PM hits out at Labour health record
THE Prime Minister yesterday criticised Welsh Labour’s record on health in Wales, during a whistle-stop visit to Wales.
Boris Johnson was on the campaign trail in Barry ahead of Thursday’s Senedd election.
During the trip, he said that Welsh Labour “in some ways aren’t delivering as much as they could”, citing health.
Keen to avoid criticising health workers or the NHS, he added: “I may feel that Welsh Labour is stuffing it up completely, sometimes they are, but I’m not going to go around knocking the Welsh NHS.”
His comments come at a time that Wales has the lowest coronavirus infection rate in the UK.
His visit took place as Covid-19 restrictions were further eased across Wales. Gyms, leisure centres and swimming pools reopened, while organised children’s indoor activities and indoor adult fitness classes also resumed.
PRIME Minister Boris Johnson has criticised the Welsh Government’s record on health – despite Wales having the lowest coronavirus infection rate in the UK and the third-best vaccine rollout in the world proportionally.
During a whistle-stop visit to the Vale of Glamorgan yesterday ahead of Thursday’s Senedd election, the Prime Minister said that Welsh Labour “in some ways aren’t delivering as much as they could”, citing health, as he refused to be drawn on whether ongoing sleaze allegations could affect his party’s hopes in the polls.
The Welsh Conservatives have seen a recent surge in support, with latest polls putting them second behind Labour.
The PM met Conservative Senedd candidate Matt Smith in Barry at his campaign office during the visit on a rain-soaked bank holiday.
The Vale of Glamorgan seat has been held by Labour’s Jane Hutt since 1999, but Mr Johnson’s visit suggests confidence of a victory for the party in the constituency.
Asked whether he thought allegations of sleaze linked to his party, including questions over the financing of redecorating his Downing Street flat and the awarding of contracts during the pandemic, could damage the Welsh Conservatives, the Prime Minister said that was a matter for his opponents.
“Let our opponents focus on that kind of thing if that’s really what they want to do,” he said.
“I think the people of this country want to think about the big issues that face us as we go forward through what has been an absolutely terrible pandemic in this country and around the world. I think the big issues for us now are continuing down the road map, continuing with the vaccine rollout.”
Asked if he was a risk to turning potential Tory voters in Wales off the party, he reiterated: “It’s up to others if they want to focus on that stuff.
“We, as the government, are focusing on what I think are the issues for the people of this country.
“For me I think Welsh Conservatives have a great agenda. I think as someone who loves Wales and who has campaigned in Wales for a long time I think this is a good plan.
“The jobs ambition is right and good. I think the transport stuff is great and we in central government want to work to deliver that. I think the ambitions for health and education are completely right.
“It’s difficult if you’re Prime Minister of a country – it’s always difficult to be critical of any part of a service around the United Kingdom because I’m proud of every hospital and every school and everything that’s happening, but of course I would say Welsh Labour in some ways aren’t delivering as much as they could.
“I don’t think they’re succeeding as well as they could in health, to be perfectly frank.
“That’s no criticism of health workers in Wales – I just think there’s a lack of proper leadership from the top and I think it would be great to have strong Conservative presence in the Senedd on May 6.”
Asked about Mark Drakeford calling his plan to lift all coronavirus restrictions by June 21 “fanciful”, the Prime Minister said: “I’m the PM for the whole thing. I may feel that Welsh Labour is stuffing it up completely, sometimes they are, but I’m not going to go around knocking the Welsh NHS.
“I think actually when you look at the way Mark has worked with central government and look at the way we’ve proceeded overwhelmingly we have much more in common than we don’t.”
Asked about Mr Drakeford polling higher in terms of popularity than him in the latest YouGov/Cardiff University/ITV Wales poll, Mr Johnson said: “I think what matters to people on May 6 is what is the vision for the future, what are we going to do.”
When the question was repeated, he said: “It’s about what Welsh Conservatives are going to deliver”.
When it was repeated and the