49.West Wales and the valleys is not only the poorest Val -- place of

:14:49. > :14:57.the United Kingdom, it is poorer than places like Slovakia and

:14:57. > :15:07.Slovenia. Oh yes and poorer than crease as well. They at least have

:15:07. > :15:11.

:15:11. > :15:16.Be who is to blame? It doesn't take a political anorak to realise the

:15:16. > :15:21.continued economic decline has coincided with long periods of

:15:21. > :15:25.Labour government both in London and Cardiff. And sadly although we

:15:25. > :15:30.have now turfed Labour out at Westminster level There are still

:15:30. > :15:37.the governing a administration in Cardiff Bay, responsible and to the

:15:37. > :15:40.devolution settlement for economic development. To give and that

:15:40. > :15:47.responsibility it is entirely fair to say that Labour are squarely

:15:47. > :15:52.responsible for messing up the Welsh economy. Do you remember the

:15:53. > :15:59.Welsh Development Agency? It was established under the last

:15:59. > :16:02.Conservative government and it was astonishingly successful at

:16:02. > :16:08.attracting foreign companies to establish themselves in Wales, a

:16:09. > :16:17.world renowned companies such as Toyota and Brother. They were

:16:17. > :16:22.persuaded that Wales was the right place to set up in business. Thanks

:16:22. > :16:28.to the the Welsh Development Agency it was a frequently the most

:16:28. > :16:33.successful region of the UK in terms of attracting investment. A

:16:33. > :16:38.few days ago the Welsh business Minister was challenged in the

:16:38. > :16:44.Assembly about the poor performance of Wales. She said everything was

:16:44. > :16:48.going swimmingly, but she just haven't got the branding right. She

:16:48. > :16:54.said she wanted to create a brand Wales and the designers were

:16:54. > :16:59.working on it. Ladies and gentlemen, it is going to take more then yet

:16:59. > :17:07.another Dougall of a dragon to change the fortunes of Wales --

:17:07. > :17:11.doodle. We did have a brand, it was a world where he nice brand,

:17:11. > :17:17.recognised everywhere you went, run by business people who understood

:17:17. > :17:23.how business people thought. It was an invaluable Welsh accept. What

:17:23. > :17:32.did Labour decide to do? They decided to scrap it. Economic

:17:32. > :17:35.development was taken in house, and economic development despite the

:17:35. > :17:43.objective came to a standstill. Labour in London stood by it and

:17:43. > :17:46.did little to help. It was a shame, really. The fortunes of the Welsh

:17:46. > :17:52.economy don't depend exclusively on the actions of the Welsh Assembly

:17:52. > :17:57.government. Decisions taken at United Kingdom level are crucial to

:17:57. > :18:02.economic growth in every part of this country, Wales included.

:18:02. > :18:07.Ladies and gentlemen, that is why it is absolutely essential they

:18:07. > :18:12.should be closer working between governments in Wales and Cardiff,

:18:12. > :18:18.irrespective of the political you of the parties in power at either

:18:18. > :18:22.end of the M4. That is a fact recognised by the House of Commons

:18:22. > :18:26.Welsh Affairs Committee in the report published last month on

:18:26. > :18:30.inward investment into Wales. The committee urged the government to

:18:30. > :18:35.work closely with the Welsh Assembly government to help attract

:18:35. > :18:40.inward investment, and that committee was right. The Welsh

:18:40. > :18:45.government simply cannot co-wrote the Welsh economy on its own. It

:18:45. > :18:49.needs a close co-operation of the British government, which has

:18:49. > :18:54.worldwide reach through its chain of embassies, high commissions and

:18:54. > :18:57.consulates in almost every country on earth. UK trade and investment

:18:57. > :19:02.which is the Government's international business agency is

:19:02. > :19:07.there for the benefit of every single business in United Kingdom,

:19:07. > :19:11.Wales included. Its role is to promote British trade with the rest

:19:11. > :19:16.of the world. The Welsh government issued be taking advantage of its

:19:16. > :19:21.global presence to work closely with it in seeking to attract

:19:21. > :19:29.business into Wales, and that is something also the Select Committee

:19:29. > :19:32.urged. Let me say this clearly today. Cheryl and I, with the West

:19:32. > :19:38.-- the rest of the Wales office, are anxious to work with the Welsh

:19:38. > :19:42.government to help improve the Welsh economy. We want to see Wales

:19:42. > :19:47.emerging from the doldrums of the last decade and put back on the

:19:47. > :19:52.road to realising its fullest potential. We are prepared to work

:19:52. > :20:00.very closely with the Welsh government to help achieve this,

:20:00. > :20:04.despite our political differences. In return we expect a positive, it

:20:04. > :20:09.mature response from the Welsh government and ladies and gentlemen,

:20:09. > :20:19.more importantly, that is what I believe the people of Wales expect

:20:19. > :20:25.

:20:25. > :20:29.They have, of course, as everybody recognises, been problems. One of

:20:29. > :20:35.them has been the reluctance of the Welsh business minister to engage

:20:35. > :20:41.with the British government and the British Parliament. When she was

:20:41. > :20:46.requested by the Welsh Select Committee to give evidence on the

:20:46. > :20:51.inquiry on inward investment she refused to do so. More recently she

:20:51. > :20:56.even refused to allow her officials to attend a joint session of the

:20:56. > :21:00.Select Committee and its Assembly counterpart. Ladies and gentlemen,

:21:00. > :21:08.to be blunt, that is just plain childish and that will not impress

:21:08. > :21:11.the people of Wales either. She has also shown a distinct reluctance to

:21:11. > :21:16.taking up any ideas for economic development not conceived in Wales.

:21:16. > :21:22.Enterprise zones being a prime example. She took six months to

:21:22. > :21:25.announce the first Welsh so as well two dozen zones were forging ahead

:21:25. > :21:30.across England, many directly competitive with areas of Wales,

:21:30. > :21:37.that is not good enough. A not invented here mentality is

:21:37. > :21:42.unacceptable. The fact is Wales has to government and unless they work

:21:42. > :21:46.closely together it will only be Wales that suffers. Carwyn Jones

:21:46. > :21:51.and his colleagues in Cardiff Bay must recognise in the best interest

:21:51. > :21:54.of Wales they need to co-operate and co-operate closely with the

:21:54. > :21:59.government of the United Kingdom. We at Westminster are very anxious

:21:59. > :22:05.to do all we can to help the Welsh economy grow, willing to put the

:22:05. > :22:09.investment in, but Cardiff has got to play its part as well. We

:22:09. > :22:13.recognise our national infrastructure urgently needs up

:22:13. > :22:18.grading after so many years of neglect. We are taking steps to do

:22:18. > :22:22.that. Take railways, for instance. Last year we announced the

:22:22. > :22:26.electrification of the Great Western line to Cardiff, that is

:22:26. > :22:30.something that Labour could have done in his 13 years of office but

:22:30. > :22:35.didn't. Electrification is crucial to Cardiff but we want to go

:22:35. > :22:41.further. We also recognise the importance of electrifying the line

:22:41. > :22:49.to Swansea. Provided a sufficiently strong business case can be

:22:49. > :22:53.produced. And we in the Welsh Office are also working closely

:22:53. > :22:57.with the Department for transport and the Treasury on plans to

:22:57. > :23:02.electrified the South Wales valleys lines which would be of immense

:23:02. > :23:12.benefit to some of the most depressed parts of Wales that

:23:12. > :23:14.

:23:14. > :23:18.And up grading the M4 around Newport is a priority as well. We

:23:18. > :23:23.are listening carefully to plans for that and we are prepared to see

:23:23. > :23:27.what we can do to help. And broadband, efficient, fast

:23:27. > :23:34.broadband is also of vital importance to every modern economy

:23:34. > :23:39.but in Wales there are too many areas with slow speeds, so we have

:23:39. > :23:42.made 50 mat -- �59 million available to roll-out super-fast

:23:42. > :23:47.broadband across Wales. The Welsh government needs to put its

:23:47. > :23:53.delivery pan into action, and we are prepared, anxious, to work with

:23:53. > :23:57.them on that. Ladies and gentlemen, or where we can help and we are

:23:57. > :24:01.prepared to help as much as possible, there are some areas

:24:01. > :24:06.where delivery is firmly in the Welsh Government's sole

:24:06. > :24:14.responsibility. He should be doing much more to upgrade the road

:24:14. > :24:18.network -- it should be doing. The upgrading of one stretch of road is

:24:18. > :24:22.a matter of top priority to the economy of the United Kingdom as a

:24:22. > :24:28.whole, given that it is part of the main European transport network to

:24:28. > :24:32.Holyhead. It has been neglected for much too long. We are looking to

:24:32. > :24:38.Welsh government to see what proposals they have for the urgent

:24:38. > :24:46.upgrade of back road. Ladies and gentlemen, there is a great deal to

:24:46. > :24:48.do. Wales has languished in the economic slow lane for far too long.

:24:48. > :24:53.The Eurostar at figures are referred to earlier should be a

:24:53. > :24:58.wake-up call to all of us in London and Cardiff. The regeneration of

:24:59. > :25:03.the Welsh economy is much too important to allow petty issues of

:25:03. > :25:08.personality or territoriality to get in the wake of a business like

:25:08. > :25:13.and efficient relationship between Wales -- between the two

:25:13. > :25:18.governments of Wales. We are prepared to do our part in

:25:18. > :25:26.Westminster, but in return we expect a positive and grown-up

:25:26. > :25:30.response from Cardiff. Wales is a proud and ancient nation. As a

:25:30. > :25:35.Welshman I consider it nothing short of a national disgrace that

:25:35. > :25:40.it continues to lead bail-outs from Europe alongside the impoverished

:25:40. > :25:47.countries of the Balkans. Cheryl and I have high ambitions for Wales.

:25:47. > :25:51.We want all of Wales to show the dynamism that is displayed here at

:25:51. > :26:01.Optic Centre. We would Wales to reach for the stars and we want the

:26:01. > :26:19.

:26:19. > :26:23.Welsh government to work with us to Let's discuss the events of the day

:26:23. > :26:30.with our political Correspondent John Stevenson. The first thing we

:26:30. > :26:40.should look at is the fairly unsettled and difficult reading

:26:40. > :26:50.Avenue became treasurer of the party, Peter Crouch best, --

:26:50. > :26:54.

:26:54. > :26:57.Cruddas, and it is party funding by raising its head. Decade ago it was

:26:57. > :27:03.said there was nothing more unsettling in the political

:27:03. > :27:11.landscape than events, dear boy, events. We have the allegation the

:27:11. > :27:13.code treasurer of the party had been engaged in cash for access,

:27:14. > :27:19.for face time with the Prime Minister and senior members of the

:27:19. > :27:22.government. This was no less a person than David Cameron himself,

:27:22. > :27:29.when he was leader of the opposition before the election,

:27:29. > :27:35.predicted that the next big scandal that was going to break some time

:27:35. > :27:41.and has today, was the whole issue of cash for access. The irony is

:27:41. > :27:45.that it has broken on his watch. David Cameron, a noticeable by his

:27:45. > :27:51.absence. How much of a dent will that be for party morale which

:27:51. > :27:55.could have been boosted before the elections?

:27:55. > :28:00.There was more than one party activist he told me privately in

:28:00. > :28:05.some sense the Wales Conservatives spring conference had been

:28:05. > :28:10.cancelled. This is the rally, a local government rally. What we

:28:10. > :28:14.were meant to have was the spring conference, the excuse was there

:28:14. > :28:19.was no cash. I am not sure how credible that explanation is. War

:28:19. > :28:24.was more damaging, what is more damaging, rather than effectively

:28:24. > :28:29.Cameron who East the UK party leader of course, rather than the

:28:29. > :28:33.fact he wasn't here, was the fact the Scottish Conservatives who were

:28:33. > :28:41.holding their spring conference the same weekend, in Scotland, he was

:28:41. > :28:44.the headline speaker there. There will certainly be a disappointment,

:28:44. > :28:47.he can find time to be in Scotland but not here.

:28:47. > :28:51.Looking at the challenge for the party ahead of the elections, what

:28:51. > :28:55.is the big challenge? This rally takes place in the

:28:55. > :29:00.context of the budget a few days ago, rightly or wrongly the

:29:00. > :29:04.Conservatives have been characterised as clobbering the

:29:04. > :29:14.pensioners. In a council area like Denbighshire which is where we are

:29:14. > :29:17.

:29:17. > :29:24.today, there is a very sizable over 65 presents. -- presence. All

:29:24. > :29:29.politics is local, it has been said, of the Budget will work its way

:29:29. > :29:33.through council elections here in Denbighshire and the rest of Wales.