The National Assembly Elections Explained
The Welsh Assembly Elections mark the first time that all the major parties have come face to face after the General Election last year. This saw the Conservatives swoop to victory and gain a majority government.
What a difference a year makes.
Westminster politics have left the parties divided and global controversy has changed the way we view international politics. We look at the major parties, their policies and the challenges they face in the run up to the Assembly elections in May.
Need to Know
The National Assembly for Wales is made up of 60 elected Assembly members. They represent the people of Wales and make key decisions in areas such as rural and economic development, education and culture, and public services including emergency services, social services and healthcare. The elections are held every five years and the next election is on Thursday 5th May.
A major issue facing all the parties is the number of local authorities; every party faces the problem of having to do more with less. One way to achieve this would be through merging the local authorities, from the current 22 to eight.
Labour have suggested that this would be an effective way to reduce the cost of politics but could endanger the voice of local communities. UKIP maintained that new councils should be created in response to community views. The Liberal Democrats maintained that “lines on the map shouldn’t be drawn by politicians”. The Conservatives said voluntary mergers would be allowed but only if it was backed by a referendum. Plaid Cymru wants to create six regional combined authorities led by elected mayors who would give an overview to existing councils. This approach would use economies of scale alongside local knowledge and accountability.
Plaid Cymru
Plaid Cymru hope to abolish the Severn bridge toll for those living in Wales to establish Wales’ position as an independent nation, both politically and geographically. However, after nearly 50 years of existence, Plaid Cymru has still yet to hold a majority.
Leader Leanne Wood wants to recognise Wales’ independence as a ‘political nation’ therefore, the manifesto focuses on innovation to create jobs and improve health services.
They have promised to redirect £1bn of the budget to fund policies such as free social care for the elderly and reducing hospital waiting times.
They plan to streamline the NHS but any money saved would be invested back into recruiting over 6,000 new doctors and nurses.
They have suggested that they would raise Welsh tuition fees to £5,190 a year but would grant students who came back to work in Wales after graduation could claim back up to £18,000. Furthermore, they have had their manifesto independently evaluated by Cardiff Metropolitan University.
The party have found it difficult to make permanent changes in the political landscape. Despite trying to combat the strongholds of Labour in the Valleys, when they succeed, it seems to be only temporary. Their plans seem robust and achievable with the current budget but they will still have a difficult time trying to convince their skeptics.
Welsh Liberal Democrats
In the past few years, the Liberal Democrats have made progress in the Assembly by providing extra money for schools and saving money on healthcare through adjusting staffing levels at hospitals.
This election, they have promised to build on the work they have already achieved in the education sector. Over the next five years, they aim to reduce class sizes and create 140,000 extra apprenticeships. They also want to build new houses to encourage further movement in the housing market.
The Liberal Democrats faced major losses in the last General Election. They seem to have lost the confidence and support of the youth voters so they are focusing their attention back oneducation. Only time will tell if they have won back the swing young vote.
Welsh Conservatives
The general election saw the Conservatives sail to victory making crucial gains in areas like Gower. However, the climate of this election varies greatly to that of a year ago. The party are split over the EU, their leader faces controversy and criticism over the Panama papers, and the latest budget has left many resenting the party who now seem disengaged with the majority of their voters.
In Wales, their main vote winner is promising to freeze council tax for five years despite the tax for the average house being £156 less than in England. They would be able to freeze the tax by making cuts in student support. Instead of subsidising a £9,000 annual fee for university, they would instead help with rent. However, this policy may leave the young worse off. They have, however, promised to provide 100,000 new apprenticeships over the next five years.
UKIP Wales
They have emerged as a viable party over the past decade and have representation in both Westminster and Europe. Yet, the latest election saw their leader lose his seat in Westminster. Members often resign, the party itself in is financial trouble, membership is down and many major funders have now distanced themselves from the party.
However, they do have a plan for Wales. They now back devolution and are a powerful voice in Europe, which may be advantageous when dealing with the current issues with the Welsh steel industry. Furthermore, due to the proportional representation system used in the Assembly, the party have a good chance of gaining some headway and creating an audible voice in Welsh politics.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sac-SDR7_bQ
Welsh Labour
In the last assembly, Labour held exactly half the seats. In this election, every marginal seat is crucial in Labour regaining the majority. Yet, the General Election indicated that Labour cannot even be sure of their traditionally ‘safe’ seats as they faced major losses in Wales, which is traditionally their stronghold.
Rather than relying on their victories in Welsh public services over the past decade, they are instead promising new ideas and strategies to improve schools, hospitals and other publicly run services.
The cost of care homes is also a big issue for the Assembly; Labour are trying to tempt older voters by raising the personal asset limit from £24,000 to £50,000 before having to pay to go into a care home.
Carwyn Jones hopes to lead the Labour party to victory but he leads a party divided under Jeremy Corbyn. The policies that have been announced suggest that they are trying to distance themselves from their leadership of the last 17 years. However, the transformation of the party is met with confrontation at every corner.
The Green Party
Although, they have yet to gain any measurable support in terms of a seat in Wales, on a recent visit to Cardiff, the Green Party MP, Caroline Lucas explained how she wanted to “shake up the Senedd”. She feels like they have a strong chance of getting representation in the Assembly, promising to make radical changes in social and environmental issues. Their policies suggest great reforms such as free university education but some are questioning whether these are only the policies of a party who has nothing to lose.
This election symbolises a time of potential great change for Wales. Smaller budgets have led to creative policies which affect everyone in Wales, so get involved to make your voice heard.
words ELOUISE HOBBS