Nick Ramsay, the Shadow Welsh Minister for Finance, has led the chorus of criticism of the Welsh Labour Government’s 2020-2021 budget following the debate today in the Chamber.
The Budget has been described as “… a wasted opportunity”, especially in light of the Welsh Government being given £600 million more this year by the UK Government.
Mr Ramsay said:
“This is an uneventful, unimaginative budget full of missed opportunities, and taxpayers in Wales will rightly question a number of the Welsh Government’s decisions when it comes to investing in the Welsh economy and building a better Wales in the wake of Brexit.
“It won’t surprise the Minister to know that Welsh Conservatives will not be supporting this budget.”
The Shadow Finance Welsh Minister added that the Welsh Labour Government often complains about austerity, noting:
“Devolution means that in many cases, the buck stops here. And what have we seen? Over £100m on a public inquiry on the M4 ‘road to nowhere’, £20m on the defunct Circuit of Wales, and what amounts to basically a blank cheque for Cardiff Airport.”
Mr Ramsay welcomed, however, extra funding for Wales NHS, but noted that A&E waiting times were the worst on record for two months in a row in 2019, and four out of seven health boards are under some form of Welsh Government intervention.
He also said that the Budget does not deliver on the Welsh Government's promises in calling a climate emergency.
“I don't personally think there's anywhere near enough detail here on offering new, innovative thinking when it comes to how the Government will, for instance, meet its target of at least a 95 per cent reduction in greenhouse gases by 2050
“We need to see a budget that drives a vision, that takes the people of Wales with it, that inspires and motivates the people of Wales, because these climate change policy targets are going to be tough. I don't think we should be in any doubt about that, and no Government should enter into these commitments lightly.”
Speaking after the debate, Mr Ramsay said:
“Let’s be clear; people in Wales have been let down by this Labour administration, and this Budget in no way improves the situation for people here.
“No mention of North Wales. No detail on the critical upgrades required for the A55. No action to lower the punitive business rates that are crippling high-street entrepreneurs and SMEs, and helping to harm our town centres.
“The only positive words I really have on this Budget are that at least the Welsh Labour Government did not raise income tax. This is not enough to inspire the ambition we need to drive Wales forward, and to unleash Wales’ potential.”