The Party of Wales has warned that a consensus between the Tories and Labour to repatriate investment programmes to London could cost up to £1,300 for every man, woman and child in Wales over the next six years.
The party’s leader Leanne Wood cited recent interventions from the two main Unionist parties which confirm both are in agreement on London deciding regional policy, structural funding and the common agricultural policy.
Leanne said:
“Plaid Cymru wants what is best for Wales, and this means fighting to keep vital European funds that bring about billions of pounds of investment, important trade links and improvements to our roads and transport networks.
“Despite what Labour’s First Minister says, it’s clear that his bosses in London are intent on severing Wales’ access to these important funds.
“An unlikely coalition of consensus has emerged between the Labour and Conservative parties on what powers they would like to repatriate from the EU to London.
“For some time talk of ‘repatriation of powers’ has been seen as little more than a hollow soundbite for Labour and the Tories to placate anti-EU sentiments as they dance to UKIP’s tune.
“But there’s more meat on the bone than might be expected.
“Both Labour and the Tories have publicly committed to repatriate the Common Agricultural Policy spend and structural funding from Brussels to London.
“The figures show that over £4 billion over the coming years could be at risk.
“That represents £1,300 for every man, woman and child in this country.
“And we say this is at risk because a repatriation to the UK would more than likely result in the same old measures of austerity and over-heating of London rather than the redistributive model currently used by the EU.
“The UK after all, unlike the EU has no redistributive mechanism to aid more impoverished regions.
“It is vital therefore, that Wales is at the heart of the EU and that the EU has at its heart a strong Plaid Cymru voice fighting for Welsh interests.”
