Carwyn Jones kickstarts Welsh campaign with childcare pledge

Carwyn Jones has put free childcare at the centre of his bid for another term running Wales as he unveiled his six election pledges.

The First Minister promised 30 hours of free support for parents of children aged three and four alongside pledges on apprenticeships, tax cuts for small business and investment in schools.

Jones will campaign on a “decade of delivery” which he said has been delivered through “record cuts” to Wales’ budget.

Speaking on a visit to Airbus in Broughton, Jones promised for the next four years:

• Free childcare for working parents.

• Tax cuts for all small businesses in Wales.

• 100,000 quality apprenticeships for all ages.

• A new treatment fund for life threatening illnesses.

• To double the capital limit for those selling their main property and moving into care homes.

• An extra £100m to improve school standards.

Labour is expected to suffer losses in the Welsh election in May but Jones struck a defiant note, describing the pledges as: “A helping hand for parents, breathing space for small business, continuing improvement in schools, the latest treatments for the sick and fairness for the older generation”.

Jones was last month briefed on the possible outcome with Patrick Heneghan, Labour’s executive director of elections, warning Labour could could lose Assembly and council seats and will fail to achieve a majority of AMs in Cardiff.

Welsh Labour currently holds 30 of 60 AMs, but are predicted to lose three. The Conservatives hold 14 seats, and are predicted to hold 12. Plaid Cymru have 11 and are predicted to win ten. The Welsh Lib Dems hold five but are set to drop to two seats. The biggest forecast gain is for UKIP, who are predicted to win nine of the 20 list seats from the list vote.

One of Jones’ most-watched pledges will be the plan to spare older people from having to plunge most of the proceeds from the sale of their home into the cost of care.

Jones said the doubling of the capital threshold on the sale of a home was “an effective £26,000 tax-break for thousands of older people in Wales”.

“We believe that people in old age who need extra help – those who have played fair and paid in – deserve a fairer deal.”

• Welsh Labour conference begins on Friday. Check LabourList for regular updates from Llandudno.