Thursday 13 July 2017

"Welsh" Labour may have given Plaid an electoral advantage.

Plaid Cymru's view is that because the commitment on lifting the pay cap was made in Labour’s "Welsh manifesto", it should be seen in isolation, with the promise delivered by the Welsh Labour Government, along with the pledge to scrap tuition fees regardless of the fact that no money has been provided by the current Tory UK Government to pay for them.
Since the June election  the Assembly Government  has refused to lift the pay cap and  announced that maximum tuition fees in Wales would rise to £9,295 from Autumn 2018.
What "Welsh" Labour did in June was to seize popular manifesto commitments  which were in essence only for England. as they are devolved issues and convince voters in Wales that this would happen here '
It was  however dependent on a  Labour Government in Westminster keeping to  the devolution settlement that when more money is put into the NHS in England, a proportion is also given to the Welsh Government, which must decide itself how the extra cash should be spent.
Is "Welsh" Labour argument that it can make a manifesto commitment on devolved matters during a UK election depending on Labour winning valid?
Well I suppose so, but given that the DUP have received extra funding, as a result of backing the Tories in a hung Parliament.  What is to stop Plaid issuing a manifesto with a commitment to spending much more money on Devolved issues depending on there being a hung Parliament and a minority Labour Government?
"Welsh" Labour cannot in future deride any wish list of Plaid or any other party in Wales . who make devolved spending a part of a UK election and then saying they can't do it because Westminster will not give them the cash.
Indeed it puts Plaid in a strong position that they can argue that a hung UK parliament where they can play the role of Kingmaker will always be in Wales's interest..
Since "Welsh" Labour MPs are hardly likely to threaten a minority Labour Government  with even abstentions if there not a commitment  to a DUP type bung to Wales , then it looks like the only sensible option for Welsh voters is not to vote for them or any UK Unionist  Parties.





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