Senedd Conservatives to lead debate marking six months of UK Labour

Emily Price

The Conservatives are set to bring forward a Senedd motion marking six months since Labour came to power in Westminster.

The debate will see the Senedd Tories call on the Welsh Government to make urgent representations to UK ministers to reverse some of the new reforms rolled out since Labour won the general election in July.

Leader of the opposition Darren Millar says changes to inheritance tax for farmers, winter fuel allowance cuts and an increase in employer’s national insurance have all been “disastrous” for the people of Wales.

Controversial 

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has insisted it “makes sense” to cut winter fuel payments for pensioners as many did not need it because they were “relatively wealthy”.

Labour has also defended controversial changes to agricultural inheritance tax which saw protests by farmers break out across the UK.

Sir Keir has argued that the “vast majority of farmers” will not be affected.

Reforms to employer’s national insurance have also proved unpopular since Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced her autumn budget.

It will see the rate of national insurance contributions paid by employers in the UK increase from 13.8% to 15% from April 6 2025.

Ms Reeves claimed the rise was necessary as part of a package of measures to stabilise the economy.

Reverse

The Senedd Conservatives want to the see the Welsh Government press the UK Government to reverse the three policies.

The Welsh Tories would also like to see the introduction of a Welsh winter fuel allowance if the cut in the winter fuel allowance remains in place.

Commenting ahead of the debate on Wednesday, Darren Millar said: “Six months of a UK Labour Government has been disastrous for the people of Wales, with manifesto commitments scrapped at every turn.

“The Welsh Labour Government could’ve stood up and demanded that the new family farm tax, the scrapping of winter fuel payments, and the rise in employer’s national insurance contributions were scrapped, but they didn’t.

“It’s clear more than ever that only the Welsh Conservatives have a common sense plan to fix Wales, and deliver for the people of Wales.”

The full Senedd motion reads:

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes that January 2025 marked 6 months of the UK Labour Government being in power.
   2. Regrets that the UK Labour Government has:
   a) hit Welsh farmers with a new inheritance tax;
   b) removed the winter fuel allowance away from half a million Welsh pensioners; and
   c) increased Welsh employer’s national insurance costs.
   3. Further regrets that the Welsh Government has failed to stand up for Wales during this period.
   4. Calls on the Welsh Government to:
   a) make urgent representations to the UK Government to reverse their inheritance tax, winter fuel allowance removal, and the increase

to employer’s national insurance costs; and
b) introduce a Welsh winter fuel allowance if the cut in the winter fuel allowance remains in place.