Labour don’t like it when people point out their hypocrisy!
In case you don’t know, I wrote a letter to the Leader pointing out the contrast between Labour’s warm words supporting the poor and vulnerable, and their policies and actions when in Government. They can be found in earlier posts.
Labour know the Tories are a toxic brand, especially here in Wales. Therefore their default line of attack is to simply say that they are not Tories, believing that this is enough of a reason for people to support them. If another political party has the temerity to stand for election and take votes away from them, then they too must be Tories. At least that’s what they think and what they keep telling people, which shows their complete disdain for democracy. It also fails to recognise the fact that there is barely a cigarette paper between both parties. Similar to two popular cola brands – they might have different branding, but the contents of both are the same.
That, in essence, is what we have in the letter above. The author doesn’t bother with facts. He conveniently fails to mention that Plaid Cymru proposed a motion in Parliament to scrap the bedroom tax and Labour (with a few honourable exceptions) voted against the motion; and Labour run local authorities have rejected Plaid Cymru motions to adopt a ‘no evictions policy’.
What we have is an example of an old Labour stalwart who, despite the facts, despite fifteen years of right-wing politics when in Government, despite everything that Labour have done (and are doing at local level) which is against all of the founding principles of the Labour movement, despite these things the author is blind to them all and insists on believing that things would be better if they were in power. The giveaway is when he says, without a hint of irony, that we (Plaid) “can do nothing to combat austerity” while his own party will continue with the Tories’ austerity programme.
Wales has had fifteen years of unbroken Labour rule, and things are no better. Welsh constituencies, on the most part, have had a hundred years of Labour representation, and we continue to be the poorest part of the UK.
We can do the same thing over and over again and hope for a different result, or we can decide that it’s time to do things differently.
Anyway. Here’s my response, below. Feel free to send in your own response to the Denbighshire Free Press.
Sir
In response to Stephen Moore’s letter, I’m glad that the Labour Party have come around to opposing the spiteful bedroom tax. Had their MPs shown some principles earlier and supported a Plaid Cymru motion at Parliament to scrap the Bedroom Tax, it would no longer be a problem. Better late than never.
In the likely scenario of a hung-parliament, Plaid Cymru and our colleagues in the SNP and the Green Party would offer progressive policies to encourage economic growth beyond London and the South East of England; we will insist on measures to boost jobs and the economy, and closing the wealth gap. We will also insist on transferring powers over our natural resources back to Wales, so that our communities can benefit from the wealth of resources that are currently being exploited for the benefit of a small minority at the expense of our communities.
What Plaid Cymru will not do is sign up to the Tory austerity measures, which will force more families, women and children especially, into poverty. Regardless of Mr Moore’s claims, both Labour and Tory have consistently implemented policies that have been detrimental to our communities, but beneficial to the money-men of the City of London.
Finally may I remind Mr Moore that it is the Labour party that sit in coalition with the Tories on Wrexham Council, cutting vital public services such as Plas Madoc, bus services and libraries instead of top pay and the mayor. Who voted to support a cap on welfare spending, which will impact pension credits, severe disablement allowance, incapacity benefits, child benefit, both maternity and paternity pay, universal credit and housing benefit? Labour. Who joined George W Bush, the most reactionary right-wing president the US has seen in a long while, by launching an illegal war resulting in the deaths of many hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians? Labour. I’m proud that my party, Plaid Cymru, stood firm against that pointless war and the ongoing war on the poor.
Sincerely
Mabon ap Gwynfor
Mabon ap Gwynfor 