What they want from the General Election
and four-year-olds, while Labour says it wants more free child care, more provision for ages two till four and 30 hours free childcare to be extended to two-year-olds and “some” one-year-olds.
Meanwhile Plaid Cymru want free full-time nursery places for all three-year-olds, the Lib Dems want free childcare for all two-year-olds and the Greens want free early education and childcare for all. Childcare is a devolved issue in Wales, so policy is set in Cardiff not London. Grandmother Mrs Ohlsson said she was leaning more towards the Labour Party: “I quite like Jeremy Corbyn, because he’s not an ‘in your face’ politician, he’s not rude, he’s not offensive.” No-one was certain on who they would vote for. Susan Walters, left, was in agreement with Mrs Ohlsson and Pam, saying: “My daughter can’t afford childcare – it’s £39 a day and wages are so low.” The few mothers at the group were concerned with health issues. Holly Morgan, far left, said “I’m a nurse and a mum so a lot of my worries are on the NHS and education.”
She feels the NHS needs more money and to “get rid of the pay cap on nurses, because it’s putting off a lot of people coming into the career. The patients then ultimately are the ones who are suffering”.
Childcare is on her radar too: “It does cost a lot. So a little bit more funding would be nice.”
Ms Morgan found going back to work four days a week and paying for two days of childcare wasn’t working with her salary, so she had to cut down on the time spent in work.
She said: “I’m happy being three days, but didn’t have much of a choice as I don’t really have anyone else to help look after them.”
Lisa Harris was also concerned about healthcare as her daughter has a life-limiting condition: “My main concerns is how they fund experimental drugs and linked to that is Brexit and how the scientific community can continue to work across Europe.”
Lisa feels she is torn between the Lib Dems because they share her anti-Brexit views, or Labour, because she feels they have policies that are “about protecting the vulnerable”.