Plaid Cymru are very quick to accuse others of stealing their policy ideas.
Given this, I was surprised by the story in the Western Mail this morning on detailed proposals for an EU-wide Recovery Plan aimed at stimulating the economy. These include a proposal that the spending of so-called structural funds like the £1.4bn Convergence aid programme for West Wales and the Valleys could be brought forward.
Adam Price, who is going to Brussels, states that:
"Front-loading spending on the Convergence programme would be of enormous benefit to West Wales and the Valleys. ...There is no point waiting until 2015 to spend the money when it could be very useful in the short term. Jobs are being lost and businesses are closing. At this time it is crucial to have as much money circulating in the Welsh economy as possible. We need to unlock some of the blockages that are preventing the money from being spent, and the Commission’s proposal will help us do that.”
However, Adam and his party are a bit behind the times with this one. On November 21st, the Western Mail reported that
"Writing in his column in today’s Western Mail, Professor Dylan Jones Evans has called for politicians to seek an urgent meeting with the European Commission to re- examine the strategy for spending its funds in Wales. Prof Jones Evans said: “The economic situation has dramatically changed since the strategy was drawn up in early 2007 and most of the actions contained in the strategy are no longer relevant to the current short-term needs of the Welsh economy".
In the actual column itself, I also wrote that
"there is a very strong case to also bring forward the £430 million of spending earmarked for 2012 and 2013 within the European programme to support the Welsh economy as it goes through its darkest period."
Say no more.
Given this, I was surprised by the story in the Western Mail this morning on detailed proposals for an EU-wide Recovery Plan aimed at stimulating the economy. These include a proposal that the spending of so-called structural funds like the £1.4bn Convergence aid programme for West Wales and the Valleys could be brought forward.
Adam Price, who is going to Brussels, states that:
"Front-loading spending on the Convergence programme would be of enormous benefit to West Wales and the Valleys. ...There is no point waiting until 2015 to spend the money when it could be very useful in the short term. Jobs are being lost and businesses are closing. At this time it is crucial to have as much money circulating in the Welsh economy as possible. We need to unlock some of the blockages that are preventing the money from being spent, and the Commission’s proposal will help us do that.”
However, Adam and his party are a bit behind the times with this one. On November 21st, the Western Mail reported that
"Writing in his column in today’s Western Mail, Professor Dylan Jones Evans has called for politicians to seek an urgent meeting with the European Commission to re- examine the strategy for spending its funds in Wales. Prof Jones Evans said: “The economic situation has dramatically changed since the strategy was drawn up in early 2007 and most of the actions contained in the strategy are no longer relevant to the current short-term needs of the Welsh economy".
In the actual column itself, I also wrote that
"there is a very strong case to also bring forward the £430 million of spending earmarked for 2012 and 2013 within the European programme to support the Welsh economy as it goes through its darkest period."
Say no more.
Comments
hey may be you should be Chair of the Plaid Economic Commission
I have to say though, at least Adam Price has shown some balls to go with the idea.
Oh now I will be called a Plaidy as well as Tory Mam and Lynne Neagle.