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AS 2022 kicks off, most of us would presume that rebuilding our shattered society and economy would be at the top of the agenda this year in Wales.

With the new Labour/Plaid set-up in the Bay stretching every sinew in this direction.

It therefore comes as a huge shock and disappointment to learn that a very different priority is to be followed by the new double act in 2022.

With no less than 59.5% of this year’s capital spending – Welsh taxpayers’ money – to be spent on climate change.

A figure which is miles ahead of the next spending priority, health and social services which comes in at 15%, with the economy allocated a measly 4.9% of the whole capital spending allocation.

Gwlad Leader Gwyn Wigley Evans said it was a kind of Alice in Wonderland experiment totally at odds with the real needs of Wales today.

‘To be clear, it’s FAR more than health, social services, education, Welsh language, finance, local government, economy, social justice, rural affairs put TOGETHER’ he said.

‘That Diwali dancing experience has obviously muddled Drakeford’s head completely-but unfortunately this is one trip too many for the Welsh public’

‘And the sadness is that Plaid are dancing to his tune, because they now have to – having given up any pretence of opposing Labour any more’.

Mr. Evans said that climate change, although an important issue, should never be allocated almost 2/3 of the whole Welsh budget.

Especially with Welsh society and economy in ruins after two years of the Covid saga.

‘It adds insult to injury to see how the climate change agenda is being manipulated to plant trees all over Wales for the benefit of the City of London investors, which dramatically reduces our food production’ he said.

‘We also know that Labour want to build loads of new houses as well-when there are thousands upon thousands of empty and virtually empty second homes here available for locals at little or no cost to the taxpayer. But there is no political will to act in this direction’.

Welsh Labour are well known for their virtue signalling, but this is probably the most glaring example of them all.

Boasting that Wales is ‘leading the way’ on climate change will undoubtedly make the politicians feel good about themselves, but gives them a free pass from having to really tackle Wales’s more deep-seated social and economic woes.

You also have to ask what influence Labour HQ at Millbank has on all this and whether they want to use Wales as a kind of test bed for more climate change experimental policies should they ever return to power at Westminster.

Once more, Wales and its people are treated as guinea pigs and pawns in a much wider political game.

We never expect any better from Welsh Labour of course, but shame on Plaid for letting the people of Wales down like this.

Things have to change – but in a different way.

There will be an early opportunity for people to vote on all this with the Welsh Local Elections coming up in May.

Gwlad will be putting up a raft of candidates all over Wales at these elections, so look out for your local candidates for change.