18/02/2012 Welsh Labour Party Conference

Good afternoon. It is election year in Wales. Come to think of it, when

is it not? In less than three months' time the Welsh public will

be going to the polls in the local elections. Before then, the

political parties will be making their pitch to the Welsh public,

beginning with Labour at the home of Glamorgan cricket club in

Cardiff. Over the next two hours we will be talking to Labour's big

hitters, Ed Miliband, First Minister Carwyn Jones as well as an

array of Assembly Members, members of parliament and grassroots

members, a constant presence throughout the programme will be

for Roderick. An important year for Labour bearing in mind what

happened to them in 2008? It if you look back four years, historically

they were the worst results for Labour at a local level in Wales in

the whole of the party's history. They lost dozens of seats, they

lost control of councils, they only managed to hold on in two. They

were reduced to nothing in Cardiff, Swansea, even some of the Bali

councils that they lost to a very disparate group of opponents.

Labour are desperate to get at least some of their territory back.

I don't think it thinks it can get back to the sort of dominance it

had in Welsh local government, at least not in one jump. But they

seem to be wanting to make standard Gauging reaction to the keynote

speeches and taking the pulse of the conference faithful this

afternoon is James Williams. Thank you. As you can see, the

seats behind me may be empty. The weather is not really sure what it

is doing. Don't worry, it is not cricket season, it is conference

season. The hall in front of me are packed full of Teen Labour members

eagerly awaiting the leader's speech. I will be getting the

party's pulls the head of the big test in the local elections.

No conference would be complete without a voice to guide us through

proceedings in the main hall. This Yes, welcome to the conference hall.

They are gearing up, they are out there with their lunches. This

morning we had Ed Miliband addressing the conference. The eyes

are very firmly on the impending local elections, hoping to make

advances on people like the Lib Dems. This morning was very much

about the successes they have had in the referendum election, the

referendum vote or widening Assembly powers. The success that

beat elections for Assembly Members was itself. Eyes are very firmly on

the local elections. Those local elections will form part of a

session chaired by the shadow Welsh secretary. Before that, we have a

speech that many people will be here to hear, from the leader of

Welsh Labour, the First Minister That is the team. The action is not

far off commencing. I am seen pictures from the main hall at the

moment, where party members are very slowly taking their seats

ahead of the speech from Carwyn Jones. That gives us more time to

talk about how Labour is going to retain this territory that they

lost in 2008, losing control of Five councils. You have said they

do not expect to get back to the level of 2008 this year. How close

do you think they will be to that level? I think that is very

difficult to read. There are two problems for Labour. The first one

is simply this, they are not as far ahead, perhaps, as they feel they

should be in the UK wide opinion polls. Labour and the Conservatives

are roughly neck-and-neck, Labour slightly ahead, maybe. They would

have thought in this economic and political climate they would have

been further ahead. And they can't just rely of the unpopularity of

the Conservative and Lib Dem government in Westminster. There is

a Labour government as well, in Cardiff Bay. They have to convince

the electorate in those council elections that cuts in services

they are seeing are the fault of Westminster and not the fault of

Cardiff Bay. Two difficulties that make it not a simple mid-term

election for Labour. Which leads to the question, will they be fighting

this election on the messages we are hearing from Ed Miliband? Let's

have a bank a bonus tax, let's bash News Corporation? Will they be

fighting this election on Welsh issues? First and foremost they

will be fighting on local issues. Local issues are always the key

factor in elections. But you have to think that things like the row

we have seen in palace help ward is bound to impact on the elections. -

They will be trying to get some mood music that makes Conservatives

and popular. By and large it is going to be fought on local and

Welsh issues. Success in local elections often depends on the

health of the party machine. How respect? It's nothing compared to

what it used to be. This is what the Conservatives discovered in the

1990s. These days, most parties do not have Ward by ward organisations,

they just have constituency level organisations. You are very

dependent on councillors. Their networks, family networks, the

networks of friends, to come out and do the work. Once you lose a

council seat it can be difficult to get it back. Someone else has been

in there, working award, when you haven't had the local organisation

to challenge that person. What I think Labour will be looking to do

is to regain state control of some of the Bali councils. Quite frankly,

we were amazed when they lost some of those places. There will be

looking for state control and hoping to get back into a position

in places like Cardiff, for instance, where they might be the

largest party and might be able to do deals with other parties. There

was a time not that long ago when Labour controlled or of the really

big councils in Wales. They controlled Cardiff, Swansea,

Newport, Wrexham. I don't think that the Labour tide will advance

far enough for them to take outright control in those sorts of

the authorities, with maybe one exception. In case you think you

are missing something, you are not. Housekeeping is going on at the

moment and Carwyn Jones's speech is rather delayed. I wonder how much

momentum is building behind Labour. We have seen Carwyn Jones securing

that power referendum. We have seen Labour agonisingly close to a clear

majority in the assembly. As the tide turned in their favour? If you

look at that, they only got up 10% on the previous elections. Because

of the assembly set-up it brought them about half the seats, just

about enough to form a government. If they only got 39% in local

elections, I don't think it would take them very far. It depends

where those votes were, how they were scattered throughout Wales. I

think they would be to get more than that 39%. I don't really see

any great Sime now that Labour are more popular than they were at the

time of the assembly elections. That 39% is roughly the percentage

at which they are pony nationally at the moment. That does lead one

to believe that they might not further their cause in these local

elections compared to what they did back in May? I think that is right.

If they did as well as last May, that would bring them gains. That

percentage was well up on what they got in the local elections. That is

the pattern that we are looking at. Labour are deliberately trying to

manage expectations. They don't want an expectation to arise, where

to fail to take Cardiff, for instance, would be seen as a

failure. They will want to. Bogota solid progress. They are looking to

rebuild the local party machines, make a bit of progress, getting to

control in a few council chambers. They will be happy with that but it

will not be easy. This conference is as much about inspiring the

workers here to go back and do the work on the ground as it is about

portraying the wider message to the wider electorate. One local issues,

we know that councils are facing very tight financial settlements at

the moment. There will be services and many councils that will be cut.

Some of them are regarding health. There is severe backlash from

voters when health services are cut. Will that play a bit part in this

campaign? That's very interesting. Health is something that is run by

the Welsh government. The Welsh government will carry the can for

that to an extent. They will blame the amount of money coming down the

M4 from Westminster. What is more interesting is the services that

are run by councils that are being cut. Who is going to get the blame

for that? Say your local library is going to close, do you blame the

local council, that might be controlled by independents, or the

Labour government in Cardiff Bay or the Westminster government, which

involves the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats? An awful lot of

campaigning is going to be precise Iran that question. Parties

planning -- precisely around that question, parties pinning the blame

one thing is they don't control. If you are in control of the Council,

you will blame Cardiff Bay. If you are in control of Cardiff Bay, you

might blame the council or Westminster. We will cross over now,

Shortly we are going to hear from the First Minister and the Labour

leader in Wales Carwyn Jones. In the meantime, we will hand over to

John Stephenson. As you say, Carwyn Jones will be on

the platform addressing the Labour conference. We have just seen a

number of awards being given to outstanding campaigning and

outstanding fund-raising. These are the sort of thing this are the meat

of any party, the work done by activists Land Party supporters at

grassroots level. Without them, in many ways, there would not be any

political party. The person on the podium at the moment is the chair

of the Swansea Labour students' group. She is also an election

candidate in the impending elections. Real people that roll up

their sleeves and get out on the doorstep with us. We are not

separated by a television screen and they did not live in ivory

towers. There is nothing more inspiring than hearing

representatives speak to people on the street and being reminded why

you did not mind canvassing in the rain, delivering those last 500

leaflets in the freezing cold. People like this, people who are

there to stuff envelopes, march up and down the streets. We do it

because we want a Labour government. And we have done it. As the only

Labour administration in the United Kingdom, Welsh Labour have become a

beacon of hope for our party. We have seen how David Cameron has

tried to deflect attention on to Wales as his own disastrous health

reforms have unravelled. But the Tories are wrought on the NHS, just

like they were wrong on tuition fees, EMA, just like they were

wrong on scrapping the future jobs fund. When I was asked to speak

today and did not know where to start. But I knew I wanted to say

thank you. Thank you for keeping our NHS intact so that young people

can still have access to an excellent health service that

provides them with the help, guidance that they need, and, of

course, free prescriptions. Plenty for addressing the serious issues

surrounding youth unemployment, the Welsh jobs fund is helping our

young people, regardless of whether they are students or graduates, to

gain new skills through experience and print ships. And thank you, we

were right on tuition fees and EMA. Thank you for allowing Welsh

students to study where they choose, regardless of potential financial

restrictions. That before realising that education is not a privilege,

it is a choice that should be made regardless of gender, race or class.

We know you work hard and we just ask that you never stop listening

to people like me. Thank you for giving us a few minutes of your

time at an hour Welsh Labour youth and student conference in January.

Just before Carwyn Jones comes on I would like to introduce a short

That's going to be a party political broadcast by the Labour

Party. In the meantime, after those elections in 2008, Roger Morgan,

the former First Minister, came out and said that Labour took a

building. Paul Murphy said that Labour had to redouble its efforts.

In what way do you think Labour has made more effort this time round?

What happened to Labour last time, if you talk to the candidates that

lost, they said they were going from door to door and they were

just getting it in the neck about the Labour government in

Westminster. That is what happened to them. There was no great mystery

about it. It was issues like Iraq that was going on at the time. You

had the whole question of politicians in Westminster in

particular, with expenses. You know, the climate is better. It's nothing

really to do with what the party has done, apart from the fact that

they managed to lose the last General Election. We also had a

issue about the 10 pence tax rate, the beginning of the banking crisis.

So, one could argue that there were legitimate excuses for Labour's

failings in 2008. Are we right now to think that it can be a no

excuses culture this time? Well, from Labour's point of view, they

have an advantage of not being in power in most of those council

areas. The local council does not reflect on them. They have not been

in power in Westminster. Whether they have yet won the confidence of

voters in local elections, I don't know. P will have got long memories.

They have also got used to local councils that are a lot more

pluralistic. The big story, if you remember, one of the big stories

from the last local elections, it was the re-emergence of

independence in it and Wales. It had never disappeared in rural

Wales, it had always been there. Particularly in the South Wales

valleys, we have whole raft of new independent candidates, people like

People's Voice, independence in other areas, they made huge gains.

I don't see any reason why that phenomena should disappear. It

might recede a bit, Labour might take some of the independent wards

in places like Merthyr Tydfil, but I cannot see them taking them all.

I think the era, and it is not that long ago, when Labour held a 95% of

the seats in some councils, it is not going to return. Good timing.

Carwyn Jones is getting to his feet. He is now walking to the platform

to the ovation of the crowd. We will join the First Minister and

leader of Welsh Labour for his Well, chair, conference, thank you

very much for that will come. It is great to see so many familiar faces

and people back on you to the conference here in Cardiff. It is

the first time we have held the conference here in the stadium.

It's great to see that we are holding a conference on the verge

of another Grand Slam. I had to say, I was in Ireland for the game. I

cheered Wales's three tries. I was the only person in that section of

the crowd that did, but I did survive to tell the tale. In Ed's

fine speech he made reference to the game. I think he was very

diplomatic. I am less so, I want Wales to win on Saturday. In

welcoming everyone to Cardiff, can I just say that there is a

tremendous buzz around the conference this weekend. Since we

met last February in Llandudno it has been an extraordinary year.

That buzz is understandable. It is there not just for the party but

for Wales as a whole. 12 months ago we stood on the verge of holding a

referendum to have more war making powers for our assembly. 12 months

ago, simultaneously, in fact, we were preparing for the assembly

that would follow that referendum. We can be proud of what we achieved

in both. Firstly, the referendum. When you think back to 1997 when

the "yes" vote squeaked home by a margin of victory that was so small,

last March bore no comparison to that previous vote. It showed

clearly how far Wales have travelled in 12 relatively short

years. From the first faltering steps of the early days of

devolution, Wales not only gave a massive thumbs-up to having its own

assembly, it also embraced overwhelmingly, across the land,

the principle of having our Rome fully fledged legislative -- our

own fully-fledged legislative power. Wales said clearly that it wanted

an assembly that could make its own laws in the interests of all people

in the country. We now have the power to make our own decisions.

What a difference in just over a decade. On that day of the

referendum result that was the day an old nation came of age. Do you

know, as a party, we should not underplay what we achieved last

March. This party played a central role in securing that "yes" vote,

as did our friends in the Welsh trade union movement. We can all be

proud of what we achieved. No sooner had the polls closed last

month, were weak straight into the election campaign. It's fair to say

that ADS vote gave a huge boost to morale and it was a true

springboard for what we would achieve over the coming days and

weeks. The elections to the assembly on 5th May last year gave

our party the best ever result since devolution in 1999.

Colleagues, there can be no greater achievement for a political party

than to secured the support and endorsement of the people. There

can be no greater honour for this party than to serve the Welsh

people. To be entrusted by their hopes, their aspirations and

ambitions. The people of Wales put their trust in my colleagues. I

pledge again today that we will not let them down. As you know,

elections are not just won one words and promises, it takes great

organisation and campaigning skills to make the difference. For a start,

we have a team of superb candidates who took our vision to the

doorsteps of Wales with real gusto. Many of those candidates find

themselves as Assembly Members. I would like to say a special thank

you to Dave and his team. Well done, all of you. Could I also thank Paul

O'Shea for his work as chair, and his contribution to the party and

Unison. For all you have done, thank you, Paul. But there was

another reason why we won the election last May - our manifesto.

Our manifesto was the most comprehensive set of policies put

before the people of Wales by any political party. 12 months ago I

made promises to you, promises about our principles, about what we

stand for as members of this great party of hours. I spoke about how

we would not accept another lost generation of young people without

work. I spoke of how unlike the Tories in England we would fend for

the NHS. I spoke of how we would make our community safer, and I

spoke of how we would invest in the future of our children. The awful

we made to our people at that conference was, if they placed

their trust in us on polling day, we would repay them by standing up

for Wales. I am proud to say, that is exactly what we are doing on a

daily basis. Conference, we now need to take that momentum and

vision into the next fight, the local elections in a couple of

months. As we continue to stand up for Wales in both of the assembly

and at Westminster, Thursday third May will give us the opportunity to

restate that pledge at a local level. On your local council, in

your local communities. I know, having met councillors from those

local authorities, that there is a real desire to take Welsh Labour to

the doorsteps, but we are not complacent. We have to fight for

every single vote. The spirit and enthusiasm across Wales is

infectious and it is unprecedented in my experience. We have a great

chance to do well in May, and today I would like to thank Peter Hain

for chairing the strategy group that is the engine room of our

campaign. Peter, you are doing a great job. Thank you.

Colleagues, we have always prided ourselves on being a compassionate

party, so let's collectively dig deep, both financially and

emotionally this weekend, and spare a thought for our friends in the

Welsh Tory party. As you know, it has been a less than auspicious

start in 2012 for the Tories, and especially for their new leader in

Wales. Cheryl Gillan, we are told, finds him irritating. Out of the

blue, if you pardon the pun, came the news they had cancelled their

annual conference due to lack of funding. No -- nothing pulls on my

heartstrings more than watching them have to cancel their

conference by the seaside. Do you think we should start an appeal to

help save the Welsh Tories? Comrades, giving it is easy. Just

remember to make your cheques out to Lord Michael Ashcroft.

We might laugh, but in reality there is nothing remotely funny

about the Tory party. Their approach in dealing with the

economic downturn means the UK now has the highest unemployment for 17

years. Presumably a price worth paying again. They are decimating

the NHS in England, opening it up to profit-making private firms,

despite the groundswell of opposition from the very doctors

and nurses who work tirelessly to make sure the quality service is

free at the point of delivery. Their intent on proposing savage

cuts, which will destroy people's services, their jobs and their

lives, and now we see the Tories' latest stunt. They want to impose

regional pay settlements on Wales. We know where that roamed Leeds -

it needs to pay cuts for Welsh workers. I have a message for the

Tory Lib Dem coalition. A simple message. In Wales, we will fight

your plans to destroy people's livelihoods.

But there is one thing you can say about the Tories, they are

consistent. Wanting to cut the benefits of cancer sufferers is

consistent with the Tory party we remember. Because let's be under no

illusion, the nasty party are not back, the nasty party never went

away. What of the Conservative leader in the assembly? It hasn't

taken long to work out that when Cheryl says "Andrew, John" He says

how high? He rolls over and does as he is told. So what about Plaid

Cymru? By common consent, they are in a deep trough of the Rome making.

Is it any surprise they are now the third party in world politics? In

the elections, voters came home to Labour because they identified with

our promise to stand up for Wales. Perhaps in the past we have been

too reticent in reminding people that Labour is the only true party

of Wales. No more, things have changed. Since last year's election,

Plaid Cymru has put on the mantle of a protest route. They are in

their comfort zone when they are waving placards, but there are

voters surely expect and deserve better. During difficult times,

they want leadership from their politicians, not protests. You

can't negotiate a fair deal for Wales with a placard in your hand.

You don't get investment in big projects found with a megaphone,

you do it through leadership and persuasion, through making Wales'

case robustly and clearly. In their recent internal review, they

themselves recognised they have lost ground to us. No other party

has a better record on the Welsh language than Labour, and I believe

it is time to remind people of that. Whilst Plaid Cymru wrestle with the

notion of creating an English name for themselves, we have established

Wales' first ever Welsh-language commissioner, and next month a new

Welsh language strategy will be launched. Bolder than anything that

has come before. It will recognise that, for many families, Welsh is

no longer simply the language of the hearth, but of the social

network as well. Labour, standing up for our language and communities

the length and breadth of the country. Today, I say this to

people who are not card-carrying members of Plaid Cymru but who have

supported them in the past. If you believe in Wales, if you believe

there can build a stronger nation, we can forge a better path best

suited to our people, then Welsh Labour is your party. If you voted

Plaid Cymru, believing them when they said they would speak up for

Wales, only finding them to rule out a coalition deal with the

Tories, then Welsh Labour is your party. If you believe that quality

Welsh jobs, good education in Welsh schools, and making sure we have

vibrant communities in Wales are more important than constitutional

navel-gazing, then Welsh Labour is your party. If you voted Plaid

Cymru, but you know as I do that independence is bad for Wales, then

Welsh Labour is your party. TRANSLATION: If you believe in

Wales, in working together, that we can build a stronger nation, take

decisions together and a creative path to the future for our people,

Welsh Labour is your party. If you supported Plaid Cymru after

believing when they said they would stand up for the corner of Wales,

only then to say they were willing to work with the Tories, then Welsh

Labour is your party. If you believe that good quality jobs,

good education in the schools of Wales, and making sure there are

vibrant communities in Wales are more important than talking about

the constitution, was Labour is your party. If you support to Plaid

Cymru but you know full well like I do that independence would be bad

for Wales, then Welsh Labour is your party.

What about the Lib Dems? What about them? It is interesting to see them

scurrying about, jumping on every passing bandwagon at the moment,

acting holier than thou. They are desperately trying to detoxify

themselves ahead of the elections in May. If you listen hard, you can

hear the fear filling the corridors of Cardiff City Hall, but it is too

late for them to reverse the damage of the last two years. The

political reality is that lay have propped up the nasty party am they

are about to suffer the consequences of the local level.

Despite their attempts to distance themselves from the Tories, Welsh

people are far too savvy to be conned by the leaflet that drops

through their letterbox. The Lib Dems are as guilty and responsible

as the Tories for wanting to cut the benefits of the most honourable

people in Wales. They are as guilty and responsible as the Tories for

the closure of the Newport Passport Office. The Lib Dems are as guilty

and responsible for the closure of the Swansea coastguard station. The

Lib Dems are as guilty and responsible as the Tories for not

already having delivered on rail electrification to Swansea. The

fact is that both the Tories and Lib Dems have let Wales down, and

in May they will both get their Last May, we won fourth term

because we showed people that we have the ideas, the vision and

drive to create a better Wales for our people and their families. We

pledged we would show them as an alternative to the destructive path

being followed by the coalition over the order. We showed Welsh

people would stand up for the services they depend on. This was

not just rhetoric, we can show there is another way. Let's take

the examples of the health service and the economy. We all know and we

cherish the bond between this party and the NHS. The fact is that no

other political party will have had the vision nor the will to create

it. Over the course of the last 66 years, the NHS has seen many

changes. One of its strengths has been its ability to adapt and

modernise. Satisfaction levels for the NHS are so high because it

delivers for the here and now, not for 20 years ago, and that is one

reason why it holds such a unique place in the hearts of people

everywhere. But staying relevant and modern is only one part of the

equation when it comes to explaining the longevity of our

health service. There was another part of the equation that is

equally important, yet too often overlooked. I am talking about the

NHS staff, the dedication of the porters, nurses, cleaners, and the

other professions, all playing their part in making sure the best

care is possible for the patients. It is there care that makes the NHS

happen, it is them that keeps the NHS going, and that is why we

salute them today. And yet, in the face of the efforts of these

dedicated staff, in the face of massive public concern, in the face

of rumblings of discontent within the UK cabinet even, the coalition

are relentlessly bulldozing ahead with their plans for NHS reforms in

England. Let me state, for the avoidance of doubt, that I strongly

believe inaccessible, high quality, Citizen cent of services for

everyone, not choice for the few. Publicly funded, publicly provided

and freed at the point of delivery. -- free. We want to see good GP

services across Wales with improved access for working people. We are

making sure there is better care for people in their communities. We

want world-class centres of excellence for specialised services

such as cancer, strokes, or heart attacks. We are putting improving

the health and preventing illness at the heart of what we do. We

insist that the elderly are treated with dignity. Conference, unlike

the Tories, we will not dismantle the NHS. We will not privatise the

NHS. We make the pledge that the people of Wales, the forces of

market -- privatisation of the NHS will stop at the border.

But let's be clear, we know we have challenges of our own in Wales when

it comes to health. If the NHS in Wales is to continue receiving the

support of patients and public, it has to continue changing and

improving. But that change must be informed by our NHS professionals,

the people who know how to deliver a safe high quality treatment as

close to where people live as possible. They are the people

making life and death decisions, the ones who carry the can

professionally when things go awry. It is those people that we have to

listen to when it comes to delivering safe and improved health

care across Wales. TRANSLATION: In order to keep public confidence,

the NHS has to continue to change. These changes should be led by the

professionals who make those extremely critical decisions in

relation to people's care from day today. I want to see excellent

services that are as close to people as possible.

We hear the shame we -- shameless opportunism, when no decisions have

been made. But if ever we need proof we are taking the NHS in the

right direction in Wales, we only have to look at what is happening

in England. If that is not enough, take the word of eight out of 10

Welsh GPs, who say they would much rather be working in Wales than

England, according to the BMA. The reason is that 82% of doctors that

responded. I think the chairman of BMA Wales was right when he said

doctors in Wales remain loyal to the principles set out for the NHS

by Nye Bevan. He went on saying consecutive governments have

diminished the role of the private sector from the NHS and the

purchase of providers no longer offered. This was the right

decision for doctors and patients. What the Tories and their Lib Dem

accomplices are doing to the NHS in Wales is ideologically driven. Why

can't they find it in themselves to have the humility to say we got it

wrong. The more I read about their wretched health and social care

bill, the more it reminds me of the Dead Parrot sketch from Monty

Python. Any day now, I half expect Andrew Lansley to declare this bill

is not dead, it is just pining for the fjords! We can be proud, we are

showing them is an alternative to what they are offering when it

comes to health. The NHS was made by Labour and it is safe with

Labour. When it comes to the economy and the jobs market, we

know people are facing tough times on so many different levels. In

Wales we don't possess all the economic levers that control our

economy, but since reformed the Welsh government last May, we have

taken steps to shore up the economy from the downturn. We have been

seeing what project can be brought forward to support the Welsh

economy at this crucial juncture. I am proud to say the action we have

taken is not just about the here and now, but in many instances the

initiatives we have set will help Wales in years to come as well.

Actions like our �55 million package, vital in creating

opportunities for entrepreneurs. Our �30 million scheme that will

support the creation of 3000 jobs and make sure the businesses and

workers of Wales who are best placed to grow the economy will get

the support they need. Our �32 million package to stimulate the

economy, giving resources to the young recruit programme, as well as

investment in schools and social housing, in addition to bringing

forward �90 million of capital funding for projects across the

country, along with �170 million of investment in road improvements

over the next three-year us. Why have we acted so quickly to develop

new programmes? I will tell you why. It is because of the membership

cards in your pocket. It is because we are Labour and remained true to

Labour values. Our values demand that, when faced with the big

challenge is in society, we meet those challenges head-on.

Conference, in the whole history of British politics, there has never

been a Labour government that has looked upon inequality and

injustice and at the broken lives of the worst off and thought "let

the market sort it out" And that remains the Great dividing line in

British politics. That is the dividing line in the assembly as

well. The choice between the Welsh Labour government on the side of

the people and the opposition parties making plenty of noise, but

with no ideas of their own. We won't be derailed by their attacks

because they are hollow, and listening to them would have been a

replication of the hand-wringing we Conference, where we see wrongs in

our society, we will intervene to Where the economy is weak or

stumbles, we will support businesses and workers to stimulate

growth. We do these things without apology. Unlike the Conservatives,

who believe that politics is a game of chance, we believe in government

as a force of good. We promised last May to stand up for the people

of Wales against the worst excesses of this Tory government. And that

is just what we're doing. Welsh Labour, standing up for Wales.

Conference, when I spoke to you in Llandudno last year and told you we

would take action to prevent another lost generation of young

people, I meant it. Since devolution, fewer young people

leave school without of occasions. More go on into third and higher

education. More young people are fulfilling their potential. Few are

being told, you cannot do this, aim lower. But we know there is more to

do. That is why I became the debt and made education a priority,

promising them that we would deliver millions more for our

schools in Wales. And we have done We promised that we would fill the

void left behind by the Tory decision to break their promise and

axe the future jobs fund. We have done that, with the creation of the

jobs growth Wales programme, �75 million a year to give 4000 young

people a chance to succeed, an out- and-out Welsh Labour designed made

in Wales submission to the mess that the Tories left behind.

Conference, never forget that means 4000 young people who are the

Tories would have abandoned that will now get our help. Too often,

sometimes, we hear the phrase sustainable development and we

think of the environmental agenda. Important as that is, I tell you

now that it is time to unlearn that way of thinking. These are the

watchwords that will underpin all of the decisions that this

government makes an office. The economy is central to that. That

means our economic approach will not just be about weathering the

current storm, although that remains a priority, but our daily

decisions will be made in line with delivering a sustainable economy

that delivers for our children a legacy that will outlive us all.

That is what I mean by ambition. Not just to govern for today, but

for tomorrow as well. That is why we have a renewed focus on

education in schools. That is why we are not interested in the siren

calls of regional pay, low corporation tax and the race to the

bottom that would involve. No, it means instead a stronger focus on

supporting the skills base of those in work and seeking work.

Supporting indigenous small businesses, infrastructure and

anchor companies. These are the building blocks of a sustainable

Welsh economy. This is where the Welsh Labour government will target

our efforts. Standing up for the people of Wales is important.

Showing that there is another way to protect our people doing these

difficult -- during these difficult times. We have to accept that

Labour in Wales is in a unique position. We are able to show

colleagues in other parts of the UK that with ideas, vision and to a

determination to protect our most vulnerable, Labour can win. We are

able to prove to the public in other parts of the UK that Labour

is still fighting for their man still defending them. Labour is of

their side. Because of devolution, we can let people compare the Welsh

Labour way or fairness, social justice. A more progressive way to

that approach taken by the Tories and Lib Dems in Westminster. As I

say to you, we cannot squander this moment. We have to seize it for it

is worth. Because of Welsh Labour in government must not just be

about managing the country. It has to be about offering an alternative

vision for ordinary people. Those people who lie awake at night

worrying about their jobs. Not about independence. Those people

who want a better health service to care for their families. They don't

want a privately run free for all. Those people who want a better

education for their children, not an obsession with so-called Free

Schools. Conference, every week in to Senedd we hear the Welsh Tory

obsession with what is happening in England. Every week in the Senedd

we hear the Plaid Cymru obsession with what is happening in Scotland.

Well, conference, I am going to let you into a little secret. You know

what I am obsessed about? Wales and there are people of Wales. -- and

So, colleagues, let's take that message to the doorstep in the

coming weeks. Our promise is that this party will offer inspiration,

dedication and perspiration to protect our people. Colleagues,

let's go out and win for Wales, win for Britain and deliver a fair,

prosperous future for our children. Carwyn Jones, getting a standing

ovation from delegates here at the Elena Dementieva conference in the

SWALEC Stadium in Cardiff. -- at the Labour part the conference. He

said that Labour is a party that makes promises, and, more

importantly, a party that keeps its promises. Drawing attention to the

future jobs fund, the Labour answer to that in Wales. Fighting the cuts,

imposed from the Conservatives in Westminster, from a Labour point of

view, what the coalition parties have done. Not unsurprisingly, as

in any party conference, a pop at the opposition. It guaranteed to

energise party supporters. He says they Aine hole and still digging.

He says that Labour is the Welsh party, Plaid Cymru is seen as the

Welsh-speaking party. An appeal to people who have supported Plaid

Cymru in the past, people that have not been happy with what Plaid

Cymru had been doing in the past. A pop at the Welsh Conservatives, and

their coalition partners in de Lib Dems, saying that they can feel the

fear gripping town halls. Back to you. I don't think there

was a hand that was not shaken on his departure from the hall. A

speech claiming there was a more progressive way compared to the

route being taken by the Conservative and Lib Dem coalition

government in Westminster. I am joined by Alan Jones and the

minister for housing and regeneration. It was a speech

heavily focused on attacking the opposition, pointing out that there

were different priorities in Wales. Is that going to be the strategy,

bearing in mind we are in our election year? I think we have

shown we can do things differently in Wales. There is a real buzz that

we need to go out there and tell people the things we have been

doing over the years and the things we in tendering to protect them. I

think his speech was very measured on where we are going to be between

now and May 3rd. We're going to tell people what we are doing and

what we want to do. That is standard for Wales. That's what we

try to do every day as Assembly Members, but also as unelected

representatives around the team, we are all going to be sitting from

the sea -- same hymn sheet. Devolution has made a difference

for Wales and we will continue to make that difference. She was

mentioning what you have done over the years. People know what you did

a few years back, free prescriptions, free breakfasts.

People asking what you're doing at the moment, 12 months on since

extra powers came into being. How have they been used? You were

crying out for the tools to do the job. Some people say you have the

tools but you're not doing the job. I think you heard it all in his

speech. It was a speech shot through with Labour values about...

Values, but not actions. He was talking about a wholly different

way of approaching a full service, a different way of approaching

schools and the school's policy. A completely different way of

approaching the economy as well. The divergence between the Labour

values and the liberal and conservative values coming out of

Westminster is stark. It's always a very difficult didn't do in a

leader's speech, to rally the troops, if you like, to speak to

the party, but also to reach beyond it. His speech was all about what

comes next. How things are going to work out in Wales through Labour

values to be very different to that which is going on over the border.

You are talking about values, people want action, they want to

know what you have done since March of last year. Just one piece of

legislation that the Welsh Labour government has actually put into

motion so far. You were asking for the tools to do the job. People are

saying, well, that's not really doing the job? Legislation is part

of what you do in government. It's not the whole of it. Policy

implementation is just as important. The implementation of that

fantastic manifesto that he was talking about, the most

comprehensive manifesto that has ever been put before the people of

Wales. Implementing that is not just about law-making. Law-making

does take time. We have a five-year term in the assembly. To make good

law takes time. We will see that raft of legislation building as the

Assembly term moves on. There were two main focus is for Carwyn Jones.

One of them was health and the other was education. He said he had

delivered on his promise to put millions extra into the school's

budget. That is even though we see educational standards in Wales very

low compared to other European countries. Also talking about not

having the private sector involvement in the NHS in Wales,

even though we still have people waiting longer than they should,

according to the Welsh government, on waiting lists. Has Labour got

this right in every respect? education, I think Labour has got

it right. I think what we have done, what the Labour ministers have done,

is that we have seen it is a need to invest and we made that

investment. We may become difficult turns, turns where the Tory

government in Westminster slashed capital budgets and yet Labour were

able to put capital investment in. At my own constituency I have seen

investment come into my own constituency in education,

hopefully with a new school in the second largest town in North Wales,

a new build. They have got those opportunities to learn. They have

opportunities to get that started life. Not to embarrass the minister

sitting onside me, we have seen money coming along for housing and

regeneration. So we can do some clearing of housing to take down

density of housing and give people a better standing of life. It's not

just about legislation, we can make policies and enforce them. We will

be looking at legislation about pensioners' fuel bills. Yes, we do

have had some legislation but we can do other things as well. People

are seeing the benefit, certainly in my constituency, from Labour's

policies and for us standing up for Wales. That is the way we go

forward. The Health Minister on Thursday announced a �90 million

investment for a new accident and emergency ward. But if services are

being cut, if services are being centralised, do you feel a backlash

in the May election? Well, we are not saying that, we are not seen

services cut. We are continuing to roll out investment. We are seeing

protests across Wales from patient groups. I'm sorry to cut across,

but we even saw a member of your own party campaigning to keep

services at her local hospital because she fears that services

will be taken away, Nia Griffith. People obviously guard their local

health services and that is understandable. But the world of

medicine and the world of health care is changing. The NHS has to

continually evolve to meet those new challenges. Now, that can be

tough. There can be tough decisions that have to be made in that regard.

People should be under no allusions here. We are essentially

safeguarding the vision of the NHS in Wales. Whatever happens at the

end of the Assembly term, we will have taken through difficult times

the NHS through this five-year period and kept it intact. Over the

bordering England, that will not happen. The NHS will be

progressively privatised. Can I ask you, looking back to 2008, a

bruising election night for Labour at the local elections would you

have lost control five councils, Paul Murphy said at that point that

the party need to to redouble its efforts. In what ways do you think

the party has gone further to try and make sure the ground lost will

be regained this year? For me, the 2000 assembly elections I got a

narrow majority. From then on, I think team Labour worked. I came

back to the assembly with a 4000 majority. That's from hard work,

connecting with voters. That is what we are telling local councils

to do and local council camp -- candidates. Paul Murphy was right

to say that we needed to redouble our efforts. We did lose touch with

some of the electorates. I think he has appealed to people today to

think about where their natural home is and who will support them.

That is what we have been doing. Day-in, day-out, it is not a matter

of turning up at elections. Those days have gone and I think we have

very galvanised ourselves that every quarter. We are determined to

see Labour representatives at every stage of government. Finally, we

will hear from the leader of the Labour party, Ed Miliband, shortly.

Do you believe he will be a help or hindrance when it comes to

campaigning in the May elections? Well, I think people will judge for

themselves. But I think Ed Miliband, in his speech this morning, made an

enormous impact on the conference here in Cardiff. A speech delivered

from the heart with sincerity. Again, like Carwyn Jones's speech,

shot through with Labour values. Gauging reaction to that speech

from the First Minister and the lead role of Welsh Labour was James

Williams. Thank you. Gauging reaction, I have gathered a few

Labour members. Two Assembly Members, Julie Morgan, for Cardiff

North, Councillor Chris Elmore from the Vale of Glamorgan. I'll begin

with you. Carwyn Jones mentioned that Welsh Labour were offering a

progressive alternative. Much was made of this throughout the

conference. Do you think he really showed the progressive nature in

his speech? Absolutely. He showed a clear dividing line between Welsh

Labour and what is happening in Westminster. The big emphasis on

the health service and the absolute commitment that there will be no

market as Asian, no privatisation of the health service. That is

something the people of Wales are looking for. People are wanting us

to stick to progressive policies and not be influenced by the

shambles happening over the border. You mentioned the NHS, not

privatising. But there are other problems with the NHS in Wales. He

mentioned them. It is not all rosy this side of the border? Absolutely

not. An essential part of his speech is that there are challenges

within the NHS. There are challenges everywhere across the UK.

But we're not going to tackle those challenges by privatising of

bringing in market forces. We are trying to improve the NHS and that

was crucial to his speech today. He acknowledged that not everything

was rosy but we have to tackle those issues. It's becoming a bit

of a battleground between Cardiff and Westminster. Carwyn Jones

referring to it bare. It's going to get heated question at absolutely.

It shows two completely different philosophies. That is all the

progressive force is in Welsh politics. We are not interested in

the ideological market forces. We are interested in communities, we

absolutely committed to doing the best for people. I think what

Carlin said illustrated the unique position that Welsh Labour is in

him standing up for the people of Wales. I think it's been a great

speech. Talking about Labour values, he made much of that. Trade unions

are a major part of Labour's history and present. Ed Miliband

decided not to mention it. Carwyn Jones mentioned it directly. Will

that become an issue for you? don't think so. I think we are

clear where we stand as part of a Labour and trade union movement. Ed

Miliband did talk about the history of our party in his contribution,

where we come from. We're talking about the history of our party

across all of the nations in the island of Britain and how we will

come together as part of the Labour family today. We are clear about

our relationship with trade unions, not just as part of the movement

but also as friends as well. We hear from them when they are

unhappy as well as getting praise when they think we are doing things

right. I think it is a healthy relationship. There wasn't much

praise for the other parties. He made a plea for Plaid Cymru voters.

That is obviously the tactic, and he was very damaging about the

Tories and Lib Dems? Debate dividing line is between Labour

values and Conservative values. It is what we fought the election on

just under a year ago. It's still the dividing line going forward.

The Lib Dems Rooney have sold out on a UK level. That will affect

them going through to next May. Plaid Cymru have real questions to

answer after such an assault on people here in Wales. How is it

that they became the third party in Wales behind even the Tories? Plaid

Cymru members that are really progressives and want to see those

values in Wales, a lot of their voters do not believe in full

independence, there could be a place for them here. It's going to

be interesting, a few of their candidates for the leadership

election have mentioned winning round of yourselves is where they

need to go forward. You are making a plea for their voters, they are

making a plea for yours, who is going to win? I think we are in the

much stronger position. Their election strategy is always

disastrous, not least because they refused to rule out a deal with the

Tories, but they never rule out their values, had they want to use

the powers and policies. They could never do that. That refusal is

still there. Going back into the really dangerous. Most people don't

think about independence. They think about their family, their job

and their future. That is where we are and that is where our

priorities are. Carwyn Jones also mentioned momentum, having the best

victory in the assembly elections last year. That is going to help

you and other candidates going into Yes, I was elected in 2008, and

Plaid Cymru have a lot to answer for. Supposedly the party of Wales,

but not going very far at all. We have got momentum, we have got a

clear message to get out to people in Paris, where I represent, and

right across Wales. -- in Barry. They resent more of an emphasis in

your message about what is happening in Westminster rather

than what is happening in Wales? There is a mixture. The local

council has a three per and �7 million overspend in social

services, and that matters to people. They don't understand it

when they are paying more council tax. We have got a good local

message, a very positive manifesto locally. We have a good Welsh

Assembly government running in Wales, then you have the problems

happening in Westminster, so there is a positive message for us and

the negative message of what is happening over the border in

England. Thank you for now. Back to you.

I am joined again to get an editor's spin on the speech. He was

obviously trying to portray the party as being compassionate on the

side of Welsh workers. I suppose the luxury is that he can now line

the cuts in Westminster without having to provide an alternative.

It was a good speech, will deliver it, he got applause, which wasn't

always the case with Ed Miliband this morning, but it was a speech

that didn't contain much about the future. There was a round of

bashing the other parties. His approach to Plaid Cymru supporters

was quite interesting, a different tone to the normal party bashing

you get. Then we had the defence of what the government in Wales has

done already, but there was no great explanation of what will be

done over coming years. Am sure Carwyn Jones would say that will be

in the manifesto, you can't expect me to start pulling a rabbit out of

a hat, but it seemed to be a speech in the comfort zone of labour of

bashing the other parties, pride in what they feel they have achieved,

but no new great vision for the future, just the restatement of

what he called Labour values. there has been a cloud over this

Labour government, it has been the accusation that nothing has really

happened over the last 12 months, it has been vacuous in bringing

forward legislation for example. Will this speech deflect attention

away from that? Our I'm sure it will do nothing to stop the

opposition parties from throwing that accusation. I thought what

Carwyn Jones said in response was interesting. He said Labour was the

true party of Wales, and the implication of that is that Labour

somehow is the grown-up party, the party in power, its job is to

deliver, and these are just noises that the opposition parties are

making. We are getting on with the business of the people, the

business of government, that is the way he deflected. If you like,

trying to rise above it. That is a different way to the way he

approached it sometimes a few miles south from here in Cardiff Bay. At

times it has obviously got to him, and at times he has been visibly

annoyed by it, whereas here he was trying to say "nonsense, doesn't

affect me". The there has been another Labour leader in the City

today, a man often criticised and seen as under pressure but today

finding a safe house amongst the party faithful. He is Ed Miliband,

and this was his conference speech a little earlier.

Friends, thank you so much for that incredibly kind reception, and can

I say that it is great to be here in Wales. It is great to be at

Wales a' Test match cricket ground. An English man along a whole group

of people from Wales at a sports ground. I thought it was better to

do it this Saturday than next Saturday at Twickenham, and may the

best team win! You know who that is, and I think I know who it might be.

It is great to be in labour Wales, Labour governing in its own right

once again. Let's pay tribute to everyone involved in those

fantastic election results in May. It wasn't by chance that this

happened, it was because of your hard work. It was because of the

hundreds of thousands of conversations you had on the

doorsteps with the people of Wales. We learnt a lesson also, it is

because you showed you had a vision for the future of Wales. Not for

yourselves, booked for the people you came into politics to serve.

You had someone in that election, leading that fight, who walls and

is the best man to stand up for Wales, the leader Carwyn Jones, and

let's pay tribute to the fantastic work he did.

And let's also paid tribute to all of the members of the Welsh

Assembly for their fantastic result, and in particular are duly Morgan

for that famous result here in Cardiff. -- Julie Morgan. I also

want to thank somebody who stood alongside Carwyn Jones in those

elections, someone who is a fantastic asset to our movement in

Wales and throughout the UK, my good friend Peter Hain. Thank you

for the service you provide to our party. You know, we saw not just

Peter's humanity, but the role he plays as a local MP when we saw the

terrible tragedy with the four Welsh miners in his constituency.

Today we pay tribute to them and their families, and they are very

much in our thoughts. There may also take this opportunity to thank

MPs, trade union friends, councillors for the work you do. To

local councillors in particular, I know that you are having to make

decisions that you didn't come into politics to make, faced with tight

budgets from Westminster. You are choosing sometimes between a local

library or other services that are valued, but you know it is always

better to have a Labour council in power, making decisions on the

basis of Labour values. That is why the elections in May are so

important to us, to our party, and indeed to the people of Wales. What

is it about Welsh Labour that is so important, and so important at this

time? It is the values of Welsh Labour. It is the very values that

were founded in the pit communities, felt in the Valleys, the values of

the sense of common good. They are the values I see in this government,

in the council's we run, and hopefully a lot more after the

elections. But you know something else, this Labour government in

Wales means a Labour government in Westminster, and that is what I

want to talk to you about today. What has been a mission of our

party through the ages is to make it work for the whole country and

not just a few, and that is more important than ever today in our

economy. An economy not just working for a few at the top, but

working for every working person in our country. I call it responsible

capitalism. I think my dad would not have thought that was possible.

But let's be honest, in our country today we see too much irresponsible

capitalism. Take the issue of the Royal Bank of Scotland bonuses that

Peter mentioned. Why was there such public anger about those bonuses?

Because it was about seven-figure sums that seemed to be just for

doing your job. Because the banks are still letting down the small

businesses of our country, and because of something else, because

people's sense of fairness and justice. Because the sense that, if

the banks caused the financial crisis, and if people's living

standards were being squeezed, how is it possible that banks are

carrying on with bonuses as usual? That is why people were so angry.

No, it is not about one man's bonus or one man's knighthood, it is

about the kind of country we are, and the kind of country we want to

be. It is about the values of Welsh Labour, and about how we lived

together as a con trick. I had another experience a few days ago,

last Wednesday, at a youth centre in London five miles down the road

from the city of London where those bonuses are handed out. I met some

young people looking for work. One girl had filled in and sent off 137

CVs and not had a reply to any of them. She have found two months

working at a fish and chip shop but they have paid cash-in-hand. They

raised the issue of bonuses at this youth centre, and they said how was

it possible that they are carrying on as they are, and we are paying

the price? In that moment I thought the best thing one of those bankers

could do is come and meet those young girls at the youth centre

looking for work, and they would see the truth. It is not about the

politics of envy, it is about the culture of responsibility, and a

lesson that too many parts of our country have forgotten. We succeed

or fail together, that is what it is all about. It is not a lesson

that Carwyn Jones' government has forgotten. When you are on the

doorsteps between now and May, talk about Jobs Growth Wales Fund, 4000

young people put to work as a result of what Carwyn Jones is

doing. 4000 people who know the difference between being thrown on

the scrapheap, under government that invest in the next generation.

-- and a government that invests. Think of what we could do together.

That is why we say tax the bankers' bonuses, and invest it. Then

100,000 people would know. It is about jobs for young people, but

not just about that. It is about creating good jobs and good wages.

At the same time as we talk about irresponsible capitalism, we should

talk about responsible capitalism and the good businesses doing the

right thing. Take Ford at Bridgend, I have the privilege of going there

are few months ago, seeing high quality jobs being created.

Remember why it is possible, because of the partnership with the

Labour government in Westminster during the recession in the tough

times. But it also needs the partnership of government now. That

is why this government is helping create 1000 apprenticeships, but

think how much more we could do together. That is why I say one of

the first acts of the next Labour government is going to be to say,

if you want a major contract, you must by law provide apprenticeships

for the next generation. But to create those good jobs

coming need a banking system that serves industry, not industry that

serves the banks. No, it is not anti-business to say we need to

reform the way banks work. In fact, it is bold thinking to say it is

anti-business. It is called establishment thinking, thinking we

must sweep away. Wing need entrepreneurs, small businesses,

creating profits, creating wealth, creating jobs in our country. Go to

any high street in Wales, and I bet you anything you will find a small

business, many small businesses, that can't get the loan they need

to expand because they don't have banks serving business properly. We

have got to change that, and we have got to change it partly

through better competition in the banking system, but also

recognising the role of government. That is why I say the next Labour

government should create an Investment Guide for Small

businesses because that is the way we will create industrial-strength

for our country. I have a very simple do, which is this. As part

of the reforms, they should be another very employee on every one

of those top pay committees that set salaries and bonuses. If you

can't look an ordinary worker in the the -- the eye and justify the

bonuses, you should not be having them. On official forecasts in

three years' time the average worker will be earning the same

amount as they were 10 years ago. And, at the same time as people's

wages are stuck, cost are going up. You know that as well as I do. The

weekly food shop, the costs are going up. It costs more to heat

your home, energy bills are costing a lot more. It costs more to take

the train, and those hidden charges the company is imposed, like

overdraft charges from the banks, we have got to change that. At the

moment, we have a government that doesn't think it's job is to stand

up to those vested interests, they just think it is their job to stand

by and let it happen. Take the issue of energy bills. I say that

energy bills will rise over time as a result of climate change, and

even if we didn't tackle climate change, they would rise anyway, but

that makes it all the more important that we do everything we

can to protect consumers, to protect people. Why is it in our

country that those who can least afford it seemed to pay the most

for their energy? That is not your idea of fairness, not my idea of

fairness, and we have got to change it. Why is it that the pensioner,

old, vulnerable, frail, what is the advice to them? Shop around, go

online and get the best deal, I say that is not good enough. The next

Labour Government will legislate so that, for every pensioner over the

age of 75, 260,000 pensioners in Wales, they will by law get the

lowest tariff available. That is a country that works for working

people, a government that would stand up to vested interests. Take

the issue of train fares - why is it that it seems when the train

companies make losses, it falls back on the taxpayer to foot the

bill? But when they make profits, the companies seem to be laughing

all the way to the bank. It is wrong, we have got to change it.

The government said "don't worry because train fares will only go up

by 1% above the rate of inflation" So why is it that they seem to be

going up much more than that? From Chester to Crewe, a 10% rise just

this year. The reason is because the government has given the

company's a loophole to allow them to do it. It is wrong and the next

Labour government would change it. That is what I mean by an economy

that works for working people. We would also tackle the banks and

their overdraft charges so they can't impose unfair charges on

people. We need an economy that works for working people, and we

need public services as well. Since David Cameron became Prime Minister,

we have seen 4000 frontline police officers lost across the United

Kingdom. But Carwyn Jones here in Wales, because he understands the

importance of tackling crime and police on the beat, he has added

another 500 officers. When it comes to tuition fees, 9000 tuition fees

for students in England, but Carwyn Jones has taken the right decision

to protect the next generation and I say it is a cruel betrayal of the

next generation, what David Cameron is doing with tuition fees. Then

take the issue of the NHS. David Cameron is keen to give you advice

about the Welsh Health Service. I don't think he is in a very good

position to give people advice about how to run a health service,

but I give you this one piece of advice. Don't have a free market

free-for-all in your NHS, don't put profits before patients.

Profits before patients, creeping privatisation of the NHS, they are

not the values of the people of Wales or the people of the UK it

either, and that is why we will fight every step of the way against

this NHS Bill in England. I say this to you also, friends. We know

the government in Westminster is making a terrible mess of things in

the economy. Growth down, business failures up, unemployment up, the

cost of unemployment up. That means for the next Labour government, it

will mean tough decisions, harder decisions than those we would like

to make, but the different choices, the different priorities are, as

the last government prioritised jobs over pay, we said we would do

the same if we were in power in this Parliament, but we would never

go down the Tory route. Cutting taxes for the banks at the same

time as they are raising VAT for ordinary families, cutting tax

credit. That will mean �580 for the average family with children this

Squeezing the middle even harder is the Government's approach on

business. And what does the Business Secretary do about it? I

want to give her some credit today. Because she is banging his fist on

the table, fighting for hundreds of millions of pounds of resources.

Unfortunately, it is not for the unemployed of Cardiff. It's not for

the small businesses of Swansea or the young people of Anglesey. No,

it is for her constituents in Buckinghamshire. It is because of

high speed rail. What is the lasting memorial she is seeking?

She is not Wales's woman in the Cabinet. She is Buckinghamshire's

woman in Wales. That is the Welsh Tories for you. It is no wonder

they had to cancel their conference because they couldn't find that

people to come to it. It is only Welsh Labour that can stand up for

the people of Wales. That's the reality. Today, friends, I want to

state a simple truth. Devolution has worked. Devolution has worked

for the people of Wales. Frankly, if we don't say it, nobody else is

going to. Let's say that devolution has worked. Not just for the people

of Wales, but, as Douglas said earlier, for the people of Scotland

and the people of the United Kingdom. And it is the duty of all

of us to fight for the United Kingdom. It is an issue for the

people of Wales as well as for the rest of the United Kingdom, this

debate about the future of the Union. Now, why do I say that?

Because, economically, we are stronger together. But also for a

deeper reason. The deeper reason is this. That we are bound by a common

history, by family ties, by shared bonds. You know, the history of our

island is a history we built together. It was Clement Attlee, an

Englishman, who led that 1945 government. It was a Welshman who

was responsible for its greatest achievement, the National Health

Service. And it was Keir Hardie, a man born in Scotland but who served

Wales, without whom none of it would be possible without the

formation of the day the party. The history we have built is a history

we have woven together. It's not just our history, it is our present

as well. I'll tell you why the nationalists are most wrong.

Because they want to tell you that people in Wales only care about

people in Wales and people in Scotland only care about people in

Scotland. I say that is wrong. The family in Wales cares about the

young kids born into poverty in London. They care about the

pensioner living in poverty in Scotland. That is the Labour way.

Those are the Labour values. We don't just want to improve one part

of the United Kingdom, we want an equal and trust United Kingdom for

every one that lives in it. Let's make that case to people. All of us

have our different reasons for being here today. What brought us

into politics. Here is mine. I am the son of two refugees, refugees

from the Nazis. They sort out of the darkness of the Second World

War a new world built. The world of the welfare state. The world of the

National Health Service. And they taught me one very simple truth, a

simple truth that we must remember today and in the years ahead. There

is no point are just getting angry about injustice. You've got to do

something about it. That is why we are in politics. That is why we are

Labour. And what is our task in this generation? Our task is to

seek that newer world again, to build that new will world again. To

build on our ideas. -- that newer world. To replace the irresponsible

capitalism we have with the responsible capitalism we believe

in. To replace the economy that works just for the few at the top

with one that works for all of our working people. To end the

situation where the promise that the next generation does better

than the last is being betrayed and replace it with a promise of

Britain where the next generation does better than the last. To

remember our values, the values of Welsh Labour. Solidarity,

responsibility, a belief in the common good and in community. Those

are the values that will serve us in the years ahead. That is why I

am here. That is why I am Labour. That is who I am. In the weeks

ahead, its campaign on those values in the run-up to the May elections,

the council elections in May. Let's campaign on those values for the

next General Election. That is the way we will win back trust. That is

the way we will win the next General Election. Thank you very

Ed Miliband, talking about the beating heart, as he put it, of

Welsh Labour's solidarity community for the common good. We can discuss

that with Paul Murphy. Also, Nia Griffith. It was highly

concentrated on the word values, but this man has taken an absolute

caning from the unions who do not particularly like his values when

it comes to standing up to workers. How would you like -- counter that?

He has stood up to Rupert Murdoch, he stood up to the banks to say,

let's have the bonus cut from the RBS bank. It's very difficult for a

leader of opposition to get that to happen. We are talking about a

leader in opposition. What did Cameron achieve in opposition?

Getting the message is coming through. I think he is forcing the

current Prime Minister to rethink some of what he is doing. He's

moving the ground, shifting the discourse on to what we are doing

about banker bonuses, what are we doing about responsible capitalism.

When you first mentioned that in September, people didn't take it

seriously. Now they are saying, yes, that is resonating with people out

there. I think we are really seeing a shift in the whole politics

because of what he is saying. has been talking about a pay cap

and so on. The GMB have been announcing they are looking again

at their relationship between themselves and Labour. I think that

is the whole point about being a broad political party. We have

debates continually. But we are honest about those debates. It is

part of making our policy for the next five years. We did not once

have been dictated by the top. We want something where we have

disagreement and discussion. Now is the time to have that discussion.

Then we will have a clear manifesto for a General Election.

mentioned responsible capitalism. Some would argue that we have had

been responsible capitalism because we did not have a properly

regulated banking system. Neither did most of the world. I think with

hindsight, of course, things could have been different. But I was in

the Cabinet when Ed's predecessor was taking very firm action in how

to deal with the banks. There is no question of my mind that Ed has

followed in Gordon's example and even gone further. You talked

earlier about how trade unions and other people and the Labour Party

feel about the issue of pay, for example. I'm sure any trade union

member will listen to what was effectively a dazzling performance

today, I have been coming to these conferences for 40 years and I have

never seen anything quite like that. There is nothing that Ed Miliband

said today that would not have moved a trade unionist or Labour

party support in Wales or the United Kingdom not to want to vote

Labour at the next General Election. Something else that featured more

than once was the word injustice. Some will think back to 2008. There

was that big hoo-hah regarding the 10 pence tax issue that counted

against you in the 2008 local elections. You were one of the

first Labour voices to raise concerns about that. Some people

might have long memories when it comes to injustice. Indeed, Ed

Miliband mentioned that has one of the things that Labour needed to

apologise for and move on from. We do make mistakes. Nobody is

absolutely perfect. What people now will be doing is looking to the

future. They will be saying, what are you offering as for the future?

What are the Tories and Lib Dems offering? What is Plaid Cymru

offering? They will see a Labour government in Cardiff forging ahead

with offering jobs to young people, offering grants and loans to

industry and business to help get the economy back on its feet. They

will see a complete contrast between what is happening there and

what is happening with the UK government, led by the Lib-Dems and

the Tories, determined to suck the life blood out of Wales, to take �6

billion worth of cuts from the economy in the next three years.

They will see that contrast and make their choice, I am sure, based

on what they know Labour can do for people locally. We know what Ed

Miliband does not envisage happening, there would be no higher

VAT, no cuts to tax credit, there would be no �580 a year costs for

the average family with children from April. What he doesn't say is

where the money would come from. I don't think you can write a

budget three years before a General Election. We are in the process of

saying exactly what the policy is likely to be. But it is going to

take time. But if it is based on credibility, where is that? It is a

question of how we deal with the economy in a very different way

from how the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats are. Our view is

that we are kidding far too deeply, we are cutting across a whole range

of services that will affect productivity and growth in our

country. It does not take an economic genius to work out that if

there are more people unemployed, they are not paying taxes, we are

paying out benefits to them and they are not buying things. You say

cutting too far, too fast. That seemed to be the message in January.

This month we have seen Ed Balls say that we are going to have to

keep all of the cuts. What he is saying is that, like we did at the

beginning of 1997, when we took over government, you don't

immediately because you cannot immediately change things. At the

same time we will have by then policies in place which I hope will

mean that we are going to shift the way in which our country looks at

how to deal with the recession, in a way that is totally different

from the austerity based policies of George Osborne and David Cameron.

It is a very different approach that we have got. An approach, by

the way, that he said we were trying to do within the powers of a

Welsh government. I think the theme that has come through this, look at

what is happening in Wales. It can happen in the United Kingdom. Let's

get that example of a Welsh government looking after its people,

insuring that we do have productivity and growth instead of

unemployment. We can do that in the United Kingdom and we can do that

here. We have unprecedented levels of unemployment. We have the

economy on the brink. You have a new leader who, even though the

country is in such dire straits and we have unpopular cuts from the

Westminster coalition government, cannot poke the Labour nose ahead

of the Conservative one when it comes to opinion polls. What is

going on with his leadership? think we need to have patients. We

need to see that things are changing and people are seeing what

Ed Miliband stands for and the way he is leading us forwards. It's

right to get his principles right at the beginning. I think people

get to a lot a honeymoon to Tory and Lib Dems? But you are willing

to give him a long honeymoon? willing to say that what we are

seeing is the foundation of a sound policy basis. We are seeing an

emphasis on fairness, an emphasis on redistribution. We are a very

rich country. I'm ashamed that people are having to go to food

banks. We are a part of redistribution, we want to see more

even redistribution of wealth. That's an important principle for

us. For a party that wants to be a party of government, you say you

have patients. But there must be a to them point at which the party

says, well, if we are not moving ahead in the polls and winning back

the losses, it is time to take another cause? I think we are

beginning to win that battle. If you look at the election results in

Wales, if you look at the number of councils elected in England last

year, if you look at the wider membership has got that, we are

moving forward. It is not easy, it does take a while but we are moving

forward. Nia Griffith and Paul Murphy, thank you very much. We

will have more reaction now from James.

Well, joining me now to discuss Ed Miliband's speech I have Christine

Chapman. Ed Miliband's message was solidarity, community,

responsibility and belief in the common good. Are they are used you

shared? Yes, I supported Ed for the leadership and I thought he did a

terrific speech today. It was very inspiring. He works very close with

us in Wales and with Carwyn. I think it is a strong partnership,

delivering for the people of Wales when it is a difficult time. I was

so impressed with him today. The conference has been brilliant.

There are so many new people here today. There are more young people,

more women. I am very optimistic. He was terrific. Do you think that

spoke to double traditional wing of the party, the values he was

talking about? -- to the more traditional wing. I did. He

delivered the speech extremely well. We are in very difficult times. He

is obviously somebody who understands what working people are

going through. And the more vulnerable people that are at risk

of having benefits cut. He really knows what is happening and they

are working very hard for the people of Wales. Do you think it is

an issue that over a year in his leadership he is still talking

about his mission and his values, his background? We should know this

message by now, he should be talking about other things, surely?

I think you've got to keep reminding people of this. It's

about delivery. The assembly of this term is about delivery. I

think it's really important to hear that. We get that at times but I

think it is important to hear what we stand up for and what we as a

party stand up for. I think he was reaching out to people who possibly

felt a bit cynical about the Labour Party. Equally, people who may have

decided to vote for other parties. I think it's really important that

both values are at the heart of what we do here. Moving on to Ken

Skates, the AM for Clwyd South. A lot was made about Welsh Labour

showing an alternative to the UK government. Do you think that is

what the Government in Cardiff Bay is showing? Absolutely. A raft of

measures that have been introduced showed that here there is an

alternative. We can draw really clear differences between what the

UK coalition government is doing and what we are doing. Take

apprenticeships, take jobs for young people, protecting and

increasing spending on schools, making sure that hospitals improve.

These are issues we are committed that we have been very, very honest

and upfront with them about what our policies are compared to the UK

government, who seems to be backtracking and carrying out

various U-turns. Actually, people are generally feeling pretty

dismayed about what is happening. Thank you very much. We have to

move on now. Councilor Kronenbourg, you are seeking re-election in the

Vale of Glamorgan. Did that give you confidence, going into a

campaign so close to an election? Absolutely. I found his speech very

motivational, passionate. It was actually reaching out to the people

in Wales. I felt he actually understood the problems and issues

we have got in Wales. His knowledge of Wales, he actually mentioned

Barry Island, where I am from. That was great for me. Definitely very

inspired for the campaign. Three I'm sure for most of the conference

delegates this afternoon the highlight has been the speech by

the leader of Welsh Labour. The first Mr Carwyn Jones, who joins me

Your Speech today was heavily critical of the other three main

political parties. Is that a deliberate strategy and ploy ahead

of the May elections? Partly. The speech was not entirely about that.

We outlined a vision for Wales and reminded people what we had done. I

think it is fair game in politics to point out what you see I your

You highlighted a lot of things you said you had done. People will

remember a lot of things you did a long time ago as part of the one

Wales government, free breakfasts, or free prescriptions. People will

be asking what you have done since March. Let's look at the jobs

growth for Wales scheme. 4000 people will have the opportunity

for training or an apprenticeship. We have increased education

spending. We did that, as we said we would. We are increasing the

number of Community Support Officers that helped the police.

That is three things already we have done. We are not a year into

the life of this government now. Very good progress has been made.

We want to deliver all of our manifesto over five years. I know

he will say it is not all about legislation, politics and the

workings of government. But after running such a strong campaign

asking for the tools to do the job, why only bring one piece of

legislation in so far? A number of bills have begun their life in the

sense that a White Paper has been produced. That has been consulted

on and it will inform the bill when it is presented. Opposition parties

have been critical, but they are the ones that want a better be full

consultation on the White Papers. In other words, the consultation

documents that the two bills. Then they wanted consultation and then

have it introduced. It is perhaps a double slower than anticipated.

That is because we have tried to be as open as possible to ideas as we

go forwards. Legislative rules lethargy is the cloud that is

rightly or wrongly hanging over you. Does that annoy you? It part of

politics, you have to accept these things. Let's contrast ourselves

with Plaid Cymru, they didn't come forward with one policy for

legislation. That surprises me. We fought together as policies

campaigners, and for them not to come forward with anything is a

surprise. You highlighted the things you have done as a

government, which seems to lead to some people thinking he didn't will

you? You have to keep reminding people what you have done and what

you are going to do. When you knock on doors in the elections people

will say, you have done that, what are you doing next? You have to

keep reminding people what you have done, what you're going to do, and

then make a judgment on how well you have done. What you will do

depends on how much money you have. You have made education a priority

over health in terms of the money that you are allocating towards

them, not in terms of the total but in the way that you are protecting

those particular budgets. Millions of extra pounds for schools is what

you said in your speech today. Even though the education minister said

that educational attainment and outcomes in Wales is not dependent

on money. Why prioritise education the head of health? We knew that

there was a gap in spending for pupils between England and Wales.

We want to bridge that gap. If you look at health, it takes up

something like 45% of our budget. What we have been able to do with

the cuts we have had imposed on us is to keep the health budget

steadier over the next few years. It's not a case of anything been

taken out of the health budget, it's difficult to protect the

budget in terms of increasing it every year, because it is so big.

The Conservative Party said they would increase health spending.

They also said they would cut school spending by 20% and they are

also cutting local government spending, sending council tax

through the roof. We did not think that was the right approach. We

wanted to see more money available to us so we can put in more money

to help. Even though you are ploughing more money into education,

results are still low compared to other European countries. The tests

are being revisited by the minister. We have banding being criticised.

You take the nut's money, but you are criticising it in your own

brochure. Banding will hit education. Governors are being