Labour faces left challenge for Euro-elections in Wales

Forward Wales Press

Labour's rightward march has created a great opportunity for a new socialist party in Wales. That's the message from Forward Wales, which is standing a list of four candidates in the European elections on June 10.

Heading that list will be former Welsh Secretary Ron Davies. In a powerful speech at the party's campaign launch today he said:  "Forward Wales now fills the left-of-centre gap left by New Labour’s rightward march."

Flanked by his fellow list candidates Wendy Paintsil, Janet Williams and Graham Jones he stressed that "a vote for Forward Wales would be a positive vote because it was for a party

• which supports a Europe for workers and consumers not bankers and bureaucrats and

• committed to putting the interests of Welsh people first,

• demands the same rights for workers and their unions here as those enjoyed by other European countries."

 Forward Wales also emphasised its green credentials by stating it would back the Assembly's stand on a GM-free Wales and push for Europe to support that position across the continent. Mr Davies said: "We are a party that stands up to big business and will protect the environment."

Pensioners would be protected with fair pensions at 60 and paid at the European Decency Threshold, according to the new citizen's charter that Forward Wales would campaign for.

It would also aim to transform social policy by having decent standards across Europe for health, food and education.

Mr Davies reserved his strongest comments for Labour, the party he left after 34 years as a member: "New Labour has sold out its past and is frightened of the future. Wales needs a new political force that puts Wales first and stands up to London. Every vote for Forward Wales builds up that force."

He added that the party will fight for a proper share of Europe’s regional funds and full match-funding from Westminster to go with it.