25/03/2012 Welsh Conservative Party Conference

The sun is shining and Wales's newest city. The Conservatives had

decided to come to St Asaph for their spring gathering. It is the

last political party in Wales to do so this spring. We will get a pre-

election rally. The politicians are here and the party faithful are

here today. Perhaps the headlines in some of the newspapers this

morning and not ideal for party members but they will be plenty to

discuss between this, the budget and the local elections to be held

in May. Plenty to discuss with my It is with great pleasure that I

introduce our first speaker, Cheryl Gillan, the Secretary of State for

Wales. She gives an enormous amount of time and energy to visit Wales.

She also has time to all support the working party in Wales and

visits various events and fundraisers. She is a member of the

Welsh port and has a strong link between Westminster and Wales. She

provides the important connection between the government and every

aspect of Welsh life. It includes Sir important role with the

National Assembly as well as with the business and voluntary sector.

She is uniquely placed to represent the aspect of all life in Wales to

represent us on the Cabinet. Our second speaker today is Andrew RT

Davies, the Conservative leader in the Assembly. He is also a member

of the board and is a key link with the Conservative group at the

Assembly. He is a farmer from a well-known family in the Vale of

Glamorgan. With the free time he has he likes to keep in touch with

the running of the farm. He remains a prominent member of the

agriculture committee in the Vale of Glamorgan and in Wales. He is a

former chairman of the Vale branch of the National Farmers' Union.

Since becoming Leader of the Opposition, he has displayed a

massive commitment and support to the people of words and he has

visited many people and places all over the country. He has also

undertaken and spoken at many annual general meetings. He

recently took a group visit to the North Wales area. He has had a

great deal of experience in the private sector through his business

interests, this gives them a distinct advantage in the Assembly.

He shows -- it shows in his hard- hitting questions and regularly

challenges of the First Minister at Question Time. It is my pleasure to

invite Cheryl Gillan to address you and Andrew to follow. Thank you

Good morning, France. Isn't it fantastic to be here in St Asaph.

Who would have thought a couple of weeks ago that we would be meeting

in the newest city in Wales. It is something we are very proud of. Can

I also just say an enormous thanks to Mike Scott for this wonderful

venue for hour rally today. For me it is really good to be back in

North Wales where certainly we Conservatives have enjoyed such

improving fortunes in recent years. We have gained support and seats

and we have gained votes. No more than in Conservative Aberconwy.

Sitting down here at the front, Janet Finch-Saunders and one so

brilliantly from Plaid Cymru in the last Assembly elections. Well done.

That completed the triumph of taking it from Labour at the

general election and I am telling you ladies and gentlemen, let us

make it a hat-trick and take control of the council at the

elections in May. We want more councillors, we want control over

more councils, we want more members of Parliament and more Assembly

members and we want to continue with that very strong voice in

Europe with Dr Kay Swinburne who is here today. It is only by winning

more seats that we will have a greater say in our country's future.

I bring greetings from the Prime Minister. He has been going right

around the country, visiting Conservatives up and down for the

forthcoming elections. He senses very best to every single candidate

here and he will be coming to Wales to meet with some of you over the

course of the next few weeks. This morning, we will hear from a star

studded crowd. We were here from Andrew RT Davies, our fantastic new

leader in the Assembly and who will hear from many of our Assembly

members and councillors. I have with me our own Parliamentary

Under-Secretary of State, the fantastic David Jones will give us

a fantastic general view of how government is going. We can

guarantee you an action-packed morning and afternoon. In the weeks

ahead, we must redouble our efforts as the canvas in these local

elections. The building blocks of any political party are it local

government representatives. Councillors are truly the DNA of

our party. We need to gain more and more at each election. We have come

so far in Wales over the past decade because we have kept that

momentum up year after year. We cannot afford to let the progress

we have made a slip through our fingers. But these are difficult

times. At home and abroad. The miserable economic legacy we

inherited means we are once again teaming up Labour's mess. Working

to balance the books after they left the country with the biggest

debt in living memory, paying one and and �20 million a day in

interest alone. But the measures the Chancellor set out in the

Budget will ensure continuing economic stability, Supporting

families and those on low incomes. Benefiting business to drive up

growth. Paying down our debt and keeping interest rates low and

confidence in our economy high. We will stick to our guns and show a

we can live within our means. Let us not forget Labour borrowed our

country into debt. We must now earn an hour or way out. To do that, we

are investing in the tools we need in Wales to move forward. For

business, super-fast broadband, mobile phone signal improvements,

the rail electrification and finance for the enterprise zones,

lower business taxes and at the same time, helping hard-working

families by taking 95,000 people out of paying any income tax

whatsoever. Reducing taxes on over 1.1 million people in Wales. We

have even found additional money for the Dutch government, some 500

million since 2010, over and above the a regular Bloxham. We are

thinking ahead. We are now looking at the future governance of Wales

through the silk Commission. Labour think we are up to something. They

think we have an ulterior motive. They are right. I want to secure a

future for Wales, I Want To Welsh Government to be more accountable

for the money it spends. I want to make sure the decisions and

expenditure are fair to taxpayers across the United Kingdom, just as

all plans for electoral reform will be fair to voters across the

country as well. As we approach this next election, let us look at

Labour's records in Wales. Is this the sort of records that makes you

proud? Under Labour, 40% of pupils start secondary schools not able to

read properly. Less money is being spent on each school child in Wales

compared to England. A third of children live in poverty. People

cannot give the drugs they need which are available in England.

Hospital waiting times and are not acceptable. Council tax has more

than doubled. Households and being denied a chance to have their bills

chosen as we have done in England. Prosperity levels are down,

manufacturing is down, weekly earnings are down and business

start-ups are down. This is what Labour has done to Wales and we

Last year, Labour campaigned for primary legislative powers for the

Assembly. I cannot be the only one who is underwhelmed by the

legislative programme for the year. Their vision has been uninspiring

and complacent. But it is a gentleman, we are planning ahead

and under Andrew RT Davies's leadership in the Assembly, working

with me, David Jones and Kay Swinburne and the Conservatives in

the British Government, we can achieve much better for Wales. We

can transform the fortunes of our country. But until we can bring

about that transformation, we must try to ensure Labour to not waste

the opportunity of co-operation. Let me tell you, Wales must have to

governments working in the national interest, not one. Uncertainty in

the global economy forces my belief that the interests of all of Wales

are best served when both governments representing Wales

worked together, not against each Wales's interests are also best

served in the union, not on its I am hot foot from Scotland as they

say. I firmly believe that Wales must not be isolated from the rest

of the United Kingdom as it would under the new leadership of Plaid

Cymru. I hope that Plaid Cymru voters will see in the Welsh

Conservatives a great alternative. As a party, we respect the right of

local administrations to make their own decisions in devolved areas. We

have been crystal clear in our commitment to the Queen and to the

United Kingdom and to keeping it together. I make no apology for

speaking out in defence of the We Conservatives must stand at for

the national interest. To be fair, Labour have said they support the

union and I hope they will work with us to do just that. Just think

of it, events such as the London Olympics and the Paralympics and

the Queen's diamond jubilee reminders why the union is so

important to all of us. They also Wales in showcasing our country as

part of Britain to the rest of the world. They remind us why the

interdependence of the four nations of the United Kingdom is so

important. It is interdependence, not independence that we want.

Conservatives will back our union So now, we face another challenge

in the weeks ahead. To put power back into the hands of communities

across Wales. To give people a bigger say over their own lives. I

think we can only do that by acting more Welsh Conservative councillors.

That means more Welsh Conservative candidates standing in May's

We are on target to be fielding candidates in every council area

and we must go out there and remind people what we want to do and what

we have already done for local government in England since taking

office at Westminster. In England we have scrapped Labour's plans for

expensive and intrusive council tax revaluations after Labour has

failed at costly experiment here in Wales. In England we have frozen

council tax, something they but refuses to do in Wales. What we

need in Wales is a great relief schemes, less red tape, a

simplified planning regime. These are the things we want for Wales

and only a vote for the Conservatives can deliver back. At

the moment in Wales we currently hold the same number of councils as

Labour. And after those elections in May I want more councillors

pitting the Welsh Conservative polities -- policies into action,

improving procurement, delivering value for money, and using

transparency so the public can see how their money is being spent. I

want us to build on the work of castles like Newport, which has

invested, helps businesses we locate, and restored an iconic part

of its own heritage. In the Vale of Glamorgan we have led the way it on

council transparency by being the first Council in Wales to publish

expenditure over �500. Newport does the same. More mature has gone

further by publishing all expenditure over �1. --

Monmouthshire. We face the challenge of keeping our economy on

track. As we approach the next campaign let's work together.

Supporting Andrew, and how would director and fantastic professional

team and the voluntary party. Let's focus on the things that matter to

people. Let's work together to get more people into work, help

families meet the challenges of daily life, help support the old

and vulnerable in our society, but also give our children the best

start in life. Let's work together in winning the biggest challenge of

all, the fight for the very future of our country. A country which

provides stability and security, and which proves we are stronger

together than we are apart. Let's go out there and take those seats

and let's take the Conservatives in Wales from strength to strength.

But you very much. -- thank you Now, ladies and gentlemen, there is

always a double act, and I have the great pleasure to introduce the

other half, our new leader of the Conservatives, at the Welsh

Conservatives, will you give a warm Thank you very much for those kind

and warm words and plenty for your excellent speech. One of the perks

or drawbacks of the leader is people insist you read pre-prepared

speeches. As many of you know I tend to stand before people and go

off the cuff but when you're the leader you have to stick to a line

that is what we as Conservatives believe passionately in. I'll go

round this room and I can see many candidates, many former candidates,

and I want to say a big thank you to you all for all the time is what

you do on behalf of our great party. We are a party of volunteers, that

believes in values, and a Popple, we take those follies and campaign

on those venues -- and above all we take those values. We do not take

anything for granted, not one inch, Yard, meter. When we are

campaigning we have to fight tirelessly here in Wales to make

sure we gain the ground and represent the communities that so

desperately need representation here in Wales. It is great to be

here in St assai. It is probably Britain's newest city -- Sidath

faff -- St Asaph. We celebrate the decade -- dedication of service the

Queen has given this great country of ours. This is now Wales's match

-- second smallest city after son David's. -- St David's. I would

like to extend my congratulations to Leanne Wood as she takes up the

leadership of Wales'second smallest For a small place it has shown what

can be achieved through local leadership and enterprise, from the

religious leaders who came together in the 16th century to translate

the Bible into Welsh, today's leaders in science and technology,

who are working together to pioneer and innovate research and

development, including the European Space Observatory. The people of

this city may be a small community but they harness and shape the

Times. Just as a mild mannered died of a man wants help shape the

Though a year has almost gone since he passed away we continue to learn

from his example, and it is this sense of local purpose and

initiative I would like to talk to you about it today. In a few weeks

many of you will become candidates in the local elections. We will be

fighting these local government elections with conviction and

passion, fielding candidates across the whole of Wales, from Conway

around the country. We are working hard to show wealth can show the

chips -- the message is just as loud and relatives as it is in the

north and south, at the east and west. In rural communities as well

as in our towns and cities. Today they Iraq no no-go areas for the

This election is about building on the hard work our party has given

two previous election candidates. We intend to fight for every vote

in Wales. It would not be right for me not to mention hard work without

paying tribute to Nick who led our group with dedication and skill,

and I found him for all he has done for the Welsh Conservatives, and I

am pleased to say he is today representing us on the Silk

Commission. Since I became leader last year I have been out across

the communities of Wales hearing the views of the people of Wales.

In January I began the first of my community engagement for a meeting

to meeting civic business leaders. A few weeks ago I continued the

discussions in Anglesey. BT, NFU, Queer to, they have all come to

speak to us, -- Toyota. Along with representatives from schools,

colleges and universities. Local health board, local authorities,

all have chosen to engage with the Welsh Conservatives. The ideas they

have contributed will be used directly to guide and shape the

Welsh Conservative group policy for the future. Policy that has

undoubtedly made all the more stronger over the years thanks to

the contribution of David Melding. He has worked tirelessly as our

policy director in the Assembly since day one. He has often pointed

out the people of Wales believed in before themselves. He is the Deputy

Presiding Officer and I am sure you would like to take this opportunity

to back him for all the work he has done over the years for the Welsh

It is also a great pleasure for me to have appointed Susie Davies to

take up the new role of policy director with the Welsh

Conservative group. The Welsh Conservatives have long believed

policy works best when it is influence and informed by those

whose lives and livelihoods it has the potential to affect. That is

why we continue to oppose as three- quarters of the Welsh population

oppose Labour's record breaking cuts to the Welsh NHS which will

see more than half a billion pounds axed from the health service over

the next three years and put front line services at risk. It is why we

supported local businesses in Cardiff calling for the Welsh

government to bid for the Green Investment Bank to be located in

our capital city and why we continue to call for the Welsh

government to match the UK Government's commitment to

introduce a cancer drugs fund here in Wales in order to get vital

life-prolonging drugs to the patients that desperately need

those drugs. Every vote for Labour candidate in mate is a vote that

endorses Labour's decision to deny cancer patients access to life-

prolonging drugs -- in May. In the Assembly we stand up proudly as the

official opposition. We do so in order to make the strongest

possible case for the people we represent. The Welsh Conservative

group in Cardiff Bay the standing up, speaking out every day, four

people all over Wales, and I am indeed incredibly proud to lead

hour at most able group and I fed each and every one of our Assembly

members, many of whom are here today, for the passion and

dedication with which they fulfil their roles. Whilst others may be

keen to state their case on a cause supported by only 7% of the Welsh

population the Welsh Conservatives are clear the future of Wales lies

in maintaining strong links with the union. We all know a debate is

going on in Scotland about the future of the United Kingdom. I

believe the union delivers strength for Wales. There are some in Wales

who would wish to sever the ties, even the First Minister speaks of

looser ties, so much so we -- that recently a thought he was a late

entrant into the Plaid Cymru leadership race. We should not

allow the union to crumble. Our United Kingdom has become a source

of cultural ties, personal ties, common bonds, before we mention the

huge economic advantages of being a global trading power. As long as

the overriding majority of the winch -- Welsh people continue to

loudly call on us to take our place with England, Scotland and Northern

Ireland in the United Kingdom, they will have no stronger friend then

the Welsh Conservative Party. -- than the Welsh Conservative Party.

And they will have the support of a first-class team. I am proud to be

part of a strong team in the Welsh Conservative Party, work with Kate

Swindon, work alongside our fantastic members of parliament,

with so many dedicated and passionate local councillors in

local government, and I am proud to work with colleagues in the Welsh

Office, Cheryl and David. They have announced the electrification of

the Great Western main line, delivered a referendum on further

powers and set up the Silk Commission. It is by being part of

a team like this that demonstrates the people of Wales with Welsh

Conservatives acting when people cast their vote. We to live at owl

-- on our promises. We are working with local communities, fighting

for local concerns. Our involvement with local communities does not

stop there and it certainly does not stop on the 3rd May. Instead we

plant to go even further. Welsh Conservatives believe devolution

should bring government closer to the people it represents. Labour's

top-down centralised control has run its course and run Wales down.

Whilst Warren Gatland has given us a Grand Slam, Carwyn Jones and

Welsh Labour have given us the wooden spoon. Labour feels it has a

divine right to rule in Wales, and I think that is a very important

point people should pick on -- pick up on. In many communities there is

a belief only Labour have the right to rule, represent communities, but

will we go out in the next couple of weeks and months campaigning we

need to break that dominance of Labour, we need to speak up for

communities across the whole of Wales so that they know there is a

real Welsh alternative to the failed ideology that Labour have

You have to ask yourself what did they think has been in charge for

the last 10 years. Carwyn Jones offers the people nothing but

posturing. Labour cannot be trusted on the economy. There is no support

for small businesses. Little or no idea for the education system. A

referendum that was fought last March for further law-making powers

supposedly to give the government the powers to do the job, we have

had one piece of legislation on local government by laws. I do not

think you'll find a legislature or in the Western world with an

incoming government has made so little use of its ability to

legislate and govern. There is no ambition, no drive, no

determination. Stone-age policies and a stone-age spirit. There are

the stone-age family. What about their old comrades, Plaid Cymru.

They promise just more of the same. They want to break away from the

United Kingdom without answering any questions about why it would be

better. For a handful of people who voted for them last year, we now

have Leanne Wood. She stands for isolation, socialism, republicanism.

I say directly to the people who voted for Plaid Cymru in the past,

if you want eight -- if you are repeated, if you're proud of the

community, heritage, culture and language than your beliefs are our

beliefs in the Welsh Conservative Labour and Plaid Cymru's outdated

dogma and tired ideas have run their course. If we are to tackle

entrenched poverty in Wales, create economic growth and jobs and

reverse the declining standards in schools, then we simply have to

change the way Wales is governed. We have to give local communities a

direct say in how the communities are run. Welsh Conservatives want

real devolution by pushing power down to people, Welsh Conservatives

will free up local communities to introduce the improvements we all

want to see on council tax, Welsh Conservatives will introduce their

referenda. We will freeze council tax, we will let Casodex payers

decide whether their money is being spent wisely or not. But

Conservatives would give local people the power to determine

whether new developments can go ahead and let local committees

decide whether further development as appropriate or not for towns and

villages for which they live. Welsh Conservatives would have Polish

business rate for small businesses freeing up businessmen and women to

decide where they invest their profits. In education, we would

free teachers to decide how they run their schools. We will free

clinicians decide how they run their hospitals. They are not only

listening to local people, we're going much further. We are putting

local people in direct control in order to boost enterprise in Wales,

increase standards. As you continue to campaign ahead of the local

elections, tell those you meet on 3rd May that you decide. If you

vote Welsh Conservatives, you will be keeping the making of decisions

to yourselves about the issues that directly affect you in your daily

lives. On council tax, on planning, on how to invest your own profits

in your own businesses and raising standards in hospitals and schools,

if you vote was Conservatives then you decide. We went to a empower

people to carry on. We will empower individuals to build a better,

I'm pleased to say that Andrew RT Davies gens as now in the studio.

Thank you very much for coming to see us here. You mentioned the joke

about Plaid Cymru and reaching out for their voters. There is a whole

weight of Plaid Cymru voters out there. Leanne Wood has trenchant

views about where she wants to take the party and firmly go on the

Independent's report that she is left of Labour and is that the

recipe Wales needs to improve on its economic performance? We are

the Welsh Conservative Party and we do have proud roots in Wales. I am

a proud Welshman, I was born and brought up here. I run my own

business and the cast our group we have fluent Welsh speakers and we

will be reaching out to all parts of Wales. You're also a very strong

pro Unionist Party. Of all the speeches we have heard this morning,

do you think Plaid Cymru will be turning to us are very Unionist

Conservative Party and more so than under Nick Bourne, your predecessor.

What we are is a Unionist Party that recognises Wales is a vital

part of that union. It is not just one big blanket, it is about

Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland all having

identities and coming together as one entity to work. When you look

at Plaid Cymru Poling, 42% of their own members do not believe in

independence. What they have with the new leader is a definitive

route they will be taking pictures straight down the independence road.

I believe people on the centre- right will be -- will not be

looking for that. They will be looking for a true centre-right

party and that is what the Welsh Conservatives are offering. He also

trying to attract as Labour voters he sent you have to end the

dominance of Labour in certain communities. Is it just by shifting

to the right? No, we are a centre- right party. What we are offering

is a solution to empower people as individuals rather than have top-

down approaches. What we had for the first 12 of -- 12 years of

devolution is diktats from Cardiff. We went to see empowerment of

communities and opponents of the individuals are people feel the

decisions they take will improve their communities. Ultimately, our

prosperity will be built on individuals working together to

build on their own aspirations. That is what the West

Conservatives's calls are about. It about coming from the grassroots.

was listening to your speech and hearing you say about local

communities having more say over planning and yet at the same time,

in Monmouthshire, very strong local opposition to moving the cattle

market in Abergavenny and that it is being driven through despite

this. It doesn't seem to tally. is debatable how strong that

opposition is. I know of the councillors fully engage with

concerns within that area. Ultimately, there will be

safeguarding the future of the town. They had to repeal an old law to

push it through. Ultimately be, it is because it is the law. The

charter was granted in the 19th century. Their existence is old to

royal charters because that is the way things were done centuries ago.

It is just a standard procedure that you have to have these Act

repealed. Looking ahead to the May elections, you increase the number

of councillors in took 1,000 date. What would be a good night for you

in May? Let us start from where we are at the moment. We will be

fighting in every a Fogarty. We hope to have more candidates than

we have ever had before. At the close of ballot which is April 4th,

ultimately it would be a foolish politician who tried to

predetermine what the election will do. What we will be doing over the

next four to five weeks is working hard to get every single vote and

pointing out the Conservatives are standing for the fees of council

tax, protection of our health service and improving our

educational attainment levels in schools. You will know that even

local authority elections are fought on national policies and the

national narrative. Will you be damaged because of getting rid of

the 50 p tax rate because of the so-called Granny Tax. Will that

have a detrimental effect on your chances of success are struck let

us look at what is happening on April 1st. They will be an increase

in the state pension. In Deeside Industrial Park, with the

industrial -- Enterprise Zone will be set up, there is potential for

5,000 additional jobs to come to this part of north-east Wales.

Ultimately, this budget was a besetting the seeds for growth

opportunity and prosperity. We have to call the Welsh Government to

accounts so that they play their part and that we don't fall further

down the league table. They give are joining us. Let us go back to

We deliver on our principles. And we deliver on our commitments and

on our priorities and we did have that for our communities. In Wales,

we have a records of action. Back home in Monmouthshire, we practise

what they just preach. I am proud of what we have done or are doing.

We may be ruffling the feathers of some in Cardiff Bay or we may be a

thorn in their side. We are breaking the mould of traditional

local government mind sex. They do not like it. We're doing things

differently. We are pushing the boundaries. This is just another

key positive of a Conservative lead administration. In Monmouth Show,

we pressed the rebooked button. PC our glass as half full, not half

empty. We have looked deep inside our organisation and have

challenged to see if we are fit for purpose. Are we the right animal to

go forward to face the challenges ahead? Among the so, we're making

over �1 million a year efficiencies on management costs alone. We are

changing the way we work and have reduced our accommodation,

accommodation space by 50%. This drives further savings. We value

outcomes from staff and not just by -- not just value by time

commitment. We have priorities, education, protecting the

vulnerable and economic growth. These are priority areas on which

we were not dis invest. We will increase investment where possible.

In the coming year, we're investing another two and �50,000

specifically targeted at raising standards in literacy and numeracy

and we have committed that level for the next three years. We also

invested an extra �100,000 a year for three years into social

services. Specific funding to help key areas such as transition. We

have invested over �44 million in our primary school -- primary-

school and we pledge to spend another cent to �9.5 million over

the next decade. We have invested massively into hour road network.

We have invested in a state-of-the- art new library, a new livestock

market and will continue supporting our towns and communities by

enabling businesses to flourish within them. On top of all of that,

we have set a 0% council tax increase and we will do that again

and again. Ladies and gentlemen, I could go on and I know my colleague

-- colleague leaders would be able to add to the benefits of

Conservative-run councils with their own achievements. To conclude,

Conservative-controlled councils in Wales have a proven track records

of getting on with the challenges that face residents and for

providing better and more efficient value-for-money services. I am

proud of what Monmouth Show has done and we have been able to

demonstrate what a good council can look like. We will continue that

working revitalising and regenerating our county for the

next generation. That thought it should be about. May 3rd will be a

big day for us all. If the people of Wales want a positive future,

they need to vote Welsh Welsh Conservatives believe the

West government should promote policies that empower local

communities and have the potential to deliver long-term progress to

our communities. We are the party of local power. House soars across

was should be financially empowered by the council tax freeze. Sadly

the Welsh Government has denied this opportunity to the people of

Wales by refusing to pass on the City that -- �38.9 million special

to the local authorities. We only have to see the recent Debacker of

which has taken place on Anglesey. I know we have worked hard on this.

They have been denied the democratic right to even go to

election this year. That to me is a serious indicator of where the

Cardiff centric Welsh Government are offering diktat to Welsh local

authorities. Houses across Wales are struggling now to find many as

a result of the lack of funding. Guto Bebb has been working with

myself and we have managed to have some business rate relief for a

We would abolish business rates for all small businesses in Wales to

promote Welsh creation. What Conservatives believe people across

Wales will be more likely to participate if councils promote

transparency, accountability and openness. Welsh Conservatives would

fund schools directly. They would hand head teachers, teachers,

governors and parents the chance to set their own budget and priority.

We believe they know what is best for school children, not

bureaucrats. Welsh Conservatives want to see local people in the

driving seat, concerning planning decisions, which directly affect

them. I am so pleased we have Eric Pickles in the UK government. By

royal assent the localism act is now active in England. It is

freeing up councils, bringing about more transparency, and it has

simplified the planning system. The Engineering really of getting the

economy back on its feet. I know that the prospective candidates

assembled here today are motivated above all by a desire to serve

their friends, communities, and I know many of them are already

working in communities and they are signed up to the big society. From

my point of view there are few finer ambitions. At this election

the people of Wales will have a clear choice. Our candidates will

stand on a platform of greater localism, greater transparency,

Quintet accountability, and greater freedom. -- greater accountability.

A vote for the Conservatives will deliver these pledges and a message

must go out to the people across I'm joined by the Secretary of

State for Wales, Cheryl Gillan. Thank you for joining us. I would

like to start off with some fairly disappointing, troubling headlines

in the Sunday papers, the fact the Co treasurer of the Conservative

Party has left the party after being accused of selling meetings

with the Prime Minister in effect for �250,000. It is party funding

rearing its ugly head. The Prime Minister has made it very clear

this morning this is totally unacceptable, not the way we raise

money in the Conservative Party, and as you said, he has resigned,

and I know the Prime Minister has asked for a full investigation. How

disappointed are you such a senior coach treasurer of the party,

senior member, has been caught out? He is quite clear this is totally

unacceptable. -- it is quite clear. There will be an inquiry. When

David Cameron took over as leader there was an enormous debt and he

broadened the base of donors. This type of behaviour is unacceptable.

It does come at the end of the week off fairly disappointing headlines

for the party following the Budget on Wednesday, specifically the

granny tax, being marked by it was born, or some of the headlines --

George Osborne. How surprised we at the backlash with the tax credits

for pensioners? It also comes against a background

of a very successful Budget, which is balancing the books, which was

basically fiscally neutral, where we managed to find extra money for

Wales and the Welsh government, where we managed to find money to

for example improve specific things in Wales such as the money that is

going to go for the one of good -- 100% capital allowances in the

Deeside Enterprise Zone, improving will be offering signal, and the

extra money that will go to improve the productivity of Cardiff so it

becomes a high-speed broadband area -- the connectivity.

Tens of thousands of pensioners will see less money.

It is also a week which sees common of the largest cash increase in

pensions we have ever seen together with the guarantee that there are

going to be no cash losers. They will be losing out. A tense that

you have to also balance the fact that we are racing those personal

allowances -- Against that. That takes 95,000 people in Wales out of

tax altogether and affects 1.1 million people in Wales who will be

better off. Getting rid of the 50% talks back top rate tax earners and

taking it down to 40%, if you're going to say Britain is open for

business one will go down to 40%, why leave it at 45%? Wedding

daughters born go the whole hog, take your dad to 40% -- and why

didn't go George Osborne. -- take it down to 40%.

Be dropped from 5245 is perfectly sensible -- this drop. -- from 50%

to 45%. If this had been such a great tax, why didn't Labour bring

it in over the 13 years they were in government? Why did they put the

tin in the last dying days? He was not a successful tax, it is acting

as a drag. Regional pay is something that has

got the juices flowing in Wales in terms of the reaction to the Budget.

One thing that strikes me intent of the rationale behind it, how would

Curtin the salary or the paid off it DVLA worker in Swansea, how will

that create a job in another area? First of all, we have asked the pay

review bodies to look at this. It was the last Labour government for

the Court Service that introduced local pay, and they specifically

introduced local pay. What we have said and the Chancellor has said is

when we have seen what comes back from the pay review bodies, he will

be up to each department as to whether they implement some form of

local pay services. We have still got a long way to go.

There is a rationale from the Treasury they said they are keen on

the idea. I don't quite understand what the rationale behind it, how

does X equal why, how does cutting salaries their mean more jobs in

the private sector? The public sector pay in Wales is

18% higher than in the private sector. There is already an in-

built disincentive for businesses looking at their wages. We are

still on that journey. Don't forget it was the last Labour government

that adopted local pay. We have run out of time but we can go back and

see what is going on in the main Welsh Conservatives of the party of

local empowerment, not dogmatic centralised control. There are

individuals, enterprises, charities, social enterprises in our

communities that are better placed to confront the problems our nation

faces. Benefiting the most vulnerable and providing good value

to the taxpayer and council tax payer. It is the Conservative-run

councils in Wales that have increased transparency,

accountability, and openness and delivered better outcomes.

Conservatives in Cabinet in Denbighshire have turned an

educational system in special measures into a success story, so

congratulations to them. They have won awards for delivering a more

affordable homes than anywhere else in Wales and led the way in

tackling in D Holmes and Waste recycling and empowering

communities -- empty homes. Conservatives and -- in Flintshire

have delivered one of the best educational results at GCSE level

in the whole of Wales. With the latest figures showing GDP per head

in Wales is not only remained the lowest amongst the 12 UK nations

and regions but fallen even further behind, Conservatives in Cabinet in

Wrexham and Frenchay have turned things around. GDP per head there

is going in the right direction after a decade of contraction under

Labour council leadership. That is what Conservatives in local

government do for the people of We cannot trust the Liberal

Democrats, they are duplicitous. They voted with us in Cardiff Bay

to defeat the Welsh Labour draft budget, but then did a deal with

Welsh Labour to win out their final budget to go through. We all know

once elected there was no such thing as an independent councillor.

Remind people of that on the doorstep and give them examples

Plaid Cymru is united only in its quest to destroy Britain and

betrayed the inheritance of centuries. They are an abomination,

and we did want their kind in a compassionate, modern, 21st century

Wales putting Wales within the United Kingdom as the Prime

Minister -- priority for all. Labour dogma is the devil's

religion, compassionate on the surface but rotten to the core. We

can provide countless examples of the disaster zone they have created

and the tragedy of this is that good people, good, decent people

standing in the firing line have paid the price of that, have paid

the price of living in areas controlled by Labour and paid the

price of racing heads above the parapet and challenging Labour only

to find that machine shoots the messenger at Leeds good people

without the support -- and Leeds good people without the support and

help they deserve. I say to our councillors and candidates hold

your heads up high, truth conquers all, go forth towards the 4th May,

I'm joined by the Conservative MP for Abercorn we, venue for joining

us this afternoon. -- thank you for joining us. The headlines must have

been grim reading for any Conservative.

So to meet the fact that granny tax was unfortunate -- certainly. Of

beastly the helpline has been the fact that the 50 pence rate of tax

was cut -- obviously the headline. He does fly in the face of we are

all in this together when what will always be betrayed as billionaires

getting the tax cut of �10,000 each when the rest of us have to

struggle along. It doesn't quite tally with the narrative baby

Cameron and George Osborne wanted to portray.

The figures for the Budget showed the increase in tax is levied on

the most wealthy in society, five times greater than was raised at

the 50 p tax rate. I have already said it was a temporary measure.

There is a presentation problem in the fact we are reducing that at

the same time as simplifying the situation in terms of tax rates and

that simplification has the response of costing money to

pensioners depending on the circumstances and age. That

combination has been unfortunate. He is there a case to be made

pensioners have had it quite well recently and perhaps with free

television licence, bus passes, with the winter fuel payment,

perhaps there is room to cut back Pensioners have been well shielded

from the changes. There is no doubt that there is a huge issue at stake

here. The demographics of the United Kingdom means we have more

people of a retired age. Two-thirds of the first spending is on people

over the retirement age. The political consequences are

significant and there is a lot of hard thinking to be done. You said

there are consequences. I can hear George Osborne saying there be

another cut in the welfare budget. Would you have the stomach to do

that? The changes being implemented and are very welcome by most parts

of society. An additional 10 billion will have an impact on

people over the retirement age. Two-thirds of spending is on that

group of society. There are difficult decisions to be made and

we cannot just go ahead with no changes. One of the issues that has

fanned the flames in Wales is the idea of a regional pay for civil

servants. The Assembly group have told us today they are not too keen

on the idea. It would you stand on that could crack I do not think any

member of parliament from any region would be jumping up and down

over this. We to look at this carefully put up there is some

evidence that some parts of Wales, the private sector has been crowded

out by the public sector. It is also difficult to argue in a place

like North Wales that someone in Wrexham should be paid less than

someone in Cheshire. How do you implement that sort of change? We

have to look carefully. Looking at regional pay, I think it will be

difficult to do it at a time of austerity. Will it get worse for

George Osborne? People are saying maybe he is not the master

tactician some people thought he was for that bullet just get more

difficult for that individual quest Mark difficult times call for

difficult decisions. He was never going to be the most popular of

chances because of what he has done and they inherited from the Labour

Party. By the disparity of both members of the family keeping child

benefits while one member earning more loses the benefit did not go

down well. In the long term, George Osborne will be measured and

whether there he brings economic prosperity. We will come back you

on that one. Thank you very much. We're about to go back out to see

It is this Welsh Labour government that has frittered public money

away on gimmicks such as free to the press kit schemes for pupils.

The Welsh Government has cost thousands of schoolchildren proper

classrooms with heating, lighting and computers and other modern

facilities by this 3 to have crush scheme. You can call me old-

fashioned if you like but I believe that parents and not teachers

should be responsible for cleaning their children's teeth. This money

could and should have been spent elsewhere. We believe the best way

to help people improve their prospects is through education and

employment. It is not rule welfare and handouts. France, it is also

this Welsh Labour government whole is making record-breaking cuts to

an hour Welsh NHS. The Labour Lib Dem budget will be hundreds of

millions of pounds out of our health service at a time when

waiting targets have been missed, one in seven and an NHS waiting

list. Vacancies are not being filled and ambulances are turning

up late and where frontline staff are being kept. While their

Westminster colleagues protect the health budget in England, the Welsh

Liberal Democrats or the flip them as as I like to call them have

chosen not to predator is the NHS in Wales. What is the alternative

cut back Plaid Cymru. In last year's Assembly election, they

finished third for the first time with a lowest-ever share of the

vote. Even nationalists themselves admit there are struggling. Former

minister Rhodri Glyn Thomas has confessed that Plaid Cymru has gone

backwards since 1999 by the Welsh Conservatives have created a new

brand. With the arrival of their new leader, Plaid Cymru have

already embarked on their extreme left-wing journey. Leanne Wood and

her comrades are now besetting the party's agenda and her victory

which have Plaid Cymru even further to the left, trying to keep Welsh

Labour under pressure. It is now that we must show the people of

Wales that the Welsh Conservatives are the only credible alternative

to a leftist, ideological agenda in Wales. Only 7% of voters say they

went was to be an independent country. Leanne Wood and her dogma

and now the party of the 7%. Been ascended Clear message to Plaid

Cymru voters in rural areas and were speaking to win it is who feel

disillusioned with the extreme left-wing ideology of Plaid Cymru.

We are that alternative, we must show them that the Welsh

Conservative Party will represent their values, their interests and

With local council elections only a few weeks away, it did seem

appropriate that we spoke to the West Conservative spokesman on

local government. There are eight weeks to go. You must be getting

geared up. We are well and truly gear that. A successful campaign in

2,000 date. What you need to do to top that? I think it is possible.

Certainly here in Wales, the Welsh voters have had four more years of

Labour in some of the Welsh councils and certainly for more

years of Labour in the Welsh Government. One thing I a realist

about today, it is a rally and David Cameron did not turn up.

Would it have been more of a post for the party morale to have the

Prime Minister here? Our Secretary of State has brought his best

wishes today. It is not the same? It was a very good message for us.

Looking at how the party will be campaigning over the next few weeks,

how difficult will it be for those grassroots members knocking on

doors who will undoubtedly be met by 50p tax rate and how difficult

is it going to be to try and get your own local party message

across? We are already out knocking on doors and I have to say I am

quite heartened by the response we are getting. The one thing people

are angry about and people are aware that the money did come over

from England to Wales to freeze council tax. As a sudden my speech

this morning, our Welsh voters are now facing another large increase,

some of the highest increases, 140% since Welsh Labour came into power.

Overall, council tax in Wales is lower than the average council tax

in England. Is it not a little disingenuous to talk about not

raising council tax when it is Lower anyway? No. There is the free

evaluation -- the Adria valuation. It is not disingenuous at all. It

will hit our Welsh voters and they know best how they want to spend

that money. The money was allocated specifically to freeze council tax.

You're the local government spokesperson. Time to put your head

on the plot and say what would be a good night on May 3rd. We have our

target councils and we have five target councils and certainly

locally, we can build on our success. If you look at our

political history over the last few years, we are steadily building up

and up. We are now the official opposition in the Assembly. We run

half the councils. An upbeat note to finish on. Thank you for joining

us. Let us see what is going on It is a huge pleasure to be

speaking to you on such a wonderful spring day. In the brand Neil city

of St Asaph. I am delighted to see What a pleasure it is to be here in

the Optic Technium, and of the most extraordinary buildings in the

whole of Wales. The great glass wall who passed as UK men is 1,000

square metres and is actually the largest photovoltaic installation

of its kind in Europe. I remember a few years ago going with the Welsh

Select Committee to Colorado and visiting the American National

renewable Energy Laboratory. I saw a large TV array there and being

told it was the largest and one in the United States. They looked a

little crestfallen when I said I had a bigger one not five miles

down the road here in St Asaph. There is much to Optic Technium

than that. In this very building, scientists from the local

university and University College London are working on a project to

produce mirrors for the European extremely large telescope which

will be the largest optical telescope in the world. The level

of engineering accuracy that process involves is astonishing.

Only a few feet from where we are sitting, engineers are polishing

mirrors to an accuracy of one billionth of a metre which

translates into one thousandth of the thickness of a human hair. The

advanced work the university is doing in this building is matched

by a cluster of other companies in this immediate area. Close by is a

plant which manufacture as hi-tech military optical equipment exported

around the world. A couple of hundred yards in the other

direction we have to r p which is a supplier of advanced automotive

components and a mile or two down the road we have the Honeywell

factory making computerised environmental and combustion

controls. The proud new city of St Asaph his home to a number of

world-class industries which has close up this beautiful place in

North was to establish and expand their businesses. But whilst St

Asaph and the surrounding area is competing with other parts of the

United Kingdom and Europe, and Welsh institutions are reaching for

the stars, the same cannot be said of most of the rest of Wales. The

hard fact is that Wales is becoming progressively poorer, not only in

relation to other parts of the United Kingdom but to many other

less advantaged parts of Europe. I am sure you all remember Peter

Hain's classic slip-up when he boasted no matter how bad it was at

least Wales was richer than Rwanda. But that gaffe frankly is not so

far from the truth. As we had earlier on, the official you'll

start figures show two-thirds of Wales is now poorer than some parts

of Romania. Just think about that. A country that has spent most of

the post war period struggling under communism and under the

dictatorship of one of the most repressive individuals ever to

disfigure the European stage is now a richer than most of Wales.

Unbelievably, despite the hundreds of millions of pounds poured in

through European objective One funding of the last 12 years, most

of Wales has got poorer rather than richer. Asked Elin Jones events

pointed out in an excellent article recently, back when we received

funding, the West Wales Valleys were the 6th was prosperous

objective one area in Europe. By 2009, it was in 47 -- 42nd place.

West Wales and the valleys is not only the poorest Val -- place of

the United Kingdom, it is poorer than places like Slovakia and

Slovenia. Oh yes and poorer than crease as well. They at least have

Be who is to blame? It doesn't take a political anorak to realise the

continued economic decline has coincided with long periods of

Labour government both in London and Cardiff. And sadly although we

have now turfed Labour out at Westminster level There are still

the governing a administration in Cardiff Bay, responsible and to the

devolution settlement for economic development. To give and that

responsibility it is entirely fair to say that Labour are squarely

responsible for messing up the Welsh economy. Do you remember the

Welsh Development Agency? It was established under the last

Conservative government and it was astonishingly successful at

attracting foreign companies to establish themselves in Wales, a

world renowned companies such as Toyota and Brother. They were

persuaded that Wales was the right place to set up in business. Thanks

to the the Welsh Development Agency it was a frequently the most

successful region of the UK in terms of attracting investment. A

few days ago the Welsh business Minister was challenged in the

Assembly about the poor performance of Wales. She said everything was

going swimmingly, but she just haven't got the branding right. She

said she wanted to create a brand Wales and the designers were

working on it. Ladies and gentlemen, it is going to take more then yet

another Dougall of a dragon to change the fortunes of Wales --

doodle. We did have a brand, it was a world where he nice brand,

recognised everywhere you went, run by business people who understood

how business people thought. It was an invaluable Welsh accept. What

did Labour decide to do? They decided to scrap it. Economic

development was taken in house, and economic development despite the

objective came to a standstill. Labour in London stood by it and

did little to help. It was a shame, really. The fortunes of the Welsh

economy don't depend exclusively on the actions of the Welsh Assembly

government. Decisions taken at United Kingdom level are crucial to

economic growth in every part of this country, Wales included.

Ladies and gentlemen, that is why it is absolutely essential they

should be closer working between governments in Wales and Cardiff,

irrespective of the political you of the parties in power at either

end of the M4. That is a fact recognised by the House of Commons

Welsh Affairs Committee in the report published last month on

inward investment into Wales. The committee urged the government to

work closely with the Welsh Assembly government to help attract

inward investment, and that committee was right. The Welsh

government simply cannot co-wrote the Welsh economy on its own. It

needs a close co-operation of the British government, which has

worldwide reach through its chain of embassies, high commissions and

consulates in almost every country on earth. UK trade and investment

which is the Government's international business agency is

there for the benefit of every single business in United Kingdom,

Wales included. Its role is to promote British trade with the rest

of the world. The Welsh government issued be taking advantage of its

global presence to work closely with it in seeking to attract

business into Wales, and that is something also the Select Committee

urged. Let me say this clearly today. Cheryl and I, with the West

-- the rest of the Wales office, are anxious to work with the Welsh

government to help improve the Welsh economy. We want to see Wales

emerging from the doldrums of the last decade and put back on the

road to realising its fullest potential. We are prepared to work

very closely with the Welsh government to help achieve this,

despite our political differences. In return we expect a positive, it

mature response from the Welsh government and ladies and gentlemen,

more importantly, that is what I believe the people of Wales expect

They have, of course, as everybody recognises, been problems. One of

them has been the reluctance of the Welsh business minister to engage

with the British government and the British Parliament. When she was

requested by the Welsh Select Committee to give evidence on the

inquiry on inward investment she refused to do so. More recently she

even refused to allow her officials to attend a joint session of the

Select Committee and its Assembly counterpart. Ladies and gentlemen,

to be blunt, that is just plain childish and that will not impress

the people of Wales either. She has also shown a distinct reluctance to

taking up any ideas for economic development not conceived in Wales.

Enterprise zones being a prime example. She took six months to

announce the first Welsh so as well two dozen zones were forging ahead

across England, many directly competitive with areas of Wales,

that is not good enough. A not invented here mentality is

unacceptable. The fact is Wales has to government and unless they work

closely together it will only be Wales that suffers. Carwyn Jones

and his colleagues in Cardiff Bay must recognise in the best interest

of Wales they need to co-operate and co-operate closely with the

government of the United Kingdom. We at Westminster are very anxious

to do all we can to help the Welsh economy grow, willing to put the

investment in, but Cardiff has got to play its part as well. We

recognise our national infrastructure urgently needs up

grading after so many years of neglect. We are taking steps to do

that. Take railways, for instance. Last year we announced the

electrification of the Great Western line to Cardiff, that is

something that Labour could have done in his 13 years of office but

didn't. Electrification is crucial to Cardiff but we want to go

further. We also recognise the importance of electrifying the line

to Swansea. Provided a sufficiently strong business case can be

produced. And we in the Welsh Office are also working closely

with the Department for transport and the Treasury on plans to

electrified the South Wales valleys lines which would be of immense

benefit to some of the most depressed parts of Wales that

And up grading the M4 around Newport is a priority as well. We

are listening carefully to plans for that and we are prepared to see

what we can do to help. And broadband, efficient, fast

broadband is also of vital importance to every modern economy

but in Wales there are too many areas with slow speeds, so we have

made 50 mat -- �59 million available to roll-out super-fast

broadband across Wales. The Welsh government needs to put its

delivery pan into action, and we are prepared, anxious, to work with

them on that. Ladies and gentlemen, or where we can help and we are

prepared to help as much as possible, there are some areas

where delivery is firmly in the Welsh Government's sole

responsibility. He should be doing much more to upgrade the road

network -- it should be doing. The upgrading of one stretch of road is

a matter of top priority to the economy of the United Kingdom as a

whole, given that it is part of the main European transport network to

Holyhead. It has been neglected for much too long. We are looking to

Welsh government to see what proposals they have for the urgent

upgrade of back road. Ladies and gentlemen, there is a great deal to

do. Wales has languished in the economic slow lane for far too long.

The Eurostar at figures are referred to earlier should be a

wake-up call to all of us in London and Cardiff. The regeneration of

the Welsh economy is much too important to allow petty issues of

personality or territoriality to get in the wake of a business like

and efficient relationship between Wales -- between the two

governments of Wales. We are prepared to do our part in

Westminster, but in return we expect a positive and grown-up

response from Cardiff. Wales is a proud and ancient nation. As a

Welshman I consider it nothing short of a national disgrace that

it continues to lead bail-outs from Europe alongside the impoverished

countries of the Balkans. Cheryl and I have high ambitions for Wales.

We want all of Wales to show the dynamism that is displayed here at

Optic Centre. We would Wales to reach for the stars and we want the

Welsh government to work with us to Let's discuss the events of the day

with our political Correspondent John Stevenson. The first thing we

should look at is the fairly unsettled and difficult reading

Avenue became treasurer of the party, Peter Crouch best, --

Cruddas, and it is party funding by raising its head. Decade ago it was

said there was nothing more unsettling in the political

landscape than events, dear boy, events. We have the allegation the

code treasurer of the party had been engaged in cash for access,

for face time with the Prime Minister and senior members of the

government. This was no less a person than David Cameron himself,

when he was leader of the opposition before the election,

predicted that the next big scandal that was going to break some time

and has today, was the whole issue of cash for access. The irony is

that it has broken on his watch. David Cameron, a noticeable by his

absence. How much of a dent will that be for party morale which

could have been boosted before the elections?

There was more than one party activist he told me privately in

some sense the Wales Conservatives spring conference had been

cancelled. This is the rally, a local government rally. What we

were meant to have was the spring conference, the excuse was there

was no cash. I am not sure how credible that explanation is. War

was more damaging, what is more damaging, rather than effectively

Cameron who East the UK party leader of course, rather than the

fact he wasn't here, was the fact the Scottish Conservatives who were

holding their spring conference the same weekend, in Scotland, he was

the headline speaker there. There will certainly be a disappointment,

he can find time to be in Scotland but not here.

Looking at the challenge for the party ahead of the elections, what

is the big challenge? This rally takes place in the

context of the budget a few days ago, rightly or wrongly the

Conservatives have been characterised as clobbering the

pensioners. In a council area like Denbighshire which is where we are

today, there is a very sizable over 65 presents. -- presence. All

politics is local, it has been said, of the Budget will work its way

through council elections here in Denbighshire and the rest of Wales.