In the year 2020?
RIP Labour? Or not quite yet?
POLITICIANS sometimes have a strange knack for seeing into one another’s potential futures.
Last week, Plaid Cymru leader Ieuan Wyn Jones told this website that, were the Conservatives to win next year’s General Election, as widely predicted, “each of the four constituent parts of the United Kingdom will be in the hands of different parties”.
The Deputy First Minister was meditating on the impact of devolution. However, not so far away across the Senedd Siambr, his words may have carried a different resonance. As, across other parts of Britain, Labour goes into an expected, prolonged period of self-examination in exile, the Welsh party will carry on in governance, while perhaps having to countenance the shock of heavy defeat in areas previously considered impregnably red.
Feast to scraps, the London media will no doubt scoff. But then a huge amount depends upon the man or woman who takes on the invidious task of renewal, particularly if Labour is to be left as smashed up as we are being led to believe. Maybe that leader could see the opportunities in watching and working with the Assembly’s party group.
Maybe that leader could be Jon Cruddas. In Cardiff last Friday to share a platform with Huw Lewis’ Wales 20:20 group, he spoke darkly of London-based local authorities that had become, in effect, Conservative “test beds”. The Dagenham MP, who believes there is no time like the present to begin the renewal process (although, if reports are to be believed, that didn’t extend to renewing the party’s leader – his decision to remain loyal is cited as a key reason that the summer coup failed), then railed against the evils of “easy councils”, stripped back like a budget airline, where everything costs extra, and where it is the most affluent that are able to draw down the best services.
Leaving aside the Tories’ dastardly designs for the public sector, there could also be a lesson in opposition here for Labour, too. After all, we will at some point in the not-too-distant future look on as Welsh Labour decides who will succeed Rhodri Morgan as leader. Huw Lewis is one of 25 AMs who are eligible to stand, and he and Cruddas are clearly kindred spirits.
Might it be possible that, were something like this to happen, Wales and the development of policy here might become significantly more important to the Labour party across Britain? If reports of the demise of New Labour are still somewhat exaggerated, it seems pretty plain that Cruddas would like to become its undertaker, quite capable of grimly knocking in the nails. If Huw, or someone like him on the left, were to assume as First Minister while either Cruddas, or someone like him on the left, became Leader of the Opposition, would the two of them take advantage of a test bed all of their own?
None of this takes into account the two men’s popularity within their own parties, any bases of power, or willingness to stand for election. And as it only a question being explored here, it is not worth debating the chance of some kind of insidious grip from afar. Wales treats such claims far too seriously, to the point where it blinds out all other debate.
If we consider for a moment the possibility that the two comrades may be at the forefront of renewal both across Britain and here in Wales, as a new leader will be looking to stamp a mark, what kind of administration could we expect?
Wales 20:20′s first core aim – “to promote debate on a democratic socialist future for Wales” might find some caucus with Labour’s coalition partners, while its pledge to “provide a forum for dialogue with progressives throughout Wales” might have been more palatable if it didn’t continue with “working for a progressive consensus supportive of Welsh Labour’s vision for the future of Wales”. However, we can be pretty sure that no other party will support Wales 20:20 in its attempts to “energise and renew the Welsh Labour Movement towards achieving its full potential, through winning the battle of ideas on Wales’s future”.
Therein lies the twist for Plaid – and, potentially, trouble down the road. Wales 20:20 may speak with same socialist tongue as Plaid (though neither wants to admit it), but it wants a future very much on its own terms. And coalition seems to only be a priority for the group when it is discussing how to avoid it. In among the plethora of considered pieces that has been produced so far, Lewis’ own Winning for Wales commission argues that coalition government is not “inevitable”, and outlines how he plans “to remake Welsh Labour as a campaigning party of Government”.
All of this is probably of little interest outside of the Cardiff Bay bubble, where it would be of little surprise. Lewis believes that the way to win back supporters is by pledging to deliver first rate public services. He argues that electoral defeat at Westminster can be avoided, by responding with ideas, by solving what he calls “the huge housing crisis” and by eradicating child poverty. Here, he is trenchant in what can be achieved: “The Assembly receives £16bn a year. It is enough, it is enough. Even if there is a dip in the (Assembly) settlement, it is still a do-able thing.”
Lewis says Wales’ future is “defined by the left … defined by social policy … about giving people a good house, a decent education” as well as “good policy and good government”, that it is the “nature of hope” and “overcoming doubt in the minds of voters” that will lead Labour back into government at all levels. His pitch relies on improving the lot of a class of people that, in recent times, have become the least interested in politics and, more crucially, in voting.
He said: “There are probably some areas where despondency has gone so deep that some people have disconnected from mainstream politics. There are some elements of the Thatcher generation that have become so beaten down. Day by day, we have to try to break down the barriers. Quite often, the answer is the kids.”
Lewis speaks of a scheme that was run in the Valleys – “which got lost in the coalition” – called On Track, which looked to provide intensive, holistic, multi-agency support to families that really require help. He sees such projects as a means to both lifting communities caught in poverty and provide a way back to Labour’s core values.
Does Cruddas believe that Welsh Labour could play a major part in rebuilding the party, regardless of whether Huw Lewis and Wales 20:20 play a commanding role? “Welsh Labour has always had a hold disproportionate to its size over the party as a whole. It has a history of incubating party leaders. It contributes. No doubt, Wales will have a big role to play in the party’s future, particularly as politics is very fluid. The question is how we rebuild and renew.”
A bit of a sidestep. But it should be pointed out that Cruddas – along with Lewis and other Wales 20:20 leading lights – are looking to win the next UK General Election. And they say they believe it can still be won. “The person to ignore is the person who predicts what is going to happen,” says Cruddas. “Who would have thought when we came to power that we would have by now gone through six quarters of recession? We’ve had to give up opportunities to build and tell some different stories.”
Most will regard this as hopelessly optimistic. In all likelihood, Cruddas will be forced to take Labour’s political exile, perhaps for 13 years as the Tories have done so far, perhaps for less. After all, if none of us knew in 1997 what kind of country we would now be living in, who can tell what we’ll have in Wales in 2020?
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I caution against charting too large a decline for the Labour Party, particularly in Wales. You do sense that there is a generational problem within Labour, many are literally dying out in places, without the young bucks coming from beneath. The politically apathetic, proportional represented environment makes the potential for decline both more and less likely, depending on how the next decade unfolds.
How Labour responds and performs in opposition will be a huge factor in Welsh politics for the next decade. Much of this may well be the response and performance of other parties. With my Plaid hat on, there is a sense that in local elections Labour are very much for the taking in large swathes of their core constituency. No doubt they used to get routed regularly under Blair, but without the ‘it is the GE that matters’ to fall back on, I think Labour must be seeing the floor break from under them.
The problem Labour has, outside of policy description, is that I am hard pushed to think of where are seeking to gain seats, even if it forms part of a wider decline. I would be interested to see what seats of Labour’s in Wales are targets – ones they are looking to take, not hang onto. So far we have seen very mixed messages from Welsh Labour figures as to where their natural constituency of voters should be, or indeed which should be targeted.
There can be no doubt that ideologically Cruddas and Lewis are not too dissimilar than my own, but while I think Huw is in with a chance, Cruddas is unlikely to win on a ticket himself, more is the pity I must say. The problem is that a large swathe of New Labour think Cruddas and Lewis are too left wing to be leaders.
Outside of the politics of it, it might be something as boring as having the bodies to campaign in local areas that may prove to be Labour’s undoing. Huw himself has been strident about the lack of firepower within the central party machine in Wales, there has been a fair bit of comings and goings at Transport House. I cannot accept that a Huw vs. Carwyn won’t be anything but a bloody and potentially divisive one for the party, particularly as both will be around and kicking when the next leadership election takes place.
Holding a ‘future of the left’ event where Labour is the only party represented is precisely the kind of thinking that has led to Labour abandoning its trade union and broad-left heritage. Holding such an event during the Plaid Conference also means many of the most dynamic figures on the Welsh left weren’t there. If Welsh Labour wants to recapture the broad front spirit of the past in uniting all the progressive forces in Welsh society, it will have to start recognising that a couple of trade unions (including the pro-Labour Unison) funded Leanne Wood’s fringe meeting at the Plaid Conference.
Secondly, I do not believe that Huw Lewis is particularly left of centre, and certainly his record of policy positions is not as credible as that of Cruddas. Huw hasn’t ever come out against the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan like Cruddas has (and like Plaid MPs reaffirmed this weekend).
It was Cruddas’ first time visiting the Assembly, according to Huw’s blog. Jon Cruddas is a good MP who quotes Plaid Cymru intellectuals- i’m not sure how Huw would feel about that. If Huw wants to play catch up with Carwyn and cement his credentials he will have to come out strongly in favour of legislative powers for Wales and of maintaining the coalition. Until he does that, Carwyn is going to be streets ahead.
Luke,
Will have to correct you there, from one Plaidee to another.
To say Huw Lewis is against further powers is just inaccurate, knowing the guys around the campaign I got zero indication that it was anything other than support for a yes vote in the next referendum. A more balanced view is that Huw and Carwyn will be seeking to win an internal party contest, while further devolution will form part of that contest, it certainly won’t be beholden to it.
I also simply don’t accept your Lewis isn’t left wing line, to merely argue Iraq and Afghanistan are totemic left wing issues is pretty poor benchmarking. Many right-wingers opposed the war, many left wingers supported it, you point falls down on that. Regardless of what you think of them, I have yet to see any real idea come from Huw’s speeches and such like that haven’t been broadly of the compass/centre left.
Fair enough, I am sure there are many faults within Cruddas, Lewis and Labour, but rather soggy polemics you have offered are wide of the mark. Play the ball, not the man.
Some good debate there, gents. Thanks for your comments.
I wasn’t able to make it down to Wales 2020 event, unfortunate, as I think Jon Cruddas has some really interesting things to say about the future of the left and the Labour Party.
IMO Jon is right in his conclusion that Wales can play a big (and disproportinate) role in the future of the Labour Party, but this is by no means guaranteed – the national party will only listen if there are interesting things being said.
The last few months have demonstrated that, like him or loath him, Lewis is the only candidate willing or perhaps able to put forward strong ideas for the direction of the Labour Party and Wales more generally.
Over the coming weeks and months it will be interesting to see if the others eyeing the top job have the guts to put their vision where their mouth is.
With belt tightening and difficult choices on the horizon this is absolutely not the time for the cosy, play it safe politics that have too often characterised the last decade of devolution.
With the profound changes underway in the global economy and its implications for the life chances of people in Wales as in the rest of the UK, we need a progressive politics more than ever. To allow the Tories under Cameron to run Britain would be disastrous for communities across Wales, given the noises coming out from key shadow cabinet figures on their plans to slash public services and not see the bigger picture and the catastrophic implications of such an approach.
And having followed the rhetoric of its various leaders in recent days, it is clear that Plaid Cymru does not have the answers to the urgent and germane challenges facing Wales. Plainly, the priority is to strengthen the skills and knowledge levels of our people to enable them to get on in a world where a growing premium is placed on knowledge and the ability to be adaptable and creative.
We are now at the base camp as we set out to scale the peaks of this mountainous challenge, and so getting the foundations right is crucial. And it means a deep responsibility on party leaders in Wales to stop obsessing about a referendum on more powers to the Assembly for now, an issue that will not achieve the much needed improvements to the economy and human capital if Wales is to succeed in the future.
Leaders should use their energy to tackle a far more profound problem which is to equip the future workforce with the attributes to adapt to changing patterns of skill demand and new ways of thinking and problem solving. The rapid pace of change in skill requirements places huge pressures on training delivery and we cannot simply pick a few winners as the global economy is too fluid. Education policy needs to see the challenge in a more global perspective than simply in a Welsh context. An urgent review is needed of the subjects considered appropriate for the core of the Welsh Bac curriculum, with greater emphasis on skills which will enable young people to be more creative and innovative and flexible in their career choices.
Future generations will not forgive current political leaders who focused obsessively on constituional and governance matters to the detriment of sustainable long term economic success. As well as a radical, innovative approach to education and training, we urgently need to look at ownership structures and look to greater use of co-operative solutions to delivering services and giving people a sense of ownership of the provision within their communities.
The use of co-operative and mutual models can be used for housing, renewable energy and even a ferry service, such as that from Swansea to Cork. These are just a few of the ideas for now. But remember, we must focus on aspiration and empowerment of the people in our communities. They aspire to succeed for themselves, their families and for their own community, seeing that their personal fulfillment and success can also be a betterment for their neighbours and for a more harmonious, sustainable, local community.
David,
Alot to digest and agree with there, but i fail to see how Plaid are not generally onside with the things you call for? Indeed, or Welsh Labour frankly.
Really interesting piece, Duncan – thanks for the interest, and the links!
As one of the team behind Wales 2020, and as someone who has worked in and around Labour politics all my life, I make no apology for the fact that Wales 2020 is a “Labour” organisation. We are perfectly up front about our politics, and our aims and objectives are there for all to see. Of course, those with differing political views are more than welcome to submit a commission for consideration, comment on our publications and blogs, and of course attend any events we hold. Indeed, the invite list to the “Future of the Left” debate with Jon, Huw, Vaughan and Jenny was emailed across the political spectrum.
As for the wider issue of the left in Wales, I truly believe that we have moved on from the cosy assumptions that once passed for being left – or indeed right – wing. In that regard, I think the comments made about the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan by Iltyd Luke are wide of the mark, with Marcus being pretty much on the money. Though support for both conflicts is a fluid and changeable beast, the lines for and against were by no means split along a traditional left and right divide.
“Though support for both conflicts is a fluid and changeable beast, the lines for and against were by no means split along a traditional left and right divide.”
Exactly. Peter Hitchens was against the Iraq war, he is hardly left wing.
Great piece and as a Labour supporter, if no longer a member, I am glad that there are some Labour politicians at least unafraid to face up to the challenges for the party. Whilst I don’t doubt Illtyd Luke’s intellect or good intentions, the arguments he sets out of why Carwyn is ahead and Huw behind would only apply if they were in the running for the Plaid Cymru leadership! What Labour needs is a short period of honest debate and comradely disagreement before uniting to fight the next elections in Westminster and Wales. The current soporific approach at both UK and Welsh level is a turn off for traditional Labour voters.
“To say Huw Lewis is against further powers is just inaccurate, knowing the guys around the campaign I got zero indication that it was anything other than support for a yes vote in the next referendum.”
Perhaps you do not realise then that there is alot of confusion amongst the Welsh devolution movement about Huw Lewis’ position on further powers. Trust me! A clarification or commitment would go down very well.
I don’t see any evidence whatsoever that Huw is more progressive than Carwyn. Many people are concerned that Huw Lewis is portrayed as a more tribal and territorial politician than Carwyn, and they therefore feel that Huw would not be as effective a leader in the more diverse political world we now have.
If Huw Lewis believes he has the solutions to Wales’ problems, particularly co-operative and mutual solutions then he should make it clear that these can only be delivered in a partnership with other actors.
David Phillips highlights these- they are essentially a departure from ‘Old Labour’ centralism and a move towards the Robert Owen/Raymond Williams tradition of decentralist socialism, which is in fact Plaid Cymru’s ideology.
With this in mind, the reason I am sceptical about Huw Lewis’ left credentials are because he is virulently anti-Plaid, and Plaid is the one party that has never abandoned the co-ops and the mutuals (the housing society Tai Gwynedd for example run by Plaid members). If Huw is conjuring ghosts of Gwyn Alf and Raymond then he needs to realise that those guys also wanted independence!
Luke, you seem to make arguments that teabags have less holes in.
I am not here defending anyone particularly – but it is hardly a revelation to support some of one persons ideas but no his others. Adam Price quotes Aneurin Bevan no end, but we all know Bevan’s views on nationalism. Your logic is weak on this issue IMHO. Raymond Williams joined Plaid later in his life (I think?). It is fair cop for someone to promote an idea from someone who might have other ideas you are against – I am sure you supported Peter Hain’s position against apartheid, Bevan’s view on the NHS – that doesn’t mean you agree with all their ideas surely?
“I don’t see any evidence whatsoever that Huw is more progressive than Carwyn. Many people are concerned that Huw Lewis is portrayed as a more tribal and territorial politician than Carwyn, and they therefore feel that Huw would not be as effective a leader in the more diverse political world we now have.”
But that is not the point you made, you originally argued that Huw Lewis was not of the left, that his credentials were not left wing. You offered no comparison to Carwyn or anyone else. You are leveling other accusations now. Measuring someone’s left wing credentials to a liking or disliking for Plaid seems silly – Tony Benn and Nye Bevan would probably not be left wing under your judgment from on high. Come on mate, think on.
I actually think you may have a point about Labour (inc. Huw) being rather unwilling to be candid about further devolution (which I think is generally seen as a given in large parts of Welsh Labour) is a good one, but your reasoning seems too afflicted by trying to smash a nut with a sledgehammer.
As an outsider who is currently working in Wales to build up a young high-tech company, I am very concerned at what I see regarding some of the attitudes and policies of Welsh politics – which often appear to be very myopic.
For instance, Plaid’s policy of income tax of 50% on incomes over £50, 000 – see their web-site. This will hardly encourage entrepreneurs in Wales.
Also the sheer waste of EU and public finance, most of which is wasted on bureaucracy. For instance a 1.75m Euro INTERREG project on networking SMEs between West Wales and SE Eire, most of which will be spent on the costs of academics, many of whom have never run a business.
Also the prioriy of bilingualism and its huge costs over the crying need for economic development and good education.
Where is the vision of Welsh politicians?
Illtyd Luke,
It is correct that I see co-operative solutions as playing a key role in addressing the several and varied challenges we face not just in Wales but right across the UK.
Frankly, the challenges we now face are of such magnitude that I find this tendency to debate the problems in terms of a left-right dichotomy, “old Labour central” or Plaid whatever, is muddle headed and unhelpful in the extreme.
Let’s address the need to nurture a climate in which social and business entrepreneurs can thrive and so drive the UK up the league table of creativity and innovation.
Financier hits the nail on the head with their post about Plaid’s ideas on taxes and language policy which will make entrepreneurs think twice about bending their backs into trying to to create jobs in Wales.
The most valuable asset in Wales is not water or our beaches but the people. Let’s hear from the people what their ideas are about how they want to improve the quality of their local environment, create businesses which harness resources in a sustainable way and build a more solid inter-generational compact.
Empowering the people in their communities at the same time as meeting the challenges of inter-generational public goods such as the environment is an objective which can be achieved through co-operative solutions right across Britain in the years to come.
Against a backdrop of significant challenges in adjusting the public finances back onto a more sustainable track after the global economic crisis, the solution requires a significantly greater input from civil society as it supports the state in the very difficult transition ahead.
I am slightly puzzled that Financier (and it seems David Philllips) juxtaposes “the policy of bi-lingualism and its huge costs over the crying need for economic development and good education”. Well, I’m not really, as I think I could detect a whiff colonialism or at least a lack of business can-do here from Financier.
).
Here are a few basic points of rebuttal on this. It’s a yawn to have to repeat them, (but if you don’t counter prejudice at every turn….):
1) Why pick on the costs of language policy? What about the cost of ID cards or the royal family as a counterpoint?
2) There are problems with bilingualism policy in its current form in Wales but it’s a policy that has been brought in by the Tories and Labour, not Plaid Cymru (although PC are of course supportive). I personally think it would make more sense to move gradually towards a situatio – it would take a generation – in which there was a civic duty on citizens to have a working knowledge of both lanuages (translation is an act which in itself can undermine a minority language). I digress…
3) Real people speek Welsh. 20% if the population They should have basic rights to use their own language in their own country including in the economic sphere (just like the 5%, yes 5% of Swedish speakers in Finland). Don’t try and disenfranchise them by talking about language policy in the abstract.
4) Research shows that bringing up children bi-lingually has educational and developmental benefits later on. The more languages the better. Most people in the world are bi- or multi-lingual and, oh, I don’t think Catalonia and the Basques are doing too badly in economic terms (even if they were, quality of life is about more than the bottom line).
5) A strong case could be made that “Good education” in Wales must imply at least some knowledge of Welsh. It’s not that difficult, you know, not, at least, with a good education system and a willingness to learn! I learnt the language as an adult and it has vastly enriched my experience of this place. I would want everyone to have that.
4) Developing “the Welsh language industry” (teaching methods, teaching materials, bilingual multi-media and design, knowledge in the sphere of language revitalisation) can all create additional local and international economic and cultural spin-off for Wales (and bilingual call-centres can’t be off-shored
5) Handled with sensitivity, language learning can strengthen community cohesion and even create new communities. It can be a part of long-term social and economic regeneration. I agree, though, if you want slash and burn extractive economic “development” from outside, as has been the pattern in Wales since the industrial revolution, society doesn’t half complicate things.
Thank you to everyone for their comments on this feature. Perhaps now would be a good time to remind that the piece is about Labour, how it will renew itself after, if expected, it loses the next general election, and what influence both the single remaining Labour administration, here in Wales, and individual, active members of the party – such as Huw Lewis and his Wales 20:20 think tank – will exert on that renewal.
Somehow, Plaid Cymru and, now, the Welsh language have been dragged into it. However, I suppose that Plaid could indeed end up having a bearing on the redevelopment of the Labour party through its coalition in the Assembly – go and debate that!
In the meantime, can I use this opportunity to drag the debate back to the feature? Many thanks.
Efrogwr,
Your answer confirms the point I was making about Plaid crowding out the germane, heavyweight issues for Wales’s future success by lacing every response with a huge dose of “language and culture” policy.
The issues are not and will not be language and constitutional policy, by which I mean largely the matter of the referendum, but as I have said above, it is how we equip the UK to steer a course of recovery after the global economic crisis.
This requires an approach which addresses both stability and sustainability in the public finances as well as strengthening our human and social capital base so that we can create quality jobs, while also meeting the challenges of the future low carbon economy.
The science, engineering and technology base in the UK is an ongoing challenge for us and we really don’t want to be diverted by minor policy matters which cannot help Wales face the fierce winds of global competition.
And so I don’t want to enter the pointless debate with you, Efrogwr, about the issues you devoted so much column space to above, as this is not where Wales will succeed in a new global era. We look out to the world, not inward. We are stronger when we see what we share in common with the world, and not by accentuating how we are different, for its own sake.
It’s sufficient to say that Wales will be successful in the new global order as part of a reinvigorated and stable UK economy, in a society which places a high premium on knowledge acquisition, continuous skills training, creativity and innovation in design.
We can be UK and globally focused while also encouraging empowerment of people in our local communities. The future is internationalist and outward looking, reaching out and building bridges with others in a global “commonwealth”.
That’s the last comment we shall be posting on this piece that focuses on Plaid policy, culture or the Welsh language. All three of those subjects are discussed at some length elsewhere on WalesHome.org. You are more than welcome to place your comments on the above subjects under those pieces.
David, you are quite right to feel aggrieved by the ‘Brit Nat’ comment. It is unsubstantiated, and please accept our apologies for allowing it to be posted in the first place.
We will soon be publishing guidelines for comments. WalesHome.org is a forum where ideas can be published and discussed – in a civilised fashion. If allegations can’t be proven, they won’t be published – simple as that. And if an argument can’t be made without resorting to unproven claims, it isn’t much of an argument.
Apart from the trouble such allegations have caused on other sites, inaccuracy is simply not the standard we are striving to set here. As a consequence, we will no longer tolerate it. We reserve the right to edit any post as we see fit, although this will usually only be done for the reasons I’ve outlined here.
If you want to discuss this with me privately, my personal email is duncan@black-briar.com.
Back to the topic at hand.
Adam H raised a fair point about federalising the Labour party, particularly given the direction of travel with devolution. It will be very interesting to see how this develops under the next leaders watch, particularly given Wales will be the only country with Labour in power.
The other issue is one of who wins the next UK Leadership – of course Jon Cruddas is a nice fit with many in Welsh Labour, but what if an uber blairite gets in? There a good many people in Welsh Labour who have spent 12 years apologising for the Blairites, particularly in their heartlands.
Marcus,
I don’t think there will be a problem as you suggest above, and you make a big assumption about Labour only being in power in Wales after the next election.
There are some major issues just over the immediate horizon which require serious leadership, namely the G20 meeting in Pittsburgh and the Copenhagen conference on a new climate change deal.
At the G20 it is essential for the UK, and so for Wales, that the stimulus packages to pull the world out of the recession are not stopped prematurely. This is why Gordon Brown is right to warn of the dangers of choking off the recovery.
This, of course, is exactly why the course of action advocated by Cameron and Osborne, with their ideologically committed adherence to a significantly smaller state, is wrong and why the next election is still wide open.
With regard to the environment we can see that nurturing a low carbon economy, where innovations in renewable technologies can contribute to a lower carbon footprint, will also drive forward a demand for more knowledge and skills in green technology.
From where I am sitting, governments in both Westminster and Cardiff are strongly committed to facilitating this exciting new growth area. This is an industry where Wales can play a major role and so create the many jobs needed going forward.
Such an approach is eminently progressive and again I think you create a false dichotomy when you try to suggest that people in Welsh Labour have been apologising for what you refer to as the “uber Blairites”.
Labour is also a progressive party in Wales and as such will continue to provide the answers to the many challenges we face tomorrow by embracing an innovative, creative, inclusive and bold approach.
In a world growing ever more interconnected in terms of knowledge and capital transfers, we need to look outwards and think globally when seeking sustainable solutions which strengthen Wales socially and economically.