1 in 5 children is living below the poverty line in every part of Wales ?

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Welsh industry was closing down way before the 80s. That old chestnut just does not hold up to any kind of scrutiny.

More mines were closed by Labour in the 1960s than under Thatcher in the 80s.

The issue for Wales is that Labour have convinced the Welsh all of their ills are a result of Thatcher and the Tories.

Wales suffered worse unemployment and economic contraction in 2008 under Brown than at any time under Thatcher.

Utter cobblers

Labour havnt convinced the people , the people have voted

If people in merthyr are stupid and donkeys for voting Labour then what does that make a commuter from Sussex who always votes tory ?

He is taking an educated choice but they are sheep ?

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Utter cobblers

Labour havnt convinced the people , the people have voted

If people in merthyr are stupid and donkeys for voting Labour then what does that make a commuter from Sussex who always votes tory ?

He is taking an educated choice but they are sheep ?

It isn't cobblers Sludge, you just need to look at the facts

In 1929 there were 250k jobs in the Welsh mining industry, in 1979 there were 20k. At that rate the mines were closing by 1984. more mines were closed under Labour in the 1960s than at any other time. Under Thatcher 3% of South Wales worked in the mines and lost their jobs when that industry closed, with many retraining.

Under Labour, in 2008 around 6% of the Welsh workforce lost their jobs as a result of the financial crash. I don't recall any training.

Wales has faired no better or worse under Thatcher in terms of job losses. What did happen was Thatcher smashed the unions and many people just have not been able to get over it, perpetuating a myth that just does not hold up. What we have seen with the current Tory government is investment in Wales, with electrification of the South Wales mainline. That never happened under Labour.

I agree about the voters in Surrey, politicians need to earn your vote, and when you have solid blue or red areas, it breeds contempt for the wider electorate. I'm not sure of your point that you are trying to make

anyone who blindly follows a party or ideology is part of the problem.

[WJ99mobile]

It isn't cobblers Sludge, you just need to look at the facts

In 1929 there were 250k jobs in the Welsh mining industry, in 1979 there were 20k. At that rate the mines were closing by 1984. more mines were closed under Labour in the 1960s than at any other time. Under Thatcher 3% of South Wales worked in the mines and lost their jobs when that industry closed, with many retraining.

Under Labour, in 2008 around 6% of the Welsh workforce lost their jobs as a result of the financial crash. I don't recall any training.

Wales has faired no better or worse under Thatcher in terms of job losses. What did happen was Thatcher smashed the unions and many people just have not been able to get over it, perpetuating a myth that just does not hold up. What we have seen with the current Tory government is investment in Wales, with electrification of the South Wales mainline. That never happened under Labour.

I agree about the voters in Surrey, politicians need to earn your vote, and when you have solid blue or red areas, it breeds contempt for the wider electorate. I'm not sure of your point that you are trying to make

anyone who blindly follows a party or ideology is part of the problem.

You’re looking at a topic too broadly.

AI and automation will displace more jobs than the coal pit closures ever did but it’s governments task to replace those jobs in the areas it displaces.

For the tories in that era the areas most displaced were neglected and were still paying the price now.

Our topography doesn’t help us but you can’t hide that we were the casualty chosen in order to protect the UK as a whole

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You’re looking at a topic too broadly.

AI and automation will displace more jobs than the coal pit closures ever did but it’s governments task to replace those jobs in the areas it displaces.

For the tories in that era the areas most displaced were neglected and were still paying the price now.

Our topography doesn’t help us but you can’t hide that we were the casualty chosen in order to protect the UK as a whole

when discussing economics you have to take a broad brush,. you can't go down to the individual level. You understand full well our topography makes anything resembling large modern manufacturing out of the question, and we can't build huge industrial parks at the top of the Valleys as the market won't go there.

My view is that we should depopulate the northern valleys building better integrated communities between Cardiff, RCT, Caerphilly. Cardiff isn't an economic powerhouse but it does ok. Create jobs there that actually bring economic value to Wales, have a modern integrated public transport system and things may improve.