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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Morgan glee at England 'jealousy' | Morgan glee at England 'jealousy' |
| (about 21 hours later) | |
| First Minister Rhodri Morgan claims his government's abolition of prescription charges means people in England are jealous of Wales for the first time. | First Minister Rhodri Morgan claims his government's abolition of prescription charges means people in England are jealous of Wales for the first time. |
| Mr Morgan spoke as Labour prepared to unveil its achievements record ahead of May's Welsh assembly election. | Mr Morgan spoke as Labour prepared to unveil its achievements record ahead of May's Welsh assembly election. |
| The abolition of charges from 1 April was backed by AMs on Tuesday. In England most patients still pay £6.65. | The abolition of charges from 1 April was backed by AMs on Tuesday. In England most patients still pay £6.65. |
| "We have never actually managed to make the English jealous before... but we have done it," said Mr Morgan. | "We have never actually managed to make the English jealous before... but we have done it," said Mr Morgan. |
| He cited a page one story in Friday's Daily Express claiming there was growing anger over Britain's "two-tier health service". | He cited a page one story in Friday's Daily Express claiming there was growing anger over Britain's "two-tier health service". |
| The Express ran the headline "Prescriptions free for everyone - but only if you live in Wales". | The Express ran the headline "Prescriptions free for everyone - but only if you live in Wales". |
| It also quoted Health Minister Brian Gibbons saying: "The vast majority of ordinary working class people will benefit substantially and, for us in Welsh Labour, that's what we are proud about". | It also quoted Health Minister Brian Gibbons saying: "The vast majority of ordinary working class people will benefit substantially and, for us in Welsh Labour, that's what we are proud about". |
| LABOUR'S TOP ACHIEVEMENTS Objective One funding, helping to create or secure over 90,000 jobsNew Deal - helped over 35,000 young people into jobsCut long term youth unemployment by over 85% in WalesEnding the Tory 'quango-state' in WalesOver £500m in Wales paid out in miners compensationSource: From Labour Party Wales' top 50 achievements | |
| Mr Morgan told BBC Radio Wales: "I think it's the first time that a Fleet Street newspaper has actually put a front page blasting headline on how wonderful it is that Wales has brought in free prescriptions, but playing into English jealousy and saying 'wouldn't it be wonderful if you all lived in Wales'. | Mr Morgan told BBC Radio Wales: "I think it's the first time that a Fleet Street newspaper has actually put a front page blasting headline on how wonderful it is that Wales has brought in free prescriptions, but playing into English jealousy and saying 'wouldn't it be wonderful if you all lived in Wales'. |
| Funding concerns have been raised by drug companies but Mr Morgan said there was "no question of going back" on the decision. | Funding concerns have been raised by drug companies but Mr Morgan said there was "no question of going back" on the decision. |
| "What's happened is that over the period 2003 to 2007, we have been cutting the prescriptions charge year by year. | "What's happened is that over the period 2003 to 2007, we have been cutting the prescriptions charge year by year. |
| "What's happening on 1 April is that the final cut (is) from £3 to zero, and I think that it will be a red letter day for people in Wales." | "What's happening on 1 April is that the final cut (is) from £3 to zero, and I think that it will be a red letter day for people in Wales." |
| He also claimed another of Labour's greatest achievements in Wales was making it a "full employment country". | He also claimed another of Labour's greatest achievements in Wales was making it a "full employment country". |
| He said people's belief in their own prospects had been restored and they no longer felt they had to leave Wales to get a better job or to "better themselves". | He said people's belief in their own prospects had been restored and they no longer felt they had to leave Wales to get a better job or to "better themselves". |
| "What we're doing today is to establish what an outstandingly proud record we have got of achievement over the past seven-and-a-half years," he added. | "What we're doing today is to establish what an outstandingly proud record we have got of achievement over the past seven-and-a-half years," he added. |
| But Plaid Cymru reacted to by publishing a document, "Labour's failure to deliver", which they said highlighted examples of Labour's "broken promises, failures and incompetence". | But Plaid Cymru reacted to by publishing a document, "Labour's failure to deliver", which they said highlighted examples of Labour's "broken promises, failures and incompetence". |
| A Plaid spokesperson said: "Rhodri Morgan's administration is bereft of ideas and has failed to deliver for the people of Wales." | A Plaid spokesperson said: "Rhodri Morgan's administration is bereft of ideas and has failed to deliver for the people of Wales." |
| Meanwhile the leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the assembly, Nick Bourne, said: "This could well be the shortest document in political history - unless Labour counts scrapped manifesto promises, long hospital waiting lists, economic stagnation, and educational failure as achievements." | Meanwhile the leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the assembly, Nick Bourne, said: "This could well be the shortest document in political history - unless Labour counts scrapped manifesto promises, long hospital waiting lists, economic stagnation, and educational failure as achievements." |