The First Minister yesterday refused to join senior Labour figures, including Ed Balls, Tessa Jowell and Liam Byrne in apologising for the party’s failures in office.
Andrew RT Davies AM (pictured), Leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the National Assembly, today called on the First Minister to follow suit and apologise for damning failures of successive Welsh Labour Governments.
After 12 years of Labour, Wales is the poorest country of the United Kingdom, with only faint prospects for the future because academic standards are falling behind the rest of the UK and OECD nations.
Two botched NHS reshuffles have paralysed the nation’s health service, which is now set to be cut by £1billion over the next three years.
Since Carwyn Jones took office in December 2009, the number of patients waiting over 36 weeks to start NHS treatment has risen by 20,000%.
Andrew RT Davies AM, said, “While there has been no apology for building up the biggest budget deficit in Britain’s peacetime history, senior Labour figures have been apologising for other failings in office.
“Carwyn Jones now needs to apologise to the people of Wales for the damning failings, wasted money and botched reforms that he has voted for and supported.
“After 12 years of Labour, Wales is the poorest nation of the UK, our schools are blighted by, in the Minister’s words, ‘systemic failure’ and the Welsh NHS budget is facing the biggest budget cut in the UK.
“Since Carwyn Jones became First Minister, NHS waiting lists have risen by almost 70%, while the number of patients waiting more than 36 weeks for treatment is 200 times greater.
“Before shedding Labour’s tribal and ideological approach to the economy and public services, the First Minister needs to apologise for the catalogue of errors, which have seen Wales fall behind the rest of the UK.
“For the First Minister, sorry seems to be the hardest word.”
