‘Sturgeon’s like Trump’ –Tory leader in attack on nationalists
WELSH Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies has compared Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to Donald Trump, claiming that she wants to build a “wall” between her nation and the rest of the UK.
The Conservative conference will take place in Cardiff today as the party prepares for the coming council elections and Theresa May wrestles with the challenges of Brexit negotiations and the SNP’s push for a second independence referendum.
The South Wales Central AM turned his guns on Ms Sturgeon.
Comparing Ms Sturgeon’s aspirations for independence to President Trump’s aspiration to make Mexico pay for a wall along the US border, he said: “I do understand why the media get excited every time Nicola Sturgeon opens up her mouth and she talks about independence but at the end of the day she’s a nationalist and she will talk about independence because that’s why she went into politics...
“In a perverse way, Nicola Sturgeon will be building her own Trump-type wall between England, and between the United Kingdom and the rest of Scotland but it will be the Scottish people who will be paying for that wall if she gets her way and that will be a tragedy for the Scottish people and it will be a tragedy for the United Kingdom if it breaks up.”
Launching an attack on both Labour and Plaid Cymru, he said: “If you look economically at where the country is, can you honestly imagine John McDonnell and Jeremy Corbyn being stewards of the UK and Welsh economy? I think that fills most people with fear...
“And could you honestly say that the Welsh nationalists, Plaid Cymru, and their dream of independence is something that’s going to safeguard your local hospital, your local school? Don’t forget, every time you vote for Plaid Cymru you’re endorsing independence for Wales, you’re endorsing breaking up the United Kingdom.
“That’s what people have got to remember – you’re not voting for some political party that will improve your life. You’ll be voting for a political party in Plaid Cymru who will have a massive detrimental impact on the services you cherish and hold dear.”
Mr Davies, who campaigned for Brexit, also attacked Plaid for its proEU record.
He said: “[You] have the Welsh nationalists, Plaid Cymru, more than happy to cede all power and responsibility over to unelected bureaucrats in Brussels yet when it comes to working within the union of the United Kingdom or the British state as they call it, they hate it with a passion. I just find that very depressing and sometimes I do think they need to come out of their dark room and walk into the sunlight and realise there’s a great opportunity ahead of us within this great union of ours.”
Insisting that the UK union will survive and that Brexit will be good for Britain, he said: “I don’t believe the United Kingdom will break up. I think the United Kingdom will go from strength to strength...
“Ultimately, Brexit offers an opportunity to actually break free of what has shackled us for 40, 45 years – an economic union that was going nowhere – and actually power ahead with a union that has been around for many hundreds of years. And it is the most successful union the world has seen, both culturally, socially and economically.”
Stressing his Welsh and British credentials, he said: “I’m a positive nationalist if you like in the sense that I’m as proud a Welshman as anyone and I’ll fight my corner as a Welshman and as a British citizen.”
Mr Davies looks forward to welcoming Theresa May to Cardiff and describes her as a “very warm lady”. He will be encouraging her to support the Swansea region city deal and the Swansea Bay tidal lagoon.
Insisting he remains an optimist, he said: “Every day, I’m excited and enthused by the day ahead – whether that’s in the field of politics or back home on the family farm or just spending time with the family...
“Ultimately I enjoy every moment of every working day at the moment... As someone who lost their mother at the age of 15, I’ve always thought that life is so precious [and] instead of resenting doing something, you’ve got to appreciate and enjoy doing that thing – whatever it might be...
“You really have got to make the most of what you’re given in life.”
Plaid Cymru Carmarthen East and Dinefwr MP Jonathan Edwards rejected Mr Davies’ attack on his party.
He said: “The biggest threat to Welsh public services is the deliberate strategy pursued by right-wingers like Andrew RT Davies and the Conservative party who are on a deliberate mission to reduce the size of the state.”
Concerned at the prospect of the UK Government negotiating postBrexit trade deals, he said: “The Prime Minister has refused to rule out including public services in those trade deals so what that means of course is opening up our public services to private interests and corporate interests. The reality is, under the extreme Brexit favoured by the leader of the Conservative party, Welsh public services have never been under a greater threat.”