Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 1:58 pm on 2 July 2024.
Rhun ap Iorwerth
Plaid Cymru
1:58,
2 July 2024
It's the lack of promises for Wales that stands out so much in this election, if I might say. We know that the failure to deliver on any one of those issues that I mentioned that the First Minister ignored, let alone ignoring all of them, would represent a betrayal of Wales's interests. We can't allow Labour in Government to take Wales for granted.
From the contemptuous attitude, frankly, of the Shadow Secretary of State for Wales, Jo Stevens, to the conspiracy of silence on the billions more cuts to come that will affect a Welsh Government here, let's be honest that, on the issues of more powers and fair funding, Labour offers no real change to the Tories. We're all looking forward to throwing the Conservatives out of power, and Plaid Cymru is in the driving seat to do so, from Ynys Môn to Caerfyrddin, but making the case for Wales, whether it's scrapping the two-child cap to lift children out of poverty or transforming our transport network with HS2 money, has been the work of Plaid Cymru alone in this election. We want the best for Wales, no ifs and no buts.
It was Rhodri Morgan who once said that the Tories' relationship with Wales is based on trust and understanding: we don't trust them and they don't understand us. Well, I'm afraid Sir Keir has also shown a distinct lack of understanding. I and Plaid Cymru MPs will stand up to him and hold him to account; why are Jo Stevens and the First Minister so determined not to do so?
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
The shadow cabinet is the name given to the group of senior members from the chief opposition party who would form the cabinet if they were to come to power after a General Election. Each member of the shadow cabinet is allocated responsibility for `shadowing' the work of one of the members of the real cabinet.
The Party Leader assigns specific portfolios according to the ability, seniority and popularity of the shadow cabinet's members.
The Conservatives are a centre-right political party in the UK, founded in the 1830s. They are also known as the Tory party.
With a lower-case ‘c’, ‘conservative’ is an adjective which implies a dislike of change, and a preference for traditional values.
