Building the house anew on Conservative foundations
Bubble — By Nick Bourne on March 6, 2010 7:00 am
United in Conservatism: the two leaders of the Welsh Conservatives
WITH a General Election now just weeks away, the conference season is in full swing. Ours in Llandudno begins today.
Gordon Brown was in Swansea last week. I hope it’s his farewell tour. Two weeks ago he hosted the Greek Prime Minister, George Papandreou. Presumably they were discussing the dire state of the nation’s finances. And they might have spoken about Greece as well.
Plaid Cymru held their conference in February. They issued a press release entitled: “It’s time to face facts”, on the same day as the latest unemployment figures showed that under their economic development minister, Wales has the highest unemployment rate of any UK nation. Plaid has clearly lost its way in government: Promising business rate relief to Wales’ hard-pressed businesses and workers before the election, while ignoring their pleas after it; Promising free laptops for schools before the election, struggling to get this past Labour education ministers in government; And seeing public support for independence plummet in the latest polls.
So Ieuan Wyn Jones was packed off to Mountain Ash for inspiration. Yet it’s not clear whether Labour and Plaid are fighting over Keir Hardie’s legacy – or Geir Haarde’s, the former Prime Minister of Iceland. Plaid’s Helen Mary Jones famously said she wanted Wales to join the arc of prosperity with Ireland and Iceland. That country’s ‘prosperity’ led to it asking for a $4.6 billion bailout just to stay afloat. Ireland has suffered the greatest decline in economic growth of any industrialised nation since the Depression and, in a stark warning to Britain, it lost its triple A credit rating so that its interest payments on borrowing are much higher. Now Plaid want to spend £20 billion increasing the state pension. This is fantasy economics at a time when finances are so tight.
Plaid’s is such fantasy that it’s even been criticised by the Lib Dems. Pensions for them of course are a delicate subject. Nick Clegg still thinks the basic state pension is worth “about 30 quid”. But Kirsty Williams responded to Plaid’s announcement by saying: “You simply cannot fund huge pension increases for millions of people … you can’t implement a policy in Westminster with just two or three MPs”. Nor it would it seem you can implement a policy in Cardiff Bay with just five or six AMs. Particularly when the leader of the party doesn’t seem to believe in coalition government.
Plaid politics and Lib Dem politics are not serious politics. Nor is Plaid’s insistence on advocating independence for Wales when Scotland needed a £470 billion bailout from the UK Treasury to stay on its feet – or asking voters to hamstring the British economic recovery with a hung parliament, when Britain needs a clear and strong mandate for change. Vote for stalemate – what a clarion call for a political party. Plaid’s aims for independence have been blown out of the water by the recession. As Abraham Lincoln once said: “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” We are stronger in Wales as part of the United Kingdom.
But the economic house of Wales has been weakened by Labour. As we emerge from recession, our ability to stimulate growth in Welsh businesses and jobs is limited – because WAG has already spent all the money on unaffordable policies. Under Labour, waiting times are up, and ambulance services struggle to reach patients in time. Yet instead of getting money to frontline NHS care, Labour wastes millions on subsidising prescriptions for those on above average incomes.
Under Labour, a 15-year-old student in Wales has a 55.8% chance of getting five or more good GCSE grades. In England, the same pupil would have a 64.8% chance. Yet instead of spending on frontline education and schools, to give these pupils a fair chance in life, Labour wastes millions on free school breakfasts for all. Andrew Marr called these gimmicks “classic things that politicians … give to people”. But after pointing out that Wales has had a deeper recession, that the Welsh economy is under-performing, and that economy and has more people unemployed, Carwyn Jones told him the figures “aren’t that bad”. And Peter Hain compared us favourably to Rwanda…
It just shows the poverty of ambition that Labour has for Wales. Between the failed and false choices of Labour dependence and the independence of Plaid, we must build anew in Wales. As George Osborne says, we must “rebuild our economic house on more solid foundations”.
Today at conference we will be setting out plans to revitalise the Welsh economy and get Wales working. David Cameron and his team have set out a series of benchmarks to help to rebuild Wales’ shattered economy. These are clear guidelines which will help us to get Wales on its feet again, and which will enable everyone in Wales to hold the Conservatives to account.
Many of these plans are crucial for us in Wales. In place of a credit and housing bubble, and a mountain of public debt, we’ll encourage long-term saving and investment. Rather than relying solely on the public sector in Wales, we’ll look to a private sector recovery driven by exports and enterprise. And instead of pinning all our economic fortunes on the City, Conservatives will ensure that the whole country shares in rising prosperity. And because we need to do more for less, we’ll continue to propose solutions and call on the Welsh Government to take the difficult decisions on public spending, in order to get more funding to the frontline.
To do so we’ll look to build on some of the best ideas in public policy out there today, from Northern Ireland’s success on business rates and the Scottish Conservatives’ innovative idea for an Independent Budget Review Group, to the radical success that Swedish free schools and United States’ charter schools have had in improving their students’ results.
Labour and Plaid built the house of Wales on shaky foundations. But builders in Wales are talented people. Between Labour’s dependence and Plaid’s independence, together we’ll build a Wales on more secure foundations. And they will be very Conservative foundations indeed.
Tags: 2010 General Election, economic recovery, Economy, Nick Bourne AM, party conference, Welsh Conservatives
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17 Comments
Aahh, Politics…
I got to the paragraph that starts “Today at conference we will be setting out plans to revitalise the Welsh economy …” and thought “at last, here is where Nick Bourne will set out some ideas.” But no: 4 paragraphs later, after a brief repeat of some woolly ideas that made me wonder if Royston Jones had read this article before writing his, we reached the end of the piece.
I think that on a Welsh Assembly level, I could probably vote Conservative – Right-ish wing economic policies and small-government -with-a-conscience appeal to me (rather than the Right Wing, no to Europe, the market knows best attitude that is still very much to the fore in the English party).
But then the Politicians get involved and spend so much time whinging about the others that they leave themselves no time to talk about positive policy ideas. Sorry Nick – I have a lot of respect for what you have achieved realigning the Welsh Conservatives, and a lot of time for WC ideas, but I really feel that you have wasted a golden opportunity to air some policies in front of the only Welsh online debating forum that will debate them sensibly and (mostly) constructively. Instead, the only thing to debate is whether you are right or wrong about the failures of the other parties.
Note to editors: Maybe it would be best to ask Politicians to write a piece post-conference in the future, so that they can be a bit more sure of party acceptance of interesting / new policy, and able to really get their teeth into explaining it and standing up for it?
“Labour and Plaid built the house of Wales on shaky foundations. But builders in Wales are talented people.”
What an awful cliche ridden article – written with the minimum of effort. The house-building analogy is so utterly tired and I’m not even sure what ‘builders in Wales’ are in the analogy. Are they actually builders or not?
Very little to be inspired by here.
Iestyn
Thanks for your suggestion. It’s a good idea.
Says a lot about Nick Bourne that he gave WalesHome edited highlights of his conference speech to publish today rather than laying out the Welsh Conservative position on the economy, education, NHS etc and trying to appeal to floating voters.
Its cliche ridden partisan fluff, like the article from Christine Gwyther and I wonder if this actually resonates with anyone who isn’t a party loyalist?
Sounds like “compassionate Conservatism” to me. All show no substance. Let me give you an example. “No Child Left Behind” . A great program inadequately funded. And yet again Tories in Cardiff would like to see a school like Cathays High School which has a great program working with minority kids closed to keep Whitchurch’s numbers up! Doesn’t sound like old fashion One Nation Tories to me.
Good article. It is refreshing that somebody takes the economy seriously in this publicly funded quagmire.
‘To do so we’ll look to build on some of the best ideas in public policy out there today, from Northern Ireland’s success on business rates and the Scottish Conservatives’ innovative idea for an Independent Budget Review Group, to the radical success that Swedish free schools and United States’ charter schools have had in improving their students’ results’
I thought this was a good paragraph. Looking what has been successful in other places and looking to apply those in Wales. It is something that Welsh political parties need to be always on the look out for. To be able to change or adapt and be flexible in their policies.
I know Angela Burns a.m. has wanted to give the Assembly the powers over business rates which are exhaustive in Pembrokeshire and has smashed many local businesses.
It’s good you mention the city of London and not wanting to ut all your fortunes. What does the city of London actually produce?
We need to start producing and exporting in a green economy.
Depends whose party you are loyal to, ACOP.
Have to agree with “A change of personnel” when he notes that Nick Bourne has only posted segments of his conference speech here….. it was as boring hearing him give his speech (which I think lasted about 15 minutes) as it was reading it on here – hardly gripping stuff from Bourne.
The only realistic way the Tories can govern in Wales would be under a Plaid First Minister. If they overtake Plaid in Wales at an Assembly election, they are ironically confirming their status as an opposition, as Plaid will never serve under a Tory FM. This doesn’t really matter for people like Nick Bourne though, they exist just to serve their party’s General Election fortunes. They see Westminster as a step up from the Assembly, and unfortunately the so called adaptation to Welshness is a cosmetic myth. This bully boy speech is simply design to facilitate using the Assembly as a platform to win more GE votes.
Nothing in this speech about a referendum. I could well understand leaving the referendum out if you’re a Conservative, but then he goes and bangs on about independence! Let them prove their commitment to devolution with actions before we trust them.
Have to agree with Rob Williams. This is a lazy, obvious and tired article full of the usual trite and cliched nonsense we have come to expect from professional politicians. If
well, Cheryl Gillian said the other day “(the welsh) media are obsessed with the constitution”!, which to me translates to “we’d rather you concentrated on Cameron than any Welsh specific stuff”. Which just goes to show the “Welsh Conservatives” aren’t that, they are “Conservatives in Wales”. A big difference, and one Nick needs to sort out (and Carwyn, and Kirsty).
Her speech yesterday gave me chills – if you think Hain has too much of an influence on the Senedd, wait till she gets her hands on it!
Thing is, governments come and go, parties come and go, but something fundamental as powers and parliament for Wales is slightly more permanent and IMPORTANT. It’s great that all AMs in the Senedd got together and voted unanimously for it – but unfortunately, their central offices have different priorities.
As pointed out above, Mr Bourne is living in a fantasy world if he thinks he would ever be First Minister in Wales. They will never be the largest party in any Assembly vote and with the Lib Dems in tow, they could never get up to 30 AMs or anywhere near it.
It’s all good pre-election stuff but with very little substance. The biggest hit on the Welsh economy has been the unbridled greed of the City; something that the Tories let loose when in power and encouraged when in opposition. Cameron even slagged off Labour for being too hard on the City through the FSA, before the crash.
Don’t you just love the Tories?
Honestly – I thought Cameron is onto something today in the Wales on Sunday, particularly around waste. Now of course I baulk at the market dogma that underpins that, in no uncertain terms, but there is nothing left wing about defending all public spending like an homogenous blob.
This piece, much like the Gwyther piece, makes me question how good the SpAd’s are in both parties?
I mean, a cursory glance at this website, particularly given Mr Melding’s excellent contributions, would indicate that such an empty article would go down like a lead balloon.
It is frustrating, as someone who wants people to be enthused about politics, for all sides of the political sides to be bringing forward genuine visions of Welsh society. Rooted in but not bogged down by genuine ideological passions.
The ‘arc of prosperity’ line is good knockabout, people will have to live with that. But is a Tory seriously now criticising Ireland? I am pretty sure during the good years there was a good many tories (and Plaid granted) that there was a good many things we should adopt here in Wales. It is silly to now argue that with the benefit of hindsight that any praise of Ireland now must mean we should let our enemies bathe in ridicule for doing so.
I still believe Ireland’s willingness to invest hugely in education and offer attractive rates of corporation tax is still the direction Wales should adopt. But my understanding is that Plaid would dearly love to be in the position to do so.
Lastly, not a jibe at the editors, but is perhaps there needs to be some checks and balances about how ‘original’ this content is? I certainly never want to see this excellent site, a site I contribute too, be a bit of a dumping ground for other places.
The thing is with this whole thread / article is that never is a very big word. Imagine 10 years ago someone saying that Labour would be wondering about winning back Blaenau Gwent, and losing Islwyn. Everyone would have said “never”. I think that if Nick Bourne put together an honest article about the potential effects of Cameron’s policies on Wales, and how the Welsh Conservatives could mitigate the potential pitfalls of, for instance, public service cut-backs while enhancing the economic benefits / strengthening the power of our communities, he would really start making the case for “Post Bureaucratic Wales”. I’d certainly be open to ideas.
I think he missed a golden opportunity here.
Thank you for being receptive to my comment regarding post conference articles, Adam. Maybe as a more revolutionary approach, you could ask politicians to write without mentioning the opposition. “Vote for us cos we’re not as bad as them” is hardly the basis of reasoned debate, after all!
I confess to being less keen on that idea, Iestyn. It is legitimate for politicians and parties to attempt to define themselves against their opponents.
Iestyn,
You are not comparing like with like, with respect. He did miss an opportunity here but I suspect this may have something to do with the utter lack of depth to Cameron’s strategy, rather than anything else.
Ian
I don’t know whether there is depth to Cameron’s strategies or not, because no-one seems to discuss them in any depth. The only dismissals of Conservative policy I’ve seen are from people with a vested interest, the Conservatives themselves seem to follow the method employed here by Nick Bourne (ie no real substance, a good amount of pointing at others and calling names), and neutral observers – if such a thing really exists – seem to produce cliche ridden drivel worthy of a pre-conference politician.
As for comparing like with like, I suspect that even if you are right, I’m still comparing like with like in that the political debate seems to be almost entirely made up of name calling and no real substance. The only way I can see of giving any other impression is for politicians writing on Wales home to pay us a little respect and put some guts in their discussion of policies. I’m not particularly calling on Nick Bourne to do that – a “Here are our policies and this is why they will work” article from any politician in the run up to an election would be worthy of debate, and the ensuing discussion would be educational for us all, I think.
Adam – I agree that it is legitimate to compare with the opposition, and wouldn’t want to see a “don’t mention the opposition” rule as a generally adopted one. But it would be an interesting article, and a difficult challenge for a politician, to only speak about their own policies. I suspect that it would take a brave politician, and how many of those are there in the run up to an election?