Politics
Plaid Cymru Demands ‘Fair Funding’ and £4bn from HS2 in Bold Election Manifesto
Plaid Cymru's manifesto centers on a plea for 'fair funding' for Wales
During the unveiling in Cardiff, they called for Wales to be allocated £4 billion from the HS2 project and for a revision of the funding mechanism for Wales.
Wales journalist @TomosGruffydd
Thursday, June 13, 2024, 2:
Plaid Cymru centered their general election manifesto unveiling in Cardiff on Thursday around a plea for "equitable funding."
Scores of supporters convened at the Temple of Peace in Cardiff to listen to leader Rhun ap Iorwerth's speech.
A central promise in Plaid's platform is to obtain £4 billion for Wales from the HS2 initiative.
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Since the UK government categorized this as an England and Wales initiative, Wales was not allocated any funds through the Barnett Formula.
This phrase describes the financial arrangement whereby the Welsh government secures its funding. Essentially, as expenditure on healthcare increases in England, so too does the financial allocation to Wales.
Plaid Cymru, the party pushing for Welsh independence, contends that the HS2 project should not have been categorized as an England and Wales initiative since it does not extend into Wales.
The group states that the extra funds would go towards enhancing public transportation in Wales and restoring reduced local bus services.
Plaid Cymru is advocating for a higher windfall tax and seeks the transfer of Crown Estate powers to Wales.
The appeal was also made for re-entry into the customs union and single market, and for Wales to participate independently in the Eurovision Song Contest.
Mr. ap Iorwerth expressed that there is a "real feeling that this election is unlike any other."
"He mentioned that an unprecedented number of individuals are completely lacking inspiration."
He stated that Plaud Cymru was the sole political group advocating for a revision of the financial allocation system for Wales, proposing to replace the existing Barnett Formula with a model based on financial needs.
He stated that the party's demand for equitable funding is guided not by ideology, but by principles.
Mr. ap Iorwerth called on the upcoming UK government to demonstrate their commitment to Wales.
He expressed his pride in the party's proposal, which he described as beneficial for Wales.
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In a conversation with Sky News following the release of the manifesto, Mr. ap Iorwerth declined to specify a target for the number of seats Plaid hopes to win.
"He emphasized that increasing the number of Plaid Cymru MPs in Westminster is crucial for strengthening Wales' influence, thereby reducing the likelihood of Wales being overlooked," he stated.
The representation of Welsh MPs in Parliament has been reduced from 40 to 32, marking a decrease of 20%. Due to adjustments in constituency boundaries, the estimated seats for Plaid Cymru have been halved from four to two.
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