Starmer's Labour wasted little time before taking hope away

It is a year today since Prime Minister Keir Starmer took office, but there should be no July 4 celebrations, argues Plaid Cymru's leader Rhun ap Iorwerth

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RESTORE hope, stop the chaos. The message fore grounded and front-loaded in Labour's 2024 general election manifesto - was, superficially at least, a nod to better days ahead.

It was a positive, and ultimately persuasive promise, which drew a line under the torrid Tory years implying not only a new sense of order but an awareness that the founding principle of any government should be the betterment of those it serves.

A palpable sense of anger had built up, not least driven by the unfairness and inequality that characterises modern Britain.

A well-off family at the 80th wealth percentile had seen its wealth increase by 37 per cent between 2006-08 and 2018-20, whilst a modest family at the 40th wealth percentile had seen no real wealth growth at all.

Few would deny that a rebuilding job was urgently required. The need to reevaluate priorities and reshape society, and to embed equity and equality became so apparent that not even the blue tinge of Starmer's Labour could ignore it.

And somewhere in this equation lay Wales, a nation reminded time and time again that we're “better together” and “better still” with two Labour governments working together.

It would therefore not be unreasonable for Wales to expect to see the promised dividend being delivered, with early signs to become apparent that years of Wales being shortchanged by Westminster would come to an end.

Exactly one year on since that general election, the reality could hardly be more different.

It is somewhat ironic that Keir Starmer's first anniversary in office coincides with Independence Day in the USA.