Jeremy Miles, one of two contenders for the Welsh Labour leadership, has said he will not reverse the controversial 20mph limit in Wales if he becomes first minister. He has promised to conduct a review of the scheme if he wins, but only in terms of its implementation and how councils can exercise their discretion within a national framework. Miles’ rival, Vaughan Gething, has also called for a review. The winner of the election, following the resignation of Mark Drakeford in September, will be announced in March.
Speaking at his campaign launch, Miles pledged to increase education funding and tackle NHS waiting lists. He proposed the creation of “dedicated orthopaedic centres for knee and hip replacements to clear backlogs” in response to record waiting times. He also endorsed cooperative housing and fairer bus fares.
Miles has served as the Welsh government’s education minister since 2021, and previously served as Brexit minister and counsel general. He has represented Neath in the Senedd since 2016. In his campaign for the leadership, he has also called for greater devolved powers in Wales, covering areas such as crime, justice, and benefits.
Gething, who was health minister for much of the pandemic, has pledged to ensure that health and social care spending in Wales does not fall beneath that of England. He has also ruled out the privatisation of the Welsh NHS, stating that the service had saved his life when he suffered from kidney disease. The health service “was there for me when I needed it most and I’ll
always be there for the NHS”, he commented.”
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