Carwyn challenges PM to Wales debate
FIRST Minister Carwyn Jones has challenged Prime Minister Theresa May to debate him when she returns to Wales.
The Welsh Labour leader further challenged his counterparts to join him in raising the “level of debate” as the country races towards the June 8 election.
Bridgend AM Mr Jones’ comments come as Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson is under fire for describing UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn as a security threat and not just a “muttonheaded old mugwump”.
Condemning a political culture in which “insults have replaced intellect,” Mr Jones said: “[This] is my appeal as we approach the real start of the General Election campaign – let the political class give the people an election they deserve. Let’s make this election a different sort of election.
“An election based on the issues, not personalities.”
Former UK Labour leader Ed Miliband became a target of derision after he was photographed eating a bacon sandwich. Mr Jones said he wanted a policy-focused election campaign featuring a “little more meat on the bones” and a “little less bacon sandwich”.
His intervention comes days after the Conservative leader visited Wales and pointed to Labour-Plaid Cymru cooperation as an example of how the UK could end up with a “weak and failing Jeremy Corbyn propped up by a coalition of chaos”.
Mr Jones launched a strong defence of working with other parties, saying: “You will know that in Wales, we have long seen cross-party cooperation as a sign of strength and maturity. Sadly, that is being presented by some as a chaotic approach.
“This is just intellectually bankrupt. So, here’s my own challenge to the political class. Grow up a bit. Remember what got you into politics in the first place. And debate the real issues that matter.”
Throwing down the gauntlet, he said: “I hope the Prime Minister – after her visit to Wales this week – will sign up to a similar approach, and I invite her to debate with me on these terms, when she is back in Wales.”
Mr Jones also attacked “short-termism” and scaremongering in modern politics and called for an emphasis on “facts not fear”.
Noting that MPs had voted to abandon the arrangements which would not have seen a general election until 2020, he said: “Short-termism is everywhere. Playing the angles, working the percentages, firing up prejudices – and to hell with the consequences.
“This isn’t a partisan point – it is global. Fear is now the go-to political currency of the day. Insults have replaced intellect – it has to stop.”
He raised particular concerns about the run-up to last year’s Brexit vote, saying: “The Brexit referendum campaign, whichever side you were on, was not a happy episode for our country. A campaign that centred too much on fear versus half-truths is no way for the United Kingdom to advertise our democracy to the world. I make this pledge – and I challenge others to do the same – I want to use the next few weeks to raise the level of debate in this country. The Brexit campaign, and its aftermath has left too many people angry and feeling dispossessed.”
A Conservative spokesman batted away Mr Jones’ challenge to a debate, saying: “This is nonsensical bluster. Carwyn Jones’ party leader, Jeremy Corbyn, debates the Prime Minister at PMQs every week and the choice at the election is clear: strong and stable leadership under Theresa May and her Conservative team, or chaos under weak Jeremy Corbyn, who has taken Welsh voters for granted for too long.”
Mr Jones was due to make his comments in a speech at Wales in London’s spring dinner.