Conservative campaign focuses on Labour Welsh government

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has previously held up the Labour-run Welsh government as a “blueprint” for a future UK government led by him.

At the last general election, in 2019, the Conservatives took five seats from Labour in north Wales as well as Bridgend in the south, when Boris Johnson’s “Get Brexit Done” campaign took on Sir Keir’s predecessor, Jeremy Corbyn.

This time, with Labour enjoying a large and long-established poll lead, the Tories are clearly on the defensive.

But they believe the record of Welsh Labour ministers is a potent election weapon.

Andrew RT Davies said: “Labour’s record of 25 years of running Wales is a stark warning to the rest of the UK of what a Labour government in Westminster would mean for them.

“Keir Starmer says Wales is his ‘blueprint’ for what a UK Labour government would look like, and thanks to Labour, Wales has record high NHS waiting lists, the highest business rates in Britain, an ideological and damaging war on motorists and proposals that would risk 5,500 farming jobs.”

Welsh Conservatives have been highly critical of the 20mph default speed limit introduced in built-up areas and the higher bar set for new road schemes to be approved by Welsh ministers.

In April the amount of business rate relief fell from 75% to 40% for retail and hospitality firms in Wales, while similar businesses in England continue to get 75% relief.

The Welsh government is delaying an overhaul of farming subsidies in Wales until 2026, following widespread protests.