Conservative candidate under fire after calling ‘ethical’ curriculum ‘appalling’

A Welsh Conservative candidate has come under fire after calling the Welsh curriculum “appalling” – because it aimed to develop children as “ethical, informed citizens”.

Ross England, the 2016 and 2021 Welsh Conservative candidate for the Vale of Glamorgan Assembly constituency, was responding to a statement from the Welsh Government.

The Welsh Government had said that their school curriculum aimed to “develop all our children as ethical, informed citizens of Wales and the world, ensuring they respect the needs and rights of others, as members of a diverse society”.

Ross England responded: “This is appalling from the Welsh Government. The role of schools in Wales is not to indoctrinate the young into a cosmopolitan liberal worldview.”

Conservative AM Suzy Davies, who had challenged for the party leadership over the summer, replied: “I’m guessing you checked with no-one on our party position?”

Blaenau Gwent Labour AM and former minister Alun Davies suggested that the Conservatives wanted to “create a Wales of small-minded inward-looking bigots” instead.

Ross England responded to Alun Davies by saying that he was “openly demonstrating elite contempt for the values of ordinary people”.

Ross England was suspended as an aide to Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns in July 2016 after claiming he swore at Remain campaigners.

Despite this, the Conservatives chose the devolution-sceptic as their Assembly candidate for the Vale of Glamorgan again this month.

He narrowly lost out to Labour’s Jane Hutt by 13,878 votes to 14,655 at the 2016 Assembly election.