Cleddau Bridge commitment from candidate

In a keynote speech at Plaid Cymru’s spring conference in Llanelli Simon Thomas called on party members to create another political earthquake in Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire.

Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire candidate Simon Thomas pledged that the party will set out a way to scrap the Cleddau Bridge toll in the Plaid Cymru manifesto.

Party of Wales Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire AM candidate Simon Thomas said:

“It has been a privilege to be a Plaid Cymru Assembly Member. Truly a boyhood dream come true: to be in a Welsh Parliament speaking up for our nation.

It is a particular privilege to have been selected as your candidate for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire for 2016. To stand in part of Gwynfor Evans’s old seat fifty years after his ground-breaking by-election victory gives me an enormous sense of history and pride.

“I am working with a great team to make sure that our message gets across on the doorstep and we take that seat from the Tories. We can do it, and wouldn’t it make us all proud to see blue Carmarthen turn green again?

“I want to thank my team of activists in Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire and I want to invite you to join them in reconquering Carmarthen for Plaid Cymru.

Imagine the headlines in May when we turn the whole of Carmarthenshire back to Plaid Cymru – not just Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, but Llanelli and Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire too.

“It can be done, but only with dedication and commitment. And a fair wind. We have strong local campaigns on restoring essential services to Withybush hospital and on access to GPs.

“Both these issues show how important our long term health plan to recruit and train 1,000 extra doctors and 5,000 nurse is for the well-being of our nation.

“I’ve been successful in getting the Welsh Government to take seriously the need to abolish tolls on the Cleddau Bridge. And I am delighted our manifesto will set out how that can be done.

“The poorest wards of Pembroke and Pembroke Dock have been abandoned by Labour. A cut in business rates, a reduction in VAT for tourism business, and better town centre management is essential to kick-start those towns. Something that Plaid Cymru’s national policies will deliver.

“And these policies build on the terrific start made by our Carmarthenshire county councillors in kicking out the stale, rudderless Labour councillors and bringing in a fresh new council based on investment and leadership.”