Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb claimed “Wales has been insulated from the worst of the cuts”, while speaking to Caerphilly Observer.
The Conservative MP for Preseli Pembrokeshire made the claim at Glanmor’s tearooms in Caerphilly town, after visiting Peter’s Pies in Bedwas on February 26.
Mr Crabb said English councils have had to make deeper cuts than those in Wales, with the Welsh Block Grant seeing “nothing like the levels of cuts that English departments have seen”.
He said: “There’s still difficult decisions that need to get made and it is the Welsh Government that has made the decision that local councils in Wales should bare the brunt of that.
“This is a Welsh Government that’s found money to buy things like an airport but they haven’t used the money that we gave them to freeze council taxes.”
He made the comments as councils across Wales approve deep budget savings, with Caerphilly County Borough Council voting for £12m of cuts and a council tax rise of 3.9%.
Mr Crabb also said Valleys communities shared “Welsh Conservative values” and have been taken for granted by Labour politicians.
He said: “Labour have had the shock of their lives in Scotland, where they’ve seen their support fall off a cliff, and I think if Labour aren’t careful they’re going to see the same thing in Wales where people have been taken for granted.”
Caerphilly MP Wayne David said Stephen Crabb lived in a “different world” where the “rich get richer while everyone else is experiencing a cost of living crisis”.
Mr Crabb was joined by Leo Docherty, the Conservative parliamentary candidate for Caerphilly.
Mr Docherty said: “This election is a choice between chaos and competence. The economic recovery that this government has achieved has been miraculous, frankly, and if we want to see long term economic growth with the jobs that that brings, like the kind of jobs that we saw at Peter’s Pies, then you’ve got to vote Conservative.”
Mr David said: “I am looking forward to meeting to Mr Leo Docherty. Apparently he has a colourful background, but I am not aware of him having links of any kind to Wales or the South Wales Valleys.
“But that is not surprising. I look forward to taking him on a visit to Lansbury Park which has recently been declared the poorest area in Wales, thanks to the policies, like the ‘Bedroom Tax’, being pursued by the ConDem Government.
“At this coming General Election there will be a choice – whether the people of Caerphilly want the Tories who, as always, stand up for the wealthy and the privileged, or Labour which stands on the side of the people.”
Plaid Cymru’s Caerphilly parliamentary candidate Beci Newton said: “Austerity is an ideological Tory attack on our public services and the poorest in our society.
“There has been no miraculous turnaround, simply longer lines at the food banks and huge losses to our public services.
“If people in South Wales are feeling, as I did, that Labour no longer represents them and their values, then I urge them to join me in supporting Plaid Cymru – a party of the people, by the people, for the people.”
A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “Over the past five years, spending per head on local services in England has decreased by around 7% in cash terms, whilst in Wales it has increased by 3% and average council tax bills in Wales for 2014-15 are £190 lower than in England.
“Evidence suggests more authorities in England are rejecting the offer of a council tax freeze.”
Tory candidate for Caerphilly Leo Docherty says “The economic recovery that this government has achieved has been miraculous”. Miraculous for whom I ask? I’m sure it is for the super rich who’ve received a thumping great tax cut under his party. The Tory candidate clearly hasn’t stepped foot into Caerphilly and hasn’t got a clue about the economy of South Wales. Silly statements about the “miraculous recovery” show the Tory candidate to be completely out of touch.
It is a case of trickle down economics. The simple answer is jobs. If the economy was still going backwards, with investor confidence falling the propensity to cut jobs would have increased.
You have made the mistake of looking at the economy as if it can be good or bad. This is a shallow view to take, with the correct view being one of measuring damage limitation. If the Conservatives had not acted in the way they did, would the people in Caerphilly be worse off in the long term? – I think, yes!
I have too agree – I have not seen much in the way of an economic recovery in Caerphilly or anywhere in South Wales. However I do have something called a memory and that reminds me that it was Labour that was responsible for putting the British economy in the tank in the first place. Actually I might not mind Labour having driven Britain into the ground if there was anything nice and new here in Caerphilly to show for it. There isn’t and now we the people are going to have to pick up the pieces and deal with the mess that Tony Blair made. Labour cannot be trust to run Caerphilly let alone the entire country.
Tory candidate for Caerphilly Leo Docherty says “The economic recovery that this government has achieved has been miraculous”. Miraculous for whom I ask? I’m sure it is for the super rich who’ve received a thumping great tax cut under his party. The Tory candidate clearly hasn’t stepped foot into Caerphilly and hasn’t got a clue about the economy of South Wales. Silly statements about the “miraculous recovery” show the Tory candidate to be completely out of touch.
It is a case of trickle down economics. The simple answer is jobs. If the economy was still going backwards, with investor confidence falling the propensity to cut jobs would have increased.
You have made the mistake of looking at the economy as if it can be good or bad. This is a shallow view to take, with the correct view being one of measuring damage limitation. If the Conservatives had not acted in the way they did, would the people in Caerphilly be worse off in the long term? – I think, yes!
I have too agree – I have not seen much in the way of an economic recovery in Caerphilly or anywhere in South Wales. However I do have something called a memory and that reminds me that it was Labour that was responsible for putting the British economy in the tank in the first place. Actually I might not mind Labour having driven Britain into the ground if there was anything nice and new here in Caerphilly to show for it. There isn’t and now we the people are going to have to pick up the pieces and deal with the mess that Tony Blair made. Labour cannot be trust to run Caerphilly let alone the entire country.
What a 100% prat.
What Planet does he live on?
The Clue, I suppose is in his name?
What a 100% prat.
What Planet does he live on?
The Clue, I suppose is in his name?
Caerffili “insulated from cuts”, well it’s a point of view I suppose but I can’t see that claim helping the Tories garner any more votes in this constituency. But looking on the bright side there is a fine group of Welsh men and women who are truly insulated from the cuts; the Assembly Members at Cardiff who are to enjoy a £200 per week rise in pay.
Only today I heard Baron Wigley, one time president of Plaid Cymru but now more comfortable as an English lord, say that this rise was deserved. This is because of “greater responsibility”, something I find dubious.
Caerffili “insulated from cuts”, well it’s a point of view I suppose but I can’t see that claim helping the Tories garner any more votes in this constituency. But looking on the bright side there is a fine group of Welsh men and women who are truly insulated from the cuts; the Assembly Members at Cardiff who are to enjoy a £200 per week rise in pay.
Only today I heard Baron Wigley, one time president of Plaid Cymru but now more comfortable as an English lord, say that this rise was deserved. This is because of “greater responsibility”, something I find dubious.