Jeremy Miles says more money for education if he becomes First Minister

Welsh Labour leadership candidate Jeremy Miles has set out his pledges for Wales’ future, including plans to spend more money on schools and practical help to cut NHS waiting times though dedicated orthopaedic treatment centres.

Mr Miles, who officially launched his leadership campaign at an event in Swansea, has made six key pledges on issues that matter the most to the people of Wales – the economy, the NHS, schools, housing, transport, and strengthening Welsh democracy.

The six pledges are his policy priorities for the government he would like to lead. They are a set of choices that will reshape the Welsh Government in coming years and into the next Senedd term. They are:

• A green economy stimulus: target all Welsh Government capital and procurement spending – alongside new funding models in partnership with local government –  to create quality, sustainable jobs and tackle climate change
• Invest in education: increase the percentage of the Welsh Government budget spent on schools – as the best investment in social justice and in a healthy economy
• Cut NHS waiting lists: establish dedicated orthopaedic centres for knee and hip replacements to clear backlogs
• Decent housing in our communities: expand cooperative housing and tackle barriers to providing social homes
• Fairer fares, better transport: simpler, fairer bus fares to encourage travel as we re-regulate the bus network
• A stronger voice for the people of Wales: strengthen the Senedd, devolve power within Wales, and secure a fairer deal for Wales in partnership with a UK Labour Government

Commenting on his pledges for Wales’ future, Jeremy Miles MS said:

“I’m standing for Welsh Labour Leader and First Minister because I have a vision for Wales’ future. We have difficult financial challenges now, but we must also think beyond those to secure a more hopeful future.
 
“As First Minister, I will invest more in education, provide practical help to the NHS in order to cut waiting lists, expand cooperative housing, and introduce fairer bus fares. Every penny spent on building and buying through the Welsh Government will have to meet the test of supporting quality, sustainable jobs and our aims of tackling the climate emergency.
 
“Our Welsh democracy will be strengthened with a stronger Senedd, I will press for the further devolution of powers, including within Wales, and I will work in partnership with Keir Starmer as Labour’s next Prime Minister to make sure Wales benefits from two governments – Welsh and UK – working together for Wales’ future.”