Speaking in yesterday’s meeting of the Welsh Parliament, North Wales MS Mark Isherwood referred to figures showing that Wales has the lowest prosperity, lowest wages, lowest employment and the highest child poverty in the UK, and pays billions less in tax than it receives from the UK Treasury.
Mr Isherwood made the comments following the Statement by the Minister for Finance and Local Government ‘Response to the UK Government Financial Statement’, emphasising that the Labour Welsh Government “is entirely dependent on the taxpayers of south-east England and the City of London”.
He said:
“I've been a Member for almost 20 years, and throughout that time, I've heard the Welsh Government talk constantly about the amount of money it has to spend but almost never about how that money is earned. In consequence, Wales has the lowest prosperity, lowest wages, lowest employment and the highest child poverty in the UK, and pays billions less in tax than it receives from the Treasury.
“Is it not the case that this begging-bowl Welsh Government is entirely dependent on the taxpayers of south-east England and the City of London?”
Mr Isherwood added:
“Wales remains the poorest and least productive UK Nation. Despite having received Billions meant to tackle this, successive Labour Welsh Governments have failed to close the gap between the richest and poorest parts of Wales, and between Wales and the rest of the UK. Instead of unlocking the energy and enterprise of people in Wales, they have kept them dependent and lagging behind.”