Welsh Election: Conservative Party Makes Economy, Education & Health Key Issues In Manifesto

Source: eGov monitor - A Policy Dialogue Platform
Published Friday, April 15, 2011 - 13:35

Economy is the central piece of the Conservative manifesto for the Welsh Assembly elections along with education and health. The document with a foreword from the Prime Minister David Cameron sets out an ambitious aim to ensure Welsh wealth levels are at 85% of the UK average by 2020 and match 100% by the end of 2030.

The Conservatives want to scrap business rates for small businesses and made it a pledge in the manifesto despite criticisms from the other parties that is unaffordable. The party also pledged to freeze toll on the Severn Bridge for drivers until 2017.

On other economic decisions, the manifesto promises to use the new powers for the Assembly to pass an Enterprise Bill to boost economic growth in Wales.

On education, the party says it would launch a massive public-private school building programme and launch a new "middle phase" for 8-13 years old to bridge attainment gaps.  However, like England it would allow universities to set tuition fees upto £9,000 but that would require approval from the Welsh Assembly Government.

It's decision to ringfence Welsh NHS spending has also been questioned by the other parties and stakeholders. Yet the policy to protect NHS funding remains in the manifesto.

Welsh Tory assembly leader Nick Bourne writes: "Labour has run this proud nation down. "With your help, we can build a brighter, more prosperous Wales in which progress once again comes knocking at every door and communities can thrive," he wrote.

The Prime Minister David Cameron writing in the foreword said that the Conservatives had a "programme for government" and said that the party was a "new voice for Wales".

Recent polls suggest that Labour has a commanding lead in both the constituency as well as in the regional voting polls - however the Tories are polling better than Plaid Cymru and leading the nationalists by 4 points.

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