'Cash needed for green revolution'

Speaking to the Morning Star during a visit to Westminster today, the politician outlined her plans to reverse austerity measures being imposed on Wales by Westminster's Con-Dem government.

The latest official unemployment figures reveal the number of people claiming job seekers allowance is on the rise in half of Wales' 40 constituencies.

Ms Wood said Wales has "a weak devolution settlement compared to Scotland" and is demanding responsibility for "macro-economic levers" like income tax in order to create growth and jobs.

"We believe very strongly that austerity is reducing the ability of people to work and provide for themselves and that is taking us in exactly the wrong direction," she said.

"For the last 20 years the Welsh economy has been in decline, so unless we are prepared to chart a different course then continued decline is inevitable.

"We need to build up the Welsh economy, not preside over a further decline."

And responding to Ms Wood's calls, Unison Wales secretary Margaret Thomas said the union "would like Wales to move in the same direction as Scotland and with similar powers."

But Ms Thomas explained the Welsh government is losing out on £1 billion every year under Westminster's current funding formula and said a new "fair funding" arrangement should be a priority.

Plaid Cymru is also demanding that the Treasury produce Wales-specific GDP figures.

"If we don't know whether Wales is in recession or not we can't apply different actions to try to reverse the situation," she explained.