‘Under Mark Drakeford, rate here in Wales than

In the run-up to next month’s Senedd election, Political editor Ruth Mosalski interviews the leaders of the three main political parties. Today, in the final interview, it is the turn of Welsh Conservatives leader Andrew RT Davies, who, amid a storm aroun

THE Welsh Conservatives are a “noble” and “trustworthy” party which can be trusted, says its leader.

Andrew RT Davies said his party can be trusted, despite a series of scandals in Wales and continuing controversies centred on Westminster leader Boris Johnson.

He said the party’s manifesto – which promises five new hospitals and a M4 relief road with a price tag of £1.6bn are both achievable.

Mr Davies said that his party has budgeted to pay for the relief road outright but will negotiate with the UK Government to contribute.

He said his party has “empowered devolution over the last 10 years or so”.

■ Ruth Mosalski: On the proposed M4 relief road, Labour didn’t do it for two main reasons – environmental but also the cost. Are you being dishonest by telling people you will have £2bn to pay for it when Labour has already said there isn’t that money?

■ Andrew RT Davies: The inquiry that the Labour Party commissioned was built on a manifesto commitment they put forward in 2016, which they’ve broken said it did meet the environmental objectives of the Welsh Government.

So that inquiry, that cost £150m, gave it a clean bill of health on environmental goals.

On economic goals, that inquiry also said it was affordable in terms of cash available.

We know the commitment of the UK Government has given to that specific project.

That commitment about unblocking the Brynglas tunnels and the Vicks inhaler. We know the ability to deliver that if we form a Government.

That’s why we think it’s important to put that front and centre of the campaign to inform the electorate you have a choice.

You have a real choice to make a difference with transport in southeast Wales, and along that south Wales corridor, of getting that built once and for all.

If you spend up to £2bn on one road, as important as it may be to the area, it’s £2bn that isn’t going to be spent elsewhere.

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■ We’re predicating our commitment on the independent public inquiry that looks at all the matters around cost, environmental impact and long-term goals for developing the economy here in Wales in terms of infrastructure.

That’s why we believe we can build this road, along with the UK Government’s commitment to support the building of the road and that’s why we’re being honest with the electorate, unlike Labour in 2016.

They committed to doing it and broke their manifesto promise.

So, you don’t think if you spend £1.6bn on that road that’s going to take £1.6bn from other pots of money?

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■ No. It’s a unique and specific project that the UK Government has stood behind many times, wanting to have a collaborative arrangement with the current First Minister, who has rebutted their attempt at negotiations. We have a commitment from the PM and other senior figures that this project with significant national importance, on a collaborative basis, could be built with the help of the UK Government.

How much are you going to put towards this collaborative project?

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■ That will be a case of negotiating with the UK Government.

What have you done the sums based on?

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■ On the inquiry’s figures which talked about £1.6bn/£1.7bn.

■ So that’s fully out of the Welsh Government’s budget?

■ That’s where the money has to come from. It’s not one hit, it’s over a number of years – don’t forget the entire Welsh budget over the next five years will be more than £100bn, maybe £110bn or £120bn.

We’re talking about a five-year commitment.

I’d love to get it done in a year, but we won’t.

We know that support is there from the UK Government to work with government here in Cardiff Bay, which I hope will be led by the Conservatives. But I would hope people will see the benefit of this project to the whole of the Welsh economy and, in particular, the whole of the south Wales economy.

■ So, you are saying you will pay that £1.6bn out of the Welsh budget, but you would hope to negotiate with the UK Government to get some towards that.

■ “We believe we can do that, yes”.

■ You’ve been sceptical of Wales going its own way with coronavirus, but with Boris Johnson’s alleged comments this week about ‘let the bodies pile up’, do you not think voters will be relieved there is Mark Drakeford at the helm?

■ He denies those comments, but let’s not forget that under Mark Drakeford, Wales has the highest death rate of any country in the UK. That’s hardly keeping Wales safe.

And the highest vaccination rate…

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■ We only have the highest vaccination rate because the UK Government was prompt at getting into the market to secure those vaccination doses and that’s why the UK is in the position it is. But if you look at the DNA of the Welsh Labour Party in the last Welsh Senedd and, in particular the nationalists, they would have signed up for the European vaccination programme and what a disaster that’s been.

But they didn’t.

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■ If they had been allowed to do it, they would have done that.

What we do know is that the UK’s vaccination success is because we were early in the market securing those doses, we got in in time to get those doses out by December and, ultimately, we’ve now been able to reopen the economy and society because nearly 60% of the adult population has had their first dose and