Conservative conference attacks on Welsh Government are aimed at Keir Starmer

The Welsh Conservatives say it is "important to hold the Labour Welsh Government to account". Credit: PA Images

Senior Welsh Conservatives have launched a coordinated attack on Labour's record in government in Wales.

At the Conservative conference in Manchester, cabinet ministers including the Prime Minister and Welsh Secretary along with the Welsh Tory leader all criticised the Welsh Government.

It is a sign of the way the campaign for the next UK General Election will be run, attacking Labour's record in Wales, as a way of attempting to undermine Labour's chances of winning power at Westminster.

David TC Davies was speaking at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester. Credit: PA Images

The Welsh Secretary, David TC Davies MP, made that point clearly in his speech, saying that "we’ve had over twenty years of failure to deliver high standards in the National Health Service, where 27,000 people are stuck on a Welsh NHS waiting list for over two years".

"According to Keir Starmer, this is a blueprint that he will roll out for the health service for the rest of the United Kingdom.

"We’ve had over 20 years of failure in schools which has led Welsh pupils received lowest scores in the UK for reading, writing and maths.

"Once again, Labour see this as a blueprint for what they would do in the rest of the United Kingdom."

The Prime Minister has also hit out at the Welsh Government's 20mph policy. Credit: PA Images

Opening the conference, the party's chairman, Greg Hands said: "Look at Wales... Patients almost twice as likely to be on the waiting list as they are in England. But according to Sir Keir Labour in Wales is a blueprint for what they [Labour] would do in Westminster.

"Now that's not a blueprint. It's a red flag and it's bringing Wales to a standstill."

Speaking on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg on the BBC, Mr Sunak described cars as a form of transport people "rely on the most".

He added that "too many" people he has spoken to across the country feel like "everyone's trying to stop them" using their cars by "imposing on them blanket speed restrictions, that's what we've seen in Wales".

Andrew RT Davies told ITV Cymru Wales his party needs to be "more competitive". Credit: PA Images

The Welsh Conservative leader has been leading the attacks for some time now.

He did not let up in his speech, saying that "they [Labour] are out of touch. And their extreme ideology is also hurting our Welsh economy.

"Their barmy road building ban has deterred investment and their toxic tourism tax has hit a key Welsh industry."

After his speech, I asked him why concentrate so much on another party rather than his own.

He said that it was important to hold the Labour Welsh Government to account.

When I suggested that the reason Labour has been in power in the Senedd for nearly 25 years, is because the Conservatives have failed to win over voters, he accepted the criticism.

"Agree, we've got to be more competitive, we've got to be more keen on our messaging and we've got to make sure that people know what's been done in their name.

"I think it's quite easy very often for Labour to deflect criticism onto the Westminster government."


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