Since the general election, the only part of the country where Labour is in power is Wales. Here, Carwyn Jones, the Labour First Minister, leads a coalition government of Labour and Plaid Cymru Assembly Members. In consequence, the policies of the Welsh Assembly government are profoundly different from those of the Conservative-Liberal Democrat administration in Westminster.
From the creation of the Welsh Assembly in 1999 until this year’s general election, there was a difference of emphasis between the Assembly’s agenda and that of New Labour in London. Rhodri Morgan, First Minister for much of this period, coined the phrase “clear red water” to describe the distinctive approach of Cardiff Bay compared with London. It was in the devolved areas of health and education that those policy divergences were most noticeable.
If such an approach was at variance with aspects of New Labour, it is in stark contradistinction to the Con-Dem Government’s agenda. The fundamentally different philosophies of the two administrations were shown very clearly in July.
Assembly finance minister Jane Hutt made a clear statement about protecting the Assembly’s capital programme for this year. She said: “We will not be following the recent example of the UK Government in cancelling major capital projects, because this would be damaging to jobs and services as well as economic recovery. Cutting such spending could jeopardise the recovery.”
Jane Hutt’s statement was made at the same time as the House of Commons was debating the committee stage of the British Government’s Finance Bill. Given that this Bill was about giving parliamentary approval to the emergency Budget, there could not have been a clearer example of the very real divergence between Cardiff and London.
As the Con-Dem Government embarks on its systematic attempt to undermine the National Health Service in England through creeping privatisation and England’s education system through the Academies Bill and the depletion of resources, the Welsh Assembly government is determined to press ahead with progressive policies in both areas.
In essence, policies in Wales are underpinned by a number of key principles. The Welsh Assembly government refuses to embrace crude market mechanisms and wasteful competition. It places a strong emphasis on collective improvement for all rather than choice for a few. It reinforces partnerships with the trade unions and local government, while introducing change and modernisation through co-operation and consensus between stakeholders.
This means that Wales is continuing to invest in quality healthcare and has ended
the contracting out of hospital cleaning services. Waiting times have been reduced dramatically and “market mechanisms” have been largely eliminated in the commissioning of services. At the same time, the administration of the health service in Wales has been streamlined.
Genuine progress also continues to be made in education in Wales. The 14-19 Learning Pathways Programme, the Early Years Foundation Phase and the constant reinforcement of truly comprehensive education is providing improvements in non-vocational as well as vocational attainment. We see, too, an emphasis on lifelong learning to help improve opportunities for people at all stages of their life.
Importantly, the recent Con-Dem initiatives in health and education will not apply to or be implemented in Wales.
In Wales, equality of opportunity is an absolutely central principal underpinning its education policy. Similarly, in the country of Aneurin Bevan’s birth, the philosophy of a health service free at the point of use is alive and well. In both health and education, the Welsh example stands in proud and stark contrast to the regressive policies of the Government of David Cameron and Nick Clegg.
Next March will see a referendum on legislative powers for the Welsh Assembly. This will be followed by elections to it. A “yes” vote in the referendum will allow the Assembly to develop its policies further without recourse to the Westminster Parliament. Such a move is a natural and desirable development of democratic devolution. To achieve a “yes” vote, Labour MPs and AMs will have to campaign together.
The Assembly election in May provides the opportunity for the election of a majority Labour administration. Even though the top-up proportional representation system makes it difficult for Labour to secure a majority, it is nevertheless more than possible for the party to win more than half the seats. This would be good for the people of Wales and send a powerful message to the rest of the United Kingdom. Labour is fighting back and Wales is playing a pivotal role.
Wayne David is Labour MP for Caerphilly
