Launching his party’s manifesto for the general election later
today, Plaid Cymru leader will say that
“Wales can be the cradle of a Green Jobs Revolution”.
In his speech at the launch event later this morning, Mr Price
will say that despite the nation’s role in the first industrial
revolution, Wales has been left in a “rut of intergenerational
poverty”.
Mr Price will say that Plaid Cymru would launch a Green Jobs
Revolution which would make Wales 100% self-sustainable in
renewable energy by 2030, and create tens of thousands of
high-skilled jobs in Wales over the next ten years.
In its manifesto, Plaid Cymru is calling on the UK Government to
allocate an additional 1% of GDP to invest in green
infrastructure over the next decade, to allow Wales to spend an
additional £15 billion on green jobs, transport, and energy.
Plaid Cymru is also calling on the Treasury to raise Wales’
borrowing limit to £5 billion, bringing the total investment in
green collar jobs and tackling the climate emergency to £20
billion.
Among the policy proposals set out in the manifesto as part of
the Green Jobs Revolution are:
-
The electrification of all mainline rail lines by 2030
and electrification of the Valleys railways, followed by the
North Wales Coast railway.
-
Building a super metro in the south east of Wales, a new
Metro system for Swansea Bay and the western valleys, a metro
for the north east of Wales, and reopening rail services in the
Amman, Tawe, Neath, and Dulais valleys.
-
The creation of a trans-Wales railway and a Cross-rail
for the Valleys, expanding the trans-Wales bus network with
high quality buses using renewable energy, and a new,
publicly-owned regional bus company for the south of
Wales.
-
The construction of tidal lagoons in Swansea Bay,
Cardiff, and Colwyn Bay, an offshore windfarm off Ynys
Môn, and a barrage on the River
Usk.
-
The roll-out of a massive £5 billion home energy
efficiency programme and building 20,000 green social
houses.
Speaking at his party’s manifesto launch later today, Plaid Cymru
leader will say:
“Wales was the cradle of the first industrial revolution, but the
sad truth known to all of us who live in Wales is that our
country hasn’t reaped the benefits of our own wealth. At the
bottom of the economic league tables, with homelessness rising,
and 200,000 of our children living in poverty, Wales can’t afford
to take another punt on the Westminster parties in the hope they
might take our country seriously this time.
“We know that Wales has enormous potential – we are rich in
natural resources, and our people are talented and skilled. Just
as we were the first time, we can be the cradle of another
revolution: a Green Jobs Revolution, creating tens of thousands
of green collar jobs, and seriously tackling the urgent climate
emergency we face.
“History teaches us that no matter whether we put our trust in
Labour or the Tories, Wales is always an afterthought for
Westminster. The manifesto we’re launching today is not just a
manifesto for this general election – it’s a manifesto for our
nation’s future. We can be an innovating, pioneering, caring, and
sustainable country. It’s time to back Wales, to back Wales’
party – back Plaid Cymru.”
