Labour Party News

A future Tory Government cutting public spending would threaten Wales’ future

The Labour-led Assembly Government’s Budget for 2009-10 will help ensure Wales comes through the global economic crisis in a fair way, Welsh Labour’s Finance Minister Andrew Davies AM has said.

The draft Budget, which was the subject of debate in the National Assembly yesterday, marks an important step forward in Welsh Labour’s commitment to creating a fairer, more self-confident, prosperous and healthy Wales.

The Assembly Government’s budget has increased from £7bn in 1999 to £15bn in 2009-10, and to £16bn in 2010-11. An additional £3.6bn will be invested in Wales’ public services between 2008-09 and 2010-11.

As a result of continued investment and a record of taking the right decisions since the establishment of the Assembly, the Labour-led Assembly Government is currently investing over £5,000 for every single person in Wales – double the amount spent in the first budget in 1999.

Welsh Labour’s Finance Minister Andrew Davies said:

“As a Labour-led Assembly Government, we are committed to ensuring that we take the tough decisions during these challenging times to ensure Wales is a fair, confident, prosperous and healthy country.

“We are investing significantly in education, in health and in other key public services – ensuring that we invest in the services that matter most to the people of Wales.

“Once again, the Tories and Liberal Democrats have failed the test for responsible opposition parties by failing to produce a costed, consistent alternative budget which meets the priorities of the people of Wales.”

The budget debate came on the same day Tory leader David Cameron announced plans to abandon Labour’s spending plans for 2010/11 – which would mean Tory cuts in health, in education, and in other vital public services in Wales.

Andrew Davies added:

“David Cameron and George Osborne have proven how incompetent they are by being forced into announcing changes on a daily basis to what is already an incoherent economic policy.

“But this latest announcement shows the real threat a Conservative government would be to Wales.

“The people of Wales now have a clear choice.

“A Labour Government in London and a Labour-led Government in Cardiff working together to create a fair Wales and a fairer Britain, with strong, substantial leadership and a commitment to providing first class public services.

“The alternative is a Cameron and Osborne led Tory government, which would be a government of insubstantial leadership that is now openly committed to cutting spending on our public services, which would be a real threat to Wales’ future.”

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