Guardian: “Lib Dems’ illusions are gone. Now they need imagination.”

Whilst I mostly agree with what this Guardian article says, the suggested practice – if it can be called that – of leaving the Coalition and calling another election will help no-one. Labour are by a long shot not ready for another election, the Lib Dems would be in too deep to fight another election (unable to clearly differentiate between us and ‘them’ – may be the unpopular opinion, but that’s how I see it) and the cuts are too fresh in everybody’s minds and still on going for the Tories to gain all that many votes.

We’ve proved that Coalitions work, that we can work in government, and we’ve tackled the deficit head on – but just as the article says we need to push Lib Dem values, speak out for Lib Dem accomplishments, respond to reports on inflation, unemployment, and rising prison levels. Silence helps no one.

“But at present neither Labour nor the Lib Dems show enough signs of grasping how much the future of British politics depends on their both having the imagination to rise above their current divisions.” – However, if we’d wanted to work with Labour, we’d have gone into Coalition with Labour in May, rather than the Tories.

Labour-Plaid Four Years on.

As Labour and Plaid approach the end of their joint administration in the Assembly, we should take a good look at our four years on.

Wales has a weak economy, under-funded schools, and an NHS that costs more but delivers poorer outcomes than the NHS in England. This is terribly disappointing for all of us in Wales. Admittedly, this isn’t a ‘Welsh situation’ and isn’t isolated to us here in Wales, Britain as a whole is faced with the same situation – but our situation is worse again.

The Assembly Government has spent more money on economic development than any other part of the UK, but Wales is the poorest part of the UK, and is getting increasingly poorer. The next Assembly Government must take much more care over how it spends money, targeting those areas that have been left to slip behind. Huge sums have been spent, of Welsh and EU money, but the outcomes do not reflect exactly how much money has been spent.

For the first time, the results from Welsh schools have fallen behind those of England. Many will blame individual schools, but that’s not the case: schools receive £600 less per pupil than schools in England. As for the NHS in Wales, there is more money allocated per person than the NHS in England, but we in Wales have longer waiting times.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats believe that Wales can do better. Our costed election manifesto will focus on the Welsh economy, health service and education. We believe that the people of Wales deserve a world class health service and education system, underpinned by a strong Welsh economy. We shall be campaigning to put these issues right in the forthcoming Assembly election.

Yours sincerely, Rhys Taylor, Liberal Democrat Assembly candidate for Ynys Mon.