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Campaigning for the general election is well and truly underway with just a week remaining for parties to persuade you to vote for their candidates.

Covering a general election is always tricky in Wales. There are large swathes of policy areas where Westminster has little to no influence. Health, social care, education, transport, the environment, and local government (including planning), are all devolved to Wales, so it can be confusing to voters what they are actually voting for.

Wales does not have power over the judiciary (courts and judges), policing, and probation.

It does have income tax-raising powers, although the bulk of what you hand over still goes to the UK Treasury, and it does have certain levers to pull when it comes to economic development.

During a general election, most of the parties vying for your vote pay little attention to these nuances.

Leaflets through the door for all the major parties are promising to fix the NHS, boost education, etc, but if they are elected they will not be able to influence these in Westminster.

So when it comes to Wales, what do the parties have to offer?

Conservatives

The top line of the Conservatives’ press release launching their manifesto calls on people to use their vote to send a message to Labour that “enough is enough” after 25 years of Labour rule in Wales – even though you can’t kick them out of Cardiff Bay in this election.

The party’s Wales manifesto points to the UK Government’s Levelling-up funding that has seen money spent in Wales for projects such as Ffos Caerffili.

More money for farmers, a promise to reverse plans for a Senedd expansion, and a reverse of the 20mph limit are promised (although exactly how that would happen has not been explained).

Welsh Secretary David TC Davies said: “We have a strong record of action in Wales from cutting taxes, putting £700 back into the pockets of hard-working Welsh workers, to delivering two freeports which will create thousands of jobs and investing over £2.5 billion to support transport, tourism, heritage and culture right across Wales.

“This is just the start. Our bold plan for Wales will go further so that people in Wales keep more of their hard-earned money to spend on what they want, not what the government wants.

“We will continue to bring investment and jobs to Wales, so that people can provide for their families and enjoy the security of home ownership. We will make sure our children have the best start in life, with access to opportunities they never thought possible.”

Labour

Wales is a tightrope that Labour is walking in this general election. Promises to improve the NHS and cut waiting times is often accompanied by finger pointing that the party has failed to do so here in Wales.

Labour argues that a strong NHS in England translates as a strong NHS in Wales – as two Labour governments will be able to work better, and more closely, together without party division.

Its manifesto makes a commitment to strengthen the relationship with the Welsh Government if it forms a UK Government and says the Wales Office “will once again become an advocate for Wales at home and abroad”.

A UK Government controlled by Labour will also have the power to further devolution. Commitments to “explore” the devolution of youth justice may not go as far as what the Welsh Government wants, but it has made a promise to fully devolve employment support.

A strong campaign has so far not been derailed by Wales’ First Minister Vaughan Gething losing a no confidence vote in the Senedd, with it reported that UK leader Sir Keir Starmer has full confidence in him.

Speaking at the launch of the party’s manifesto, Sir Keir said: “We have a plan in this manifesto. A total change of direction. Laser-focused on our cause: stability, growth, investment and reform. A government back in the service of your family, ready to change Britain.

“We will restore the foundations of good government. National security, border security, economic security. We will make new choices to reform our economy and public services, hard choices, choices ducked for years.

“These choices will be fully-funded and fully-costed. That is non-negotiable, you cannot play fast and loose with the public finances. We have lived through the damage that this does. The government we have now played fast and loose with the finances, and working people paid the price.”

Plaid Cymru

“Economic fairness for Wales” is what Plaid Cymru has promised to fight for in London.

The party says Wales has been short-changed around £4 billion from the HS2 rail project – officially been classed as a Wales and England infrastructure improvement, meaning no consequential funding for Wales.

The money, if paid, would go to local bus services in Wales, but this pledge would need the co-operation of the Labour Welsh Government in the Senedd. Any money Wales gets, as a result of extra funding in England, is not ring-fenced and can be spent on whatever it wants.

It will also push for the devolution of the Crown Estate, a fairer funding system for Wales, and the strengthening of the devolution settlement.

Plaid Cymru Leader Rhun ap Iorwerth said: “This election is about one thing – the economy.

“What sets Plaid Cymru apart is a record of not taking Wales for granted and always putting the interests of our communities and nation first. We offer a real alternative for Wales.”

He added: “By supporting families and by transferring powers to ensure that more of the decisions that affect Wales are made in Wales, we will address the cost-of-living crisis and provide Welsh solutions to Welsh problems.

“The lack of control over our natural resources means that we are energy-rich but fuel-poor. Plaid Cymru will fight for economic fairness by increasing windfall taxes and demanding the transfer of powers over the Crown Estate to create green jobs and build prosperity.”

Liberal Democrats

At its manifesto launch, the Liberal Democrats placed a large emphasis on care, tackling sewage, insulating homes and of course the NHS – all areas where responsibility lies in Cardiff.

The party has said if elected it will deliver £760 million extra funding for public services in Wales with £470m for the NHS – again it will need to persuade the Welsh Government to spend the money on health.

Establishing “world-class mental health services” in Wales is also outside the purview of Westminster.

Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Jane Dodds said: “Our vision is of a better Wales where we work in partnership across our four nations, of restoring people’s faith in public service by cleaning up our scandal-ridden politics and in fixing our broken relationship with Europe.

“Like the Conservatives, Welsh Labour have let communities down, our NHS outcomes are some of the worst in the country and they have all but abandoned rural Wales.

“Both large parties also refuse to scrap the two-child benefit cap, a cruel policy that is helping to keep the 29% of children in Wales living in poverty trapped there.

“Hope and change are just around the corner, you only need to vote for them. Back the Welsh Liberal Democrats for a fair deal for you, your family, and for Wales.”

The Green Party has said it will give Wales the same devolved powers as Scotland and Northern Ireland – which includes the responsibility over the police and judiciary.

Like Plaid Cymru, it has also made a commitment to devolve the Crown Estate to Wales and will ensure communities see the long-term benefits of renewable energy projects brought about by this.

The Greens say they also believe in national self-determination. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland should be “free to make their own decisions about how much or how little they are part of the United Kingdom”.

Fixing a “broken Britain”, Reform has drawn its battle lines around the safe haven of getting NHS waiting times down, “restoring law and order”, and the ‘failure’ of multiculturalism and ‘woke’ ideology.
Immigration is front and centre of its manifesto with a promise to “stop the boats” and “take back control over our borders”.

There is also a commitment to scrap net zero emissions targets and get drilling for oil and gas to bring energy prices down.

Tax cuts include raising the minimum threshold for income tax to £20,000 a year, abolishing stamp duty (which is devolved to Wales) and abolishing inheritance tax for all estates under £2m.

The non-profit and non-political Institute for Fiscal Studies has been scathing of Reform’s calculations stating that its manifesto sums “do not add up”.

However, it has also claimed that the Tories and Labour are keeping voters in the dark surrounding the state of public finances and what might happen with regard to tax rises.