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Opinion

The Senedd Conservatives are ready to navigate the Welsh state

By Emily Price
Janet Finch-Saunders MS. Photo Welsh Conservatives

Janet Finch-Saunders - Member of the Senedd for Aberconwy

The course navigated by Wales for a quarter of a century has been set by the same party - Welsh Labour.

Of course, throughout their quarter of a century of control they have had Plaid Cymru and the Lib Dems as deckhands, but after such a tempestuous time out a sea, when the Welsh state docks in 2026 there needs to be a complete change of crew.

It is harmful to Welsh democracy to have the same party and people in control over and over again. The lack of change in crew is incredible. Just look at some of the biographies.

Mark Drakeford was appointed Minister for Health and Social Services in March 2013; Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government in May 2016; Cabinet Secretary for Finance in November 2017; First Minister in February 2019; Cabinet Secretary for Healthand Social Care in August; and now Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language.

Eluned Morgan was appointed Minister for Welsh Language and Lifelong Learning in November 2017; Minister for International Relations and the Welsh Language in December 2018; Minister for Mental Health, Wellbeing and the Welsh Language in October 2020; Minister for Health and Social Services in May 2021; Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care in March 2024; and now First Minister.

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Vessel

Jeremy Miles MS was appointed Counsel General in November 2017; Counsel General and Minister for Brexit in December 2018; Minister for Education and Welsh Language in May 2021; Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language in March 2024; and now Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care.

Julie James MS was appointed Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology in September 2014; Minister for Skills and Science in May 2016; Leader of the House and Chief Whip in November 2017; Minister for Housing and Local Government in December 2018; Minister for Climate Change in May 2021; Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Local Government and Planning in March 2024; and now Counsel General and Minister for Delivery.

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Calmer waters

In fact, Julie being appointed Minister for Delivery is reminiscent of Esther McVey MP being appointed Minister for Common Sense.

Every elected member holding a position in government should demonstrate common
sense. Every elected member holding a position in government should deliver.

However, here in Wales, Welsh Labour are running the ship aground. Welsh councils are in crisis, with some, even my own, Conwy County Borough Council, on the verge of bankruptcy.

Welsh business deaths continue to outpace business births, economic inactivity remains stubbornly higher than the UK average, and the Welsh workforce continues to take home less money than those elsewhere in the UK.

1-in-4 Welsh people are on waiting lists for NHS treatment. Welsh farmers are being made to walk the plank with disastrous policies on water pollution, bovine tuberculosis, and the proposal for 10% tree planting.

And we have poor educational outcomes across the spectrum in Wales. It is unfair for the people of Wales for this course of failed delivery and roles rotating around the same small clique to continue.

Every party needs to show that they are serious about setting Wales on a calmer, healthier, and more prosperous route by ruling out co-operating with Welsh Labour in any way after 2026.

Alternative

But we as Welsh Conservatives need to go even further.

We cannot just show that we are ready to take charge of the vessel through offering strong alternative policies for Wales, but through our selection of candidates.

Every Welsh Conservative candidate should be fully committed to delivering in the Senedd. If we want the people of Wales to trust us with their vote and lead the country for the next term, they need to know that sitting members will not abandon ship.

Any former MP who is considering such a course can put their names forward and apply to go on the list for 2026.

However, they should make a pledge to the people of Wales, that should they be elected to the Welsh Parliament, they will be 100% committed to that role, and not even attempt to jump ship in 2029, at the next General Election.

By having a strong, united commitment to the Senedd in 2026, we can prove beyond any doubt that we are ready to crew and navigate the Welsh state.

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25 comments

John Ellis

Vinegar incarnate.

Reply
Jeff

Harmful to democracy? 14 years for the Tory party in the UK, CCHQ were after another 5, and would fight for another term, and the next. Happy with that outcome on a national level. UK has had a greater proportion in the last 100 years or so of Tory rule, didn't go well for us but you would welcome that rule because its your side. And if you had the chance you would have taken every win for the same amount of time in Wales. The "harmful to democracy" doesn't wash. Labour are not brilliant but taking your orders from No10 and think tanks and gbeebies would be worse. Your leader, Reform in a Welsh Tory suit, ditch him and the think tanks and cut ties with CCHQ, get a capable leader and develop real policies and become a serious opposition.

Reply
Ann

And remind us how many councils in England have gone bankrupt under a Conservative Government in the last few years?

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Margaret Helen Parish

She still here???

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Gareth

To follow her nautical theme, if the Tory party were in charge here , they would have Cymru bent over, looking for the golden rivet in the ships keel.

Reply
Rob

Its all well and good but why should we vote for your party if your members want to abolish the Senedd? Yes your right 25 years of uninterrupted Labour rule is unhelpful for democracy, but the remedy is not to get rid of.it, which is what your party is steering towards.

Reply
Megan

Well it’s not like the Tories will have any part in it soon anyway

Reply
Erisian

Have you forgotten that the next Senedd election is PR+Closed list. They will be present, and maybe a couple from an even worse party. (Do not speak their name out loud)

Reply

In reply to Erisian

Padi Phillips

We can but live in hope... And it'd be lovely too if the Tories in Cymru were able to hold their annual conference in the lonely telephone box near Abergwesyn, but I suspect that both parties will do well, despite the shifts ever rightwards. Or maybe because of, if the comments on a recent FB post about the new temporary housing for the homeless that has just opened in Cardiff are anything to go by.

Reply
Ernie The Smallholder

The Conservative party did not do well in England. Did it? Left councils in England bankrupt, including many that had Tory control for years. We need a government dedicated to improving the wellbeing of the people of Cymru Wales. A government with no bosses outside Cymru Wales. We need a PLAID CYMRU GOVERNMENT. While in opposition, Plaid Cymru provided real critical, constructive and effective opposition to Labour. Only Plaid Cymru is now ready to provide a long-term future for the Cymru Wales nation.

Reply
Margaret Helen Parish

Really!!!!!!!!!!

Reply
Steve Woods

Allergy warning: may contain traces of sour grapes.

Reply
Brian Williams

Arglwydd mawr, mae'n anodd credu, ond am y tro cyntaf mae yna ran o'r erthygl, gan yr awdures analluog hon, y gallaf uniaethu â hi!

Reply
Annibendod

There isn't a Welsh state. That's the poroblem.

Reply
CapM

Brave of Janet Finch-Saunders to use metaphors on a nautical theme to promote the virtues of the Tory party. As a keen sailor, according to her Wikipedia entry, you'd think that she'd be aware of the danger of reminding people of a certain White Star Line vessel and an iceberg.

Reply
Huw Webber

An alien party who refuse to acknowledge welsh identity let alone support its economy.

Reply
Jones Arfon

Trust the Welsh Tories! No chance.

Reply
Fi yn unig

File this under ‘D’ for drivel.

Reply
Fi yn unig

The Welsh electorate always vote Labour IN for one specific reason, to keep Tories OUT. The ostrich heads of Tories are permanently buried in the sands of denial over this and I say yet again in the hope their ears under the sand will receive the message ‘WE DO NOT WANT YOU HERE’. HELLO?

Reply
short_gog

"Any former MP who is considering such a course can put their names forward and apply to go on the list for 2026." - jobs for the boys, if you've failed in Westminster, (oh and they did fail big style) - come to little Wales to feed off the gravy train - its not real politics its just play, but we get a lot of money for doing nowt We need to improve the quality not decrease it to knuckle dragging level Janet, toodle off and go count your money dear

Reply
Fi yn unig

Indeed. Last time I was having a pint across the road, I was thinking that she won’t be needing that constituency office after 2026.

Reply
Garycymru

Do they pay zero attention to reality? Conservatism never has, and never will be compatible with Wales. They've caused that much misery, poverty and damage to Wales that the mere mention of them should qualify as a hate crime. Stamp them out completely, along with their strange outdated values and ridiculous air of superiority they seem to carry around.

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Fi yn unig

Yes to zero, yes to hate crime and no to their Empireist, eradicationist, imperialist, colonialist, fascist ‘values’ so ‘stamp them out completely’, yes or simply disappear as a people. They represent an existential threat with their ‘moribund language’ and ‘linguistic fascism’ allegations. 600 plus years since annexation a ‘Ry’n ni yma o hyd’. What pathetic failures the most successful political party in history are as they are doing their very best to consign themselves to history.

Reply
Jamie

This article is embarassing. Admittedly I am biased against the conservatives but half the writing is just a list of positions Welsh Labour ministers have held in the last decade. Why should anyone be convinced that just because someone has been in authority for a decade that it means the tories can govern instead? Its a bit rich given the tories were in charge in London for 14 years. All this shows is the Welsh Conservatives have no vision for making Wales better, and only talk to us by bad-mouthing other parties.

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(Nid y) Y Mab Darogan

Is this the same Janet Finch-Saunders that tried to get the nod as a sitting MS to run for Westminster in 2019 (but didn't, obviously)? Kinda ironic, considering her second to last paragraph. I wonder if Darren Millar has read this article...

Reply

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Allergy warning: may contain traces of sour grapes.

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