Welsh Conservatives today warned the people of Wales that Labour cannot be trusted with the Welsh economy.
Nick Bourne, Leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the National Assembly, challenged Carwyn Jones and Ed Miliband to explain how they would tackle the deficit.
After 12 years of Labour governments in the Assembly, Wales is the poorest nation of the UK, while Labour’s irresponsible spending in Westminster brought the country to the brink of bankruptcy.
Nick Bourne accused Labour Ministers of opportunism by trying to distance themselves from the massive financial deficit built up by UK Labour Governments and failing to advocate an alternative to spending cuts.
Alastair Darling’s deficit reduction plan committed Labour to cutting public spending by £14billion in 2011/12, only £2billion less than the UK Coalition, although Labour politicians have refused to say where their cuts would be made.
Nick Bourne said, “Labour brought us to the brink of bankruptcy. Labour doubled the national debt and left us with the biggest budget deficit in our peacetime history.
“We are spending £120 million every day just to pay off the interest on Labour’s debt.
“Labour politicians just don’t understand that running up government debt is like running up massive credit card bills – the longer you leave it, the worse it gets.
“We need to ensure that we live within our means so we don’t end up paying higher taxes and face deeper cuts just to pay off our debt.
“Labour has mismanaged the Welsh economy by maligning the private sector, failing to support small businesses and abandoning a commitment to a strategy for manufacturing.
“Under Labour, Wales is the poorest part of the UK and one of the poorest regions in Europe, set to qualify for a third round of EU funding.
“Labour politicians are now turning to opportunist attacks on spending cuts on a scale close to that proposed by their own Chancellor Alastair Darling.
“We need to hear clear explanations from Carwyn Jones and Ed Miliband as to how they would reduce the deficit or whether they would be happy to see the economy plunged deeper into debt.
“Labour cannot be trusted with the economy.”
