Just for those who like to blame devolution for Wales' undoubtedly poor economic indicators, this clip from last week's Sharp End should be a timely reminder of where the real responsibility for this situation lies.
Alun Cairns was asked whether he was sure he was doing the right thing in wanting to be an MP, especially in light of the fact that people in Wales held MPs in much lower esteem than elsewhere in the UK. His reply was:
Absolutely right. My greatest interest is the economy and business and that's where the powers lie for economy and business really, where I'd like to be able to make a contribution to the constituency.
... When you look at the economy and business and in terms of overcoming deprivation, child poverty and those sorts of issues, it is Westminster that has most of the levers and that's really what can make the biggest influence and difference to the Vale of Glamorgan and other constituencies.
So just remember this next time you hear Alun Cairns or any other Tory criticizing the Welsh Government for Wales' poor economic performance, or why levels of deprivation and child poverty are so bad.
If you're a Tory, the obvious answer is to aim to get elected to Westminster in the hope of being able to hold one of those levers ... although that's something which is just as true for Labour politicians as well. But isn't the much more sensible idea to move the levers to Wales, so that we can take responsibility for these things for ourselves?
1 comments:
Bang on the money, MH. When Wales happened to have a mid-recession decrease in unemployment I used WR to warn that it could easily increase the next month, that it wasn't necessarily down to Ieuan Wyn Jones, and that the main levers for good or bad (but usually bad, according to the evidence) remain with Westminster.
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