Culture, Heritage & The Welsh Language
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Natural Plaid territory once more, you would think. However, the manifestos threw up a few surprises this time, perhaps from a unlikely quarter.
The Conservative manifesto pledges in this section are excellent. The cynic in me believes that they are desperately trying to prove they are really, really Welsh, perhaps with good reason. The pledges are not only ambitious, but specific. They want to target specific events to Wales - including the Champions League final - commit themselves to a St. David’s Day national holiday and the creation of a "national archive". Rebranding Wales as a "World-class tourist destination" is one of those pie-in-the-sky, feel-good, promises once again. The creation of a Welsh language "charter mark" is a good idea, though something similar has bee tried before in "Iaith Gwaith". One of the most ambitious pledges, perhaps in any of the manifestos, I've left off. The Conservatives want 1 million Welsh speakers by 2031 and 1.5million by 2051. I think that's completely impossible. The ambition and vision though would get an A+ from me.
In fairness this was never going to be one of Labour's strong hands, but they hold their own. Committing to free swimming lessons is fine as we try to combat obesity, but it's not really eye catching. Likewise there are glib pledges to "maintain Welsh as a living language" and "build on the importance of creative industries". We all want that. Tell us how you'll do it! Promoting Wales for sporting events is welcome. Labour have mentioned a bid for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, which is as good as it gets in terms of attracting a "big event", so that gets a thumbs up, though I do foresee difficulties in delivering it. Their most interesting pledge is to "ensure UK broadcasters make a fair share of their programmes in Wales". I like the sentiment. However, I think it's right to assume that without broadcasting devolution, Labour could never deliver it.
The Lib Dems continue their "empowerment" theme with ensuring a "rights based" approach to Welsh. That's all well and good, and welcome of course, but some of the more militant Welsh language activists could take that to mean something more than it is. The rest of their pledges however, are a little bland. More "pledges of support" for grassroots sport, the Arts Council and for UNESCO bids but it's all a little bit "meh". I'm not sure how they can ensure editorial independence for S4C without the political powers to back it up.
Plaid join the Conservatives in wanting Wales to be a "World-class tourist destination". Again it's pretty vacant, albeit welcome. When Plaid want a living Welsh language, you know they mean it. An innovation fund and "increasing the provision of Welsh language services" would help things, even if it is going to get the militant monoglots foaming at the mouth about "spending £10trillion of taxpayers money on Cymraegification". If it gave such people a stroke or two, it wouldn't bother me that much. A "Festival of Wales" is mooted modelled on Scotland's recent "homecoming", but we effectively have that annually with the Eisteddfod. Their meatiest pledge is to devolve broadcasting. I think they might be able to go someway towards that, especially if it happens in Scotland. I don't think devolving it is going to solve the problem of a weak Welsh media though.
Overall, the Conservatives have a vision and have spelled it out as clearly as possible. This is also natural territory for Plaid and I think both probably have the best interests and best pledges regarding Welsh culture this time around.
Social Justice
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"Social Justice" is an area that's as reliant on success all the other policy areas as it is on specific attention paid to itself. Of course, the big player in social justice – welfare- is a reserved matter for Westminster. That doesn't mean the Assembly can't have an impact.
Three of the parties; Conservatives, Labour and Plaid commit themselves to eliminating child poverty by 2020. Laudable, ambitious, but foolish. It ain't gonna happen guys. Set targets by all means, but keep them realistic or it'll bite you on the bum. Some of the poverty issues in parts of Wales are entrenched, and won't be solved by the Assembly alone under it's current remit.
The Conservatives "Big Society" comes into play a bit more here, but it's not convincing. Protecting free bus passes and prescriptions for older people is playing to the gallery really. Nobody can really argue against some sort of concession scheme for the Armed Forces either considering how badly led down they have been by New Labour in Westminster, despite expecting to fight on several fronts. Establishing a "right to respite" for carer's is interesting and would certainly be welcomed with open arms. Carers do a fantastic job and are unsung heroes.
Labour have some interesting ideas. Gender quotas for public appointments for example. Didn't they get their fingers burned the last time they tried that? Don't they ever learn? I don't have an issue with their commitment towards children's rights, proposing a new "Children's Act". Huw Lewis's work in this area has been good, despite the issues with Huw Lewis himself. Providing more "advice and support" is laudable, but it's never really that effective is it? You see help centres set up everywhere but things never really improve, other than the unemployment figures and the profits for leaflet printer companies. Funding an extra 500 PCSO's? Ah, "bobbies on the beat". 500.....so that's about an extra 20-odd per local authority. 500 full police officers might make a difference, but as is becoming depressingly familiar, Welsh Labour don't like responsibility. No mention of devolving policing. It's effectively a subsidy to Westminster from Cardiff Bay.
The Lib Dems have a relatively strong set of pledges. They've avoided the mistake of including the 2020 poverty pledge. Domestic abuse training would make a difference, but is more administrative than pledge worthy. Ensuring children get financial literacy lessons is good and overdue, likewise extending the duty of care to age 21 and increasing the Children's Commissioner powers. Creating a "National Substance Abuse taskforce" though is, like Labour's well-intentioned "providing more support" pledges, better news for printer cartridge companies than those who care about social justice.
Plaid have focussed a lot on children this election and have fallen into the 2020 trap. Like Labour, they want to protect "Flying Start" and improve childcare overall. Childcare is something that needs to be tackled to address inactivity in the Valleys for instance. Wanting a new law on substance misuse treatment access is very topical, as we hear how drug addicts in disability benefit trial areas of England are being transferred to the dole - without any improved access to treatment. Only Plaid and the Lib Dems make any mention of devolving criminal justice, to their credit.
On balance, this should be natural Labour territory, but their lack of imagination leads me to conclude that in their manifesto overall, they are trying to under-promise and over-deliver. They have an OK record in this area - why so shy? The Lib Dems have taken this from them, perhaps for the simple reason of wanting some devolution of criminal justice (which is inevitable down the line despite what Labour may appear to want). Being in a position in Westminster to deliver that is also an advantage.
Local Government, Regeneration & Planning
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Local Government is one of those unglamorous areas, along with regeneration and planning, that never really get the attention it requires, but can make a huge impact on peoples lives. None of the parties seem to have really got down to the dirty business of reducing the number of local authorities in Wales, although they want varying levels of reforms in how they do business.
The Conservatives wheel out the "big society" once again. They're going for the NIMBY vote, with pledges to improve community involvement in how their area is run, strengthening the role of community councils in planning decisions and a "Community Involvement Bill". Sometimes, unpopular planning decisions have to be passed for the greater good - no matter how much is hurts. Some of the Conservative measures would be a backward step in my view. I like the idea of directly elected mayors, though I don't think it should be confined to 4 local authorities. It isn't really a Welsh thing to have clear executive responsibility, we prefer to do things in committees, which is part of the problem.
Labour focus on regeneration. Wanting to promote mixed use development is fine, but that....um already happens. It's no surprise that Labour don't want to fiddle too much in local government, and the rather dull "review of scrutiny" pledge is the height of their ambitions there. Cancelling a council tax re-evaluation is easy enough, but it's not radical enough. "Tidy Towns" is a good enough scheme, and it can and does make a difference, but again it's "meh". Labour's best pledge is £1.2billion towards improving housing standards across Wales. Ambitious, but deliverable? I'm not sure. It might be too little too late.
Lib Dem's campaign to cut red tape continues, but I don't see what cutting local government regulations will achieve really, there are more fundamental problems. Like the Tories they want to "empower communities" but it's a double-edged sword, especially if these "empowered communities" decide to use their power to block Lib Dem community energy generation. Their other pledges are better, STV for local elections and allowing councils to raise finance against future tax revenue are bright, new policies. The Lib Dems also have a commitment to dealing with houses of multiple occupation (HMO's), which, to be honest, blight some of our seaside towns - especially in north Wales.
I'm not sure if Plaid's pledge regarding "greater collaboration" between local authorities does in fact read "reconfiguration of local authorities", if so, it's a better pledge than it first appears to be. Reforming Communities First is needed of course, but there have been rumblings of such for a while and nobody seems to have the will to do it. Overhauling the planning system to favour community energy generation makes far more sense than "NIMBY charters". The 200% Council Tax on second homes would be welcomed in Y Fro I'm sure. "Rent now buy later" for first time buyers is certainly novel and innovative, but similar schemes - like shared ownership - have tried and failed largely.
The Lib Dems have the edge over Plaid , by pledging quite clearly to do something about how councillors are elected by bringing in STV. I think they got the balance right between empowering communities and keeping a sense of scale. The only thing that I regret is missing is a much needed local government reconfiguration.
The final part tomorrow looks at five key pledges from each of the minor parties standing in May's election.
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