IN the Senedd this week, the Welsh Conservatives called on the Welsh Government to get Wales working instead of “lagging behind the rest of Britain”.

Employment in Wales remains the lowest in the UK, the number of people on Universal Credit has increased in Wales, the unemployment rate in Wales stands at 4.5 per cent, and economic inactivity remains the highest in Great Britain. At the same time, UK unemployment has reached a near five-year high as wage growth slows, while pay packets in Wales remain the lowest in the United Kingdom.

The party attributes this to 27 years of Labour, propped up by Plaid Cymru and the Liberal Democrats.

To stop the Welsh economy underperforming, working people and businesses need a strong pro-growth approach, the Conservatives argued. This would include:

  • Cutting the basic rate of Welsh income tax by 1p in the pound;
  • Scrapping business rates for small firms, pubs and post offices;
  • Scrapping the proposed tourism tax;
  • Abolishing land transaction tax for the purchase of a primary residence; and
  • Requiring local authorities to hold a referendum before increasing council tax by more than 5 per cent.

Commenting after of the debate, Welsh Conservative Shadow Secretary for the Economy, Samuel Kurtz, Senedd Member for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, said:

“Under Labour, enabled by Plaid Cymru and the Lib Dems, the Welsh economy is broken.

“It’s clear that only the Welsh Conservatives have a credible costed plan to cut taxes and lift unnecessary burdens from our drivers of economic growth: hardworking people and businesses.

“We want to see a Wales that is open for business. Unfortunately, Labour, Plaid and Reform voted against our positive plan to get Wales working by scrapping business rates for small businesses, cutting income tax, axing the tourism tax and ensuring the whole of Wales receives investment.”

The motion which was debated today reads:

To propose that the Senedd:

  1. Notes the UK Government’s Spring Statement of March 3, 2026 and the latest economic forecasts.
  2. Regrets that under Labour governments in both Westminster and Cardiff: a) economic growth forecasts have been downgraded; b) unemployment is expected to rise and Wales continues to have the lowest employment in the UK; c) the number of people in Wales on universal credit is the highest ever; d) economic inactivity in Wales is the highest in Great Britain; and e) pay packets in Wales are the lowest in the United Kingdom.
  3. Believes that after almost three decades of Labour-led government in Wales, the Welsh economy is underperforming and working people and businesses need a strong pro-growth approach.
  4. Calls on the Welsh Government to get Wales working by: a) cutting the basic rate of Welsh income tax by 1 pence in the pound; b) scrapping business rates for small firms, pubs and post offices; c) scrapping the proposed tourism tax; d) abolishing land transaction tax for the purchase of a primary residence; and e) requiring local authorities to hold a referendum before increasing council tax by more than 5 per cent.