HUGE “OWN GOAL” FROM RATTLED TORIES AS THEY EXPOSE THEIR OWN CUTS AGENDA
That was the headline as Welsh Labour hit back at the Tories after their spectacular own goal!
In a press release issued by Tory David Jones he suggested I had made “serious inaccurate claims” about Conservative party policy.
Welsh Labour stands by the claims and we have justified each and every single one of them.
The Tories are clearly rattled to be reacting like this, so I thought I should set out the facts so you can check for yourself.
TORY POLICIES REVEALED
- Labour Claim: Conservatives would cut child tax credits
- Justification: The Conservatives claim they could save up to £2 billion over the next parliament by slashing the number of families receiving Child Tax Credits.
- http://bit.ly/a01L5G
- Labour Claim: Conservatives would cut free bus passes
- Justification: The Conservative Assembly Group Transport spokesman David Melding has said he would like to see the scheme restricted to off peak times only - and the Conservative Party-controlled Local Government Association want the passes means tested.
- http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/wales_politics/8184100.stm
- Labour Claim: Conservatives would cut free prescriptions
- Justification: “Welsh Conservatives recognise this policy is unsustainable in the long term and with the reintroduction of charging for some, is prioritising the health budget.” Welsh Conservative press release, June 16 2009
- Labour Claim: Conservatives would cut child trust funds
- Justification: The Tories would scrap Child Trust Funds for families earning just over £16,000; the Child Trust Fund is a savings account for children, aimed at ensuring that children have some money behind them to start their adult life.
- Labour Claim: Conservatives would cut maternity and paternity leave
- Justification: Despite their family-friendly rhetoric, the Tories opposed more flexible working. David Cameron voted against longer paid maternity leave, paternity leave and flexible working [Hansard, Employment Bill, 27 November 2001, Division No 88; 12 February 2002, Division No 167]. In an interview in the Sunday Times, David Cameron said: “The suggestion for the massive extension of paternity leave owes a bit more to political correctness than the realities of life. It could be very disruptive, particularly to small business.”
- Labour Claim: Conservatives would cut broadband investment
- Justification: The government was forced to abandon its plans in the wash-up for a 50p phone tax to ensure all parts of the country get super-fast broadband. The levy was among three taxes in the Finance Bill as a key part of Labour's strategy to build a digital economy. Ministers were trying to push through the proposals but during the “wash-up” period before Parliament was formally dissolved. The Tories opposition was based on a claim they would raise the money needed through private sector investment. The levy was among three taxes in the Finance Bill to be dropped.
- http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8606639.stm
- Labour Claim: Conservatives would give a £200,000 tax cut to the richest 3,000
- Justification: While stripping all this support away from hard-working families, the Tories have shown where their real priorities lie by committing to an inheritance tax cut which would give £200,000 on average to 3,000 millionaires.
- Labour Claim: Conservatives would let the Minimum Wage wither and die
- Justification: William Hague, now de facto Tory Deputy Leader, called the Minimum Wage “the height of reckless irresponsibility”, and a group of Tory backbenchers have already proposed to let employers opt out
- http://www.gopetition.co.uk/online/26786.html and
- http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/feb/12/conservatives-minimum-wage
- Labour Claim: Conservatives would get rid of free nursery care
- Justification: Tory shadow ministers have assured nursery providers they will be allowed to charge top up fees
- http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/apr/25/conservatives-charge-nursery-places