A PROGRESSIVE ALLIANCE IN WESTMINSTER

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood and Green Party MP Caroline Lucas have today confirmed that the three parties will work together as a progressive alliance in Westminster. 

Making the announcement ahead of the Queen’s speech the three parties said they would unite whenever possible to battle the Westminster parties’ obsession with austerity. 

  

First Minister and SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon said: 

“We are already well aware of what to expect from the Tory government in this Queen’s speech, with the continuation of the relentless assault on the poor and a further £12bn in cuts to social security. 

“At the General Election, people in Scotland gave the SNP an unprecedented democratic mandate to put an end to the cuts agenda which is hurting people across our communities – and we will use this mandate to work with Plaid and the Greens to lead the fight against Tory austerity and put forward a better plan to benefit people in Scotland and right across the UK. 

Plaid Cymru Leader, Leanne Wood, said: 

"Plaid Cymru’s team of MPs will be working with their SNP and Green colleagues in a progressive alliance to put forward the positive alternative to the Conservative government. As a group in the last parliament we worked together to hold the first ever debate on the bedroom tax and also held joint debates on inequality and Trident. 

“It is clear from the Labour leadership contest that that party is moving further to the right. The Plaid Cymru, SNP and Green will act as the only real opposition to the Conservative government and its agenda for further cuts and regressive policies such as the repeal of the Human Rights Act.” 

Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion, said: 

“With a Government wedded to further austerity and unwilling to take the action required on climate change it is vital to have a strong opposition voice in Parliament. It is, therefore, unfortunate that the Labour leadership has so often failed to offer the real alternative that’s so desperately required. 

"I’ll be working alongside MPs from Plaid Cymru and the SNP to put forward a real alternative to the tired business-as-usual politics that’s dominated Westminster for too long. On issues such as trident renewal and opposition to cuts it’s vital that progressive politicians work together to truly hold the Government to account.”