“Time for Home Truths for Hain” - Lord Laird
‘I do not like the tone of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the Rt Hon Peter Hain MP, when he implies that it is Northern Ireland’s fault that it needs subvention from the central Government. This is the virtue of being in the United Kingdom – wealthy areas help less well off ones to get on their feet again after after a bad experience. That is what we are trying to do locally’.
‘I have gathered together a team of experts – the purpose of this is to produce a document that demonstrates the virtues of being a member of the UK, using West Wales and the Valleys as an example,’ said Lord Laird.
‘Mr Hain’s constituency, Neath, is part of this region which, like Northern Ireland, has been through a difficult time over the last three decades’.
‘There has been massive unemployment following the collapse of the coal and steel industries and the area currently receives around £600 million of subsidies. I don’t begrudge them a single penny of this, but it’s a bit rich when Peter Hain infers that people in Northern Ireland are spongers because we receive a similar amount each year’.
Lord Laird continued: ‘In the early part of the 20th century, when Northern Ireland was a lot more prosperous, we paid more than our fair share into the Exchequer. Now we need a bit of help – you don’t just throw somebody out of the family just because they suddenly can’t pay their way. In fact, there are only about two areas of the UK that currently pay for themselves’.
‘Hopefully, Mr Hain will bear all this in mind and any other interesting facts we uncover about West Wales and the Valleys before he implies we are not paying our way’.