Plaid Cymru unveils pledges for rural Wales ahead of manifesto launch

Plaid Cymru has today unveiled its pledges for rural Wales as part of its general election campaign, vowing to be the voice of rural Wales in Westminster.

Rural communities face distinct challenges associated with distance from key services, limited job opportunities and low incomes, a rural premium, lack of public transport infrastructure, and social isolation.

GP increase

As part of their pledges, Plaid Cymru has pledged to increase GPs to help rural communities access the healthcare they need and invest in local high streets to keep shops, pubs and community centres open which are under threat due to rising costs.

Plaid also promise to create a Welsh Broadband Infrastructure Company to improve rural digital connectivity.

Another pledge is for a specialist all-Wales rural crime team, building upon the work already done by Police and Crime Commissioner for Dyfed-Powys Dafydd Llywelyn, as well as reconfiguration of the Rural Fuel Duty Relief Scheme to tackle high fuel costs in the absence of public transport links.

Plaid Cymru candidate for Caerfyrddin, Ann Davies said: “Make no mistake, neither the Tories nor Labour are on the side of rural Wales.

“Fourteen years of Tory rule has seen our public services cut to the bone and thousands of households in Wales pushed into poverty, yet Labour aren’t offering any alternative vision either. People across Caerfyrddin are paying more for less services as a result.

“I am proud of my record for delivering for rural communities across Carmarthenshire, with responsibility over Plaid Cymru-led Carmarthenshire Council’s Ten Towns initiative to support the economic recovery and growth of rural towns, and in standing up to big companies that wish to use our resources and countryside for their own profit gains.

“This general election, Plaid Cymru is promising to be the voice of rural Wales in Westminster. From offering alternative methods to the destruction of our beautiful countryside – from large industrial scale solar farms to pylons; demanding fair funding for Wales to secure greater investment in local high streets and money to improve access to NHS services in rural communities; and plans to safeguard banking services in towns across rural Wales by demanding the necessary powers to Wales to develop a community bank. I will fight for Caerfyrddin in Westminster and demand fairness for rural Wales.”

Labour “ignorance”

Plaid Cymru candidate for Ynys Môn, Llinos Medi said: “We know that this isn’t as good as it gets for households and businesses in Ynys Môn. The Tories’ have a lot to answer for when it comes to the effect of Brexit on the island and the job losses caused as a result, but Labour continue to show pure ignorance to the obvious reality that rural communities face different hardships to those in more urban areas.

“Plaid Cymru MPs will push for investment in digital connections for rural areas and wider funding to tackle poor broadband connections and 4G signal – to both benefit households and businesses.

“We also understand the effects of high fuel prices, and reaffirm our commitment to demand the reconfiguration of the Rural Fuel Duty Relief scheme so that businesses and people in rural communities in Wales are able to benefit from cheaper petrol given the lack of public transport links, as do those in Scotland and England.

“Plaid Cymru will always stand shoulder to shoulder with rural Wales and stand up to London parties that continue to ignore Wales’s needs.”