Wales harmed by UK Tory rule, Labour's deputy leader

Mr Gething did not take part in media interviews at the party's Wales election launch. Credit: ITV Cymru Wales

Wales has been harmed and held back by Conservative ministers at Westminster, Labour's deputy leader said on a visit to Llandudno.

As part of the election campaign trail Angela Rayner and her party were doubling down on efforts to turn a string of North Wales seats back from blue to red.

Speaking to supporters, Ms Rayner took the chance to praise her Labour colleague and First Minister Vaughan Gething for "working hard to deliver for Wales".

Mr Gething did not take part in media interviews at the party's Wales election launch but gave a speech to a small group of supporters and candidates.

"People who lost trust in us at the last general election are ready to return in large numbers if we win this campaign," said Mr Gething.

Ms Rayner was visiting Llandudno with Jo Stevens, the shadow Welsh Secretary, and Vaughan Gething, the First Minister. Credit: ITV Cymru Wales

"This is a change election - the change that Wales needs, the change that Britain needs - and that means looking forward to a Labour future."

Also speaking at the launch Angela Rayner praised Welsh Labour's achievements in Cardiff Bay, despite what she called the "chaos under the Conservatives in Westminster."

"You see what Welsh Labour has done, whether it be free school meals for primary school children, more consultants and nurses in the NHS, free prescriptions in Wales, against a backdrop of chaos and division which has harmed Wales and harmed Britain", she said.

Speaking to ITV Wales after the speech she echoed Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer's calls for change at Westminster but also reflected on change within the Labour Party.

"We got a kick-in in 2019 when we put a programme of government forward and the voters said no", she said

"And when me and Keir took over we said you can't turn round and say the electorate is wrong so we had to change the party and change course".

"Keir Starmer is very clear that the Labour party is there for the service of our country not our party or membership and we are about service to the public and getting the whole of Britain back on track."

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