Wednesday, January 11th, 2012

Journal Column – 11th January 2012

Plaid Cymru has been campaigning at the National Assembly over the past months for a package of urgent measures to be brought forward to combat the effects of the deepening economic crisis here in Wales.  During this crisis, we need to protect jobs and small businesses – yet Labour has done little along those lines since forming this Welsh Government in May. 

I want the Labour Welsh government to bring forward a package to boost the economy that includes Plaid Cymru’s idea of £45m investment in a Small Business Job protection scheme.  Our scheme would extend Business Rate support to those businesses with a rateable value of up to £18,000.  It would give direct support to 80% of Wales’ businesses in order to help safeguard jobs.  We also want to see the refinement of public sector procurement practices to ensure more contracts can be awarded to local companies – directly benefiting businesses on own doorstep.

As your Plaid Cymru Assembly Member I am committed to continuing to press Labour to sit up and recognise the importance of small businesses to the local economy here in Carmarthenshire.  Across Wales as a whole almost 500,000 people work for small businesses and reports are showing that the economic crisis is already starting to hit these jobs hard. 

This week I have been visiting businesses in the county to share my party’s ideas for the economy directly with business owners.  I have witnessed personally how small business owners in the county are working hard to keep their staff on despite the incredibly difficult economic conditions they’re facing and they should be praised for their efforts. 

Labour’s refusal to take action on this issue and help our small business is yet more damning evidence that they are intentionally sitting back and allowing the economic situation to get even worse for their own, selfish political gain.

News Releases