Lib Dems launch manifesto for 'fair, green' Wales
Thursday, 5 April 2007 12:00 AM
The Welsh Liberal Democrats today unveiled their manifesto ahead of next month's assembly election, promising to build "a fair future, a green future," if elected.
Introducing the document, the party's leader in the national assembly, Michael German, said fairness and respect for the environment are the core values of the Welsh Liberal Democrats and form the foundation of the 2007 manifesto.
The Lib Dems would work towards delivering a fairer future, Mr German pledged, with equal opportunities for everyone to learn, get a job and stay healthy.
Policies to enable this include commitments to reducing the size of primary school classes. There should also be a guaranteed standard for NHS services, but health professionals should be freed from government bureaucracy to focus on patients.
Wales also needs a greener future, Mr German said. Its natural resources could enable Wales to become a world leader on climate change. The Welsh Liberal Democrats pledged to produce all energy from renewable sources by 2050, with an interim target of 30 per cent by 2020.
Other commitments in the fully costed manifesto include an opposition to nuclear power stations. The party also wants to free police from 'red tape', with officers spending more time on the streets and 500 extra community support officers.
In the foreword to the manifesto, the Welsh Liberal Democrats attacked the past record of the national assembly and argued that Labour had failed to make full use of their powers. If elected, the party pledged to use the assembly powers as extensively as possible.
The Liberal Democrats returned just six AMs after the 2003 election, making them the smallest group in the assembly. Nevertheless, when the party was in coalition with Labour, from 2000 to 2003, the Lib Dems point out more than 100 of their measures were passed.
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