Who Represents the Poor and Disadvantaged?

Peter Oborne - Daily Mail

23:55pm 14th March 2008

One of the most enduring myths about the Labour Party is that, when in government, it promotes the interests of poorer and less advantaged people.
This is manifestly not true, as even a cursory study of recent British history shows.
Only two governments since World War II have generated any significant social mobility, and neither of them was associated with Labour.

Independence Cymru says:
People in the past have looked to Labour to enact social and radical reforms but since the Fifties Labour have failed to make a difference. In fact, Conservative governments have done as much, or possibly more to help the disadvantaged while in office. What one sees today is a growing disparity between the rich and the poor, between the wealthy South East and the poverty of Wales, Cornwall and the North East. It is fortunate for Wales that it has Plaid to campaign on social and economic issues and represent the interests of poorer and less advantaged people. Though Plaid is technically in alliance with Labour in the Assembly there is a fundamental difference between the two parties. While one looks to the future and the best interests of Wales and its people, the other concerns itself with the interests of the Labour Party and winning re-election, as well as maintaining its connections with its parent party in London which promotes devolution but wants also to promote Britishness and the unionist establishment. These contradictory approaches are incompatible and cannot be sustained. The crunch will come when Scotland proclaims its independence resulting in the dissolution of the Union.