Labour accused of ‘misleading voters on devolved policy’

Twm Owen Local democracy reporter

The Labor Party has been accused of “misleading” voters in a key constituency in Wales by making promises on issues for which the Welsh Government is responsible.

However, leaflets promising to “cut NHS waiting lists” and recruit new teachers were defended by Monmouthshire candidate Catherine Fookes, who said both issues were among the “most important issues” for voters and were at the heart of her party’s campaign.

Conservative candidate David Davies, who aims to retain the Monmouthshire seat he has represented since 2005, has branded campaign materials “misleading” under challenge from Monmouth County Councilor Ms Fookes.

“Horse”

Mr Davies, Wales Secretary in the UK’s Conservative Government, said: ‘British Labor knows full well that the Welsh Labor Government has controlled our health service, schools and rivers since 1999.

“They are trying to deceive the people of Wales by claiming they can clean up river pollution and reduce NHS waiting lists. It is appalling that they are deliberately misleading the public by claiming they can improve the NHS and other devolved areas when Welsh Labour has failed to do so for 25 years.”

River pollution is a serious issue in Monmouthshire with concerns over the deteriorating quality of the Rivers Usk and Wye.

Former Undertones singer and rivers campaigner Fergal Sharkey, who is behind the Stop the Sh*tshow campaign highlighting water pollution, met Ms Fookes in Monmouth and gave her his support as part of his support for the Labour Party.

During the debate in Abergavenny, the candidates were also asked what they would do to tackle river pollution, with Mr Davies saying the issue was “entirely” a matter for the Welsh Government to address.

He said it should not be a “political football” and acknowledged the Welsh Government was trying to tackle the issue, although he disagreed with some of the approaches, including on pollution in agriculture.

The delegation of powers over water quality, water and sewerage took place in stages, and the provision to delegate some powers to Cardiff was only approved in 2017.

Hope

Plaid Cymru candidate Ioan Bellin told the rally that full sewage powers should still be devolved to Wales.

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the Labour government in Cardiff was dragging its feet on the issue, but added that if Labour formed a UK government next week there would be no room for arguments over responsibility.

Bellin said: “Next week we will have Labour governments on both sides of the border so I hope they stop blaming each other and just get on with cleaning up our rivers.”

Conservative Davies also defended his focus on devolved issues, announcing at the start of the campaign that he would highlight Labor’s achievements in Wales.

He said: “Keir Starmer has stated that Wales and the Welsh Labor Government are “our blueprint for the rest of the UK” so it is right to investigate what they have done to public services in Wales.”

He also said he was “absolutely, very happy to defend” the Tory record over the past 14 years and “the last five years I’ve been a minister”. He said Labour’s attacks on Conservative economic management made no sense because he said European Union countries were struggling with similar problems and claimed the UK had seen a stronger recovery.

“Desperate Try”

Davies, who has held a majority of 9,982 votes since 2019 when the seat did not include areas in the south-west of the county, said: “Anyone with a smartphone or access to a laptop and five minutes to spare can check this out, please don’t take my word for it, check it out for yourself.”

Ms Fookes said health care and education were a “key part” of Labour’s offer to the people of Wales and the UK.

She said: “This is another desperate attempt to distract from 14 years of Tory defeat. Health and education are the two biggest issues people face every day and both are key parts of our offer to the people of Wales and the rest of the UK.

“We can turn the page on the Tory chaos if we have two Labour governments working together, investing in health and education and growing our economy. That’s what change looks like.”