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28/04/2005
Labour lies tarnish Welsh election campaign

The Labour Party is lying its way to May 5 in a desperate bid to cling to power, Welsh Conservatives have claimed.

Voters are being deliberately misled by Labour about Conservative plans for government both in Wales and at Westminster.

The tactics are designed to deflect attention away from Labour's failures and eight years of broken promises, Welsh Conservatives said.

Most recently the Labour Party has lied over Welsh Conservative plans for the future of the National Assembly, the block grant to Wales, and proposals to cut NHS waiting lists.

The Labour Party has lied also lied about countless other issues including tax, the war in Iraq, and tuition fees, Welsh Conservatives said.

The claims come after repeated attempts by Mr Blair to defend himself against questions about his integrity.

Yet because of his catalogue of broken promises, and failure to tell the truth, Conservatives have put Mr Blair's integrity at the centre of the 2005 election battle.

The latest Conservative message builds on the strengthening nationwide view that Mr Blair has failed to tell the truth about the reasons for going to war in Iraq.

It also stresses the point that if the Prime Minister lied about that, he will do the same about third term tax rises.

Welsh Conservative MEP Jonathan Evans said: "The Labour Party is waging a dirty, deceitful campaign in Wales and across the UK. They will do anything and say anything to deflect attention away from their shameful record in government. After eight years of talk, Mr Blair's Labour Party is deliberately misleading voters about our plans for government. People are rightly cynical about a government which does not deliver. They are now looking to us to provide the positive alternative with a clearly defined timetable for action."

The leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the National Assembly, Nick Bourne AM, said: "We have said we will be increase the block grant to Wales year on year. To say we'll cut it is a downright lie.We have said we'll let the people of Wales decide the assembly's future in a referendum. To say that means we'll abolish the assembly is also a lie. We have said we're committed to an NHS that is comprehensive, universal and free at the point of delivery. To say that means we'll force patients to pay for operations is a lie. We have said we'll save £35bn in government waste and re-invest the money into frontline services such as the NHS, police and schools. To say that is a cut is a lie. Labour is conducting this election on a falsehood. Smear and fear is what New Labour are about. This is their tactic – to set up the big lie and then repeat it as often as they can get away with."

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