‘Labour too weak to stand up for Wales’ – Leanne
WALES is at a “defining point” in its history but Plaid Cymru can defend the nation, Leanne Wood claimed as she launched her party’s election campaign.
The party is heading into the campaign with the slogan: “Plaid Cymru: Defending Wales.”
Plaid has just three of Wales’ 40 MPs but former leader Ieuan Wyn Jones hopes to stand in the marginal seat of Anglesey.
Ms Wood said: “Defending Wales is at the heart of Plaid Cymru’s campaign in this crucial election. Our nation stands at a defining point in our history. In Westminster, we have an increasingly right-wing Tory party in government, hellbent on pursuing reckless social and economic policies. Meanwhile, the Labour party is too weak and divided to prevent the Conservatives from doing their worst to Wales.”
The South Wales Central AM said a “large team” of Plaid MPs was needed to “defend our nation from further privatisation, more cuts and an ever weaker economy”.
She said: “With the Tories threatening a historic victory, let’s send a historic message to Westminster that our nation will not roll over for the Tories and Wales will not put up with being ignored or neglected.”
The party pledged its MPs would push for a publiclyowned “people’s bank” to replace branch closures.
It claims that four of the biggest names in banking closed 600 branches between April 2015 to April 2016, and that “90% of those closures were in areas where the median household income is below the average of £27,600”.
Mid and West Wales AM Simon Thomas said: “It is vitally important that individuals and businesses in all communities have easy access to financial advice and banking services.
“I am fed up of hearing that customers can choose online banking as this fails to take into account the poor broadband service experienced in many parts of Wales.
“We would push for the creation of a people’s bank, owned by the public.”