In a virtual speech to supporters, the Leader of the Opposition in the Welsh Parliament, Paul Davies MS, has called for a revolution in devolution in Wales to end the sluggishness of government.

Speaking in the context of 20 years of Labour and Labour-led governments in Wales and a significant recent speech from the Prime Minister in respect of the pace of government, Paul is clear that “the paralysis of delivery is the worst disease affecting public policy in Wales.”

Signalling a significant change of pace in governing is required, he makes a key pledge for a revolution of pace: “When I think about running the Welsh Government, my ambition is not just to run the same sort of government we have now. It is to transform the whole operation so that delivery and improvement are hard wired into public servants. So that innovation is promoted and rolled out, not left in silos. So that entrenched patterns of working and thinking are challenged.”

Paul Davies also confirms that a Welsh Conservative government would also adopt a more honest and analytical culture, arguing “We do not live in an utopia but it has been a rare Welsh minister who ever admits programmes and money haven’t worked. You cannot fix a problem if your whole defensive attitude is part of the actual problem.”

As the First Minister in waiting, Paul Davies argues a Welsh Conservative Government next year will be “more radical and more revolutionary than Welsh Labour have managed in five terms.” He points particularly to learning from England, Scotland and Northern Ireland in developing policy for Wales, indicating that his government would look to learn from and replicate policies in other parts of the UK to rebuild the economy, and pledged to relax planning change of use laws if they are seen to be beneficial to economic recovery in England.

Concluding his ten-minute speech, which can be accessed here, Paul Davies affirmed that “Wales needs change. Not just a change in government but a change throughout government.”