Radical changes in the economy are essential if an independent Wales is to thrive and prosper, that’s the message from the country’s newest political party GWLAD GWLAD.

“We must not become a country of high taxes”, said Gwlad Gwlad leader Gwyn Wigley Evans told voters this week.

“It’s all very well talking about taxing the super-rich to pay for public services, but these are the people who are most able to avoid tax and will simply go away if you push too hard, leaving the country worse off,” said Gwyn.

“Countries all over the world have found that when tax rates go up, the total amount of tax collected often goes down. Macedonia, a country I know well, has experienced this within the last 18 months.”

Gwyn, who runs a textile business, headquartered in Wales, imports goods from Macedonia and distributes them to a number of EU countries..

“GWLAD policy for creating a powerhouse economy with new, high-productivity jobs paying decent salaries in an independent Wales by introducing a Universal Basic Income, or Citizens’ Income, and to combine this with a flat tax where all income is taxed at the same rate.

“For people on low incomes, the Citizens Income would remove the uncertainty of Universal Credit and give them a guaranteed income they can rely on.

“For people on higher incomes, the flat tax rate would be fair – no higher than our current top rate – and it would avoid many of the loopholes in our very complex current system.

“Our calculations show that the total amount of tax raised and benefits spent would be similar to the current system, but it would be simpler and fairer, taking away the undertainty of a zero hours pay packet,” Gwyn added

“Wales is full of hard-working, innovative and resourceful people and ought to be a thriving powerhouse of new ideas and innovation. Twenty years of mismanagement by the Labour government, supported either by Plaid or the Liberals in Cardiff have hurt us badly.

“We have to break this cosy alliance and provide a new way forward that reduces the bureaucracy and encourages action not words.  GWLAD believes that independence can set us free to grow our economy and produce a fairer society.”