Plaid Cymru leader calls on First Minister to condemn UK gov benefit cuts

Local TV

Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth says that UK Government cuts will affect people across Wales, and has called on the First Minister to condemn their decisions, especially considering she spoke out against similar cuts just a few years ago.

Transcript

00:00After a turbulent First Minister's questions last week,

00:05the dust has settled somewhat and members are back on track

00:08talking about issues that people around the country want to hear about

00:11and hear about without the added noise and to-ing and fro-ing

00:14from around the Senate chamber.

00:17One of the big topics of conversation around politics this week

00:20has been the UK Labour government's decision to cut benefits,

00:24a move that has caused backlash both in Westminster

00:27and here in Cardiff Bay in the Senate behind me.

00:31Plaid Cymru leader Srinab Yorworth doesn't agree with what the Labour Party

00:34and Westminster are doing and he has called on the First Minister

00:37here to call out their decisions as well.

00:40The UK government has today announced punitive cuts to welfare

00:45that will no doubt lead to denying many disabled people a sense of dignity

00:50and trapping more people into poverty.

00:53There is a case to be made always for improving the welfare system

00:56but cutting financial lifelines which allow the most vulnerable

01:00to undertake basic tasks is not it.

01:03Last week I gave the First Minister two opportunities to condemn

01:06the actions of the UK government in this respect,

01:09not least given the direct impact it will have on Welsh government's own budgets.

01:15Twice she refused to do so.

01:17Now that she's seen some of the detail, will she do so today?

01:20Well thanks very much.

01:22I know that there have been people across the whole of Wales

01:25who have been very concerned about the speculation that's been going on

01:28over the past few days and I recognise that concern.

01:33That's why I personally spoke to Number 10 last week

01:37to outline some of our concerns in terms of the potential impact

01:42on some of our communities in Wales.

01:45I'm very pleased to see that many of those concerns have been taken on board

01:51and that the most vulnerable will continue to be protected.

01:58While reform is necessary, according to parties here in the Senate,

02:01there is concern that the latest moves go too far.

02:04Implied Cymru argue that a few years ago the First Minister thought so too.

02:08But now her party are the ones doing it.

02:10They say she's changed her tune.

02:12When the Conservatives were in power at Westminster the First Minister said,

02:15and I quote, this is really difficult for us while the Tories are in power

02:18and Westminster making those kinds of cuts.

02:20The cuts that are being introduced by the Tory Government are absolutely unacceptable.

02:24Why is it that Andy Burnham, the Labour Mayor of Manchester,

02:29is able to find it within himself to criticise the actions of Labour Government here

02:34while she chooses not to?

02:36As I said last week and I repeat today, decisions taken will have a direct impact

02:42on the people of Wales and will no doubt lead to increased pressures on Welsh budgets.

02:46We were able to demonstrate how actually standing by people and with people

02:51in their efforts to get back into work, as we have done with our young persons guarantee,

02:56it makes a difference.

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