Welsh Labour launch Assembly Election manifesto

The Welsh Labour party has officially launched its manifesto for next month's Assembly Election, promising to make Wales stronger and to create opportunities for everyone.

Leader of the party Carwyn Jones set out the party's vision for Wales at an event in Cardiff.

Their proposals include:

  • Create 100,000 all-age apprenticeships. These will be high-quality apprenticeships to ensure major projects have access to the skills they need. We will develop the earning-and-learning approach so more apprentices learn in the workplace.

  • Provide 30 hours-a-week of free child care, 48 weeks of the year for working parents of three and four-year-olds. Our ambitious pledge, which goes further than child care offered in England or Scotland, is for parents who are working 16 hours a week or more.

  • Fast broadband to every property in Wales. By 2017, we will have enabled 96% of properties to connect to superfast broadband but we are committed to giving every property a fast, reliable broadband connection.

  • Tax cuts for all small businesses. We will cut the amount of business rates paid by small businesses right across Wales.

  • A Welsh development bank. The development bank will provide funding to micro, small and medium enterprises in Wales to create jobs and provide advice to businesses, which are looking to grow and prosper.