We face immense challenges at home and abroad. The cost of living crisis is biting in the wake of the pandemic and Vladimir Putin’s appalling war in Ukraine. Economic growth has been sluggish and hard-working people are being squeezed by the highest tax burden in 70 years.
Bold leadership will be required to tackle these challenges, rather than tired economic managerialism. I know this is felt widely, having spoken to hundreds of our members across the United Kingdom. That is why I am stepping up to the plate with a clear plan to get growth going and unleash our full potential through unashamedly Conservative ideas.
Today, I am in Cardiff to show how we will deliver for the Welsh people under my leadership. I will work with the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd to build an aspiration nation, where everyone from all parts and all backgrounds has the opportunity to realise their dreams. We will do that by delivering on our promises in 2019, which inspired over half a million people to vote for our party across the country, from Monmouth to Yns Mon.
Read more: ' My vision for Wales is unrivalled' | Rishi Sunak
I know the UK has the potential to be a high-growth and highly-productive powerhouse, with Wales at its heart. My plan to make that happen is clear, consistent and credible.
I will take immediate action to help people with the cost of living by starting to slash taxes from day one. They need help right now rather than warm words about the future.
As the Federation of Small Businesses recently made clear, we cannot tax our way to growth. I would reverse the rise in National Insurance and temporarily suspend green levies on energy bills to put more money back in people’s pockets.
This is not just the right thing to do to get our economy back on track. It is the right thing to do morally, rewarding people for their hard work and enterprise. After all, people know how to spend their money better than any Government - whether it is in Westminster or Cardiff Bay.
I will level up Wales in a Conservative way by harnessing the power of free enterprise to drive job creation in the industries of the future. I will work with the Welsh Government and local communities to identify areas which are ripe for transformation as part of a new investment zone.
These zones will incentivise economic growth through lower regulation and taxes. They will serve as new hubs for ideas and innovation in the spirit of historic centres of industry like Blaenavon.
I will double down in seizing the huge opportunities offered by Brexit, for example by creating full-fat freeports. By making the most of new-found freedoms outside the European Union, we can get our economy firing on all cylinders as the engine for real change.
I am a great believer in our potential as a sovereign nation and a clear vision of the bright future ahead for Wales and the wider country. I have the drive, determination and track record of delivery to ensure we get there.
No matter the challenge, I have risen to the moment and got the job done across six departments. I faced down Putin over his brutality by working with our partners to target Russia with hard-hitting sanctions. I gripped the Northern Ireland Protocol, finding a way to fix its problems through legislation while preventing the tearing apart of our precious union.
Time after time, I have delivered for the Welsh people. As Trade Secretary, I championed the best Wales has to offer the global marketplace from high-quality lamb produced in Brecon to fintech developed in Bridgend. In the process, I have helped exporters to support 200,000 jobs across the country.
I worked tenaciously with the United States to draw a line under the longest running trade dispute in the WTO’s history, Airbus-Boeing. This meant the tariffs on exports of wings made by Welsh workers at Airbus’ factory in Broughton was suspended, helping support livelihoods in the area.
I have banged the drum for Welsh enterprise in order to drive growth and secure jobs through investment – helping companies like Budweiser deploy zero emission green hydrogen at its Magor brewery, as part of its plans to invest over £100m.
Our economy is about much more than numbers on a spreadsheet. It is about livelihoods, aspiration and ambition. That is why I am proud to be the change candidate with my plan to get us back on track.
The Welsh people can trust me to deliver. I will never give into vested interests or kow-tow to any cosy economic consensus. I have the courage of my convictions and will stay the course.
I am campaigning as a Conservative and will govern as a Conservative. I will hit the ground running as Prime Minister with a strong team, united in our determination to deliver. Together, we can defy the voices of decline and ensure Wales’ best days lie ahead.
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