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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Green ideas for Pontypridd future | Green ideas for Pontypridd future |
| (2 days later) | |
| With the threat of public spending cuts looming, it's no surprise that local candidates list "preserving and creating jobs" high on their agenda. | |
| Despite limping out of recession in the last few months the employment market in the UK still appears shaky. | Despite limping out of recession in the last few months the employment market in the UK still appears shaky. |
| Pontypridd may not have suffered quite as much as other places in Wales. | |
| However, there are concerns about the future because of the constituency's reliance on its significant manufacturing base. | |
| In the three months to February, 2.5m people were registered as out of work across the UK, while in Wales the number of people unemployed increased by 9%, from 10,000 to 131,000. | |
| History | History |
| Pontypridd has witnessed many changes in its economic history. | Pontypridd has witnessed many changes in its economic history. |
| After the boom and bust of the industrial age and the closure of its coal mines, manufacturing nestled neatly into place offering a glut of relatively low-paid jobs. | After the boom and bust of the industrial age and the closure of its coal mines, manufacturing nestled neatly into place offering a glut of relatively low-paid jobs. |
| But is history about to repeat itself, with yet another reinvention of the local economic base? | But is history about to repeat itself, with yet another reinvention of the local economic base? |
| There's consensus from the candidates that diversification is the way forward, with a uniform battle cry for 'green jobs!' | There's consensus from the candidates that diversification is the way forward, with a uniform battle cry for 'green jobs!' |
| The Labour candidate Owen Smith told BBC Wales: "I'm determined that the Pontypridd constituency will benefit fully from the new jobs and new opportunities that we think can come from a green industrial revolution." | |
| "We've pledged to create 400,000 new green jobs across the UK by 2015, and we're supporting that promise with the creation of a new green investment bank." | "We've pledged to create 400,000 new green jobs across the UK by 2015, and we're supporting that promise with the creation of a new green investment bank." |
| "I want the Pontypridd constituency to be at the heart of this industrial revolution, as we were a part of the last." | "I want the Pontypridd constituency to be at the heart of this industrial revolution, as we were a part of the last." |
| Electric cars | Electric cars |
| Manufacturing became the major employer after the demise of mining | Manufacturing became the major employer after the demise of mining |
| Plaid Cymru candidate Ioan Bellin wants to see a venture capital fund established saying "It would give businesses the funds they need to develop new ideas, to expand and create sustainable jobs." | Plaid Cymru candidate Ioan Bellin wants to see a venture capital fund established saying "It would give businesses the funds they need to develop new ideas, to expand and create sustainable jobs." |
| His party, he says, would look at bringing high speed electrified railways to Wales and develop an infrastructure for electric cars generating thousands of high-quality green jobs. | His party, he says, would look at bringing high speed electrified railways to Wales and develop an infrastructure for electric cars generating thousands of high-quality green jobs. |
| Sustainability is also high on the agenda for the Liberal Democrats. Their candidate in Pontypridd, Mike Powell, thinks producing solar panels would kill two birds with one stone. | Sustainability is also high on the agenda for the Liberal Democrats. Their candidate in Pontypridd, Mike Powell, thinks producing solar panels would kill two birds with one stone. |
| "We already have the manufacturing capability, so let's transfer the skills of the workforce into green technology," he said. | "We already have the manufacturing capability, so let's transfer the skills of the workforce into green technology," he said. |
| "Not only would we be ensuring employment, we could also cut down on our carbon footprint by using the panels to power our street lights." | "Not only would we be ensuring employment, we could also cut down on our carbon footprint by using the panels to power our street lights." |
| The Conservatives meanwhile want to see more focus on building up local communities. | The Conservatives meanwhile want to see more focus on building up local communities. |
| Carbon footprint | Carbon footprint |
| Tory candidate Lee Gonzalez says the area has suffered disproportionately during the recession because of its over reliance on manufacturing. | |
| "We need to encourage businesses back into the high street, so people are offered a range of employment," he said, arguing that this would create more local jobs and cut down people's carbon footprint. | "We need to encourage businesses back into the high street, so people are offered a range of employment," he said, arguing that this would create more local jobs and cut down people's carbon footprint. |
| That is similar to the position of UK Independence Party, which calls small and medium-sized businesses the 'backbone of our economy'. | That is similar to the position of UK Independence Party, which calls small and medium-sized businesses the 'backbone of our economy'. |
| Its candidate David Bevan said we need to rebuild Britain's manufacturing industry. | Its candidate David Bevan said we need to rebuild Britain's manufacturing industry. |
| "Any opportunity, including the potential for green jobs, should be snapped up," he said, "if it reverses the shrinking fortunes of manufacturing that we've seen under the current Labour administration." | "Any opportunity, including the potential for green jobs, should be snapped up," he said, "if it reverses the shrinking fortunes of manufacturing that we've seen under the current Labour administration." |
| It's no surprise that the Green Party heavily advocates sustainable jobs, but their candidate John Matthews says that investing in the knowledge economy is crucial. | It's no surprise that the Green Party heavily advocates sustainable jobs, but their candidate John Matthews says that investing in the knowledge economy is crucial. |
| "Cleaner energy production is the way forward - these are the jobs of the future," he said. | "Cleaner energy production is the way forward - these are the jobs of the future," he said. |
| While the ideas for boosting the local economy are all very different, one thing is clear - on the back of the recent rise in unemployment across the UK, whoever wins in Pontypridd will face a huge challenge. | While the ideas for boosting the local economy are all very different, one thing is clear - on the back of the recent rise in unemployment across the UK, whoever wins in Pontypridd will face a huge challenge. |
| See a list of the candidates standing in the Pontypridd constituency | See a list of the candidates standing in the Pontypridd constituency |