Labour is failing north Wales

Dear Editor

 I was intrigued to see Wrexham’s Labour MP echo Tory calls for a Minister for the North.

His reasoning is that the North has done badly from the past two decades of Labour rule in Cardiff. On that I agree. The same is true of the West of Wales, the Valleys and many other communities across our nation.

What does that say, I wonder, about the Assembly Members from his own party who represent constituencies in the North? Wrexham’s AM is a cabinet secretary. So too is the AM for Clwyd South. Delyn’s AM is also a minister.

If these are failing to stand up for the North, then it’s a damning indictment of his fellow Labour politicians and the 20 years of misrule we’ve endured under that party’s leadership.

I believe all our cabinet secretaries and ministers should be fighting for the best for the North in all their portfolios. Expecting a minister for the North to cover all aspects of Assembly responsibility – from health to education to housing and beyond – is a nonsense and I suspect Mr Lucas knows it. He attempts to deflect the blame from his colleagues with a shiny new job but the truth is that we need a change of government in Cardiff.

 A Plaid Cymru government would be one where all ministers treat all parts of Wales fairly and equally. It would be a government with an economic plan for Wales and a laser-like focus on improving the lives of people in terms of better health, education and housing.

Yours

Llyr Gruffydd AM

Plaid Cymru, North Wales