Plaid Cymru Treasury spokesperson Jonathan Edwards MP has expressed concern ahead of today’s Budget after figures modelled by the Financial Times showed that the ‘ConDem’ government’s suggested cuts would have a far greater impact upon west Wales and the Valleys than it would upon London and south-east England.
The figures in the Financial Times indicate that either a 10% cut in social security spending or a 20% cut in public sector spending would have a far greater impact on west Wales and the Valleys than upon the south-east of England.
Jonathan Edwards MP said:
“The figures in the Financial Times investigation show that any cross-the-board cuts being made by the ConDems will have a far greater impact upon Wales than it will upon the south-east of England.
“Once again we are seeing that Wales is an afterthought compared to the needs of the City of London. Wales isn’t even on the radar when it comes to decisions being made in Westminster.
“All that we want in Wales is a level playing field that will let the Welsh Assembly get on with improving our economy and creating jobs.
“Instead, the Conservatives and Lib Dems have let us down over the Barnett Formula, which proves that we are under-funded by at least £300m per year, by kicking it into the long grass, meaning that we can’t provide the public services that we in Wales deserve.
“These latest figures from the FT show that we are not all in it together. Instead the poorest in society and the poorer regions and nations will bear the brunt of these suggested cuts.
“Being hit by a double whammy of under-funding and additional cuts is just not fair on the people of Wales.
“Progressives in the coalition will be wincing at the figures in the FT. The Liberal Democrats in Wales won’t be able to look people in the eye after this Budget has taken place.
“It is clear that they have no influence at all over their cabinet members in London, which has clearly broken free from their membership and doing whatever they want.
“It was the greed of the economic elite that caused the recession and the failure of the then Labour Government. It’s a bitter pill to swallow that the new UK Government are aiming the axe at those who bear little responsibility for the failures of the few.
“With so many cuts coming down the track, £2.8bn real terms cuts in Wales in the next three years, there is no real reason for these additional cuts from the ConDems, which will do our economy no good at all.”
