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PM visits Wales on regional tour PM's Welsh economy 'health check'
(about 3 hours later)
Prime Minister Gordon Brown will visit south Wales later as part of his three day regional tour. Prime Minister Gordon Brown will visit south Wales later as part of his three-day regional tour of the UK.
Mr Brown has been on a series of visits across the UK to see for himself the impact of the economic downturn.Mr Brown has been on a series of visits across the UK to see for himself the impact of the economic downturn.
He says he wants to hear what people have to say, explain to them what the UK government is doing, and lay out his plans for the future. He says he wants to hear what people say, explain to them what he is doing, and lay out his plans for the future.
But Plaid Cymru say he should apologise for the deregulation of the financial sector while he was chancellor. Plaid Cymru claimed he should apologise for financial deregulation when he was chancellor and Conservatives said he could not solve the economic crisis.
The party claims this move is to blame for the current economic downturn. During his tour Mr Brown has travelled mainly by train and stayed in local hotels, holding meetings during the day and evening. When a prime minister does get to an area and gets to talk to people, he does get that sense of what attitudes are Lord Kinnock, former Labour leader
The Welsh Conservatives said Mr Brown's visit would bring little comfort to Welsh workers who had recently lost their jobs or were facing the prospect of unemployment. By contrast, his predecessor Tony Blair flew to areas of the UK for day trips, returning to Downing Street each night.
"We should not forget that it's Gordon Brown and Rhodri Morgan who've been in charge of the Welsh economy for the last decade and it's due to the failure of their policies that Wales is suffering more from the economic downturn than other parts of the UK," said a spokesperson for the party.
During his tour the Prime Minister has travelled mainly by train and stayed in local hotels, holding meetings during the day and evening.
By contrast his predecessor Tony Blair flew to the regions for day trips, returning to Number Ten each night.
The tour will end in south Wales on Friday afternoon.The tour will end in south Wales on Friday afternoon.
Former Labour leader Neil Kinnock, who is from south Wales, said the visit would "enrich" Mr Brown's understanding of what is going on in the area.
"When a prime minister does get to an area and gets to talk to people, he does get that sense of what attitudes are in an area," Lord Kinnock told BBC Radio Wales.
"It's still better than sitting in that ivory tower in Downing Street."
Plaid finance spokesperson Chris Franks said: "I hope Brown has come to apologise for the economic problems he has created in Wales.
"New Labour and the Tories are joint architects of the deregulation that led to the credit crunch and economic hardship for many."
Conservative shadow Welsh secretary Cheryl Gillan said: "The prime minister's visit brings no comfort to the thousands of workers who have lost their jobs in Wales over recent months and the thousands more whose jobs are at risk in the months to come.
"If he thinks he will manage to persuade people he's the man to solve this economic crisis then I suspect he will be very disappointed."