How the Welsh Conservatives can win the 2021 Senedd election

Some good points. Welsh Labour has presided over years of dismal failure in every sector. Throwing money at publicly owned services and institutions without a plan and some idea of making them efficient does not work. You only need to look at Public Health Wales and England and their multiple cock ups over centralising testing and ppe and compare with the decentralised German (and South Indian and everywhere else) model to see that. Welsh politics needs a boot up the arse and Tory victory might well shake up the Cardiff elite. We need to stop harking back to the 'glory days' (if ever was a label less merited?) of coal and steel. We need to invest in education especially in STEM subjects. Attract businesses and especially the establishment of new ones by cutting taxes (it's worked in Ireland) and vastly reducing planning and other restrictions. Get rid of a lot of climate change obligations (as Germany is now doing) which add vastly to costs of consumers and businesses (that's why the steelworks keep going bust) and let's get going.

Autumatic unsubscribe for publishing this windbag's nonsense. The Tories hate Wales and would have us working ourselves to death again to assuage their parochial voting base in middle England if they had the opportunity. The absolute last thing Wales needs is the party of ideological inequality in a position where they can do further damage.

If this ever happened I would move to Scotland-never trust a tory. Our parliament would have most o their powers handed back to London on a plate

Good to see the Tories posting articles here! Good to see all sides of the arguments.....would be good to see some more Larour & Liberal articles here also!

He forgot to include the Covid-19 death rates comparison: 36.6 deaths per 100,000 people in Wales, 52.7 deaths per 100,000 in England (Channel 4 News Fact Check).

I am not a Tory but I think a shake up and pragmatic policymaking is needed ('let's do what works', and look at Ireland Germany etc). If you didn't think any articles written by politicians and their staff would be on this site you obviously have not read and previous days postings.

Mr Evans. You voted for Brexit in order to 'take power back' - follow that instinct through to the end. You will find that you could back a separation of, first, the Welsh arm of your party, then your nation from the very union that has allowed Cymru to be in the parlous situation she is in. We need capital investment. Agreed. We won't get any serious interest bar the gleaning of an embedded low-pay workforce whilst we remain part of this imbalanced union. We may get a 'stronger voice' (demographically implausible except to 'save the union', at which point we may be looking at an indy for England movement), but never ascend, never be able to realise our full potential, never get a chance to exercise our individuality. You make certain cultural allusions here too - Dylan Thomas, Portmeirion architecture, pubs, chapels, choirs. Why not extend it to Black cabs, Morris dancing, Big Ben, the Queen? You know they don't apply here, you know they rank alongside warm baguettes, Mozart, matryoshka dolls and Dia delos Muertos; nice, but not ours, we also have a culture that dates back into pre-history, a distinct language, different naming conventions. We're different to the point that claiming kinship other than as human beings is simply wrong. We are hearing more reasonable, Cymro-friendly rhetoric from the Tories on this side of the clawdd, and I for one am reluctant to assume cynical, power-grabbing unionism-in-sheep's-clothing. I think many, like Mr. Evans, are sincere (and viewed as useful idiots by your Westminster paymasters). Keep pushing at the walls of your current hypotheses, Mr. Evans - beyond the confines of limiting unionism you will find a Nation waiting to be born, one that could be shaped to look like the Wales you described above. I, and many fellow Cymry would support your vision. It cannot happen until we are free.

Unlike some others, I applaud the decision to publish this barrow load of arrant nonsense. I am amazed at this time that any Tory should stick their head over the parapet, given the abject failure of Johnson's government to protect its population during the Covid19 crisis. Anyone who thinks they are a safe bet seriously needs to compare us with Germany. We should be crying from the rooftops about the holocaust ripping through our care homes, the sheer wanton lack of preparedness throughout the UK (yes, of which Wales is a part) and the consistent lying to the public. I could go on and on, but I would very much have liked the author to explain the benefits to Wales of Brexit. Not the slogans, aspirations or fairytales but the hard benefits. Why? Because there aren't any and there lies the problem with British Conservatism... Opportunistic, self-serving and arrogant. Thank you for giving us an opportunity to vent our anger, because anger it is... Really.

A good article which does a good job of pinpointing Labour's culpable incompetence at running Wales. I have a genuine question though. The Conservatives define themselves as a Unionist party - in fact their full name is "The Conservative and Unionist Party". Therefore we can take it that their abiding interest is to preserve the Union at all costs. But how can that be squared with a promise to bring the Welsh economy up to the level of a normal country? If a Conservative-run Senedd really did succeed in delivering economic growth and reducing Wales's crushing levels of poverty, they'd have undermined the main argument for Wales remaining in the Union - namely, our alleged dependence on Westminster subsidies to keep us from starving. Therefore, the Conservatives have exactly the same dilemma as the Labour Party - they daren't deliver on their promises, because if they did then it would undermine their very raison d'être. That's why we in Gwlad remain convinced that the only way Wales can succeed is to have (small-c) conservative economic policies delivered by a pro-independence party.

Hello. I don't normally intervene 'below the line' but could I remind people not to post multiple comments under different aliases? It's just been flagged up that there are quite a few very similar comments being posted under different names from the same IP addresses. This is contrary to the community standards as set out above and will lead to IP addresses being blocked. No one wants that I'm sure - because it's faff for me and stops you commenting. I want to keep the comments section as open and accessible as possible (no one wants to go back to Facebook). Thanks! - Ifan

It's definitely time for another party to have a go at the Senedd, Labour are making devolution look bad. I must confess to being a little frustrated at Plaid Cymru's stubborn outright refusal to consider a possible coalition with the Conservatives. I say that as a lifelong Plaid voter. Providing Plaid were not junior partners to the extent of the Lib Dems in Westminster 10 or so years ago, they would at be able to have a big say in changing Wales for the better. Some comments on here overreact massively to the fact that a Conservative has been given a platform here. The guy is championing devolution. He has every right to voice his opinion here, just like members of other political parties have done. Throwing toys from prams isn't going to help anyone.

My little self is centre-right, but over the last years I have come to distrust, and actively dislike the Welsh Conservatives. Just this week, they sat in silence while one of their own in England attacked our Senedd. Brexit is heavily dependent on a lunatic currently in charge in Washington, and even if he is defeated for inflicting grievous bodily harm to the United States, his successors will have it in for what's left of the UK, or Yuk as one of them said last year. Why? Because of the very influential Irish vote, especially among Democrats. This Island may pay dearly for the short sighted insularity of these Conservatives.

"From a Covid-19 perspective, we can only just about manage a thousand tests a day whilst England teeters around the 100,000 mark." It is worth reading the article by Dr Angharad Puw Davies from Swansea University's School of Medicine in Barn (also reproduced on the Academi Hywel Teifi Facebook page) to wonder how effective this magic increase in testing actually is. There is a very high element of "pot calling the kettle black" in this article. My observations of ambulance and hospital services in England are that they are not significantly better than in Wales. Public transport services by bus were decimated when they were deregulated by the UK government long before devolution. It was the UK Government which stopped the planned electrification to Swansea after money had been spent on it, while they are continuing to plough ahead with the environmental disaster which is HS2.

I'm disappointed at those whose response to this article has been to unsubscribe or not subscribe. Yes the tories can't be trusted here or at Westminster and in any event a tory majority in 2021 is as likely as martians landing in Cardiff on St David's Day. BUT Nation Cymru is an important part of the media in Wales and a very important source of discussion and debate - and, like it or not, the tories should be allowed to contribute to the discussion. The real response is to work for and vote for an independence party next May.

You're not really Welsh though Charlie because you prioritise the needs of your masters in London over those in Wales. I could spend a considerable amount of time deconstructing your article but I won't save for the fact that you have never done anything for Wales. You have continuously made it poorer whenever in government, destroyed livelihoods and jobs and continue to destroy effective and efficient public services and outsource it to friends in high places for financial gain. Your party is complicit in thousands of deaths and most of the MPs elected aren't even Welsh let alone live in Wales. You offer nothing other than breadcrumbing and social division which is the tone of your article and which is a common tactic amongst your party. Wales is a Conservative country he says. It isn't and never has been. For those who think that he raises any good points then proceed with caution as divide and conquer is prominent theme here and if you seriously think for one moment that this party which steals money from Welsh Government coffers and has no intention of ever match funding EU monies after Brexit is your best hope then more fool you. I don't owe this man nor his party anything.

As a constituent of Simon Hart MP and Angela Burns AS I would agree with the overall sentiment expressed in this article. It would be healthy for Wales to have a Conservative government. There would be a natural alliance with central UK government and allow a new Conservative Welsh government to implement its election manifesto. When you refer to improving rail transport between Mid Wales (Aberystwyth) and West Wales I assume the writer is referring to South West Wales only. It is also important to improve transport arrangements between South West Wales and North West/East Wales -in particular the A487 ( Haverfordwest to Bangor). It would be a step towards bringing Wales closer together as a nation. Further improvements to the A470 would also play a similar role in bringing the nation together.

Periodic change is generally healthy for democracy. Challenge to the status quo is always necessary. I try to keep up with all views. Two points: 1. The description of conservatIsm given is rather far from the views of the dominant faction in Westminster and many constituency parties these days, though it would be familiar to John Major. Some MPs for Welsh seats are notable enthusiasts for the new guard, whose permanent revolution would have little time for such quaintnesses as “our rich history and culture” . I note the advice to Welsh Conservatives to respect devolution. For it to work it would need English conservatives also to do so. There is a strong force determined to gather all power, whether from above or below, back to Westminster, and even to sweep away all constitutional and legal restraint on the power of the government of the day to do anything it likes in pursuit of “getting things done”. It would be good to see Welsh conservatism resisting this force and its proponents, including those proponents from Wales. 2. The article addresses only “We, the Welsh”. Most politicians in Wales carefully refer to “the people of Wales”. At the last census only about two thirds of the population of Wales considered themselves Welsh. The remainder were mainly English. The Telegraph noted at the time that the Welsh were on course to become a minority in Wales. I shall be interested to see if the trend has indeed continued when we get the result of next year’s census, if we have one. Why no thoughts about the voting instincts of the large non Welsh segment of the population?

They've always published pieces like this. You get articles from all across the political spectrum.

I've moaned before about impartiality but that's because I felt Nation had an unnecessary dig at an individual but as for the above I personally welcome articles from everybody across the political divide, whether its The WNP, Plaid, Gwlad or the unionist parties, and that's even if I like it or not. Evan's though is a sheep in wolves clothing as if his masters in London would encourage more powers of devolution given the choice. All I can say is Gompel, Roche and Kawczynski (and these are just in the last few weeks). And with the increasing support for Independence perhaps the people of Cymru/Wales are getting more interested in self determination not devolution? ANNIBYNIAETH I GYMRU !!!

Silly comment!!

I can't see why anyone should object to Welsh Conservatives contributing to this site; after all, as Mr Evans was quick to point out at the start of his opinion piece, the Tories appear to have considerably more voter support here than seemed to be the case not too long ago. They clearly merit a voice here, and as poor ideas are only ever countered by better ideas we all should surely welcome the cut and thrust which makes that process possible. So good for Mr Evans for offering his thoughts, and good for 'Nation Cymru' for publishing them. But that doesn't imply that I buy the totality of the 'Evans line'. To take one instance, I'm quite ready to take Mr Evans's stated commitment to devolved government at its face value. My sense is that however opposed to the devolution proposals the Conservatives were when they were no more than a Labour policy commitment, twenty years on at least some Conservatives in Wales have not just become reconciled to devolved government, but now see some positives to it. At the very - cynical - least, it's provided some of them with parliamentary careers which might not otherwise been available to them! But I think it's more than that; for instance, Simon Hart, the secretary of state for Wales and Mr Evan's own Westminster MP, has a parliamentary career which is quite separate from the Senedd, yet in his short time in post he comes over, in public at least, as positive towards devolved government and eirenic in his attitude towards a Cardiff Bay government formed by his politcal opponents. I'm sure that Mr Hart and Mr Evans aren't the only Conservatives in Wales of that mind; David Melding strikes me as another obvious example. But I remain convinced that the right-wing imperial nostalgics now unconditionally dominant in the Conservative party at Westminster - and probably widely across England too, and doubtless with allies in Wales too - remain as devoted to 'our traditional British way of doing things' as they ever were, and therefore as opposed to devolution as ever. And that if they discern a possible right moment and a likely strategy to begin to bring it down, they'll attempt it. And that if they succeed they'll expect the party's membership in Wales to fall quietly into line behind the decision. Which with hardly an exception they'll do, because that's the Tory way. Even Mr Hart. And Mr Evans!

For God's sake Arfon, why shouldn't a Tory post an article. There are Tory voters in Wales whether you like it or not. Why not take them posting as something positive. It gives us an opportunity to say exactly what we think about them. This for example - 'We also need to commit to capital investment in Wales. This country lags behind like other parts of the United Kingdom. Mid and West Wales’ rail infrastructure is significantly behind the pace. Towns like Aberystwyth are connected to the Midlands but not its neighbours to the south.' The Tories and Labour had the chance to 'commit to capital investment in Wales' for decades before the Sennedd was even put in place. But they didn't. And 'rail infrastructure' which is the responsibility of Network Rail (a UK organisation) has invested virtually nothing in Wales' rail infrastructure over the last ten years. Since 2011 just 1% of investment when Wales has 6% of UK rail lines. No wonder it's so rubbish. And for this guy to even suggest that a Tory government would change this is beyond belief. Just last year there was a report about planned rail infrastructure spend in the UK. There was X amount for Scotland (can't remember the amount), there was X amount for NI (can't remember the amount. Then there was £2.5 billion allocated to that mythical country known as Englandandwales. And the amount planned to be spent in England was, wait for it, £2.5 billion. It's just laughable. So when people like this Charlie post on this site take it as an opportunity to lay into him and show him up for what he is, A pillock.

"Our national conservatism is what makes Wales special", that's a nail on the head. Wales is the most culturally conservative nation in Western Europe. It's why Welsh is spoken by so many. And we should celebrate it.

Mr Davies - it is your party that made us one of the poorest parts of Europe. You say taking back control will allow us to localise politics but it isn't the EU that prevents that (For example, Germany has very localised power) it's Westminster and in particular Tory held Westminster. There would never have been any form of devolution if Labour hadn't been in charge, I'm not a Labour supporter but the truth is the truth. Conservatives hate devolution no matter what you say and only put up with it now as they have no choice. I'm sorry Mr Davies but i've seen the effects of Tory governments from Thatcherism and the hated poll tax to Cameron and the disastrous austerity measures. I can not trust your party. When we build a new independent nation it will have to involve a mixture of left and right policies - your party is too extreme for Wales.

As a Labour member, I find it sad there is far too much truth in the article. For those that object to this and other articles from those that you disagree with, you have the attitude that holds Plaid, Nationalism and Independance back. The best selling newspapers in Wales- The Sun, Mirror and Mail. No on is forced to buy them and is able to buy the welsh papers. That is the mindset of the country, as a democrats you have to live with it, unless of course you really are not which is my suspicion.

The challenge for the Conservatives is to prove they are our voice in Westminster rather than Westminster's voice in our communities; a task that will always be more difficult for a unionist party if they are monolithic or act at the behest of the usual lobbies. The Conservatives have to give up their bias that 'public' is bad and 'private' is good, both approaches have their weaknesses but some areas of life are better organized through the non-profit and the democratically accountable. There is nothing in Conservative thinking that should make them against devolution both to Cardiff and more so to local authorities so that begs the question why they have become the party of centralization since 1979. Other ideologies must be in the mix. Finally the Conservatives have to stop worshipping 'money', they are obsessed with tax cuts yet our public infrastructure is falling apart and we have become the "how to not to do it" case study for other governments during the coronavirus. Saying all that, it was good to hear their side of the debate ; a one sided debate is not worth listening to. However they need to continue to engage and understand: Wales is not England and England is not shorthand for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Any more from this idiot and I am going to stop my subscription. Free speech is paramount, but please filter for numpties with an agenda.

How can they win 1 Wales is financed by Westminster We're still a poor nation Tory wales labour doing bad .Tory in uk government People are not stupid in wales we dont trust tories .they're known as liars in wales

As an old-fashioned anarcho-syndicalist and ardent proponent of the independence of all nations,especially Cymru, I welcome this article. We all need to engage respectfully with people we disagree with. By submitting this article, the author has done this. I'd love to have a pint with them and see where we can agree on how to make the lives of the people in Cymru better in the future.

I think it's healthy to have a forum where conservative and liberal opinions can be expressed. To be honest I was surprised and relieved that the article didn't talk abolishing the Assembly. They'll have to call it abolish the Senedd now, doesn't have such a good ring to it..