TORIES 'NOT SO BOTHERED' ABOUT WALES

Peter Hain MP said today (16th December)

 "I could not believe my ears when the Tory spokesperson for Wales asked why I was 'so bothered about devolved issues'. Don't the Tories understand - it is vital that we protect funding for schools and hospitals in Wales? Just because they are devolved issues does not mean that we should forget about them. It is plain to me that the Tories are not bothered at all about the people of Wales. The Conservatives only care about their wealthy friends and backers who they will reward with tax cuts".

At Today's Welsh Grand Committee in Parliament, the Tory Shadow Secretary of State for Wales, Cherly Gillan MP was challenged by Peter Hain MP to be frank about where the Tory cuts would come in Wales. The Tories confirmed they would scrap 'free prescriptions for all'. Ms Gillan asked why the Secretary of State for Wales was 'so bothered about devolved issues'.

Cherly Gillan fell far short of guaranteeing that a future Tory government would keep investing in schools and hospitals in Wales at the same level.

She said she had 'no plans' to scrap projects that rely on European funding, this falls very far short of a guarantee. She used the same technical form of words saying there were 'no plans' to scrap free swimming for school children.

She refused to say anything about large scale capital investment projects, like the Defence Training College at St Athan.

Peter Hain MP said 'In England the Tories say they will cut the defecit further and faster than Labour, yet they know they are being two faced in Wales because they will not spell out how much of the extra £26 billion in UK cuts will fall on our people. I asked them today to be frank with us. Cheryl Gillan's half answers and non-answers have confirmed my worst fears: the Tories would take an axe to schools and hospitals in Wales. The Tories would bring in an emergency budget that would slash investment, and stall the recovery. The Tories would be a change Wales cannot afford'.