18/03/2017

:00:00. > :00:11.The Conservatives have been in power at Westminster for seven years and

:00:12. > :00:27.their next target here in Wales making games at the local elections

:00:28. > :00:29.in May. Welcome to Conference 2017. Good afternoon.

:00:30. > :00:34.Welcome to the third of our Spring party political conference

:00:35. > :00:38.programmes. We have already heard from Plaid Cymru and the Welsh

:00:39. > :00:42.Liberal Democrats but over the last couple of days it is the Welsh

:00:43. > :00:45.Conservatives who have been getting together in Cardiff and you can see

:00:46. > :00:52.the latest developments and comment on Twitter. As always our Welsh

:00:53. > :00:56.affairs editor is here to guide us through the afternoon. What will the

:00:57. > :01:03.party be looking to get out of this conference? There are a number of

:01:04. > :01:08.things. This is a combined conference, it is the Welsh spring

:01:09. > :01:13.conference and also the UK party's spring Forum and it is a platform

:01:14. > :01:16.for UK issues as well as Welsh issues but the main thing they will

:01:17. > :01:23.be hoping for is to turn the page on what has been an awful week for the

:01:24. > :01:26.Conservatives, with Nicola Sturgeon really outmanoeuvring the government

:01:27. > :01:29.at the beginning of the week by announcing a second independence

:01:30. > :01:33.referendum, that you turn from Phillip Hammond over the National

:01:34. > :01:36.Insurance contributions in the budget and that fine from the

:01:37. > :01:41.Electoral Commission about the election expenses. A grim week that

:01:42. > :01:45.they will want to forget about and get on to different subjects. A lot

:01:46. > :01:51.of what was said was seen through the prism of the developments

:01:52. > :01:55.regarding a second referendum on independence. The government agenda

:01:56. > :02:00.was way off course this week. There is no doubt that the plan for this

:02:01. > :02:04.conference was the plan you will see on the slogan behind the Prime

:02:05. > :02:10.Minister in a little while, a plan for Britain. It was going to be

:02:11. > :02:15.about a plan for Britain after the moving of Article 50, instead they

:02:16. > :02:19.have had to scramble and respond to what the British Government has been

:02:20. > :02:24.doing. Plenty more from Vaughan later. Now the main event was the

:02:25. > :02:29.Prime Minister's speech, it has been a challenging week for Theresa May,

:02:30. > :02:33.the second referendum on independence for Scotland, the

:02:34. > :02:39.U-turn in her own government over National Insurance but this was a

:02:40. > :02:45.speech to the party faithful. Theresa May began her speech by

:02:46. > :02:52.referring to this. Bringing these two events together reminds us once

:02:53. > :03:02.again that we are and always will be the Conservative and Unionist party.

:03:03. > :03:08.APPLAUSE. The only party today that represents and delivers for every

:03:09. > :03:13.part of this precious United Kingdom. I would like to thank Alun

:03:14. > :03:18.Cairns for that introduction. He is a determined and passionate

:03:19. > :03:21.campaigner for Wales is interest in Whitehall, always standing up for a

:03:22. > :03:26.Welsh interesting government and speaking up for this great nation at

:03:27. > :03:31.the Cabinet table. I would also like to pay tribute to the work of the

:03:32. > :03:34.Conservative group in the National Assembly, particularly to its leader

:03:35. > :03:47.Andrew R T Davies. APPLAUSE. The clearest and without

:03:48. > :03:49.doubt the loudest voice at Cardiff Bay, doing the important work of

:03:50. > :03:56.holding the Labour government to account. And thank you, to you,

:03:57. > :04:01.also, for all the work that you do for our party here in Wales. Thanks

:04:02. > :04:04.to you, some of our party 's best result at the last General Election

:04:05. > :04:11.were achieved right here. In the north, James Davies taking the seat

:04:12. > :04:15.from Labour. In mid Wales, Chris Davies taking the seat from the

:04:16. > :04:19.Liberal Democrats. In this city, Craig Williams holding Cardiff North

:04:20. > :04:26.with a majority more than ten times greater than we achieved in 2010.

:04:27. > :04:30.And in the South West, Byron Davies becoming the first Conservative MP

:04:31. > :04:42.for Gower in its 100 of history. APPLAUSE.

:04:43. > :04:49.130 year history. People said we could not win here again. But you

:04:50. > :04:54.prove them wrong. And today we are winning in Wales once again. And

:04:55. > :04:59.people said the same elsewhere as well. They said we could not win in

:05:00. > :05:03.the north of England, but tell that to the voters of Copeland and there

:05:04. > :05:12.are new brilliant member of Parliament, Trudy Harris!

:05:13. > :05:15.APPLAUSE. This is the modern Conservative Party. Reaching out to

:05:16. > :05:20.all parts of the country and winning in all parts of the country. A party

:05:21. > :05:26.that works for everyone, not just the privileged few. And right across

:05:27. > :05:31.Great Britain, on the 4th of May, people will go to the polls to

:05:32. > :05:35.decide who they want to run their local services, care for the local

:05:36. > :05:40.environment and said the council tax they pay. In Scotland and here in

:05:41. > :05:45.Wales, there will be all out collections in every single local

:05:46. > :05:49.authority. In England, as well as County Council and unitary authority

:05:50. > :05:56.elections, some of our great cities of the areas around them will choose

:05:57. > :05:59.a powerful new Mayers. As a party. We go into these important

:06:00. > :06:06.elections, confident about the job we can do to serve local people and

:06:07. > :06:10.local communities. From Cardiff to the Cairngorms, from Dover to

:06:11. > :06:15.Darren, people are looking for a party with a plan to secure a better

:06:16. > :06:20.future, a better future for their town or city, their county and their

:06:21. > :06:27.country. And our task as Conservatives is clear. We must work

:06:28. > :06:31.to be that party. In local elections across Great Britain, that means

:06:32. > :06:36.being the party that sets out the credible and compelling case to keep

:06:37. > :06:39.council tax low, for a more effective and efficient local

:06:40. > :06:46.services and for more responsive representation. In the elections for

:06:47. > :06:52.new Mayors, our candidates, James Palmer in the Cambridge and

:06:53. > :06:58.Petersburg, to go cold air in Liverpool city region, and Tim Veldt

:06:59. > :07:04.in the West of England, they must be the candidate pointing the way for a

:07:05. > :07:08.better quality of life, greater social, cultural and economic

:07:09. > :07:14.opportunities and a more prosperous future for local people with a plan

:07:15. > :07:19.to deliver. And as Her Majesty's government of the UK, responding to

:07:20. > :07:23.and delivering on the decision of the British people to leave the

:07:24. > :07:31.European Union and embark on a new global role, our task is clearer

:07:32. > :07:35.still. It is to use this moment of opportunity to shape a brighter

:07:36. > :07:41.future for Britain. It is to use this period of change to step back

:07:42. > :07:47.and ask ourselves what kind of country we want to be. And it is to

:07:48. > :07:51.use the years ahead to deliver an ambitious programme of economic and

:07:52. > :07:58.social reform that prepares Britain for the brighter future and ensures

:07:59. > :08:03.we emerge stronger, fairer, more united and more outward looking than

:08:04. > :08:10.ever before. And that is why, today, I want to talk to you about this

:08:11. > :08:14.government's plan for Britain. A plan for Britain that will guide our

:08:15. > :08:19.policies and actions, a plan for Britain that will deliver a

:08:20. > :08:22.stronger, fairer country, for we stand on the threshold of one of the

:08:23. > :08:29.most significant moments Britain has known for many years. During the

:08:30. > :08:35.next two weeks, we will trigger Article 50 and begin negotiations to

:08:36. > :08:37.secure the United Kingdom's departure from the European Union.

:08:38. > :08:51.APPLAUSE. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE.

:08:52. > :08:57.And it is at such moments, great national moments that define the

:08:58. > :09:02.character of a nation, we have a choice. We can look forward with

:09:03. > :09:07.optimism and hope or give in to the politics of fear and despair. I

:09:08. > :09:13.choose to believe in Britain and that our best days lie ahead.

:09:14. > :09:17.Because while the road before us may be uncertain at times, I believe,

:09:18. > :09:20.with the British people, that it leads towards a brighter future for

:09:21. > :09:26.our nation's children and grandchildren. That brighter future

:09:27. > :09:31.will not just happened. The stronger fairer country we want will not just

:09:32. > :09:37.emerge, it will take effort and focus, discipline and hard work. And

:09:38. > :09:43.above all, it requires that we set out and deliver on a plan. So our

:09:44. > :09:47.plan for Britain is a plan for a brighter future, a plan to make the

:09:48. > :09:51.most of the opportunities ahead and to build a stronger, fairer Britain

:09:52. > :09:55.that is more united and more outward looking, a plan to get the right

:09:56. > :10:01.deal for Britain abroad, yes, but also a better deal for ordinary

:10:02. > :10:03.working people here at home. That is crucial. For the referendum result

:10:04. > :10:21.is not just a vote to leave the European Union, it was an

:10:22. > :10:24.instruction, to change the way our country works and the people for

:10:25. > :10:26.whom it works, for ever. It was a call to change the balance of

:10:27. > :10:28.Britain, to make this great United Kingdom a country that works for

:10:29. > :10:31.everyone, not just the privileged few. We, the Conservative Party

:10:32. > :10:36.understand that and we, the Conservative Party, will respond. We

:10:37. > :10:39.will get the right deal for Britain abroad, forging a new partnership

:10:40. > :10:42.with our friends and allies in Europe but looking beyond Europe, to

:10:43. > :10:47.build relationships with the new friends and new allies and old

:10:48. > :10:51.friends around the world as well. At the same time, we will pursuit the

:10:52. > :10:56.ambitious economic and social reforms we need to make Britain work

:10:57. > :10:59.for working people. That means building a stronger economy and

:11:00. > :11:04.investing in the things that will deliver for Britain in the long

:11:05. > :11:07.term. Tackling the problem of low productivity and helping to secure

:11:08. > :11:14.the high-paid, high skilled jobs of the future. It means creating a

:11:15. > :11:17.fairer society, as we break down the barriers of privilege and spread

:11:18. > :11:24.opportunity and prosperity around the country. It means forging Aomori

:11:25. > :11:28.United Nations as we put the values of fairness, responsibility and

:11:29. > :11:33.citizenship at the heart of everything we do. It means building

:11:34. > :11:40.a stronger, fairer Britain that our children and grandchildren will be

:11:41. > :11:45.proud to call home. From the start, the Britain we build as we leave the

:11:46. > :11:50.EU must be a truly global Britain. A Britain that is outward looking and

:11:51. > :11:55.embraces the world. Because the vote to leave the European Union was not

:11:56. > :11:59.about to turn our backs on our international role or abandon our

:12:00. > :12:05.international outlook, Britain at its best has always been a great,

:12:06. > :12:11.global trading nation. We have always been shaped by and have

:12:12. > :12:15.helped to shape global events. We are one of the world's largest

:12:16. > :12:20.economies with strong and fruitful relationships with countries around

:12:21. > :12:24.the world. Those cooperative and open-hearted relationships are vital

:12:25. > :12:28.to our future success as we leave the EU, we will embrace the world

:12:29. > :12:33.and build a global outward looking Britain, that is a confident, and

:12:34. > :12:37.responsible player on the world stage. Of course that means getting

:12:38. > :12:40.on with the job of delivering Brexit, striking the right deal for

:12:41. > :12:47.Britain or that build a new partnership with Europe and we have

:12:48. > :12:51.been clear about our negotiating objectives, certainty, wherever

:12:52. > :12:54.possible, control of our own laws, strengthening the United Kingdom,

:12:55. > :12:58.maintaining the Common travel area with Ireland, control of

:12:59. > :13:03.immigration, writes for EU nationals in Britain and it is nationals in

:13:04. > :13:07.the EU, enhancing rights for workers, free trade with European

:13:08. > :13:12.markets, new trade agreements with other countries, a leading role in

:13:13. > :13:16.science and innovation, co-operation on crime, terrorism and other

:13:17. > :13:20.affairs and a phased approach, delivering a smooth and orderly

:13:21. > :13:26.Brexit. 12 objectives, that amount to one big goal, a new positive and

:13:27. > :13:33.constructive partnership between Britain and the European Union. But

:13:34. > :13:38.a global Britain, also means making the Britain that emerges from the

:13:39. > :13:41.EU, the leading advocate of global free trade and promoting and

:13:42. > :13:45.defending the forces of economic liberalism which have such an

:13:46. > :13:49.overwhelmingly positive impact on our world. It means, as I say,

:13:50. > :13:52.building and strengthening our relationships with old friends and

:13:53. > :13:57.new allies, getting out and doing business right across the globe. And

:13:58. > :14:00.that is what the Department for International Trade has been doing

:14:01. > :14:04.since it was set up last summer, building up our capability and

:14:05. > :14:08.readiness for that new global role and promoting British goods and

:14:09. > :14:13.services around the globe. It means continuing to attract the brightest

:14:14. > :14:17.and the best to work or study in Britain but ensuring that process is

:14:18. > :14:17.managed properly so that our immigration system serves the

:14:18. > :14:33.national interest. Continuing to meet our commitments

:14:34. > :14:39.to the world's poor and support developing countries, making the

:14:40. > :14:41.world a safer place for everyone, and supporting our armed forces as

:14:42. > :14:54.they keep our country safe and secure. Britain is one of the few

:14:55. > :15:00.nations anywhere in the world to meet its UN aid target and Nato

:15:01. > :15:11.defence target. That is a global Britain of which we can all be

:15:12. > :15:16.proud. Our success as a global Britain will be underpinned by the

:15:17. > :15:19.second objective of our plan for Britain, a stronger economy where

:15:20. > :15:24.everyone plays by the same rules. We have achieved a lot of the last six

:15:25. > :15:28.years to fix the economic mess left by labour and restore our public

:15:29. > :15:35.finances. The deficit has been reduced and the economy has grown.

:15:36. > :15:40.In 2010 the UK borrowed ?1 in ?5. This year it will be ?1 in every

:15:41. > :15:43.play ?15. Working with business leaders across the country we have

:15:44. > :15:47.delivered a record number of jobs giving more people in our country

:15:48. > :15:53.economic security and peace of mind for their families. We have taken

:15:54. > :15:56.the lowest paid out of tax altogether and put on the national

:15:57. > :16:00.Living Wage so that people who work hard every day and often arduous

:16:01. > :16:06.jobs can enjoy a better standard of living. There is still so much more

:16:07. > :16:10.to do. Our plan for Britain will continue to bring the deficit down

:16:11. > :16:14.so the country lives within its means. We will take a balanced

:16:15. > :16:20.approach a loving us to invest where it is needed, like the ?2 billion of

:16:21. > :16:24.additional money for adult social care we announced last week. Whether

:16:25. > :16:29.it will make the difference for Britain in the long-term, like the

:16:30. > :16:32.?500 million a year we committed in the budget to bring genuinely

:16:33. > :16:38.world-class technical education to Britain for the first time. This

:16:39. > :16:44.funding will help to increase the amount of technical training by 50%

:16:45. > :16:48.and includes a high-quality three month work placement for every

:16:49. > :16:53.student. It means that when they qualify they will be genuinely work

:16:54. > :16:58.ready. It means we will be taking technical education seriously and

:16:59. > :17:02.giving at the parity of esteem it deserves as we roll out our

:17:03. > :17:14.industrial strategy towards all parts of the country. That strategy

:17:15. > :17:18.will encourage and support the key sectors of our economy, provide more

:17:19. > :17:22.opportunities for young people to find high-quality high skilled work

:17:23. > :17:24.and spread opportunity and prosperity around the whole of the

:17:25. > :17:29.country. This approach has been welcomed by sectors across the

:17:30. > :17:32.economy and I look forward to publishing our White Paper later

:17:33. > :17:37.this year. To build a stronger economy that works for everyone

:17:38. > :17:41.government must support competitive markets and an open economy. That

:17:42. > :17:45.means recognising where markets are not working for customers and being

:17:46. > :17:51.ready to step in on their behalf so that consumers get a fair deal. One

:17:52. > :17:55.market that is manifestly not working for all consumers of the

:17:56. > :17:59.energy market. Energy is not a luxury, it is a necessity of life,

:18:00. > :18:04.and it is clear to me and anyone that looks at it that the market is

:18:05. > :18:09.not working as it should. Prices have risen by 150% of the last 15

:18:10. > :18:12.years and ordinary working families are finding they are spending more

:18:13. > :18:18.of their take-home pay on heating and lighting needs month. The vast

:18:19. > :18:23.majority of consumers, especially those with the lowest incomes, are

:18:24. > :18:28.on the most expensive tariffs. Relying on switching alone to keep

:18:29. > :18:35.prices down is clearly not working. Our party did not end the unjust and

:18:36. > :18:38.inefficient monopolies of the energy corporations to replace it with a

:18:39. > :18:43.system that traps the poorest customers on the worst deals. We are

:18:44. > :18:47.looking closely at how we can address this problem and ensure a

:18:48. > :18:52.fair deal for everyone and we will set out plans very soon. This is the

:18:53. > :18:56.government on the side of working people, acting to repair a broken

:18:57. > :19:00.consumer markets to improve the spending power of people who are

:19:01. > :19:05.just about managing with everyday costs and bills. It is the job of

:19:06. > :19:10.government to act in the national interest and to protect the people.

:19:11. > :19:15.To crack down on individuals and businesses that abuse the system so

:19:16. > :19:18.that everyone, however big or small, plays by the same rules, and that is

:19:19. > :19:41.the fairer Britain we are building. A Britain where worker's rights are

:19:42. > :19:46.enhanced. Under this government they will be extended and never

:19:47. > :19:50.diminished insuring that in a modern flexible economy people are properly

:19:51. > :19:54.protected at work will also be a priority and that is why we have

:19:55. > :19:57.commissioned Matthew Taylor to lead a review into the rights and

:19:58. > :20:03.protections bebop having worked in the new modern economy so we can be

:20:04. > :20:07.certain employment regulation and practices are keeping pace with the

:20:08. > :20:12.changing world of work. The Conservative Party is the party of

:20:13. > :20:18.workers, consumers, responsible businesses, with a plan to build a

:20:19. > :20:25.stronger economy for all. The third objective of our plan is to build a

:20:26. > :20:29.fairer society where success is based on merit not privilege. We

:20:30. > :20:33.have started to rebalance our society in favour of ordinary

:20:34. > :20:37.working people. Our plans for housing will deliver 1 million more

:20:38. > :20:40.homes so more people can afford their own home while ensuring the

:20:41. > :20:45.housing market is fear to those who own their home and those who do not.

:20:46. > :20:50.Action to help those renting as well as buying. We will continue to be

:20:51. > :20:55.rigged investment into the NHS, to help people at every stage of their

:20:56. > :20:59.life. We will help people who can work get back into employment so

:21:00. > :21:04.that they can benefit from a happier healthier and more productive life.

:21:05. > :21:19.Our welfare system is fear to those who need it and fear to those who

:21:20. > :21:24.pay for it -- fair. We need to go further than trying Britain into a

:21:25. > :21:28.great meritocracy where success is defined by work and talent not birth

:21:29. > :21:36.or circumstance. Our plan for Britain mould provide a good school

:21:37. > :21:40.place for every child. That allows them to reach their full potential

:21:41. > :21:47.eye. We will support existing state schools to do even better through

:21:48. > :21:52.sponsorship of universities in collaboration with the independent

:21:53. > :21:56.sector we will help schools to expand and do something else no

:21:57. > :22:00.government has done for generations. We will extend to the children of

:22:01. > :22:04.working class families the same opportunities enjoyed by the

:22:05. > :22:05.children of the well-off by ending the ban on new academically

:22:06. > :22:21.selective schools in England. These new schools will face rigorous

:22:22. > :22:25.requirements to ensure that as well as giving greater opportunities to

:22:26. > :22:28.their students they support their neighbouring nonselective schools to

:22:29. > :22:35.do the best buy beers. There will be no return to the binary model of the

:22:36. > :22:39.past but moving into an egalitarian future where the opportunity to

:22:40. > :22:43.receive the education that suits a child best is within reach of every

:22:44. > :22:49.one of our society and not just the privileged few. Being a government

:22:50. > :22:53.at the service of the people means taking action on the issues that

:22:54. > :22:56.concern them. Not thinking we know best and turning a blind eye to

:22:57. > :23:02.their concerns but listening and responding to what people want. So

:23:03. > :23:07.we will take control of immigration and make sure the immigration system

:23:08. > :23:10.works in the national interest. We will welcome immigrants to make a

:23:11. > :23:14.valued the necessary contribution to our economy and society but we will

:23:15. > :23:19.once again have control of the system and manage it according to

:23:20. > :23:24.our needs. At the same time we take action to address people's

:23:25. > :23:26.legitimate concerns about immigration we will be understanding

:23:27. > :23:32.and our determination to tackle the historic injustices like racial and

:23:33. > :23:43.gender discrimination that hold too many people in our society back.

:23:44. > :23:49.The Britain we will build must be country where everyone has an equal

:23:50. > :23:55.chance to succeed and we're getting on in life is dependent on talent

:23:56. > :24:00.and hard work, not background or connections. Our party should aspire

:24:01. > :24:02.to be the servant and voice of hard-working and patriotically urges

:24:03. > :24:08.people of every social class and race, any religion and nine, women

:24:09. > :24:15.and men, gay and straight, young and old, we are union of people bound

:24:16. > :24:19.together by injuring common interests and all are respected and

:24:20. > :24:36.welcome in our party -- enduring. Because everything I have been

:24:37. > :24:42.talking about today adds up to the overarching goal of our plan for

:24:43. > :24:46.Britain, the creation of a more United Nations that our children and

:24:47. > :24:51.grandchildren a protocol home. Our party believes heart and soul in our

:24:52. > :24:56.United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The pressures bond

:24:57. > :25:02.between four nations, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern

:25:03. > :25:06.Ireland. That union is more than just a constitutional artefact. It

:25:07. > :25:11.is a union between all of our citizens whoever we are and wherever

:25:12. > :25:15.we are from. So our plan for Britain will put strengthening and

:25:16. > :25:19.sustaining that union at its heart. It means taking the big decisions

:25:20. > :25:25.when they are the right one for Britain in the long term. The team

:25:26. > :25:29.national interest above any other consideration. And ensuring that we

:25:30. > :25:33.act in the interests of the whole country creating jobs and supporting

:25:34. > :25:39.communities across our United Kingdom. It has always been the

:25:40. > :25:44.special mission of our Conservative Party to be the true National Party

:25:45. > :25:49.in Britain, to aspire to represent all of the country and all of the

:25:50. > :25:56.people and today our goal must be nothing less because we are the

:25:57. > :26:01.party of the new centre ground of British politics, rejecting the

:26:02. > :26:12.extremes of Labour's socialist left, Ukip's libertarian right and the

:26:13. > :26:25.divisive and obsessive nationalisms of Plaid Cymru and the SNP. We have

:26:26. > :26:30.seen that tunnel vision on display again this week. The SNP argue that

:26:31. > :26:36.we should break up the UK because we are leaving the EU. But three years

:26:37. > :26:40.ago they campaigned on a result that would have taken Scotland out of the

:26:41. > :26:45.EU altogether. They are happy to see power rests in Brussels but if those

:26:46. > :26:47.powers come back to London they want them given to Edinburgh so they can

:26:48. > :27:03.try to give them back to Brussels. They apparently see an independent

:27:04. > :27:10.Scotland would no longer seek to become a member of the EU after a

:27:11. > :27:14.vote. The fact that more Scottish voters backed Scotland staying in

:27:15. > :27:22.the UK in 2014 than supported the UK staying in the EU in 2016 and that

:27:23. > :27:27.almost half a million independent supporters backed Brexit last year

:27:28. > :27:30.seems to count for nothing. It is clear that using Brexit is the

:27:31. > :27:35.pretext of engineer and a second independence referendum has been the

:27:36. > :27:41.SNP's sole objective of since last June. It would be bad for Scotland,

:27:42. > :27:47.bad for the United Kingdom and bad for us all. The coming negotiations

:27:48. > :27:54.with the EU will be vital for everyone in the United Kingdom.

:27:55. > :27:58.Every person, every family, business, community, the length and

:27:59. > :28:02.breadth of the UK, England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland.

:28:03. > :28:06.It is essential we get the right deal and all of our efforts and

:28:07. > :28:11.energies of the country are focused on that outcome. We can only get

:28:12. > :28:17.that deal if we are united as one United Kingdom, all pulling together

:28:18. > :28:21.to get the best outcome. That is what we have always done when faced

:28:22. > :28:26.with challenges, we have pulled together as one and succeeded

:28:27. > :28:31.together. We are four nations but at heart we are one people. As the

:28:32. > :28:35.Prime Minister of this United Kingdom I will always ensure the

:28:36. > :28:39.voices and interests of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

:28:40. > :28:43.are represented as we negotiate to leave the EU and I will always fight

:28:44. > :29:01.to strengthen and sustain this precious union.

:29:02. > :29:08.A great leader of our party once said that the Tory party, unless it

:29:09. > :29:15.is a national party, is nothing. Our party, he went on to say, is a party

:29:16. > :29:18.formed from all the numerous classes in the realm, classes alike and

:29:19. > :29:23.equal before the law but whose different conditions and different

:29:24. > :29:27.aims give vigour and variety to our national life. At its best, it has

:29:28. > :29:31.always been the mission of our party to serve all of the people, to be

:29:32. > :29:45.the truly national party, to act always in the national interest and

:29:46. > :29:47.never in a sectional interest, to encourage the strong and to protect

:29:48. > :29:50.the vulnerable, to enable success and to use the fruits of our

:29:51. > :29:52.collective success to advance the common good. In the years ahead,

:29:53. > :29:57.these are the values that should light our path. With our vision of a

:29:58. > :30:01.better future for our country, a plan for a stronger, fairer Britain

:30:02. > :30:08.and the determination to see it through. We will achieve that

:30:09. > :30:13.mission and be worthy of that better future.

:30:14. > :30:17.APPLAUSE. Thank you. The obligatory standing ovation for the Prime

:30:18. > :30:23.Minister's speech, much of the focus on this page has been that defence

:30:24. > :30:30.of the UK, that precious union as she calls it. She talked about

:30:31. > :30:34.another familiar theme, fairer, stronger Britain. What did you make

:30:35. > :30:39.of what the Prime Minister had to say? Often it is more interesting

:30:40. > :30:43.what is left out of a speech than what is put in. You will remember

:30:44. > :30:50.the fact that Phillip Hammond did not mention Brexit in the budget.

:30:51. > :30:54.The first striking thing there was how little there was attacking the

:30:55. > :30:59.Labour Party. That gives you some indication of how great a danger the

:31:00. > :31:03.Conservatives regard Labour as being, they virtually did not

:31:04. > :31:07.feature in the script. Instead she homed in on the SNP and that was in

:31:08. > :31:11.direct response to the outflanking of the Westminster government by the

:31:12. > :31:15.Hollywood government earlier in the week, trying to justify this

:31:16. > :31:20.decision which he has reached to refuse to enter into talks with the

:31:21. > :31:24.Scottish Government about the timing of a second independence referendum.

:31:25. > :31:29.What we have seen is that issue zooming up the agenda this week and

:31:30. > :31:35.that is no doubt having to be quite substantially rewritten because of

:31:36. > :31:39.that. Jeremy Corbyn's name was not mentioned at all. Quite incredible

:31:40. > :31:43.that in a speech that log the Prime Minister did not mention the Leader

:31:44. > :31:48.of the Opposition but back to the SNP, you say that you think the

:31:49. > :31:53.Prime Minister has been outflanked by the SNP and Nicola Sturgeon. She

:31:54. > :31:57.was caught off-guard on Monday and that is not to say that Nicola

:31:58. > :32:03.Sturgeon will end up as the victor, I am not saying that at all, but I

:32:04. > :32:06.think that the timing of the SNP, the announcement took the government

:32:07. > :32:09.unawares and they have been scrambling to catch up during the

:32:10. > :32:15.course of the week. This is not the way they had this week planned. It

:32:16. > :32:18.has been a grim week for them on a number of fronts and it started with

:32:19. > :32:24.that announcement by Nicola Sturgeon. Do you think that is

:32:25. > :32:28.reflected in the sort of language used about nationalism? She was

:32:29. > :32:33.quite forceful in her language and, talking about obsessive and divisive

:32:34. > :32:39.nationalism. Maybe it is the strongest we have heard her

:32:40. > :32:44.attacking them? Plaid Cymru was only added in there because she was in

:32:45. > :32:49.Cardiff, it was the SNP she was attacking. The problem she has is

:32:50. > :32:53.this, many of the arguments that were used against independence in

:32:54. > :32:58.the first independence referendum could equally be used against

:32:59. > :33:03.Brexit. It is difficult for her to talk about how ridiculous it would

:33:04. > :33:06.be for Scotland to turn its back on its largest market when she is doing

:33:07. > :33:10.exactly that in terms of the European Union. You cannot talk

:33:11. > :33:15.about putting up barriers when Britain is putting up barriers

:33:16. > :33:20.against the rest of the European Union. In a sense, she is a little

:33:21. > :33:26.bit hamstrung along the lines of attack she can take on the SNP, she

:33:27. > :33:30.talks about narrow divisive nationalism, but the SNP I think

:33:31. > :33:34.would point back at her and say, what are your immigration policies?

:33:35. > :33:41.Although she was suggesting in the speech that they were in total

:33:42. > :33:44.inconsistencies in the argument of the SNP on wanting to stay in the

:33:45. > :33:49.European Union but leave the United Kingdom. You can argue it anyway. Of

:33:50. > :33:55.course you can. They are arguing it on a basis of a quality, those

:33:56. > :33:59.accusations can fly either way and I think that the Westminster

:34:00. > :34:02.government will need to come up with a more subtle approach than less.

:34:03. > :34:09.That approach went down very well in the hall and the people in the hall

:34:10. > :34:15.are Conservative and Unionist, or if you put it another way, British

:34:16. > :34:18.nationalists. Equally, the nationalism of the Nicola Sturgeon

:34:19. > :34:21.goes down well in front of an audience of Scottish Nationalists,

:34:22. > :34:25.it is how you get those two people to reach across the aisle to the

:34:26. > :34:31.other audience that is the problem. That speech will have done nothing

:34:32. > :34:34.to help Theresa May in terms of Nationalists Scotland, there is a

:34:35. > :34:40.union of Scotland as well, it may have gone down well there. Thank you

:34:41. > :34:44.for now. Our political correspondent has been our eyes and ears at the

:34:45. > :34:51.conference and after the Prime Minister spoke, he asked to MPs for

:34:52. > :34:55.their reaction to the speech. I am joined by two Conservative MPs,

:34:56. > :35:00.Craig Williams and David Davies. Craig Williams, what did you make of

:35:01. > :35:04.Theresa May's plan for Britain, is it an attempt to draw a line under

:35:05. > :35:10.the difficult week they have had? It is great to see the Prime Minister

:35:11. > :35:14.in Cardiff. It is great to have that concentration on the union and a

:35:15. > :35:18.plan to save the union. We get the economic arguments but I have not

:35:19. > :35:23.heard the hard yet and she started to address that today. She is

:35:24. > :35:27.passionate about the United Kingdom and keeping us together and that

:35:28. > :35:32.plan is a great concentration for me. Isn't the truth of it that

:35:33. > :35:37.Nicola Sturgeon has bounced into making these kinds of speech is?

:35:38. > :35:41.Nicola Sturgeon calling for another referendum is not new news, we were

:35:42. > :35:45.expecting it. She is always looking for an excuse to call for a

:35:46. > :35:50.referendum on independence. I think the response from the Prime Minister

:35:51. > :35:54.was mature, thought through and it is that plan and saving the union is

:35:55. > :35:58.something that is Welsh, we passionately care about it and it is

:35:59. > :36:02.great to see the Prime Minister saying it in Cardiff. Again and

:36:03. > :36:07.again Theresa May talked about the case for the union, a more united

:36:08. > :36:13.country, how does the Tory government deliver on that? What

:36:14. > :36:17.Theresa May said, which was very important, as well as stressing the

:36:18. > :36:22.union, we have always been a party that is there for anyone, we believe

:36:23. > :36:27.in meritocracy, it does not matter if you're black, white, gay,

:36:28. > :36:32.straight, we are there for everyone who wants to work hard and get on

:36:33. > :36:36.and I think we will see that in the way we support businesses, that we

:36:37. > :36:40.get the debt down and bring down taxes and take people out of the tax

:36:41. > :36:43.system altogether if they are low paid and gave everyone a boost of

:36:44. > :36:48.encouragement to get out there and make the most of the opportunities

:36:49. > :36:52.that exist. That means no special favours for Wales or Scotland or any

:36:53. > :36:58.other region or a nation? Wales has always done well at being part of

:36:59. > :37:01.the union and we have made a huge contribution, not only in terms of

:37:02. > :37:04.finances, but look at the contribution to the Armed Forces

:37:05. > :37:09.that has come out of Wales, that is very important. We are the

:37:10. > :37:13.Conservative and Unionist party and we will be talking about the union,

:37:14. > :37:17.we always have done and I think we have not been bounced by Nicola

:37:18. > :37:22.Sturgeon at all but it is important to say, she cannot have another

:37:23. > :37:25.referendum, we always expected that she would keep calling referendums

:37:26. > :37:29.until she got the answer she wanted, but there is no point in having a

:37:30. > :37:32.referendum until we know what the final deal will look like when we

:37:33. > :37:38.have pulled out of the European Union. Isn't that a risky tactic for

:37:39. > :37:42.the Prime Minister, to say you can have a referendum but not on your

:37:43. > :37:47.terms and not when you wanted, it will be up to me to decide, is on

:37:48. > :37:52.that plane into the hands of the SNP? I think it is being reasonable.

:37:53. > :37:57.Nicola Sturgeon said the last referendum was going to be once in a

:37:58. > :38:00.generation, for her to demand another referendum and she wants to

:38:01. > :38:05.dictate the time and question, I think it is ludicrous. I am certain

:38:06. > :38:09.that the government will listen to what she has to say and she insists

:38:10. > :38:13.on, they will allow her to have some sort of referendum, but doing right

:38:14. > :38:20.now in the middle of a complicated negotiation over our future in

:38:21. > :38:28.Europe, and does not make any sense. You were a Remain voter, do you have

:38:29. > :38:32.sympathy with Scottish people, the majority of whom voted to Remain,

:38:33. > :38:39.who now want to go independent as a way to get back into the EU, do you

:38:40. > :38:42.not have sympathy? I was a Remainer, I campaigned for that position but

:38:43. > :38:49.they said throughout it, this was a referendum that the United Kingdom,

:38:50. > :38:53.the member states of the European Union, not any other nation, it was

:38:54. > :38:58.the UK, we have the referendum on that basis and as a Remainer, we

:38:59. > :39:02.lost. Now we go to our new relationship with the EU, we are not

:39:03. > :39:06.leaving Europe, we will still be there and be good neighbours and we

:39:07. > :39:11.need a good relationship with them, which I hope keeps the best bits of

:39:12. > :39:18.the current EU but there is going to be compromise. David Davies, you

:39:19. > :39:22.voted Leave, very strongly worded favour of Leave, there will be

:39:23. > :39:26.divisions of the party, have those divisions now healed? There were

:39:27. > :39:30.never any divisions in the first place, differences of opinion which

:39:31. > :39:35.were expressed in a mature fashion. Is it realistic to disagree so

:39:36. > :39:39.vociferously and then say it is all behind us? With all due respect to

:39:40. > :39:45.the media, they were predicting the demise of the Conservatives, how we

:39:46. > :39:48.would be lunged into confusion, look at the reality. The reality is that

:39:49. > :39:55.Conservative MPs and assembly members and councillors, all are

:39:56. > :39:59.united behind our Prime Minister. We have had a referendum, there were

:40:00. > :40:06.differences of opinion, but we recognise the result. 20 I was

:40:07. > :40:09.against the Welsh assembly, I recognise the result, that is

:40:10. > :40:17.democracy. We disagree on a lot more than the EU. What about the first

:40:18. > :40:20.budget, there has been a U-turn on National Insurance contributions for

:40:21. > :40:26.the self-employed, how much damage has that done to the government? I

:40:27. > :40:31.have been out on the doorsteps and I have taken this head on. We change,

:40:32. > :40:35.we put a proposition forward, we agreed that the substance of this

:40:36. > :40:41.but it was against the spirit of the manifesto. We talked about it for a

:40:42. > :40:49.week and we made a U-turn. Does that wrecked your credibility? We

:40:50. > :40:54.listened and change something and that is now seen as Saturday! I

:40:55. > :41:00.believe in a government that listens and changes and that the Chancellor

:41:01. > :41:03.can take as many questions as the opposition or as many statements of

:41:04. > :41:07.the opposition want to put forward about that and that was mature and

:41:08. > :41:10.their politics. You do not think it has a whiff of arrogance that the

:41:11. > :41:18.government will try and do whatever it wants because it is faced by a

:41:19. > :41:23.weak opposition? Absolutely not. We have got a good relationship, we are

:41:24. > :41:27.the only real centre party left in UK politics and a good relationship,

:41:28. > :41:31.I am out on the doors, David is out on the door is talking to our

:41:32. > :41:35.electorate and we listen. We do not get elected once every five years

:41:36. > :41:40.and ignore the elector, it is a conversation and we build on it. The

:41:41. > :41:43.other way of seeing it is that the government is overwhelmed by Brexit

:41:44. > :41:48.and as a result, the Chancellor makes these kind of guards, he has

:41:49. > :41:52.taken his eyes from the ball. We cannot be described as being

:41:53. > :41:58.arrogant and the next minute as weak. The reality is, there is a

:41:59. > :42:03.strong argument for equalising, it needs to be done in a careful

:42:04. > :42:07.fashion and with a proper debate and perhaps we had not quite manage that

:42:08. > :42:14.and we have listened and changed our approach to it. The Conservative

:42:15. > :42:17.Party is very united. I have been an activist since the 1980s and have

:42:18. > :42:23.never known anything like this. This is a very good moment for us as a

:42:24. > :42:28.party. It is not as you ought to be putting questions about division and

:42:29. > :42:34.weakness too, it is the opposition, they have a problem. On Brexit,

:42:35. > :42:36.isn't it the case that frankly, the workload is just overwhelming

:42:37. > :42:40.Whitehall, the government has not really come up with a fully detailed

:42:41. > :42:44.plan, there is still a huge amount of uncertainty about where it is

:42:45. > :42:48.heading. There will always be uncertainty, this deal needs to be

:42:49. > :42:57.agreed with the other EU states and until they have sat down and had a

:42:58. > :42:59.negotiation, we will not know exactly what is going to happen. You

:43:00. > :43:02.cannot go into a negotiation knowing the outcome but we know broadly what

:43:03. > :43:05.it is and we know the government are looking for free trade arrangement

:43:06. > :43:07.with the rest of Europe and they will expect the ability to control

:43:08. > :43:12.immigration and set up their own free-trade arrangements around the

:43:13. > :43:17.world, especially with America, so that is how it is going to look. If

:43:18. > :43:23.we do not get a deal, we will go back to WTO rules. Do you being

:43:24. > :43:27.going back to the situation that already exist but the rest of the

:43:28. > :43:31.world, with whom we do more trade? That is what it will be. It will be

:43:32. > :43:41.the situation we have with America at the moment. Let me put it, it may

:43:42. > :43:43.be where you end up. Liam Fox, the trade Secretary was here today

:43:44. > :43:49.talking about how Britain it needs to be in the vanguard of free trade.

:43:50. > :43:51.We already doing that by being part of this huge single market in Europe

:43:52. > :44:04.that you want to take us out of? We have not started yet. Article 50

:44:05. > :44:08.has not been initiated and we have not started the negotiations. I do

:44:09. > :44:13.not want that and the Prime Minister has set out she wants that access,

:44:14. > :44:21.the best access to the single market as possible. We want to be there and

:44:22. > :44:25.this power over trade has been given to the EU. We have not done trade

:44:26. > :44:30.for a long time so we have not been in the vanguard and we are going

:44:31. > :44:33.back. Local elections in May. How important is that you bounce back

:44:34. > :44:39.from assembly elections last year when you lost seats? Incredibly

:44:40. > :44:44.important. We did not lose any first past the post seats and this is the

:44:45. > :44:48.first past the post election. I was a councillor for eight years and I

:44:49. > :44:53.massively value that. That is how we built our party from the grassroots

:44:54. > :44:59.up. These elections are important. The choice people have on the

:45:00. > :45:01.doorstep whether to elect your competent Conservative councillor is

:45:02. > :45:06.an extremely important one and it is important for us to get as many

:45:07. > :45:14.councillors and local authorities in Conservative control. Thank you.

:45:15. > :45:20.Our reporter talking to David Davis and click Williams. The conference

:45:21. > :45:27.also heard from the Welsh Conservative leader. He began with a

:45:28. > :45:43.joke at his own expense. Good morning, conference. That is nice,

:45:44. > :45:47.louder. It will reassure you, some of you come to know that I have

:45:48. > :45:51.eaten my breakfast this morning. The meal that made me go viral for the

:45:52. > :45:55.wrong reasons last time I stood before you at the Birmingham

:45:56. > :46:00.conference, seeing myself on Australian prime-time news was

:46:01. > :46:05.surreal and I have yet to live it down. Thankfully I no longer appear

:46:06. > :46:11.on YouTube's most viewed list but the less said about that the better.

:46:12. > :46:14.Before I begin, let me pay tribute to our fantastic team of Welsh

:46:15. > :46:18.Conservative colleagues in the National Assembly with the special

:46:19. > :46:29.mention to my deputy Paul Davis for his unstinting support. I would also

:46:30. > :46:36.like to thank all of the staff who work tirelessly for as for without

:46:37. > :46:41.them we would not be able to achieve the good work we do. I would like to

:46:42. > :46:45.be tribute to the excellent work undertaken by CCHQ well slide by our

:46:46. > :46:58.very talented director Richard Mitchell. I want to personally thank

:46:59. > :47:02.all of our hard-working members and volunteers who give up their time to

:47:03. > :47:07.paint the pavements and not the doors in all the name of the

:47:08. > :47:12.Conservative cause. In Wales we can sometimes be guilty of clinging to

:47:13. > :47:22.the past for there is great comfort in nostalgia. We have had golden

:47:23. > :47:25.ages, no doubt about that, and enriched Wales and the United

:47:26. > :47:29.Kingdom beyond measure. Ships would seal the length and breadth of the

:47:30. > :47:35.globe often in difficult conditions to dock in our world-famous ports,

:47:36. > :47:39.to buy or coal, iron and timber. Few amongst others are meant to those

:47:40. > :47:46.feelings of nostalgia that reflect on those days of global possibility.

:47:47. > :47:50.Keep your eyes fixed on the past we risk missing out on the

:47:51. > :47:57.opportunities that lie before us. It is incumbent on us to embrace the

:47:58. > :48:02.Power of now with strong hands and open minds, we must seize the

:48:03. > :48:06.opportunities that lie ahead. With our superb Prime Minister Theresa

:48:07. > :48:11.May and our great team and the Welsh office led by my friend Alan Cairns

:48:12. > :48:22.we have a united front fighting for Wales and for Britain's best

:48:23. > :48:27.interests. As we move forward it is clear that we are embarking upon

:48:28. > :48:31.another golden age. This is evident in the tens of thousands of

:48:32. > :48:35.enterprise being born every year and in the hunger of the people behind

:48:36. > :48:41.them, all eager to make their mark on wheels, the UK and the world

:48:42. > :48:46.beyond. There journey begins now. They joined the thousands of others

:48:47. > :48:52.who make up the engine of our economy and who will drive Wales to

:48:53. > :48:55.the prosperity we know is within our reach but only on the wheels of a

:48:56. > :49:04.strong Welsh Conservative government. Take for example in

:49:05. > :49:11.Anglesey, 20 employees, one company's Salters enjoyed across the

:49:12. > :49:13.world from Royal Family to butchers. Another family business who

:49:14. > :49:21.celebrate their 25th anniversary and have the capacity to produce 400

:49:22. > :49:26.million bottles of water year. Not forgetting the fastest-growing

:49:27. > :49:31.business in Wales who have recorded record growth in recent years from a

:49:32. > :49:37.little town, there are aircraft parts serve the global aviation

:49:38. > :49:42.market. These businesses epitomise Wales, small but thinking big and

:49:43. > :49:51.gazing out words. They joined the big beasts of Admiral, Iceland

:49:52. > :49:58.foods, in contributing so much to Wells' prosperity. We are not

:49:59. > :50:02.victims of history. We have the skill, ambition, global links and

:50:03. > :50:06.cross-border trade needed to make a success of the big changes that will

:50:07. > :50:13.on the horizon but we cannot do this alone. We work best and achieve the

:50:14. > :50:16.most when we work together, together as four great nations working under

:50:17. > :50:32.one banner, the United Kingdom. Our great union said in motion the

:50:33. > :50:36.industrialisation of the world in times of conflict we fought

:50:37. > :50:39.side-by-side to secure peace and together we have built one of the

:50:40. > :50:44.biggest economies the world has ever seen. The leader of the Scottish

:50:45. > :50:48.Nationalists want to tear that union apart. With each passing day she

:50:49. > :50:53.sounds more and more like the man she reviles the most. She wants to

:50:54. > :51:02.rebuild Hadrian Zwolle and sadly it is the Scottish people will pay for

:51:03. > :51:06.it. I have got a message for the SNP and the other separatist parties

:51:07. > :51:10.across our isles, the United Kingdom, we cherish it, and it is

:51:11. > :51:16.not a thing of the past, it remains as ever at the world's latest family

:51:17. > :51:31.of nations. Nicola Sturgeon take note, the great union UCD today is

:51:32. > :51:38.here to stay -- you see here. As they gather here in Wales it is

:51:39. > :51:42.important to recognise that our beautiful country is not without its

:51:43. > :51:47.challenges. And as we need to acknowledge and embrace them and not

:51:48. > :51:52.shirk from them. It is not very often that you find me agreeing with

:51:53. > :51:57.the Labour politician but last month ban Morgan of Ealing made a welcome

:51:58. > :52:03.admission that Wales has lived a dependency culture for too long. It

:52:04. > :52:07.was alarming in its frankness, even if the solution she proposed more

:52:08. > :52:11.wide of the mark. It is not the people of Wales who need to shake

:52:12. > :52:16.off that dependency culture and embrace the role of wealth creators,

:52:17. > :52:23.it is the Labour Party, at the helm here in Wales since the dawn of

:52:24. > :52:27.devolution. Does anyone seriously believe that they have the capacity

:52:28. > :52:31.to turn things around? This is the Labour government that has delivered

:52:32. > :52:38.a lost generation of students left to struggle in the UK's worst

:52:39. > :52:41.performing education system. A Labour government that has ruby

:52:42. > :52:46.deeply wasted taxpayers money on failed investment and which remains

:52:47. > :52:51.the only party in the UK to have ever cut the NHS budget. Our

:52:52. > :52:56.teachers and our NHS staff work incredibly hard in increasingly

:52:57. > :53:00.difficult circumstances and I have nothing but praise and admiration

:53:01. > :53:13.for them for the way they deliver our services. That is right. It is

:53:14. > :53:20.not the people who are holding us back, it is the Labour Party. People

:53:21. > :53:25.are looking to their politicians to articulate an alternative vision for

:53:26. > :53:32.the country's future, a vision as bright as its industrial past. The

:53:33. > :53:35.Brexit vote should people are crying out for change and following the

:53:36. > :53:40.referendum people believe that changes within their grasp. When the

:53:41. > :53:45.opportunity arises opposition leaders must be bold enough to take

:53:46. > :53:52.it. Throughout the devolved the other parties have been too willing

:53:53. > :53:56.to prop up labour in government. Choosing ace at the cabinet table of

:53:57. > :54:01.the interests of their constituents. That needs to change. In the time

:54:02. > :54:09.that has come Labour's budgies need to be taken away. Apply -- Plaid

:54:10. > :54:14.Cymru even for the last election claiming to be the change that Wales

:54:15. > :54:18.needed but they did a deal with the Labour Party that saw the people of

:54:19. > :54:22.Wales sentenced to five more years. Plaid Cymru's widow believes her

:54:23. > :54:28.party's working agreement with Labour as the best of both worlds.

:54:29. > :54:33.For are maybe. Our without responsibility is the easy option.

:54:34. > :54:36.It is the Welsh communities that bear the brunt of Labour's

:54:37. > :54:43.incompetence. Does that represent the change that Wales needs? I know

:54:44. > :54:47.that Brexit has divided opinion but our great party reflected that

:54:48. > :54:53.exchange of ideas better than any other, during and after the

:54:54. > :54:57.referendum. Now that the public has spoken it is our party that has run

:54:58. > :55:01.off the black clouds of pessimism and is focused on embracing the

:55:02. > :55:05.opportunities that lie ahead. We know that there is work to do to

:55:06. > :55:11.bridge the gap between the groups in society who disagree but we remain

:55:12. > :55:17.as convinced as ever that Wales can thrive in the new era week is this

:55:18. > :55:21.country's resourcefulness, creative and industrious to get on with the

:55:22. > :55:27.job in hand. We just need to harness that energy. Wales is the land of

:55:28. > :55:32.Song and we need our political leaders to be singing from the same

:55:33. > :55:37.hymn sheet. We cannot allow Labour's pessimism and complacency to hold us

:55:38. > :55:44.back as we approach a momentous period in history. It is the need to

:55:45. > :55:48.work together. I will offer the hand of friendship to anyone who wants to

:55:49. > :55:56.be part of that journey. This is an open end of the Dom Eich invitation

:55:57. > :56:02.to anyone who believes like me that our aim as a country must be to

:56:03. > :56:08.ensure that Wales' future is as glorious as its past. As we

:56:09. > :56:12.negotiate in a relationship with the EU we have a significant opportunity

:56:13. > :56:16.to create a fairer Wales and a better Britain, building a strong

:56:17. > :56:21.economy for Wales as part of the United Kingdom when nobody is left

:56:22. > :56:24.behind. And where the strong and effective local government is

:56:25. > :56:36.accountable and delivers high-quality public services.

:56:37. > :56:40.Instead of Labour's top-down approach we want to see local as and

:56:41. > :56:44.social responsibility. We want to see people empowered in their

:56:45. > :56:50.communities. We want to see our businesses supported, our older

:56:51. > :56:54.people govern security and dignity they deserve and ensure our future

:56:55. > :56:58.generations have the best possible opportunity to succeed. We trust

:56:59. > :57:06.people to do the right thing and we want to give them real control of

:57:07. > :57:11.their lives. The levers of power should not always be controlled from

:57:12. > :57:15.Cardiff B or Westminster. We want to see councils delivering effective

:57:16. > :57:21.local services that work for everyone and put power back in your

:57:22. > :57:30.hands. For too long Labour and Plaid Cymru councils have help communities

:57:31. > :57:32.back across Wales, communities due to their staggering incompetence

:57:33. > :57:37.which have had local services deteriorate beyond recognition. Then

:57:38. > :57:42.there is the clear alternative. For that you only need to look at

:57:43. > :57:46.Monmouthshire where the council has made great strides under the

:57:47. > :57:52.leadership of Peter Fox and his team. Sadly Peter cannot be here

:57:53. > :57:58.today as he has given up the bright lights for an equally glamorous of

:57:59. > :58:09.fear, and OBE, which he richly deserves for his outstanding public

:58:10. > :58:14.service and efforts. Efforts in securing the Cardiff City Deal.

:58:15. > :58:18.Under Peter and his conservative team in Monmouthshire the council

:58:19. > :58:23.has pioneered and transformed the delivery of public services. Only

:58:24. > :58:26.the fourth we have the opportunity to roll out these great and

:58:27. > :58:32.approaches are costs the country for the benefit of the community is the

:58:33. > :58:35.length and breadth of Wales, increasing our Welsh Conservative

:58:36. > :58:39.representation is vital if we are to unlock that potential that

:58:40. > :58:44.undoubtedly exists in our communities but which has sadly

:58:45. > :58:51.suffocated under socialist and nationalists diktats. A regime which

:58:52. > :58:54.has stood side-by-side and is banning one of the greatest

:58:55. > :58:59.aspirational policies this country has ever seen, the right to buy. A

:59:00. > :59:01.policy which is allowed generations of people to get on in life and buy

:59:02. > :59:11.their own home. You only have to look at Wales if

:59:12. > :59:17.you want to see the devastating impact further the likes of policies

:59:18. > :59:21.from Jeremy Corbyn will have on communities across the UK. A Labour

:59:22. > :59:25.Party hand in hand with the Nationalists pulling up the ladder

:59:26. > :59:31.of hard-working people who just want to get on in life and support their

:59:32. > :59:36.families. People across Wales and the United Kingdom deserve better.

:59:37. > :59:41.And we are the party with a plan to deliver and stand up for Wales and

:59:42. > :59:44.Britain. And while the Labour Party might have abdicated its

:59:45. > :59:48.responsibility for defending the union and standing up for

:59:49. > :00:01.hard-working people, we will not. APPLAUSE. I am proud to lead the

:00:02. > :00:05.Welsh Conservative Party, I am proud to see a Prime Minister standing up

:00:06. > :00:10.and fighting for Wales and the United Kingdom. So let's get out

:00:11. > :00:14.there, on the straights and let people across Wales and the United

:00:15. > :00:25.Kingdom no that our great union is worth fighting for. Thank you.

:00:26. > :00:29.APPLAUSE. Very definite end there are two Andrew RT Davies 's speech

:00:30. > :00:34.to the conference yesterday. It was a tricky one for him, he started off

:00:35. > :00:41.proceedings in the morning and the main event was later with the Prime

:00:42. > :00:45.Minister's speech. That is the combined nature of the event. A lot

:00:46. > :00:50.of the audience there would have been from Wales but a lot of them

:00:51. > :00:53.would not be. They were used to some of the arguments that Andrew RT

:00:54. > :00:58.Davies was advancing because they do not know much about Welsh politics,

:00:59. > :01:02.what was interesting was he did what Theresa May did not do which was to

:01:03. > :01:06.attack the Labour Party head on and the reason for that is simple.

:01:07. > :01:16.Labour are in power in Cardiff Bay where he is in opposition and they

:01:17. > :01:19.are facing local elections in just a few short weeks' time and he was

:01:20. > :01:21.setting the stage for those. Lots of talk from him about being positive,

:01:22. > :01:25.about Brexit and a bright future under Brexit for Wales, has he

:01:26. > :01:29.bolstered his position as Welsh party leader as someone who

:01:30. > :01:34.supported Brexit, who wanted a vote to leave the EU? He would have been

:01:35. > :01:40.in a very difficult position, had the vote being to Remain, either on

:01:41. > :01:49.a UK bases are a Welsh basis. He is in a better position within the

:01:50. > :01:52.party than he would have been had the vote been Remain. The problem

:01:53. > :01:54.with that speech, to be honest with you, was although he talked about

:01:55. > :02:00.being positive and this being the start of a golden age, there was

:02:01. > :02:04.actually very little in it in terms of specifically Welsh policies. What

:02:05. > :02:09.you had was talk about positivity and then a lot of negativity about

:02:10. > :02:13.the records of the Welsh Labour government and that is partly

:02:14. > :02:18.because of where we are in the political cycle. We are only one

:02:19. > :02:22.year since the last assembly elections, policy development has

:02:23. > :02:27.not really started, but it did gyre our little bet that you had this

:02:28. > :02:31.talk about being positive and then the bulk of the speech was almost

:02:32. > :02:35.entirely negative and all about the record of the Welsh Labour

:02:36. > :02:39.government. Maybe he had to get his key messages across quickly because

:02:40. > :02:47.he would have had shorter to speak at this conference. Thank you. What

:02:48. > :02:54.do Andrew RT Davies is assembly members think of his message?

:02:55. > :03:00.Joining me now to Conservative AM 's, Susie Davies and Paul Davies.

:03:01. > :03:04.Susie, it has been a tricky week for the Conservatives. Normally a

:03:05. > :03:09.conference time, you would be in fine mode, but Webb and National

:03:10. > :03:14.Insurance and U-turn and Scottish independence, it has been a

:03:15. > :03:19.difficult week. I do not know if I accept that the National Insurance

:03:20. > :03:23.story has been difficult. Anyone would be pleased to hear that the

:03:24. > :03:28.government has changed its mind for good reasons. As far as the

:03:29. > :03:32.Chancellor is concerned, we came out of it pretty well and people who are

:03:33. > :03:37.self-employed would be pleased with that change of heart and as far as

:03:38. > :03:42.the Scottish referendum goes, I am wondering who is this terror here.

:03:43. > :03:47.Do you think it is a risky strategy for Theresa May to tell the Scottish

:03:48. > :03:50.Government you cannot have a referendum whenever you are one? The

:03:51. > :03:53.Prime Minister has been clear that the focus of the country at the

:03:54. > :03:58.moment should be to deal with Brexit. She made that absolutely

:03:59. > :04:02.clear to Nicola Sturgeon and it is unfortunate that Nicola Sturgeon is

:04:03. > :04:05.trying to play politics with this when she should be concentrating on

:04:06. > :04:09.the negotiations ahead with the European Union. Isn't it true that

:04:10. > :04:15.Brexit is following up all of the attention of the government and that

:04:16. > :04:17.is why it makes mistakes like this U-turn on National Insurance

:04:18. > :04:22.contributions in the budget? The people of the UK and Wales have made

:04:23. > :04:25.a decision, they want to leave the European Union and the government

:04:26. > :04:28.has made it absolutely clear now that it will deliver on that and

:04:29. > :04:34.that is the Prime Minister's focus. What about the focus of the party in

:04:35. > :04:39.the assembly with Labour and Plaid Cymru working together and you are

:04:40. > :04:45.on the sidelines, Suzy Davies. I am surprised that is how easy it

:04:46. > :04:49.because Plaid Cymru has just booted out two of its own members. Our job

:04:50. > :04:56.is to hold the Welsh Government to account regardless of who it is

:04:57. > :05:00.working with. Does this last week, we took them to task on their record

:05:01. > :05:05.and they had very little to say about anything they had done well.

:05:06. > :05:09.18 years is a long time and you can make a lot of mistakes, and you have

:05:10. > :05:13.a lot of time to put it right and the Welsh Government has not done

:05:14. > :05:17.that. It is Plaid Cymru that is making life difficult for Labour by

:05:18. > :05:22.withholding its support on a supplementary budget, they are able

:05:23. > :05:25.to extract concessions from Carwyn Jones, not you. We are the

:05:26. > :05:30.opposition and we are there to scrutinise him and we did not

:05:31. > :05:34.support it either. That shows that actually in opposition you can

:05:35. > :05:39.represent the people of Wales better than the government, because that

:05:40. > :05:41.government has not come up with anything new that I would say is

:05:42. > :05:44.brave and exciting and that will change the future for Wales in the

:05:45. > :05:48.six years that I have been there. They deserve to be voted down and

:05:49. > :05:52.Plaid Cymru want to do that as well, then other third party, just let

:05:53. > :05:58.them. You have got an endorsement from Andrew RT Davies, but his

:05:59. > :06:02.speech did not mention the result of last year's assembly elections were

:06:03. > :06:06.you did badly, you came third, you lost seats, has there been a lot of

:06:07. > :06:11.soul-searching in the party since that assembly election result? I

:06:12. > :06:17.think Andrew did a fantastic speech today and he was talking about our

:06:18. > :06:21.vision is a party for Wales. We want to deliver for the people of Wales

:06:22. > :06:25.and we are the real opposition as far as this Welsh Government is

:06:26. > :06:29.concerned because what we have seen from Plaid Cymru is Plaid Cymru yet

:06:30. > :06:34.again propping up a Welsh Labour government and we are the real

:06:35. > :06:38.alternative, offering real choice to people of Wales. The voters did not

:06:39. > :06:43.necessarily see it like that last year, you lost sleep, you went

:06:44. > :06:48.backwards, is Andrew RT Davies 's leadership of the Welsh secure given

:06:49. > :06:53.that result last year? We made it clear that Andrew is our leader and

:06:54. > :06:57.he is doing a fantastic job as leader of the group in the assembly

:06:58. > :07:02.and he will continue to do so. How important is it that you get a good

:07:03. > :07:07.result, a better result this may in the local elections? We want to do

:07:08. > :07:14.as well as we can and our candidate count is on its way to breaking its

:07:15. > :07:18.own record. We are in a different era of politics and people locally,

:07:19. > :07:22.even at the assembly election, are not prepared to do the same old

:07:23. > :07:25.thing, their voting patterns change and those who voted Plaid Cymru will

:07:26. > :07:31.feel very betrayed that the very reason they voted for them, to keep

:07:32. > :07:36.out Labour, spec -- spectacularly backfired. We need to make sure we

:07:37. > :07:39.get a good positive message out there about what we can do that is

:07:40. > :07:44.different and better. Is it important to you that you do better

:07:45. > :07:51.than Plaid Cymru? I would love to do better than them! Do you need to lay

:07:52. > :07:55.down that marker? In certain parts of Wales, where we perhaps have not

:07:56. > :08:01.done it in the past, we need to make advances against them. There are

:08:02. > :08:05.parts were our council seat numbers are low but Plaid Cymru's are not

:08:06. > :08:10.good either. We want to make games against them but more importantly

:08:11. > :08:20.Labour in those seats. Thank you very much. In his speech, the Welsh

:08:21. > :08:25.Secretary Alun Cairns is celebrating one year in the job tomorrow started

:08:26. > :08:30.by praising card of's attributes as a capital city. It is a pleasure to

:08:31. > :08:35.be here at the Welsh Conservative Party conference and the spring

:08:36. > :08:39.Forum and I am particularly delighted to welcome everyone to

:08:40. > :08:43.this stadium here in Cardiff, the greatest capital city in the world,

:08:44. > :08:52.although I will accept that London does come quite a close second.

:08:53. > :08:57.LAUGHTER. I want to thank my excellent team, including Glyn

:08:58. > :09:01.Davies and to the excellent and strong leadership shown by Andrew RT

:09:02. > :09:04.Davies and his excellent team of assembly members, as well as the

:09:05. > :09:15.party director for his unstinting work in the campaigns.

:09:16. > :09:19.APPLAUSE. But also thank you to you as the mothers of the party, for the

:09:20. > :09:25.work that you do. After all, you are the ones who do the knocking on

:09:26. > :09:29.doors and delivered the leaflets. We have a great challenge in front of

:09:30. > :09:34.you. As I welcome many of you to Wales, possibly for the first time,

:09:35. > :09:39.let me introduce some of the key elements of our unique culture,

:09:40. > :09:42.history and identity. We have more castles per square mile than any

:09:43. > :09:54.other country in the world. Over 600 in total. I would particularly

:09:55. > :09:57.recommend Euro Castle for its rich history, in 1157 is a great triumph

:09:58. > :10:05.by the Welsh over the English. LAUGHTER. The world's first million

:10:06. > :10:08.pound cheque was signed in Cardiff when coal powered the industrial

:10:09. > :10:15.revolution and the world's first-ever wireless broadcast took

:10:16. > :10:20.place in 1897 in the Vale of Glamorgan. That first message was,

:10:21. > :10:26.are you ready? Ironically, a message which is equally relevant to the

:10:27. > :10:29.challenges today. Throughout history, our most successful

:10:30. > :10:34.innovators and entrepreneurs have come from different parts of the UK

:10:35. > :10:39.and the same is true today, from Aston Martin in South Wales to

:10:40. > :10:42.Jaguar Land Rover in Coventry to world leading coach builder right

:10:43. > :10:46.bus in Northern Ireland to scotch whiskey north of the border,

:10:47. > :10:50.entrepreneurs, and industry across the UK, creating jobs, generating

:10:51. > :10:55.wealth and supporting public services. In highlighting the

:10:56. > :11:00.qualities of each nation, I am seeking to underline that we are a

:11:01. > :11:04.union of four nations, developed over a long history, communicating

:11:05. > :11:10.through a common culture and a shared identity, a special union we

:11:11. > :11:23.should always preserve. APPLAUSE. From Shakespeare to Robert

:11:24. > :11:28.Burns, and Dylan Thomas, we must celebrate what makes the UK so

:11:29. > :11:33.different and so great. The NHS, our Armed Forces, BBC, the monarchy, the

:11:34. > :11:39.great British pub, a proper cup of tea and the great British pound

:11:40. > :11:43.which may just down the road in the Royal Mint. These important threads

:11:44. > :11:48.of British culture all contribute to our sense of what being part of the

:11:49. > :11:51.United Kingdom actually means. And that is not to say that this

:11:52. > :11:57.connection is the same throughout the UK, far from it. The impact of

:11:58. > :12:03.our shared history, institutions and culture, varies hugely from lands

:12:04. > :12:08.end to John O groats and rightly so. Nonetheless, this innate sense of

:12:09. > :12:13.feeling, like you belong to something bigger than yourself is

:12:14. > :12:17.hugely important. And it has delivered a long-standing and

:12:18. > :12:21.successful union of people, affections and loyalties, something

:12:22. > :12:26.we should never forget. But the case for the union is not only emotional,

:12:27. > :12:33.it is logical. It is sensible and it is practical. Put simply, we achieve

:12:34. > :12:38.more together. It is not political rhetoric, it is common sense. It is

:12:39. > :12:42.also the -- also a fact of life that 50% of the Welsh population and 10%

:12:43. > :12:49.of the endless population live within 25 miles of the English and

:12:50. > :12:54.Wales border. People commute daily. They drop their kids off at school

:12:55. > :12:58.and do their weekly shop in Shrewsbury. We must not start

:12:59. > :13:01.constructing barriers were visibly do not exist, and message last on

:13:02. > :13:10.the Nationalists. APPLAUSE.

:13:11. > :13:17.In business, in civic society, on the playing fields, within our own

:13:18. > :13:20.family, we achieve more together. And the achievements of the United

:13:21. > :13:25.Kingdom have gone down in history as some of the greatest in the world.

:13:26. > :13:29.From the industrial revolution, through two great wars, to becoming

:13:30. > :13:33.the world's fifth largest economy, with less than 1% of the world's

:13:34. > :13:37.population, are sporting success through Team GB and the British and

:13:38. > :13:42.Irish Lions who will be touring later this year. We must champion

:13:43. > :13:46.these collective achievements, celebrating economic success, shared

:13:47. > :13:49.history, creative culture and sporting excellence, as the Prime

:13:50. > :13:50.Minister has said, collective achievement has been the story of

:13:51. > :14:04.our union. Wales and the union benefit

:14:05. > :14:09.significantly. The Ministry of Defence, the department for

:14:10. > :14:13.international trade. Liam Fox's department has over 1200 staff

:14:14. > :14:17.overseas in 109 different countries on almost 800 trade missions and

:14:18. > :14:22.initiatives this year, more than any one nation of the UK could do

:14:23. > :14:28.individually, to drive investment to ensure that we remain among the

:14:29. > :14:34.fastest-growing economies in the D7. As a result in Wales we have a

:14:35. > :14:36.recognisable of people in work. Lowest female unemployment across

:14:37. > :14:41.Europe. The fastest growth outside London since 2010 and the value of

:14:42. > :14:50.Welsh exports has more than doubled since 1999. A specific example this

:14:51. > :14:55.year, EF 35 fighter jet global centre of excellence was brought to

:14:56. > :15:01.Sealand. Creating thousands of jobs and pumping billions of pounds into

:15:02. > :15:03.the local economy over decades. The excellence of the local workforce

:15:04. > :15:12.capitalising on the presence and status of the union. As we look for

:15:13. > :15:15.investment and growth Wales, England, Scotland and Northern

:15:16. > :15:21.Ireland should not be considered in isolation. We bring together the

:15:22. > :15:28.assets of all parts of the UK to win that deal or secure that trade

:15:29. > :15:34.agreement. For example Nissan in Sunderland is important to 100

:15:35. > :15:40.component industries in Wales. Yesterday's deal in Derbyshire

:15:41. > :15:44.equally important to Toyota's engine plant in north will. Aston Martin in

:15:45. > :15:51.my constituency is important to the engineering companies in England and

:15:52. > :15:56.the textile industries in Scotland. Wherever you are from, we want the

:15:57. > :16:00.same thing. A fairer society where success is based on merit not

:16:01. > :16:04.privilege. A global Britain that is owed were looking and embraces the

:16:05. > :16:08.world. A stronger economy were everyone plays by the same rules and

:16:09. > :16:14.a united nation that our children and grandchildren are proud of and

:16:15. > :16:17.can call home. Growing up in the Swansea Valley my father was a

:16:18. > :16:25.steelworker at Port Talbot and my family ran the local grocery shop.

:16:26. > :16:27.Like most parents they work long hours and made significant

:16:28. > :16:35.sacrifices to give my sister and ie better future. Every parent holds

:16:36. > :16:39.this aspiration. With these shared ambitions, as a united nation I am

:16:40. > :16:44.optimistic and even excited about delivering a country that works for

:16:45. > :16:49.everyone. Just like any family, as one union we step in to help each

:16:50. > :16:53.other. The economic security provided by the UK Government help

:16:54. > :16:58.support Port Talbot when crisis at the steel industry happened last

:16:59. > :17:03.year. Although there is still work to be done the hard work of the

:17:04. > :17:06.employees of the unions, the management, the government, mean the

:17:07. > :17:14.plant is in a much stronger position than it was this time last year. The

:17:15. > :17:17.strength of our economy means the UK Government can manage the volatility

:17:18. > :17:25.in the oil and gas sector, a vital industry to Scotland, something the

:17:26. > :17:30.volatility... The volatility is something the nationalists choose to

:17:31. > :17:36.ignore. As we leave the European Union the union of the UK is more

:17:37. > :17:40.important now than it has ever been. Last year's referendum changed so

:17:41. > :17:46.much and we do not underestimate the challenge ahead. Nor should we

:17:47. > :17:51.underestimate the fantastic opportunities before us. As we leave

:17:52. > :17:56.the European Union we have an exciting opportunity to build a

:17:57. > :18:01.truly global Britain, a plan for Britain that reaches out to old

:18:02. > :18:05.friends and new allies alike. In earlier this week we celebrated

:18:06. > :18:08.Commonwealth Bay. Last year economic growth across the Commonwealth was

:18:09. > :18:13.four times greater than the growth across Europe. What a great

:18:14. > :18:18.opportunity to deepen our engagement and friendship with some old

:18:19. > :18:21.friends. This demonstrates that the result of the referendum is not a

:18:22. > :18:27.reason to turn inward and retreat from the world to a protectionist

:18:28. > :18:34.agenda that the Socialists and nationalists want. Wales attracted

:18:35. > :18:39.20% of the UK's inward investment during the 1990s and as we leave the

:18:40. > :18:44.EU I am optimistic, ambitious and even excited to see that the

:18:45. > :18:53.forefront of global trade once more. All of Wales working as one. We have

:18:54. > :18:58.a great platform to build on. Great examples of exporting success. Every

:18:59. > :19:03.two seconds a GE powered aeroplane is taking off somewhere in the

:19:04. > :19:08.world. Over half the world's commercial aircraft are flying with

:19:09. > :19:12.wings that were built here. Last year the eyes of the world were on

:19:13. > :19:16.Gareth Bale at the Euros and in a few weeks a global audience will

:19:17. > :19:22.watch Wales again as we host the Champions League final in Cardiff.

:19:23. > :19:28.We will only achieve a global Britain if we work together. When we

:19:29. > :19:35.exit the European Union we were act in the interests of the Hall of the

:19:36. > :19:38.UK. As we have said before no decision currently taken by the

:19:39. > :19:42.Welsh government or Scottish parliament will be taken away from

:19:43. > :19:46.them. It is in the interests of the public, in the interests of

:19:47. > :19:49.communities, at the right powers that the right level to deliver a

:19:50. > :19:53.country that works in the best interests of all of its citizens and

:19:54. > :20:05.not in the of the politicians or nationalists in Scotland or Wales or

:20:06. > :20:09.wherever else they may be. Repatriation of powers will allow us

:20:10. > :20:14.to strengthen devolution and strengthen the union and empower

:20:15. > :20:18.communities. Business industry and communities around the country do

:20:19. > :20:25.not want the vision and separation, they want co-operation and ambition.

:20:26. > :20:28.Labour run the SNP have the choice. The option of making short-term

:20:29. > :20:34.political capital by pursuing a self-serving political Dean or

:20:35. > :20:37.working closely with the government to deliver the best outcome for all

:20:38. > :20:44.communities across the whole of the UK. This choice was brought into

:20:45. > :20:49.sharp focus this week as Nicola Sturgeon did a U-turn on her

:20:50. > :20:52.declaration that the 20 14th independence referendum was a once

:20:53. > :20:54.in a generation event. This is something we should never ever let

:20:55. > :21:10.her forget. We look outward to our shared

:21:11. > :21:15.future, not focus on inward, structures and processes. Plaid

:21:16. > :21:20.Cymru and the Scottish Nationalists cannot deny that the union has

:21:21. > :21:22.brought stability, peace and prosperity for centuries and yet

:21:23. > :21:28.they seek to destroy it with division and derision. Labour's

:21:29. > :21:34.alliance with the Welsh nationalists seeking a federal UK is a dangerous

:21:35. > :21:36.game. It may serve their short-term political agenda but will only

:21:37. > :21:43.undermine the union over longer term. We can be proud of our record

:21:44. > :21:45.on devolution. John Major started the peace process in Northern

:21:46. > :21:51.Ireland. David Cameron delivered more powers to Scotland than ever

:21:52. > :21:55.before. Under Theresa May the Wales act received Royal assent delivering

:21:56. > :21:59.a stronger more accountable devolution settlement for Wales with

:22:00. > :22:03.their unique funding settlement giving security and strengthen the

:22:04. > :22:07.back of the UK economy, something that was called for by Welsh Labour

:22:08. > :22:15.over decades but only delivered by a Conservative government. We are

:22:16. > :22:23.ancient nations that have occupied the British now is -- British Isles

:22:24. > :22:29.for centuries. United in our goals. A fairer society where everyone

:22:30. > :22:32.plays by the rules. A global Britain that is outward looking, and

:22:33. > :22:38.optimistic nation excited by the future in front of us and with this

:22:39. > :22:46.optimistic future I go back to the first wireless message sent in 1887,

:22:47. > :22:50.are you ready? We must ask yourself in 20 Zaventem, are we ready to grab

:22:51. > :22:55.the opportunities ahead? Are we ready to become a global trading

:22:56. > :23:00.nation? I be ready to build a stronger union, one that benefits

:23:01. > :23:11.the four great nations of Wales, Scotland, England and Northern

:23:12. > :23:14.Ireland? The answer is yes. The Welsh Secretary. Local elections

:23:15. > :23:20.are happening in just over six weeks. The Conservatives will be

:23:21. > :23:28.hoping to make gains like all the parties, and take control of

:23:29. > :23:32.counsel. I am joined by two candidates in the

:23:33. > :23:40.local elections. Both standing in Monmouthshire. Laura Jones and Sarah

:23:41. > :23:44.Jones. Monmouthshire I guess is one of your stronghold in local

:23:45. > :23:50.government terms. Where else are you hoping to do well? I think we will

:23:51. > :23:54.do well across the board. It is very exciting to see so many young people

:23:55. > :23:57.at the conference and they are our candidates this year so we have new

:23:58. > :24:01.blood going into the party and fighting on the doorsteps across

:24:02. > :24:06.Wales so Monmouthshire will lead the way and I think we will do a stream

:24:07. > :24:09.the well and in Glamorgan and other places. I think it will be across

:24:10. > :24:17.the board we will be seeing positivity. This week has not been

:24:18. > :24:21.the best but generally the national mood is good for us, everybody likes

:24:22. > :24:26.Theresa May. That is putting it mildly. It has been a rocky week for

:24:27. > :24:32.the government. Do those issues come up on the doorstep or are people

:24:33. > :24:36.more interested in schools, and is being collected? These issues will,

:24:37. > :24:40.but ultimately it is our job to reassure and give confidence that we

:24:41. > :24:50.will represent our residents' issues. The main priorities tend to

:24:51. > :24:55.be focused on schools, education, recycling, and things around

:24:56. > :24:58.business rates, which is a real issue in Monmouthshire in

:24:59. > :25:01.particular. Those will be the dominating factors but of course the

:25:02. > :25:05.national picture will be of relevance. We as the party are

:25:06. > :25:11.leading the way on fighting for the business rate relief scheme to be

:25:12. > :25:16.absolutely fair and to help those businesses who have been affected by

:25:17. > :25:21.in some cases a 200% rise. The UK Government has had stick on that. Do

:25:22. > :25:27.the Tories get stick on the doorstep for being the party of austerity

:25:28. > :25:33.putting pressure on those social services and whatever? We have a

:25:34. > :25:37.fantastic track record in Wales and in Monmouthshire for keeping more

:25:38. > :25:40.money in people's pockets but the levelling really good services. We

:25:41. > :25:45.are leading the way and showing the Conservatives are the ones to do

:25:46. > :25:48.that. We can sure we are reducing inefficiencies across local

:25:49. > :25:57.government so Monmouthshire take that as best practice. Is that not

:25:58. > :26:00.called for cuts? Not at all. We are keeping open libraries, leisure

:26:01. > :26:04.centres, we are just doing things more effectively and taking a

:26:05. > :26:09.business minded approach and making sure we have a local government that

:26:10. > :26:15.is sustainable for the future. As the party come together again after

:26:16. > :26:19.Brexit, after the Brexit campaign which revealed deep divisions within

:26:20. > :26:25.the Conservatives? You were for Brexit. Yes. Are there members of

:26:26. > :26:32.the party you are back on speaking terms with? I always was on speaking

:26:33. > :26:36.terms with them. When Theresa May announced that Article 50 would be

:26:37. > :26:40.triggered there was a general cheer and there is optimism for the

:26:41. > :26:45.future. I felt that anyway and that there would be excitement about the

:26:46. > :26:49.future and how Britain can be in the future and Wales and what effect

:26:50. > :26:55.will have on us and it is going to be a positive effect the European

:26:56. > :27:01.Union. Were you for Brexit? No. On different sides of the fence on this

:27:02. > :27:09.ones. Are you one of the pessimists that Andrew Davies was talking about

:27:10. > :27:13.earlier? Absolutely not. I am about creating opportunity about this,

:27:14. > :27:18.seeing the positives. I am excited about the future, I can see us

:27:19. > :27:21.developing and creating links at every level, local government,

:27:22. > :27:25.national government, Welsh government, and we will do the

:27:26. > :27:31.residents forward with us. It is positive. You do not see it as a

:27:32. > :27:36.problem that someone like yourself or the Prime Minister can be against

:27:37. > :27:40.Brexit and all of a sudden it is a great opportunity. Do people believe

:27:41. > :27:46.that? It is about the democratic will of the people. It is about

:27:47. > :27:51.taking forward that option they have taken an doing that effectively in

:27:52. > :27:55.getting behind that. I think we are altogether positive working together

:27:56. > :27:59.a really strong party because of it. The only party reflecting that. The

:28:00. > :28:05.only credible party to take this forward. The Prime Minister said the

:28:06. > :28:10.Conservatives were winning in Wales. Estyn thing to say given that you

:28:11. > :28:16.lost seats in the assembly elections last year. Is it important you

:28:17. > :28:20.bounce back? The timing of the last election coincided with the European

:28:21. > :28:23.referendum and people were confused about what they were voting for so

:28:24. > :28:28.Ukip got a big surge because people thought they were voting and that

:28:29. > :28:33.was a way of showing the nation that the Prime Minister that they wanted

:28:34. > :28:38.to leave the European Union. You can take you kept out of it. Going

:28:39. > :28:41.forward in the council elections and the assembly elections in the future

:28:42. > :28:47.I think we'll have a massive surge of Conservative support again and

:28:48. > :28:52.Ukip will get forgotten. That is why you lost ground. You think it was

:28:53. > :29:02.Ukip getting your support. Definitely. I think everyone is

:29:03. > :29:07.united as a party behind Theresa May who has done the party a lot of

:29:08. > :29:14.good. She wants a stronger federal united Britain and that resonates

:29:15. > :29:19.with a lot of people -- fairer. People want to get on the doorstep

:29:20. > :29:20.of goods across that message. It has inspired our message to get the

:29:21. > :29:35.message across. Do you think that the Prime Minister

:29:36. > :29:41.is playing a risky game? She's taking a strong leadership role and

:29:42. > :29:44.she is playing right. I think the passion and enthusiasm that we all

:29:45. > :29:48.showed and the drive that she showed and the commitment to us as a union

:29:49. > :29:52.is fantastic. It is going to be really positive for us. It is very

:29:53. > :29:57.unhelpful that the SNP want to put up some sort of Hadrian 's Wall, the

:29:58. > :30:00.Scottish people will pay for that. The Scottish people voted to Remain

:30:01. > :30:05.and the Scottish Government do not feel as if the UK Government is

:30:06. > :30:09.listening to them and paying them respect. It is in the benefit of

:30:10. > :30:15.everyone that our country unites and we work together to get the best

:30:16. > :30:18.role possible. Britain is now looking outwardly for investment. I

:30:19. > :30:24.think Scotland will miss out if they do not come with us on that journey.

:30:25. > :30:27.What about the Conservatives in the National Assembly, what would be

:30:28. > :30:32.your feeling about them working with other parties to try and form some

:30:33. > :30:39.sort of government or alternative to Labour? Wales needs a change from

:30:40. > :30:43.Labour. I wish and hope that the Conservative Party will be able to

:30:44. > :30:49.do that on their own. I would not like to work alongside other parties

:30:50. > :30:55.but we are desperate for a change in Wales. There has been a decade of

:30:56. > :31:00.failure from Wales across the board, in health, in education, we are

:31:01. > :31:04.still lagging behind, we saw Justin going on about how well they are

:31:05. > :31:09.doing an education in England and comparison to Wales and it makes you

:31:10. > :31:12.think, all these policies going forward, putting technical colleges

:31:13. > :31:17.and more money into further education colleges, why can we not

:31:18. > :31:20.have that? You say that and Labour trash your record but on the

:31:21. > :31:25.doorstep, do the voters distinguish between all these different tiers of

:31:26. > :31:31.government or is it difficult to get a hearing? There is still an issue

:31:32. > :31:35.with the understanding of what layers of government responsible for

:31:36. > :31:38.what area and that is a job for us all, to re-engage with the

:31:39. > :31:42.electorate -- electorate and make that understanding clearer, to make

:31:43. > :31:46.sure that that level of scrutiny takes place because at the moment,

:31:47. > :31:49.accountability is difficult there is not that level of understanding by

:31:50. > :31:53.the electorate in terms of who is responsible for what. That will be

:31:54. > :31:58.our job on the doorstep over the next couple of months and so far we

:31:59. > :32:02.have had a great response. I am really confident that we have got a

:32:03. > :32:05.role to play and that is something we will continue. I think in

:32:06. > :32:24.education and health, that is where people are most

:32:25. > :32:27.confused but on the doorstep, it is the local issues that matter and

:32:28. > :32:30.that is what we care about and that is what we are delivering on and we

:32:31. > :32:32.have a good track record. Thank you both very much. Some of their

:32:33. > :32:34.candidates in the local elections. In the afternoon session at the

:32:35. > :32:36.conference, the focus was on assembly matters and delegates heard

:32:37. > :32:39.from the party's spokesperson on health, Angela Burns. One of her

:32:40. > :32:41.main themes was about how to create better services for young people.

:32:42. > :32:44.When I speak about securing the future, I think of the children and

:32:45. > :32:48.young people of Wales and what we need to do to ensure that they grow

:32:49. > :32:52.into robust and healthy adults, able to contribute effectively to the

:32:53. > :32:57.economy and culture of our nation. We need to not just educate young

:32:58. > :33:00.people but look to their physical and emotional well-being, the habits

:33:01. > :33:04.and lifestyle choices made by young people could stay with them for life

:33:05. > :33:08.and the Welsh Conservatives have begun to set out our vision for

:33:09. > :33:12.childhood, where we effectively combat health inequalities which in

:33:13. > :33:17.turn will give those of future adults are much better chance at

:33:18. > :33:23.education and of delivering skills. Where we give opportunities, develop

:33:24. > :33:28.promise and allow aspiration. Aspiration! A dirty word under

:33:29. > :33:31.Labour's books. It was Mrs Thatcher and her aspirations speech and

:33:32. > :33:35.everyone of us that brought us the right to buy our homes and it is the

:33:36. > :33:38.left-wingers in the National Assembly from Wales who seek to

:33:39. > :33:49.crash that aspiration under their heels. Shame on them, I say.

:33:50. > :33:52.APPLAUSE. Because aspirational young people are happy people. Secure in

:33:53. > :33:58.their skins and able to deal with the rough and tumble of life. It is

:33:59. > :34:02.vital that our vision for childhood seeks to educate children about the

:34:03. > :34:05.importance and that big of well-being. Obesity is one of the

:34:06. > :34:09.ticking time bomb is facing the country today and our children and

:34:10. > :34:13.young people are at the most overweight in the United Kingdom.

:34:14. > :34:17.There are chances of having a stroke, a heart attack, getting

:34:18. > :34:23.cancer or diabetes are stratospheric. And they are likely

:34:24. > :34:26.to die ten years earlier than they should. I am concerned over the

:34:27. > :34:29.reduction in the number of hours that Welsh pupils spend doing PE.

:34:30. > :34:34.These figures have got worse over recent years and we must surely be

:34:35. > :34:37.able to see the link between exercise, I reduction in exercise in

:34:38. > :34:45.schools and our burgeoning facts about one in four children are

:34:46. > :34:49.labelled overweight or obese. We must not forget mental well-being.

:34:50. > :34:52.Many of these kids are driven to extremes of weight, too fat or too

:34:53. > :34:57.thin because of the pressures they feel as to what is expected of them

:34:58. > :35:00.and how they should look. There are serious issues surrounding the

:35:01. > :35:04.unhealthy images found both on social media and in much of our

:35:05. > :35:07.tabloid press. Mix this with the gamut of emotions that young

:35:08. > :35:09.teenagers, girls in particular have to deal with on a daily basis and

:35:10. > :35:28.the pressures that social media brings to bear to look

:35:29. > :35:31.good, to have sex, to do anything to be with the in crowd, to be

:35:32. > :35:33.perfect... It is no wonder that many of our young children struggle to

:35:34. > :35:36.find that equilibrium. It is not just the young they need to be

:35:37. > :35:38.healthy and happy. Loneliness and isolation are the modern curse,

:35:39. > :35:40.particularly among the elderly, the breed, the most vulnerable and our

:35:41. > :35:42.rural communities and that is why the Welsh Conservatives would bring

:35:43. > :35:46.forward a vision for health. From cradle to grave, how we can support

:35:47. > :35:50.all of us to be healthier, how we will build a better sense of

:35:51. > :35:54.well-being and how we will seek to deliver us from health inequalities

:35:55. > :36:00.that plague young and old alike and how we will support those of us who

:36:01. > :36:04.suffer ill health or disability. There are many issues surrounding

:36:05. > :36:10.the provision of health care and the health of our but I can talk about.

:36:11. > :36:16.You all know the problems. Waiting 226 days for a hip operation in

:36:17. > :36:21.Wales. In England, you can be seen in 76 days. 107 days for cataract

:36:22. > :36:26.treatment in England, 58. And if you want your hernia fixed in England,

:36:27. > :36:31.you wait 46 days but in Wales, it is a staggering 106 days. Access to

:36:32. > :36:37.drugs over the border that we cannot get here, new and approved

:36:38. > :36:43.treatments that you have to for or that get denied over 50% get turned

:36:44. > :36:48.down. And social care system much valued, much needed, but more than

:36:49. > :36:52.creaking at the seams. I have met with numerous patient groups,

:36:53. > :36:56.charities, representatives of many health organisations and I often

:36:57. > :37:00.receive the same message, which is that of difficulties in recruitment

:37:01. > :37:05.and the problems facing our ever-changing health needs. For you

:37:06. > :37:09.and I to be healthy, we need the NHS to be healthy and one of the major

:37:10. > :37:15.challenges in securing our future is how do we look after our NHS. The

:37:16. > :37:20.NHS is Wales 's largest employer with around 89,000 people in the

:37:21. > :37:23.workforce and these individuals often work under immense and

:37:24. > :37:27.challenging pressures as our numbers of people with complex and chronic

:37:28. > :37:33.conditions continue to rise. I would like to take this moment to thank

:37:34. > :37:43.the NHS staff of Wales and covers, I would ask you to thank them.

:37:44. > :37:47.APPLAUSE. -- conference. Under pressure, underfunded and in the

:37:48. > :37:51.face of great changes they keep going, to deliver to us a health

:37:52. > :37:56.service we all see as a birthright. Thank you, I say and thank you again

:37:57. > :38:00.and I say this to the workforce of the national Health Service, I say

:38:01. > :38:06.this to you, the 89,000 people we rely on, the Welsh Conservatives

:38:07. > :38:10.will support you. We are listening and have listened to GPs who simply

:38:11. > :38:14.do not have the hours of the resources to cope with the level of

:38:15. > :38:19.demand. Two nurses and doctors that being around hospitals, multitasking

:38:20. > :38:23.and waiting endlessly for beds to be free so they can commence vital

:38:24. > :38:27.operations, to mental health professionals under resourced and

:38:28. > :38:31.harried. The hospital managers making impossible choices, two

:38:32. > :38:35.radiographers and pharmacist, occupational therapist, palliative

:38:36. > :38:37.care and chronic care nurses, physiotherapist, I tell you, the

:38:38. > :38:42.Welsh Conservatives are listening. We are listening to trainee doctors

:38:43. > :38:47.who want to have secure opportunities here in Wales. Two

:38:48. > :38:54.junior doctors wanting to specialise and says having to move away, two

:38:55. > :38:59.nurses wanting to see far more support and a commitment to safe

:39:00. > :39:00.staffing levels in all areas of the NHS, the Welsh Conservatives are

:39:01. > :39:15.listening. APPLAUSE. And we will do, we will

:39:16. > :39:19.revolutionise the funding of primary care by readjusting the balance of

:39:20. > :39:22.funding between the primary and secondary provision. You vote us in

:39:23. > :39:27.and these are the things that we will deliver. We will keep people

:39:28. > :39:33.out of hospital and resource the teams that can work with GPs to

:39:34. > :39:37.ensure safe clinical services, and outstanding care with the emphasis

:39:38. > :39:44.being given on well-being. Only 13.6% of funding in the NHS goes

:39:45. > :39:48.into primary care. They see 90% of the people and it is an imbalance

:39:49. > :39:52.that has gone on far too long and we well in our vision for health seek

:39:53. > :39:57.to redress that too far more proportionate levels of funding.

:39:58. > :40:02.Under the Welsh Conservatives, mental health will no longer be the

:40:03. > :40:05.Cinderella service of the NHS. Children and adults who wait years

:40:06. > :40:12.for services will find that our vision for help understands the

:40:13. > :40:16.importance of this area. With one in four people in Wales are likely to

:40:17. > :40:19.suffer some mental health issue, this must not be an area

:40:20. > :40:24.marginalised and overlooked any more and we will look to develop a robust

:40:25. > :40:26.vision for mental health that delivers good crisis management and

:40:27. > :40:38.long-term support. APPLAUSE. We will revolutionise the

:40:39. > :40:41.care of the elderly and they think Suzy Davies started laying that out

:40:42. > :40:45.and we will look to protect a carers. We need to look again at

:40:46. > :40:49.whether hospital care is the best option for elderly patients,

:40:50. > :40:54.especially those with the condition of dementia. Unlike Labour, we will

:40:55. > :40:57.look all over the world for best practice, for example there is

:40:58. > :41:04.strong evidence in Australia over the effectiveness of using community

:41:05. > :41:06.centres. There -- there it is an holistic way to insure that these

:41:07. > :41:10.people maintain their independence for as long as possible. We have to

:41:11. > :41:14.tackle the revolving doors of hospitals, we have seen a trend

:41:15. > :41:17.where medical staff become more specialist and not practising

:41:18. > :41:21.general medicine. In the elderly, this can lead to single issue is

:41:22. > :41:25.being treated and patients having to be readmitted under a different

:41:26. > :41:28.doctor to be treated for other conditions they may have had or

:41:29. > :41:33.developed during their original illness. This revolving door effect

:41:34. > :41:37.is not only costly but very harmful to the patient's quality of life and

:41:38. > :41:43.the chances of making a full recovery. Our vision for health will

:41:44. > :41:47.seek to fund specialist training post for to dairy attrition is to

:41:48. > :41:52.ensure a more holistic approach is taken to geriatric care. We restate

:41:53. > :41:58.our commitment to health research and development. I visited

:41:59. > :42:03.innovative health facilities with robotic pharmacist to state of care

:42:04. > :42:07.units and the next-generation medical instrument manufacturing, I

:42:08. > :42:10.have met with re-searchers on the brink of exciting new discoveries

:42:11. > :42:15.and those just slogging away determined to solve some of our

:42:16. > :42:19.greatest health problems. The skills definitely exist in Wales to front

:42:20. > :42:22.up to the challenges we have but we need to be brave and have the

:42:23. > :42:30.courage to make difficult decisions. It is only by being brave, by

:42:31. > :42:35.displaying political courage, by taking tough decisions, by investing

:42:36. > :42:40.properly, by believing in our people and our country that we can secure

:42:41. > :42:43.the future of Wales. And that is the Welsh Conservatives for you. We will

:42:44. > :42:50.do that. Thank you very much. APPLAUSE. That was Angela Burns on

:42:51. > :42:54.health and let's stay in the conference hall and hear from the

:42:55. > :42:57.party's education spokesperson Darren Millar. He attacked the

:42:58. > :43:01.Labour record on schools and told the party faithful that the children

:43:02. > :43:06.of Wales needed to be given every chance in life. If we are ever going

:43:07. > :43:11.to achieve this Wales that works for everyone, we need to give our

:43:12. > :43:15.children and our young people the very best opportunities in life. We

:43:16. > :43:20.Welsh Conservatives understand that, which is why we have but also hard

:43:21. > :43:25.to save precious maternity and paediatric services in hospitals

:43:26. > :43:28.across Wales. Working with my colleagues in North Wales, we

:43:29. > :43:33.managed to secure a U-turn on plans to scrap doctor led maternity

:43:34. > :43:41.services at one hospital. APPLAUSE. Paul Davies and Angela

:43:42. > :43:43.Burns are continuing to campaign to return 24-hour paediatric services

:43:44. > :43:55.to a hospital in Pembrokeshire. If our young people in Wales are to

:43:56. > :44:00.reach their full potential in life then our education system in Wales

:44:01. > :44:04.must improve. Our children deserve a first class education system that is

:44:05. > :44:10.world beating and where every child can succeed regardless of their

:44:11. > :44:13.background. Successive Welsh Labour led government have failed to

:44:14. > :44:19.deliver one. Education standards have been slipping here in Wales.

:44:20. > :44:25.The most recent international statistics published by the OECD

:44:26. > :44:31.reconfirmed Wales' recent status as officially the worst performing

:44:32. > :44:36.education system in the UK. Of the 78 countries taking part in their

:44:37. > :44:41.tests Wales ranked lower than Vietnam and Estonia in reading,

:44:42. > :44:44.mathematics and science. Despite of all the tough talking, all of the

:44:45. > :44:50.promises to do better from the First Minister over the years, the results

:44:51. > :44:55.showed that Wales has gone backwards since 2006, marking a decade of

:44:56. > :45:03.underachievement. It is a scandal of monumental proportions. For all

:45:04. > :45:08.their crocodile tears that they have shared over those facts, we must

:45:09. > :45:11.never forget that Plaid Cymru and the Liberal Democrats must share in

:45:12. > :45:15.the responsibility for these valuers. By propping up labour be

:45:16. > :45:19.have been partners in crime when it comes to the fillings in our Welsh

:45:20. > :45:25.education system and we must never let the people of Wales forget it.

:45:26. > :45:30.When this First Minister came to power back in 2009 he promised to

:45:31. > :45:34.better fund Welsh schools and turnaround performance. We have

:45:35. > :45:40.heard this sort of rhetoric before from previous Labour leaders. We

:45:41. > :45:44.remember education, education, education. Instead since Carwyn

:45:45. > :45:48.Jones took the helm we have seen falling standards, school closures

:45:49. > :45:53.and tens of mullions of taxpayers' money wasted on gimmicks like free

:45:54. > :45:56.breakfasts and free toothbrushes for school children. Call me

:45:57. > :45:59.old-fashioned but I believe parents not teachers should be giving their

:46:00. > :46:08.children breakfast and showing them how to brush their teeth. The

:46:09. > :46:12.reality is that there is no such thing as a free breakfasts. The tens

:46:13. > :46:18.of millions wasted on cornflakes and rice crispies could have been spent

:46:19. > :46:22.on teachers, textbooks and technology in our schools. In

:46:23. > :46:28.21st-century Wales there are still schools without even an internet

:46:29. > :46:31.connection. It is unbelievable. Because my opposition to Labour's

:46:32. > :46:47.so-called free school breakfasts one of the Labour AM is dubbed me below

:46:48. > :46:51.the serial killer -- cereal killer. She thought the comparison to that

:46:52. > :46:57.was an insult. I am proud to be compared to one of the greatest

:46:58. > :47:02.Prime Ministers this country has ever seen. Margaret Thatcher took on

:47:03. > :47:08.communism, transformed our economic fortunes and unlike the Welsh Labour

:47:09. > :47:11.Party she never cut and NHS budget. Instead of teachers spending the

:47:12. > :47:15.time that they have teaching children to brush their teeth we

:47:16. > :47:19.should be allowing them to get their teeth into teaching. We should be

:47:20. > :47:23.empowering them to make the difference they entered the

:47:24. > :47:25.profession to deliver. We Welsh Conservatives believe the best way

:47:26. > :47:28.to help the bull improve their prospects in life is through

:47:29. > :47:35.education and employment, not welfare or hand-outs. Assembly

:47:36. > :47:41.member Darren Millar. The conference has come to a close. After all of

:47:42. > :47:43.the speeches had finished our correspondent got up with the Welsh

:47:44. > :47:48.Conservative leader for final thoughts.

:47:49. > :47:53.We saw him on the stage delivering his speech. The leader of the Welsh

:47:54. > :47:57.Conservatives joins me now. A lot of your time concentrating on the local

:47:58. > :48:04.elections, be mourning as you see at Labour and Plaid Cymru as the victim

:48:05. > :48:06.always saying that. What was the pitch? Surely what the next big

:48:07. > :48:12.challenge for the Welsh Conservatives are, that we have the

:48:13. > :48:16.local elections in six weeks. The speech was more generally focusing

:48:17. > :48:20.on the opportunities ahead for Wales and saying we have to turn those

:48:21. > :48:24.into positive outcomes for people and communities and that starts at

:48:25. > :48:29.local level. Local government elections are good chance to put a

:48:30. > :48:33.positive message, looking at the horizon, being positive about the

:48:34. > :48:38.future and grabbing opportunities. Is it difficult for you at local

:48:39. > :48:42.government level? So much of the talk is about cuts and squeezing of

:48:43. > :48:46.budget. When you are trying to say we will look after you at the same

:48:47. > :48:52.time it is the UK Government bringing those cuts in place. Is

:48:53. > :48:54.that difficult to square? When it comes to local government cut the

:48:55. > :49:00.Welsh government decide how to carve up the cake. Some of the choices,

:49:01. > :49:07.should we take credit for new schools being built or new

:49:08. > :49:12.infrastructure projects? We deserve some of the credit yet the Welsh

:49:13. > :49:15.government will say they are taking those decisions. They cannot have it

:49:16. > :49:20.both ways. The Welsh government decide how to cut up the cake. In

:49:21. > :49:24.Monmouthshire where we run the council under the great leadership

:49:25. > :49:28.of Peter Fox we have used imaginative solutions to keep open

:49:29. > :49:34.leisure centres, play parks, and make sure that lumps on in the

:49:35. > :49:38.streets and potholes filled. If you want that success in your community

:49:39. > :49:43.voting Welsh Conservative will ensure that. What happened to the

:49:44. > :49:47.Big Society, getting people more involved with their local community?

:49:48. > :49:51.Volunteering to offer certain services. Has that gone away or

:49:52. > :49:55.should that still be playing a part in a conservative pitch for voters?

:49:56. > :50:01.Localism is very much in the DNA of the party. We believe the best

:50:02. > :50:05.people to deliver an work to provide local services are local people. If

:50:06. > :50:12.you look at Wales as a whole the type of service you have to deliver

:50:13. > :50:18.in one area might fall under social services whereas it would be

:50:19. > :50:23.different in an area like Cardiff. The urban nature of card you would

:50:24. > :50:28.have to have different solutions. You cannot have a one size fits all

:50:29. > :50:32.mentality. What we have had from Welsh government of the centralising

:50:33. > :50:35.of power and control when as Conservatives we believe that local

:50:36. > :50:40.communities delivering the solutions in their locality are best placed to

:50:41. > :50:44.solve some of the challenges we face and unlock the opportunities there

:50:45. > :50:50.for us. The other issue is looking at what could after Brexit. How

:50:51. > :50:52.tough a week has it been for you as the conservative looking at

:50:53. > :50:57.Westminster with a U-turn on the budget, quite an embarrassing lying

:50:58. > :51:01.down? A serious set of allegations and a big fine by the Electoral

:51:02. > :51:06.Commission because rules have been broken in terms of the way elections

:51:07. > :51:10.have been conducted by the Conservatives. As somebody standing

:51:11. > :51:14.a little bit removed from Westminster is that frustrating to

:51:15. > :51:18.see that element happening? None of those election rules were broken

:51:19. > :51:23.here in Wales but as the party we take them very seriously and we have

:51:24. > :51:26.paid the fine and we will take on board the recommendations. Sadly all

:51:27. > :51:31.political parties have issues from time to time and money has to be

:51:32. > :51:35.paid and the remedial measures have to be taken. If you take the U-turn

:51:36. > :51:40.as you put it on national insurance I would not call it an

:51:41. > :51:43.embarrassment, that is a government listening and responding to what

:51:44. > :51:47.people are saying they want to happen. Often politicians get

:51:48. > :51:53.criticised for not responding and ploughing ahead no matter what. Here

:51:54. > :51:57.you have a positive outcome from a Chancellor who has delivered

:51:58. > :52:02.economic success with economic growth continuing under him, record

:52:03. > :52:04.numbers of people in employment, and many good measures with increased

:52:05. > :52:11.capital spending from big infrastructure projects... You would

:52:12. > :52:15.not have allowed a manifesto pledge to be broken like that. You would

:52:16. > :52:19.have said let us keep the promises we made. We are not breaking a

:52:20. > :52:25.manifesto commitment because it is not happening. Let us move on. There

:52:26. > :52:31.is more positive things to talk about. That is not happening. End of

:52:32. > :52:37.story. As a self-employed person I spent 25 years in my first live

:52:38. > :52:39.before I went into politics making sure understanding what the

:52:40. > :52:45.self-employed need and required to take the risk and be entrepreneurs

:52:46. > :52:48.and I would have been lobbying very hard to ensure this did not happen

:52:49. > :52:54.and I am pleased to see that the Chancellor has listened and we move

:52:55. > :52:59.on building a stronger economy for Wales and the United Kingdom. Would

:53:00. > :53:03.you prefer to have Theresa May and Philip Hammond or Jeremy Corbyn and

:53:04. > :53:13.John McDonnell? I take it that is hypothetical! You can answer! Carwyn

:53:14. > :53:19.Jones saying about the possibility of a trade war between England,

:53:20. > :53:24.Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland if there are not clear procedures in

:53:25. > :53:29.place. It is the scare story of the week from the eternal pessimist. We

:53:30. > :53:33.have had a union of the United Kingdom for many centuries, the most

:53:34. > :53:39.successful union the world has seen. We can overcome any of these issues

:53:40. > :53:43.in the devolved era. We need UK frameworks for agriculture, regional

:53:44. > :53:48.aid, funding, and I believe we should have them, and that is

:53:49. > :53:53.something I came out early on... I was ridiculed and now it seems to be

:53:54. > :53:58.in play. Instead of being pessimistic and looking at his feet,

:53:59. > :54:03.Carwyn Jones, week up and smell the coffee and look at the horizon, the

:54:04. > :54:08.sunshine does come out, let us work to make the world and even better

:54:09. > :54:20.place. The Welsh Conservative leader. The big challenge in the

:54:21. > :54:24.immediate future for the Welsh Conservatives as the local

:54:25. > :54:29.elections. What are their prospects? They should gain some ground is

:54:30. > :54:33.logically because the last set of elections was rough for them. This

:54:34. > :54:36.time they are still in power in Westminster so you would not expect

:54:37. > :54:41.them to make big gains but with Labour in a very bad week you would

:54:42. > :54:47.expect them to win some ground in the cities and also in rural Wales

:54:48. > :54:50.where there is a gradual lessening of the dominance of Independence

:54:51. > :54:56.with people standing under party banners. You would expect them to

:54:57. > :55:00.move forward a little bit but no huge breakthrough. They have to

:55:01. > :55:04.bounce back from last year's assembly elections when they fell

:55:05. > :55:08.back a bit. They fell back that really because the vagaries of the

:55:09. > :55:14.assembly electoral system and the arrival on the scene of Ukip on the

:55:15. > :55:19.list seat. That is not a problem for them this time. This is the first

:55:20. > :55:24.past the post election. The sort of election they are used to fighting.

:55:25. > :55:27.The difficulty for them if it is very difficult for a party in

:55:28. > :55:32.government in Westminster to gain ground in local elections. Big

:55:33. > :55:39.themes, big issues in the background. Yes, but local elections

:55:40. > :55:43.are local and people vote on local issues so you could see some fluke

:55:44. > :55:51.results and freak results and differences between areas. That is

:55:52. > :55:55.it. It is Labour's turn at the same time next week. Hope you can join us

:55:56. > :55:57.then. Thank you for watching.