Mark Drakeford’s speech Welsh Labour Election Launch 2021

Friends and colleagues – good morning.

Ffrindiau a chydweithwyr – bore da

As I listened to each of the speakers just now I’m reminded – once again – just how fortunate we are as a party.

Fortunate to have such a strong and talented group of leaders and campaigners in our Welsh Labour team going into this year’s election.

Thank you to Carolyn, to Vaughan and to Ken for your words and for all the hard work you, party staff and members right across Wales are doing to help return a Welsh Labour Government after the 6th May.

And thank you to Sarah – who I know will be a fantastic Welsh Labour voice for Bridgend in the Senedd after May.

Today we launch the Welsh Labour Senedd election campaign.

Heddiw, rydym yn lansio ymgyrch etholiad Senedd Lafur Cymru.

A campaign rooted in trust and infused with ambition.

Trust because of everything we have done together to protect Wales during these extraordinary last twelve months.

Ambition because it has always been Labour that has delivered on the hopes and aspirations of people in Wales.

Delivered the things that really matter to them.

As we emerge from the pandemic it is Welsh Labour that once again has the positive, outward looking and progressive ideas to help families and communities across Wales.

It’s Welsh Labour that once again has the practical experience to change people’s lives for the better.

And we’ll do that in this campaign and in the next term as a team – as you’ve seen this morning.

Elected members, trade unions, our party members – individuals with roots and a presence in every community, in every part of Wales.

It’s that which gives us the courage to be radical. To look forward to a fairer, better future.

To Move Wales Forward at this election.

I Symud Cymru Ymlaen yn yr etholiad yma

And it’s that courage, trust and ambition that has been absolutely necessary over the last twelve months.

The most difficult period any of us has ever known.

But thanks to the difficult decisions our Welsh Labour Government has taken over that time, the number of cases has substantially declined.

Our vaccinations rollout has been the best in the UK. It has been a collective effort.
A national, Welsh effort.
Meaning we can begin to hope once again.

Despite the pain and the sadness of these last months, what is now clear is that a collective national feeling now exists for a different future after Covid.

A recognition that we cannot return to business as usual once this pandemic is over.

That we can – and we must – build back fairer. And doing that will require credible leadership.

Leadership that isn’t about simply saying things that you think people want to hear.

That isn’t about chasing the next day’s headlines.

Leadership that is earned through honesty and by making decisions that match bold ambition with practical reality.

At this election one thing will define the difference between Welsh Labour and the opposition parties.

Welsh Labour will be the only party that can and will deliver all of its promises.

Llafur Cymru fydd yr unig blaid sy’n gallu (a fydd yn) cyflawni ei holl addewidion.

Every one of our pledges and every single promise in our manifesto can and will be delivered with a Welsh Labour government

No ifs, no buts.

Just like we did in 2016.

• We said we’d cut the tax of every small business in Wales and we did.
• We promised to create 100,000 apprenticeships and we delivered on it.
• We vowed we’d cut the time for new medicines and it’s happened.
• We told you we’d invest an additional £100m in our schools and we did it.
• We said we’d let older people keep more of the money they’ve saved before they went into care and we delivered on it.
• We told parents we’d provide the most generous offer of free childcare anywhere in the UK and we did.

Clear, costed and – importantly – completed. It’ll be the same this time around.

A recovery that ensures that those hardest hit by coronavirus get the greatest help.

Byddwn yn gosod allan cynllun sydd yn ein helpu i adeiladu’r Gymru’r dyfodol sydd yn decach, gwyrddach a mwy llewyrchus

A manifesto for a party that is Moving Wales Forward.

Maniffesto ar gyfer plaid sydd yn Symud Cymru Ymlaen

And to begin that work, today we’re setting out six key pledges that will be the bedrock of our manifesto and that plan.

Clear, costed and credible promises that will make a real difference to people’s lives.

And because this will be a coronavirus election our first pledge will be to lead our recovery with the most comprehensive programme of catch up support ever seen for our public services.

We’ll support our children and our young people with a major schools catch up plan, employing over 1800 additional tutoring staff so that none of them are left behind.

We’ll launch an NHS Recovery Plan on day one and begin work delivering a new medical school in North Wales.

For young people a pledge to stand with them as they face the worst economic crisis we’ve ever seen.

We’ll deliver a new Young Persons Guarantee of a place in work, education, training or self-employment for everyone in Wales under the age of 25, including creating 125,000 new apprenticeships.

For our brave care workers that have helped us through this last year, a pledge for a fair deal at work.

Labour will guarantee the Real Living Wage for all our social care staff.

For future generations and for our planet, a pledge to create a Greener country.

We’ll abolish the use of the most littered single use plastics, protecting our seas and our countryside and we’ll extend our new National Forest for Wales.

For our communities a pledge to help keep people and our communities safe.

Where the Tories want to cut all 500 of the vital Police and Community Support Officers that the Welsh Labour Government funds, we will not only protect them – we’ll fund 100 more.

More help on the street in every part of Wales.

And for our economy – a pledge to create thousands of new jobs in a low carbon house building revolution.

The next Welsh Labour Government will match urgent job creation with combating climate change and build 20,000 new low carbon social homes for rent to support people, jobs and the planet.

These are the pledges we will take to the country in the coming weeks.

Bold ideas for the future.

Syniadau beiddgar ar gyfer y dyfodol

Things people care about.

Homes and hospitals.

Jobs and Skills.

A future for young people and our planet.

May 6th will be our chance to give everyone in Wales the opportunity to move Wales forward.

With your support, we can fulfil those promises.

Gydag eich cefnogaeth, medrwn gyflawni’r addewidion hynny.

And keep Moving Wales Forward.

A parhau i Symud Cymru Ymlaen

Thank you.