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BIG CHANCE FOR BROWN TO GET IT RIGHT FOR WALES – WELSH LIB DEMS

Today, as Gordon Brown takes up his new position as Prime Minister, the Welsh Lib Dems highlighted 5 key areas that he must make priorities for Wales:

· A Fairer Society

· A Stronger Assembly

· A more Affordable Wales

· Sustainable Communities

· A Green Economy

Lembit Opik, Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader and MP for Montgomeryshire, said:

“For 10 years, Gordon Brown has been the wingman to Tony Blair. He knows more than anybody what needs to be done because he's been watching the Prime Minister from next door, and signing all the cheques. This really is his big chance to get it right for Wales.”

On ‘A Fairer Society’ Lembit said:

“Rather frustratingly, Labour has continued the work of Thatcher and Major by allowing the gap between rich and poor to grow in Wales. As Prime Minister, Mr Brown has a golden opportunity to redress this shameful legacy.”

On ‘A Stronger Assembly’, Lembit said:

“Wales needs and deserves a strong Assembly, one that can set its own energy policy, decide on new nuclear power stations, building standards and the direction of that economy should follow.

“Labour has left us with a ridiculous system where the Assembly has to ask the Government and then Parliament for new powers. If Brown is truly committed to devolution, he must not abuse this system by blocking these requests. If we have to go through this painful process, Parliament should decide, not the Government.

“Wales is continuously short-changed by the Barnett formula that determines how much money Wales receives. Yet even Lord Barnett himself, who created the system, thinks it should be scrapped. If anyone understands how unfair Barnett is, it’s Gordon. He should scrap it and give Wales a fair funding deal based on need.”

On ‘A more Affordable Wales’, Lembit said:

“Personal debt in Wales is a bomb that is slowly exploding. Every two and a half hours, people in Wales have to pay £1million to payoff the interest on their debts, house prices have gone through the roof and bankruptcies and repossessions are rising.

“We desperately need more affordable homes in Wales. And we must drive down personal debt levels through quality financial education and measures to protect people from exploitation by credit and loan companies.”

On ‘Sustainable Communities’, Lembit said:

“Gordon Brown will need to do a lot to regain the trust of rural Wales. Last year alone, Wales lost 7% of its farmers. The remainder are still wide-open to exploitation by supermarkets.

“Our Post Office numbers have been declined with a further cull is imminent. Rural services and offices are rapidly declining in the great New Labour centralising regime.

“Gordon Brown must end the devastated of jobs and services from Welsh communities. Our local areas must become sustainable once again with the jobs and services they need and deserve”.

On ‘A Green Economy’, Lembit said:

“Wales has the natural resources, expertise and ambition to become green capital of the UK. But Labour has been dragging its heels while others in Europe, who have worse green credentials than Wales, take the lead. This is such a wasted opportunity.

“With the right investment and political conviction, the Welsh green economy can create thousands of new jobs and businesses in very short space of time. Brown must go green before it’s too late.”