Welsh Liberal Democrats Assembly Constituency Candidates

Assembly List Candidates

Research by the Welsh Liberal Democrats released today reveals that Gordon Brown’s budget means around 1,400 Armed Forces personnel in Wales will see less money in their pay packets when the abolition of the 10p tax rate takes effect in 2008.

Armed Forces personnel of private rank up to level 4 who get a starting salary of just £14,323 (effective from April 2007) will see an income tax hike from April 2008. They are among the ‘low paid losers’ of Brown’s budget.

The MoD recently announced pay rises for personnel from April 2007 as part of the Armed Forces Pay review. But the effect of the budget will mean that once again Brown has given with one hand and taken with the other.

Commenting, Roger Williams, Welsh Liberal Democrat MP for Brecon Radnorshire, said:

“This is a shabby deal from a Chancellor who appears to care little about those who put their lives on the line for their country.

“How can we be asking our hard pressed armed forces to pay more in tax, when we pay them so little in the first place?

“On top of this news, our armed forces have discovered that many of them will have to put up with sub-standard accommodation for decades.

“This is a disgraceful way to reward our armed forces for the fighting they are doing in Afghanistan and Iraq on this government’s behest.

“Once again Gordon Brown has shown that what he gives with one hand he takes away with the other.”

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Today, the Office of National Statistics released new figures showing that household disposable incomes in Wales are the second lowest across the UK and that disposable income in West Wales and the Valleys still lags behind the rest of Wales. Commenting, Lembit Opik, Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats and MP for Montgomeryshire, said:

“Not only is the gap between rich and poor people widening, the Government is also failing to shrink the gap between rich and poor areas. People in Wales have among the lowest amount of disposable income of anywhere in the UK.

“What’s equally worrying is that there is little sign of any change in the inequality gap in wealth between the West Wales and the Valleys, and East Wales. Despite the alleged efforts of the Government to tackle poverty in West Wales and the Valleys, are still amongst the least well off parts of the UK.

“The New Labour project has stabilised the economy, but it hasn’t made it fairer. We need an urgent rethink of how best to spend and target convergence funding in Wales so to have the maximum effect of alleviating poverty.

“Since 2003, household energy bills have nearly doubled to over £1,000. We would ensure that there are sufficient grants and incentives for people in Wales to improve their household energy efficiency and significantly cut their energy bills. People would be able to guaranteed prices for selling excess electricity they have generated themselves from household renewable devices.

“We need to urgently stimulate the economy in Wales. When we look around the world at what the next economic boom will be, it is clear that it will be in green business and enterprise. And Wales can lead this next industrial revolution as it did at the last.

“Wales has a huge wealth of expertise, renewable resources and technological know-how. If we get a new economic package for Wales right, we can generate thousands of new jobs and inject substantial wealth into Wales. This would do more for combating Welsh poverty and regional inequality than any of the Government proposals over the last 10 years. If that′s what people want, that′s exactly what they′ll get by voting Lib Dem on May 3rd.”

ENDS

Welsh Liberal Democrat AM has become the first Assembly Member to add his name to the NFU's Why Farming Matters campaign, joining personalities such as Lib Dem leader Ming Campbell MP, Forum for the Future's Jonathan Porritt and former Olympian Sally Gunnell OBE. The campaign was launched to explain why farming is becoming more, not less, important to 21st century Britain and intends to challenge the notion that mainstream food production can safely be allowed to migrate to other parts of the world, leaving a dwindling number of British farmers and growers to focus on niche markets and diversification.

Mick Bates said: "Farming is the backbone of the British economy and I′m proud to lend my support to this important campaign and equally proud to be the first Welsh Assembly Member to sign up to Why Farming Matters.

"The onus is on us all to safeguard the future of farming and I would encourage everyone to buy local because that way, not only are you helping the economy, you′re helping the environment too!"

Dear All,

Labour have been shouting about the Welsh Liberal Democrat's alleged vote for a rise in Council Tax, but it seems obvious to me that this attack is an attempt to cover up the fact that it is their mishandling of the Welsh police funding in both Cardiff Bay and Westminster that has backed North Wales against a wall.

The North Wales Police Authority has been forced into a financial black hole while trying to sustain a service fit for residents in North Wales. They struggle, as do all Welsh Police Authorities, to cope with a meagre settlement from Westminster that Labour in the Assembly is too timid to challenge. The funding given to North Wales Police Authority from Cardiff Bay is still below the level needed to keep up with basic inflation rates. And all this after Westminster's disastrous merger plans left Welsh Police Authorities having to fight to get their money back.

Next year, it is likely we will see other Police Authorities resorting to Council Tax precepts above 5% just like North Wales. Labour will have to accept this, as it is the result of their own failure to provide adequate funding for the services they want Welsh Police Authorities to provide.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have long held the position that it is neither fair nor right for the Assembly to dictate how many police officers there should be in North Wales. Our first priority is safety. North Wales Police know better than AMs in Cardiff Bay how much that costs.

Don't be taken in by Labour's pre-election smokescreen tactics - council taxpayers are footing the bill for Labour's mistakes.

Eleanor Burnham AM For N.Wales & Mark Young Welsh Assembly Candidate -Vale Of Clwyd

Consistent underfunding has resulted in a big rise in the policing charge recovered by Council Tax in North Wales.  Whilst I realise sometimes we have to take the rough with the smooth, its not so palatable when at the same time we have seen cuts to local policing. I also recognise that a lot of people in North Wales are very annoyed by this, given that approximately £8m or over 20% more funding goes to the South Wales force per head.

To try and address this, we have applied and set up an online petition directly on the 10 Downing Street website. Anyone interested in seeing this issue addressed can directly petition Prime Minister Tony Blair. So please do click on the following link and join others in calling upon the Prime Minister to make sure that any central funds available for policing are distributed more evenly between North and South Wales. After all, wasn't it Labour themselves who coined the phrase "Fair Deal"?

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/northwalespolice/

Welsh Lib Dems launch campaign for a Fair Green Future

Welsh Liberal Democrats launched their campaign for a fair green future for Wales this morning.

At the launch Assembly leader Mike German revealed nine of the party's key pledges around the Fair Green Future theme, ahead of the publication of the formal manifesto in April. He also revealed the largest slate of candidates ever put forward by the Welsh Liberal Democrats.

Brecon & Radnorshire AM Kirsty Williams and Cardiff South & Penarth candidate Dominic Hannigan joined Mr German at the press conference.

Mike German said: "In this election the people of Wales have a clear choice between parties. If they want a fair green future, then they have to vote for the Welsh Liberal Democrats.

"In my speech to conference I spoke about the importance of creating a society where young people can join in. A society that gives them opportunities, rather than disillusion. The snapshot of policies we are highlighting today showcase our intention to give young people opportunities, and our strong commitment to action in dealing with climate change."

Dominic Hannigan said: "Too much of the current political mood is focused on demonising young people. We need to replace the politics of fear with a politics of hope. We can build a fairer greener future, but we have to start work now if we are to do it. Our proposals to set challenging targets on energy generation and recycling will put Wales at the forefront of the green revolution, and create economic opportunities too. And by blocking top-up fees for Welsh domiciled students, we are lifting fear of mortgage-style debts from their shoulders."

Kirsty Williams, AM for Brecon and Radnorshire, added: "The forthcoming Welsh General Election is a major opportunity for change. From May, the Assembly will have new powers and new opportunities - now it just needs a new government.

"These policies will give our children the best start in life - with smaller class sizes, better classrooms, and more opportunities to develop healthy active lifestyles. These are the policies that can put Wales at

Mike German added: "The more Welsh Liberal Democrats we can elect, the more influence we will have on the next Assembly Government, and the more of our policies we can deliver for Wales."

Welsh Liberal Democrats unveiled 9 key pledges from their forthcoming manifesto to highlight the Fair Green Future message.

FAIR:

• Guaranteed standard of service in the NHS for all
• No to top-up fees
• Votes for 16 year olds in local government elections
  

GREEN:

• 100% of Wales' electricity from renewable sources by 2050
• 60% household waste recycled by 2011
• Climate Connect fund to help families and communities go green
  

FUTURE:

• Class sizes of 25 in our primary schools - best start for children
• Invest in school buildings to create the best learning environment
• Create sporting and cultural opportunities for our young people
  
  

Welsh General Election facts:

• Welsh Liberal Democrats will field 71 candidates in 40 constituencies and five electoral regions.
• From today, the post office will begin to deliver 3.5million leaflets for us.O
• The first 780,000 will arrive at post offices across Wales this week.
• Welsh Liberal Democrats are the growing party in Welsh politics, showing an increased share of the vote, and representation at successive elections.
• The final costed manifesto will be published in April.
  

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Printed, Published and Promoted by Stephen Smith on behalf of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, all at 102 Bute Street, Cardiff, CF10 5AD

Argraffwyd, Cyhoeddwyd ac Hyrwyddwyd gan Stephen Smith ar rhan Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol Cymru, 102 Stryd Bute, Caerdydd, CF10 5AD

Gareth Price
Head of Assembly Group Office - Pennaeth y swyddfa Grwp Cynulliad
Welsh Liberal Democrats - Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol Cymru
029 2089 8426
07976 898285
Gareth.price1@wales.gov.uk

Trust in Wales Ymddiried yng Nghymru
WELSH LIBERAL DEMOCRATS DEMOCRATIAID RHYDDFRYDOL CYMRU

Trust in Wales Ymddiried yng Nghymru
WELSH LIBERAL DEMOCRATS DEMOCRATIAID RHYDDFRYDOL CYMRU

This weekend two Lib Dem politicians got to grips with some of the rural issues in the Vale of Clwyd prior to the Welsh Assembly elections in May.

Welsh Assembly Candidate for the Vale of Clwyd Mark Young, along with Eleanor Burnham AM took a trip into the countryside and visited Llandyrnog village this weekend.

They stopped off at Speddyd Rural Business Units, a development created by farming couple Mike and Gwlithyn Owen. The units are the result of a farming diversification project and were part funded by grant money from the Welsh Assembly. Mike and Gwlithyn hope that the units, which are intended for light industrial or warehousing use, will provide employment and work opportunities for local people when they are occupied.

Next stop was the Cocoa rooms in Llandyrnog, one of three community facilities the village has. Here Eleanor conducted a surgery for any interested constituents.  Issues covered ranged from health and education to countryside matters such as the lack of recycling collections in villages, as well as affordable housing in the village.

Cllr Young then helped the Owens with their flock of sheep as he believes by getting his hands dirty he will then understand the local needs of farmers in the Vale better.

Speaking afterwards Eleanor said “I was very glad to have accompanied Mark on this visit and to get out and about to see how people here feel. I think people in the countryside feel less included than ever before in politics and it is our intention to change this in the future.”

Commenting on the voluntary modulation agreement and the green light given to rural development programmes by the European Agriculture Council, Mark Young Assembly candidate for the Vale of Clwyd said:

“I am very pleased that the Rural Development Programme for Wales can now be agreed, which will enable new applications to be considered and any enhancements for Tir Mynydd to be agreed.

"It is great news that Wales will be able to set its own level of voluntary modulation which is appropriate for its agricultural circumstances within the UK. But it would be better if there was a uniform level of compulsory modulation across Europe which would put all European farmers on the same basis.

"The Assembly Government and DEFRA must lobby very hard to get a greater share of the Pillar 2 money from the central CAP budget. Due to previous Conservative reluctance to draw down money, the UK′s allocation stands at 3%, whereas judged on any criteria such as land area or people employed in agriculture, the UK should have 9%.

"I will be calling on the Assembly to match fund to the tune of 100% any voluntary modulation it decides to impose on Welsh farmers, and I will be asking for research to take place on the effects on farm viability of transferring support in the future from the single farm payment to conservation schemes."

Commenting on the publication of the Lyons Report today, Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly leader Mike German said: "After waiting so long for this report, there is an inevitable sense of anti-climax. What were we waiting so long for? The Labour Assembly Government has delayed making decisions for Wales - waiting to see the colour of this report - yet Lyons has made no meaningful recommendations for Wales.

"I am disappointed thatLyons′ has passed up the opportunity to rip up a council tax system which is increasingly unpopular and replace it with a fairer system which better reflects ability to pay.

"His claim that council tax ′is not broken′, misses the point. The system may still work as a way of collecting money, but the massive increase in bills risks breaking the spirit of those on fixed incomes. It is unfair, and the rising bills are becoming an ever increasing burden on many.

"However, some of his recommendations are very welcome. His call for a more hands-off approach from central government is welcome. It is a lesson that Sue Essex – the Minister for capping – could learn before she retires.

"Making council tax an automatic benefit, rather than one which needs to be claimed, would prevent the scandal of so many people paying more than they need because they are too proud to submit to means tested benefits.

"Lyons notes that ′LIT is feasible and could improve fairness′. Welsh Liberal Democrats are committed to making this change, and will continue to argue for it. It is an idea whose time is coming."

This weekend two Lib Dem politicians got to grips with some of the rural issues in the Vale of Clwyd prior to the Welsh Assembly elections in May.

Welsh Assembly Candidate for the Vale of Clwyd Mark Young, along with Eleanor Burnham AM took a trip into the countryside and visited Llandyrnog village this weekend.

They stopped off at Speddyd Rural Business Units, a development created by farming couple Mike and Gwlithyn Owen. The units are the result of a farming diversification project and were part funded by grant money from the Welsh Assembly. Mike and Gwlithyn hope that the units, which are intended for light industrial or warehousing use, will provide employment and work opportunities for local people when they are occupied.

Next stop was the Cocoa rooms in Llandyrnog, one of three community facilities the village has. Here Eleanor conducted a surgery for any interested constituents.  Issues covered ranged from health and education to countryside matters such as the lack of recycling collections in villages, as well as affordable housing in the village.

Cllr Young then helped the Owens with their flock of sheep as he believes by getting his hands dirty he will then understand the local needs of farmers in the Vale better.

Speaking afterwards Eleanor said “I was very glad to have accompanied Mark on this visit and to get out and about to see how people here feel. I think people in the countryside feel less included than ever before in politics and it is our intention to change this in the future.”

Today, ahead of the budget speech on Wednesday 21st March, the Welsh Lib Dems urged the Chancellor to cut national income tax for Wales’ poorest and for hard working Welsh families, fund the cuts by rises in green taxes, and to bring forward proposals that would pave the way for an unprecedented Green Investment Programme for Wales. Lembit Öpik, Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats and MP for Montgomeryshire said:

“Gordon Brown’s budget on Wednesday will probably be his last as Chancellor. He should use this final opportunity to put forward a green and fair budget. This means delivering tax cuts for hard working people in Wales, boosting green taxes to pay for it and substantially investing in the green economy in Wales.

“It is a travesty that green taxes have actually reduced relative to the national income under this Labour Government. When Gordon Brown has introduced green taxes, he has given them a bad name by failing to guarantee that the revenue would be handed back in tax cuts elsewhere.

"Without raising the overall amount of tax raised, the ‘green tax switch’ we propose would deliver lower tax bills for most households in Wales, tackle inequality and environmental damage.

“But as we’ve always said, green taxes alone won’t be enough. We need to invest in the green economy. the Welsh Liberal Democrats are calling for a bold and ambitious set of green investment proposals that really drives forward green enterprise, innovation and development in our country.

“With the right financial and political commitment, Wales can be the European capital of the rapidly expanding green economy."

The Welsh Liberal Democrats proposals would -

Wales has 180,000 pensioner couples. A typical pensioner couple in Wales would save around £1,600 a year through the proposals including scrapping council tax1
Save a typical double-earning couple in Wales around £1,500 a year through measures including a 2p cut in the basic rate of income tax2
Lift over 100,000 people on low incomes in Wales out of income tax completely by reducing the 10p tax rate to zero
Take 65,000 people out of the top rate of income tax by raising the threshold to £50,000 p.a.

Roger Williams, Welsh Liberal Democrat MP for Brecon & Radnorshire, added:

"The current system of taxation is not fair. The poorest 20% of households pay a bigger share of their income in tax than the richest 20%. Wealth inequality has actually risen since Labour came to power.

"These Liberal Democrat proposals will make the tax system fairer for those on low and middle incomes. This will particularly benefit those in Wales who are currently facing difficult financial situations.

“A typical Welsh pensioner couple would see their income tax bill cut by £1600 and over 100,000 of Wales poorest would pay no income tax whatsoever.

"The majority of these tax cuts for will be paid for by the wealthy and those with environmentally damaging lifestyles through sensible green taxes. This includes a tax on polluting aircraft, not on their passengers and increasing the cost of polluting carbon every year by reforming the climate change levy.

“It’s time for Brown to go green. And by doing so he can cut income tax bills for hard-working people right across Wales.”

Welsh Liberal Democrat Spokesperson on Social Justice, Mick Bates AM, today accused First Minister Rhodri Morgan AM of completely missing the point on affordable housing.

The First Minister was responding to questions on Labour′s plans for affordable housing in the Assembly today.

Mick Bates said: “When it comes to providing affordable homes the key issue is the price of the land.

"That′s why I have consistently pressed the Minister to release government land to ensure we can provide affordable homes, not just for this generation, but for generations to come.

"The Assembly Minister for Planning, Carwyn Jones AM, has spoken about his intention to release government land for this purpose for the best part of 3 years. Yet, by failing to release a single square inch of government land he is simply confirming that, for all his warm words, this has not been backed up by action.

"The onus has in fact been passed to local authorities and I congratulate Powys County Council for taking a lead where the Labour Assembly Government has failed by releasing its own land for affordable houses to be constructed rural areas such as Castle Caereinon."

Notes⁄Nodiadau:

At the forthcoming Welsh General Election Welsh Liberal Democrat housing policies will include:

Pledge to work with local planning authorities to identify sites for affordable housing and improve the supply of land by picking out suitable sites for affordable housing owned by the Assembly Government across the country. Wherever possible these would be brownfield sites in line with our commitment to making Wales a greener country.

Promote the development of Community Land Trusts in both Rural and Urban parts of Wales. We will examine the need for a dedicated division in the WAG housing department to support and promote Community Land Trusts.

Give local authorities the power to suspend the Right-to-buy. We would expect this to happen initially in areas where the affordable housing crisis is at its worst, and for a specified period of time. Where local authorities are reluctant to do this, we would encourage the withdrawal of discounts on the Right-to-buy to allow local authorities to impose local occupancy conditions on sales as well consideration of buying back when the properties are offered for sale.

Eleanor Burnham AM today responded to a statement from Enterprise Minister Andrew Davies on the loss of 175 jobs from Alfred McAlpine PLC, the parent company of three individual slate quarries in Gwynedd.

Jobs will be lost from the Cwt y Bugail quarry in Blaenau Ffestiniog, the Penrhyn quarry in Bethesda and at another quarry in Ffestiniog.

Speaking as the Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for North Wales, Ms Burnham said: “Our sympathy goes out to those families and individuals who will be severely affected by these job losses.

“I welcome the Minister’s assurances that his officials will be in close contact with those affected by the losses, and would urge him to support schemes for retraining and re-employment for those who are now in need of new jobs.

“I am pleased to hear that the Minister has been in close contact with the companies involved in these cuts. What we need the government to do now is ensure that the long term future of the slate industry in Gwynedd is secure, as there are another 250 jobs still left in the county.

“I would have thought that the government’s feasibility report into upgrading the Conwy Valley rail line should now be considered as a matter of urgency considering the possible boost in business for the industry this could bring to the area.

“I was also pleased to hear the Minister say that there is a possibility of using Freight Facilities Grants for supporting the transportation links around this industry, particularly if this means bolstering the rail infrastructure of the region.

“However, it is vital that the continuing work on the A470 in the area should not be used as a get out clause by the government in this situation. If at all possible we should be seriously looking at transporting freight and slate waste by rail, rather than by road, if we are to see truly sustainable industry throughout Wales.”

Today, Lembit Öpik, Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrat’s and MP for Montgomeryshire, called for the Chancellor’s budget on Wednesday to pave the way for an unprecedented Green Investment Programme for Wales. Commenting, Lembit said:

“The Chancellor has been making loud noises over how green this budget will be. I hope he lives up to his claims. This budget should pave the way for an unprecedented Green Investment Programme in Wales.

“Wales is in a unique position. We have a wealth of expertise in the green industries research groups and organizations, a range of renewables that is richer and more diverse than almost any other country and a strong desire amongst the people of Wales to make their lives truly sustainable.

“With such impressive green credentials, the natural future for this country is as a leader of the green revolution, just as our future used to be leading the industrial revolution. We should be looking at a prosperous future built around green jobs, green enterprise and green R&D.

“But to make this ambition a reality, we need substantial investment now. The Energy Technology Institute is offering £1 billion of public-private money. This is a golden opportunity for Wales and I will be working hard to try to see as much of this money come to the country as possible.

“But the chancellor needs to do much, much more. We need substantial grants to help Welsh farmers grow energy crops and become the Welsh energy providers of the 21st Century.

“We need guaranteed prices for people wanting to generate their own renewable electricity and sell it back to the national grid. It works in Germany, why not in Wales?

“We need new money for the deployment of new marine technologies off the coast of Wales, for the development of new Welsh green technologies and for cutting edge green research in Welsh institutions.

“Over the next few years, there needs to be literally billions of pounds of green investment money put forward by the Government.

“I do not want to see Wales fall further behind other countries in the green revolution because the politicians cannot get their act in gear. If we act now, Wales can be the European capital of the green economy. We must kick start the green revolution in Wales today for a prosperous Wales tomorrow.”

This week rumor is rife that the Chancellor is about to double car tax on 4x4s. This could see farmers paying over £400 per year just to tax the vehicles they need to carry out their livelihoods. Welsh Liberal Democrat candidate for the Assembly, Mark Young is calling for the Chancellor to “show some heart” for farmers as well as for all people who live in rural communities and who need 4x4s.

Whilst he understands that we all have got to get greener, Marks point is that it is not acceptable to impose taxes like this without there being alternatives available like biofuels or more fuel efficient 4x4s in North Wales. He is calling for the chancellor to allow one 4x4 to be taxed at today’s rate per rural household, so that farmers and people who rely on vehicles with and off road capability to get around can avoid the penalty.

“It’s not just cruel to farmers” Mark said, “many people in remote parts of North Wales need 4x4s to get around. At today’s prices the increase will cost the average farmer the equivalent of 6 lambs at market” he said

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Notes:

1)      Increase based on change from £210 to £420 as depicted on BBC news at 6pm 19^th March 2007

2)      6 lambs calculated using market price of £35 per finished lamb

Commenting on new figures from Ros Altman, former Government pensions adviser, on the real cost of compensating almost 1,000 ASW workers and over 100,000 others who have lost their pensions,  Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly candidate for the Vale of Clwyd, slammed the Government for scaremongering.

Young said:

“The Department of Work and Pensions wastes £700 million a year in overpaid benefits and pensions. That’s a massive 16 times more than it would cost to compensate ASW workers and over 100,000 others for their lost pensions.

“Over the next 5 years, it would cost just £45m a year to give people pensions justice. This is less than 1% of the Department’s total budget which is a huge £120bn. And yet the Government tells us that it would be an unmanageable burden on the taxpayer to give people pensions justice.

“This is absolute rubbish. The Government is still deliberately trying scaremonger people out of sympathy for ASW workers and others who are still suffering from this whole sordid saga.

“The Government must accept the views of Parliament, the Ombudsman, the European Court of Justice and the High Court. This means making provision in the Pensions Bill, currently going through Parliament, to ensure that people are finally given the pensions justice they have deserved all along.”