hello, you're watching afternoon live — i'm simon mccoy. today at 2pm... inching towards the second phase of brexit talks — eu leaders give the green light to trade talks — amongst themselves. i am ambitious and positive for britain's future and for these negotiations, but i know we still have some way to go. my impression is that the reports of the deadlock between the eu and the uk have been exaggerated. called out — the mobile phone companies still charging — after you've paid for your handset. still a class apart — the research which reveals four—fifths of oxbridge students had parents with topjobs. coming up on afternoon live — all the sport... jess has the fallout from that everton game... exactly, we will be discussing the plight of everton football clu b discussing the plight of everton football club at the moment and the terrible time they are having on and off the pitch. they have been charged by uefa after their fans

we re charged by uefa after their fans were caught up in a brawl during the europa league last night. more on that coming up. and in the weather, it looks lovely but it's the calm before the storm? certainly, with sunshine around today, sunshine at the weekend but a lot of showers. the big story is the strength of the wind, all due to storm. the latest on that coming up later. all so... this lovely lady on my right size, can we have a bit of daisy daisy now? also coming up — we'll hear from singing diva lesley garrett — performing opera in her native tongue — of yorkshire. hello, everyone — this is afternoon live — i'm simon mccoy.

the prime minister is on her way back from brussels — and she isn't returning from eu talks entirely empty—handed. the eu 27 — as they're now called — have agreed to internal preparations for trade talks in december. theresa may says she remains ambitious and positive — but the negotiation progress is slow — very slow. our europe correspondent damian grammaticus reports. before dawn and theresa may was back, her speech at the summit last might not enough to end the brexit stalemate, other leaders say speeches are not enough. it is time to go for a real negotiations, not just negotiating in the media by rhetoric. is that what you mean, that financial commitments, the uk won't detail that. i think she made a firm but not final offer in florence. now we need her and the british negotiators to move this into the negotiation room.

enter the man who sits in that room. i'm from the bbc, is your recommendation today sufficient progress? we are going to work, sorry. i'm not answering questions. it is michel barnier who the uk must satisfy first. he was here to brief eu leaders on how the negotiations are progressing. i'm sorry, i don't want to answer questions now. let me work, please! we know that the eu's chief negotiator will say sufficient progress has not yet been made in these negotiations. that is what he will brief the eu leaders on and the next negotiation rounds will have to change if these negotiations move forward. for eu leaders, the sticking point is that despite theresa may's promise in florence speech, when she said the uk would meet its financial obligations to the eu, in the talks, negotiators have not said what that means in practice. and without detailed things cannot move because one mfs may is not prepared to go beyond what she said in florence.

what i've made clear to my eu counterparts in relation to financial contribution is what i set out in my florence speech. which is, i said nobody need be concerned for the current budget plan, that they would have to either pay in more or receive less, asa result of the uk leaving, and that we will honour the commitments that we have made during our membership. now there has to be detailed work on those commitments as david davis has said, we are going through them line by line and will continue to do so. the british taxpayer would not expect its government to do anything else. with that she left this summit and going through line by line is what the eu has been doing already, it has led to the impasse, the exit leaving the other 27 nations to talk brexit by themselves, no breakthrough in sight. and while they may not be

satisfied, eu leaders emerged today keen to send positive signals, hoping to inject new momentum into the talks. while progress is not sufficient, it does not mean that there is no progress at all. today the council has agreed to start internal preparative discussions in relation to framework for the future relationship and on transitional arrangements. but what is needed now is a new dynamic to get these talks back on track. damian grammaticas, bbc news, brussels. our correspondence ben wright is in westminster. it is a torturous process to watch, let alone be part of? it certainly was not the breakdown in talks that was feared by both sides, those two or three weeks ago where there was obviously significant deadlock on the money question. i think the aim of this council meeting was for both sides to show that they are considered truly am prepared to move. all of

the talk we heard in damian‘s pieces of the green light being given to the phase two talks starting at the december council meetings. that's the obvious aim but it is also clear that the issue that will unlock that if it is to happen is money. if the eu expect the uk to move further than the commitments given by theresa may in the florence beach, that will amount to about £18 billion, 20 billion year race, that is the money that theresa may said the eu will not lose out on when britain leaves, a hole in the budget of about two years. there are far bigger long—term liabilities and commitments the eu are demanding the uk commit to right now before the second phase of talks can start. damian grammaticas joins us from brussels, you tried to get your best —— you tried your best to get him to talk to you but you do not throw your hands up completely, there is clearly some recovering? there are two things you need to separate.

there is the talks and the negotiations, the technical side of things, that is what michel barnier is involved in and where things are really stuck. especially over the issue of money. then you have the politics, the political process. this stop here, at this summit. the leaders definitely wanting to send yesterday and today positive signals to the uk, that talk about them opening trade talks in december, it is only a kurd and that they are opening the eu's own preparations for it among themselves. that is supposed to be an olive branch, something theresa may can bring home to show that there is progress happening here. but the real difficulty is that there has been no change since the florence beach, on the money issue. theresa may saying that she is paying the commitments and the eu side say, what does that mean? they need to see details in

negotiations, because at the moment the 20 billion odd that you were hearing about from ben, that's part of what the eu has in its current budget, its current spending and commitments, all of those things that the eu say must be addressed, if this is to move forward. at the moment, it isn't so things are stuck. thank you. hilary benn is chair of the select committee of the commons. is there a change in the mood music?” committee of the commons. is there a change in the mood music? i think that the words are warmer than we thought would be the case to all three weeks ago. but as damian grammaticas has rightly said, the fa ct grammaticas has rightly said, the fact remains that talks are stuck on phase one, and the question of northern ireland and eu citizens, they are very close to a deal. and they are very close to a deal. and the money. this european council has not given the green light to move on to phase two, which is what is

urgently needed to sort out the nature of the transitional arrangements, that the prime minister announced in her florence beach, that the uk would seek and get on to the future of our trade and market access relationship with the 27 other member states. the fact that the 27 or start to talk among themselves about what shape it may take, i suppose that is something that it isn't now going to be until december that the european council has the next opportunity to give the green light to move on to phase two. we need to get on, as the clock is ticking and we are now about one year from the end of negotiations. as an interesting approach that theresa may has adopted, she has gone to eu leaders and said that she needs a deal she can sell back home. she is almost making a strength out of her political weakness? in all negotiations you need to understand the position of the other side, and

the position of the other side, and the pressures that they face. i think it is pretty clear that the members of the european council did not want to send the uk away, saying thatis not want to send the uk away, saying that is not good enough, we are at deadlock and that is it. they wanted to come out with some warm words but it does not change and mental facts, the talks are still deadlocked, and that the prime minister said in her speech, it has not opened up. it really does not help. the cause of the united kingdom. it is in our interests to get a good deal, that was the point thatjeremy corbyn and keir starmer made on their busy yesterday. it does not help to have ministers in the uk talking about preparing for a no deal because if i was on the other side of the table asa was on the other side of the table as a negotiator, i would say, who is speaking for the british government? we have different views... would you? you might be thinking that they've got a real problem here...

is that what they would be thinking? they could equally be thinking, they have real problems back home, we will have to compromise a little more than we would otherwise have done, otherwise none of us will get a deal? i think everybody hopes there will be a deal, i do, frankly there will be a deal, i do, frankly the prospects of no deal are too awful to contemplate. i was with members of the select committee in dover yesterday, asking a port which handles a significant amount of trade what it would mean if there was no deal. they said they could not operate because at the moment it ta kes not operate because at the moment it takes about two minutes for trucks coming from the european union to come off the boats and leave the port, if you are to check trucks from the eu in the way where you have to check trucks from outside the eu, they would not be able to handle it. the same is true for calais, they face difficulties too.

it is quite a responsible to say that we are prepared to walk away if there isn't a deal. that is very much not in the interests of the uk, it would be bad forjobs, and create uncertainty. the government needs to focus with one mind on what it wants for a deal on trade and market access, and express that two negotiators on the other side of the table and find a way of getting, when we arrived in december, to move on and face the negotiations because the reason why theresa may announced the reason why theresa may announced the government seek transitional arrangements, it's because businesses say if they do not know what is happening at the end of 2019, and we know what it is like if there is no deal, we had to make preparations which may involve moving jobs and business activity out the uk which is bad for the british economy that those british is neat —— those businesses need to

know that the 27 will say that yes, you can have them, then as quickly as possible to clarify exactly what they will involve, as businesses need certainty to put on one side the plan some of them are making against the possibility of a no deal, and begin to focus on the new trade and market access talks that we need for the future of our economy. and a one word answer if you do not mind, has progress being made? i think the mood music has improved a little bit, but we still haven't got on to phase two. in that respect, it has not. hilary benn, thank you for your time. the director quentin tarrantino has spoken of his shame about continuing to work with harvey weinstein despite being aware of the rumours about his behaviour. he collaborated with the producer on a number of movies including "reservoir dogs" and "pulp fiction". 0vernight the 0scar—winner lupita nyong'o has become the latest actress to accuse harvey weinstein of sexual harassment. he has denied sexual assault and rape. citizens advice has warned that

millions of mobile phone users are paying too much. it says customers of vodafone, ee and 3 are getting billed for handsets they've already paid for. the companies insist their charging plans are fair and that they make sure their customers know the end—date of their contracts. but citizens advice says a third of mobile phone users stay on their contracts beyond the fixed term period, as our business correspondent emma simpson reports. the latest iphone. it ain't cheap. that's why most customers pay for their phones, whatever the make, through a contract, but when it's over, it seems millions are still being charged for the handset, even though it's been fully paid off. like it consultant richard yarnold, in york. i only found out that my contract had come to an end when i logged into my online account to see when i was due an upgrade. i was due and upgrade two months previously, so in those two months i had been paying for a phone and paying extra for a phone that i had already paid for.

it meant i was around £75 out of pocket. citizens advice found vodafone, three and ee were charging customers for their handsets even though the cost had been covered in theirfixed deal. it means customers could be overcharged by up to £38 a month, depending on the device. one in three customers failed to change their contract after it expired. one in five did not switch for more than six months. what that means is people can end up paying hundreds of pounds in excess charges. we think this is outrageous, it is a rip—off by mobile phone companies. what they should be doing is, when you get to the end of a fixed—term contract, the bill should be automatically reduced to reflect the fact that you have paid off your handset already. vodafone, ee and three all insist their billing systems are fair. wherever possible customers are contacted with a range of options

and at the end of a contract, it is always made clear. yet the boss of this rival company takes a different approach. we broke down the charges between the device and the collectivity. connectivity. and we think that is the fair and equitable way to treat with a customer. it means that as soon as the customer has paid the device we automatically stop charging them for it. they don't need to approach us, we will automatically reduce their bill. campaigners want all companies to do the same. the regulator says it is already considering the issue as part of a wider plan to help consumers secure the right deals. emma simpson, bbc news. you're watching afternoon live, these are our headlines. eu leaders agree to start preparing for trade talks with the uk — theresa may says she's optimistic about a good deal. the uk's budget deficit last month was the smallest for any september in the past ten years. customers on three of the uk's

biggest mobile networks are warned they may continue to be charged for handsets they've already paid for. in the sport, football governing body uefa has charged everton after players and fans were involved in a brawl with lyon players in the europa league last night. arsenal beat red star belgrade after a sublime goalfrom beat red star belgrade after a sublime goal from 0livier giroud, beat red star belgrade after a sublime goalfrom 0livier giroud, so that they are now top of group h. lewis hamilton hopes to close in on more silverware when practice for the us grand prix gets underway at apm. he could win a fourth title if he wins the race on sunday and the results go his way. i'll be back with moreno stories just after half past two. -- more on those stories. the labour mp, david lammy, has accused oxford and cambridge universities of perpetuating a "social apartheid", after it emerged that they're admitting few

under—privileged students. data shows that four—fifths of those given places had parents working in professional and managerial jobs. both universities say they're trying to widen access. helena lee reports. oxford university in the 1960s. a place of privilege, attended by the children of britain's elite. butjust how much has changed since then? new figures reveal both 0xford and cambridge are still struggling to offer places to students from less privileged backgrounds. the data, revealed under the freedom of information act, shows that four—fifths of students accepted at both universities had parents from top professional and managerial jobs between 2010 and 2015. it also exposes a regional bias. london and the south—east of england received 48% of offers from both oxford and cambridge. that compares to northern england, which received just 15% of oxford offers and just 17%

of those for cambridge. there are still issues around diversity. five undergraduate 0xford colleges didn't make any offers to british ethnic minority candidates in 2016. let's be clear. oxford and cambridge are entrenching privilege. it's the sons ofjudges, of members of parliament, of newspaper editors, that make their way to oxford and cambridge. not the sons of plumbers and teachers and nurses. but oxford and cambridge say they are taking steps to widen access, both spending £5 million each year to reach more students and address inequalities. leanne wood, leader of plaid cymru has started her speech. it's an important part of wales for plaid cymru. shinkwin leanne is the outstanding member, and how

williams. applause the people of our von were right to put their trust in you once again in june, i would like to thank every single one of them who recognised your hard work and commitment to this area. applause people here know that wales needs a strong voice. a strong, plaid cymru voiced during the challenges ahead. before proceeding, i would like to address the situation in catalonia. the desire to chart our own course in the world is one that we share with other nations. i am sure that many of you, like me, will have watched with horror as their efforts towards self—determination were met by state violence. now, those scenes

have been followed by political arrests, and a threat to abolish catalonia's democracy. frightening scenes, reminiscent of franco's days of fascism. history will condemn that repression, even if european countries and the eu commission will not. i say, countries and the eu commission will not. isay, shame countries and the eu commission will not. i say, shame on them. applause unlike the welsh government's response, plaid cymru's reaction was unequivocal, and the government of catalonia has thanked us for our support and solidarity and ask that it continues in the months ahead. thank you to all of those who a nswered thank you to all of those who answered the call for solidarity and i pay answered the call for solidarity and i pay tribute to those who have stood with us. applause

before i address what we can do to ove rco m e before i address what we can do to overcome the challenges facing our country, i would like to reflect on events since we last gathered. we have just been through two different elections, and for the labour party and conservative parties, 2017 will be remembered as a tale of two collections in every way. the tory triumph in local elections disappeared in the space of weeks with their hopes for an increased destroyed. the infighting since has seen the british state plunged into crisis. how can they claim to have strength in negotiations in the eu when there's a divided government with no majority? the westminster elections were of course extraordinary, the electorate reform society says that record levels of

tactical voting took place. the downward slide in theresa may's popularity was unprecedented in any election campaign in uk history. i'm sure many of you will have felt it on the doorstep, as i did. theresa may went from being the most popular party leader in wales, according to the polls, towards one of the least popular in the space of six weeks. despite the presidential nature of the campaign and the two party polarisation, we increased two of our three majorities and gained a fourth seat. i would like to give my say congratulations to all four of ourmps say congratulations to all four of our mps who have been returned to form a stronger, plaid cymru team. applause i would like to give special

congratulations to ben, in westminster today, voting for legislation to protect members of the emergency services. if fresh, articulate and relentlessly positive voice. he wants our young people to have more opportunities to stay in rural wales, and he energised them through his campaign. that's why i am surei through his campaign. that's why i am sure i speakfor through his campaign. that's why i am sure i speak for everyone when i say how proud we are to have then as our youngest ever mp. applause —— to have ben. although the uk election dominated the headlines, we cannot, and should not, forget the local elections that took place in may. local councils are important because they are about the representation at the community level, the most basic building block

of our nation. if we build strong communities, the sum of those communities, the sum of those communities is a strong nation. that's why we take elections to our local council seriously and there, plaid cymru made the second—highest games of any party in the uk. just three short of our best ever total. we made those gains across the country. north, south, in urban and in rural communities. plaid cymru has been able to demonstrate a record delivery in local government, which saw us gain new councillors in places where we run the local authority, not just here places where we run the local authority, notjust here but in qera dgn, and in carmarthenshire. and did a whole host of other local authorities, and in addition to those successes, we are also leading. iam proud

those successes, we are also leading. i am proud to congratulate plaid cymru's first ever woman to lead ennis ‘s council. applause looked into the future and we must also commended the efforts of our youth movement in those elections. we now have the highest ever total of youth members as counsellors, which bodes so well for the future. thank you to everyone who has stood and to all of you who won in those elections. applause conference, just as we are delivering locally, we are delivering locally, we are delivering at a national level too. in the latest budget agreement, we

are working towards half £1 billion of our manifesto pledges since the 2015 assembly election. no other opposition party in wales has ever achieved this. the cabinet secretary for finance admitted that without the deal, the money for those plaid cymru commitments would not have been found. the list is formidable. here in the north, it includes a national football museum, correcting the situation where wales, after doing so much to inspire europe last summer, is the only country in these islands without such a record of its footballing history. with our all wales agenda, we are pushing ahead with preparations for the canal than two amorous with railway. —— with the caernarfon to

aberystwyth railway. we will be able to connect north and south, preparing some of the damage from our days as a colonial extractive economy. the agreement also means that for the third time, plaid cymru has stepped in to protect the supporting people grant. supporting people is of great importance in caernarfon where local people is of great importance in caerna rfon where local voluntary organisations asked us to prioritise it, as they did in other parts of wales. the fund helps prevent homelessness. i'm sure you will all have noticed a growth industry sleeping in this country. we have further secured commitments for business rates, an increase in mental health funding, funding towards a power plant to secure the future of tata steel, at port talbot. 80 new district nurses and a whole host of further investments,

which i do not have the time to list. if we can get half £1 billion allocated towards our manifesto promises injust over one allocated towards our manifesto promises in just over one year, from our opposition, imagine what we can do in government. conference, let me be clear — when other opposition parties winch for wales, plaid cymru delivers. —— whinge. 0ur parties winch for wales, plaid cymru delivers. —— whinge. our next parties winch for wales, plaid cymru delivers. —— whinge. 0ur nextjob is to ensure that those agreed commitments are implemented by the government. yet we are under no illusion. after 18 years of labour government, wales needs to change. we recognise that while we have been able to influence the minority government, there are areas where they refuse to make progress. they have watered—down proposals for a medical school in banga, when our

vision is for a full medical training to be available in the north. they have dropped potential plans to create an in—house energy company to benefit people in wales. it defies belief in a country so rich in natural resources. they have refused to lift the nhs pay cap. i was glad to see you turn this week after considerable plaid cymru pleasure on the increase in tuition fees. that demens —— demonstrate our plaid cymru is piling on the pressure on the wells government and we will continue to exert the pressure as they continue with the m4 black rod. we will not allow them to get away without exploring better and more affordable alternatives which take into account the threat of climate change. —— black route. 0n welfare reform, let's look at where labour stands on

decisions about universal credit, housing benefits and all of the welfare reform is responsible for the rise in homelessness which is causing a linked spike in drug—related deaths. the truth is that labour in wales would prefer those decisions to be taken by the tories in london and to make better and different decisions here in wales. that is why next week, in our assembly, we will be challenging the welsh government to mitigate westminster‘s krul welfare gender. in its most basic form, devolution should be a defensive shield against the worst excesses of westminster governments. in its most advanced form, devolution should allow government to innovate. wales is failing on both of those counts. it does not need to be this way and with plaid cymru, there is a better way. conference, there are major changes facing this nation. governments at both ends of the m4

seem unable or unwilling to withstand the threats to our nationhood. the way that the eu withdrawal is being carried out is a clear threat, not just to withdrawal is being carried out is a clear threat, notjust to the economy, but to act constitution. the conservative uk government risks driving the economy off the cliff through botched brexit negotiations. their internalfights through botched brexit negotiations. their internal fights and election gamble have led them to pursue the most reckless negotiation strategy imaginable. they risk leaving the european union on bad terms, plunging the british state into a crisis. paying no regard to the interests or needs of the welsh economy, the tory cabinet stuck, playing a game of deal or no deal. and the legal opinion, published by our party, demonstrated that the tory eu deal will infringe on the powers of our national assembly. so

the special status in the single market could be on the table for the north of ireland, and scotland has a mandate to call an independence referendum in the future, but wales needs its own solution. this country voted to leave the european union but there was no vote on leaving the single market. in the face of the conservatives ignoring welsh needs, we need a twin track approach, and the plaid cymru government would be prepared for every possible scenario when it comes to our future relationship with the european union. manufacturing, carmaking, they would receive full support through an active industrial export strategy. thousands of jobs through an active industrial export strategy. thousands ofjobs were saved after the financial crisis ten yea rs saved after the financial crisis ten years ago when our power “— saved after the financial crisis ten years ago when our power —— party in power that the reactor schemes. a plaid cymru government would have set upa

plaid cymru government would have set up a brexit prepared fund. as pa rt set up a brexit prepared fund. as part of this we would create a brexit self is —— self—assessment tool, avoiding the changes to trade assistance, and making applications for assistance. the priority would be retaining thejobs for assistance. the priority would be retaining the jobs and skills we need, and our message would be clear. with plaid cymru, there will never be a return to deindustrialisation. 0ur never be a return to deindustrialisation. our community is paid too heavy a price for unforgivable inaction in the past. we will not let that happen again. the second track of the approaches to watch the unfolding brexit process like hawks. we will do everything in our power to protest —— protect the welsh national

interest. the party of wales is committed to guarantee every pound of funding received by the agricultural sector. we are also committed to upholding environmental, social and human rights standards. of the welsh government doesn't do it, we will publish our own continuity bill to ensure the highest regulations and protections for our environment and society. and if any westminster government wants to take this to court to stop us, then i say to them, bring it on. we are not giving up the fight to stay in the european single market and customs union. plaid cymru has been rock solid on this question since day one. there is no other post—referendum scenario which is better for the welsh economy. if the

uk government does pull all of the nations at the single market against the wishes of their governments and parliaments they will trickle a constitutional crisis. the party of wales has repeatedly said that any deal offered by the uk government to other uk nations must be available to wales. if the uk ceases to exist then wales must have the right to decide our own future in a referendum. and if in the worst possible scenario we leave the european union without a deal, people must have the opportunity to reject that disastrous outcome, either through a public vote or through parliamentary democracy. the british government can avoid a

constitutional crisis if it has the political will. so —— my advice to the uk government is to stop fighting amongst yourselves and start listening to the welsh and scottish parliaments. it should also start listening to the voices of those who will be most affected by the fallout from the referendum result. those eu citizens and their families who are already living here, those valuable citizens who are contributing to our society. as living standards have been squeezed and wages have stagnated because of austerity there has been an interest on the part of some to give the impression that immigrants are to blame. this has led the campaign to challenge the immigration system, why? because plied comrie is a vision of a country where everybody lives in harmony without fear or

threat —— because plaid cymru. the world we want is run where eve ryo ne the world we want is run where everyone are good neighbours. where people respect our variety, our diversity and where we cooperate and join together a united wales, where we don't see in minority groups a problem. these messages are important to be repeated following the brexit discussions. this is the plaid cymru message for all european citizens. you are welcome here, and today you will be welcome here tomorrow as well. there are hard—headed economic

reasons why we need people from overseas. people from the rest of europe are likely to generate higher tax revenues and other groups in society. they can fill skills gaps in the private sector and in public services. but there are other reasons as well, like the continuation of history. as the reverend aled edwards reminded us, the ancient laws give explicit protection to the woman, the disabled person and to the foreigner. keeping a welcome in the hillside is nothing new. we have a tradition to keep alive and plaid cymru will continue to champion wales as a country which welcomes people who can make a contribution to our society. we believe in humanity and compassion. 0ur message

to the uk prime minister, theresa may, is that we support our neighbours and that we demand our eu citizens are allowed to stay. conference, brexit is not our only challenge. a problem that we must address is the disconnect within wales. there is a great need to connect our nation internally. by both the uk government and the wealth —— west government focusing on transport links, it seems plaid cymru is the only party interested in connecting wales. we must face these immediate transport challenges with an all wales approach, keeping wales united. 0ne with an all wales approach, keeping wales united. one way we will do this is with a rail revolution. plans to electrify the great western mainline, as faras plans to electrify the great western mainline, as far as west as swansea, have been scrapped by the tory government. their spurious argument is that date better alternative to

electrification is there, and that would be stronger if they were scrapping electrification everywhere, but they aren't. rather than wring our hands and complain about the tories, the party of wales will respond with a solution. we would issue a rail bonds to finance electrification to swansea and beyond. and we put rail electrification on the agenda for the north wales coastline after yea rs of the north wales coastline after years of promises from westminster. 0ur ambitious transport plan would see the creation of a metro for the swa nsea see the creation of a metro for the swansea bay and western valleys region. in fact, swansea bay and western valleys region. infact, we swansea bay and western valleys region. in fact, we have already secured funding for the outline business case for such an initiative to go ahead. but we would not stop there. the carmarthenshire aberystwyth route is the key to reviving our western coast. it is the linchpin in the creation of all wales rail line that the length of the nation. plaid cymru's rail

revolution would link up the north and beyond to hear in carmarthen west. this plan would underpin the regional renewal bill, guaranteeing afairshare of regional renewal bill, guaranteeing a fair share of infrastructure investment in every region of wales. conference, this is the ambition we need. no other party is taking forward and all wales agenda. but under a plaid cymru government, our country would finally be united, north and south. another mission for our party is to improve the skills base of our nation. we face the jewel challenge of inequality within wales and between this country and the uk as a whole. the resolution foundation estimates we are on course for a major slowdown in living standards. this could cause the biggest rise in inequality since the biggest rise in inequality since the days of thatcher. at the same

time, the wealth gap between wales and the uk remains wide and there is no sign of any welsh government strategy to close it. the biggest determinants of poverty are whether you have a job and what your wages are. and one of the single largest factors influencing whether a person is in employment and can earn higher wages is, of course, education. how many of you, like me were brought up on the mantra that education is a route out of poverty? low productivity is one of the economy's greatest challenges and according to the welsh government economic and alan says, low productivity bears a close relation to low levels of skills and qualifications. the party of wales wants to set a national mission to get all—new adults educated to a vocational or university level within a generation. can we build the thirst

for education that people who went before us had ? for education that people who went before us had? free higher education remains the ambition when pilate can't —— public finances allow. but one thing we will certainly not do is make higher education more expensive for students. it is great that the welsh government has performed a u—turn this week on their proposed hike in tuition fees. but they should never have proposed that hike in the first place. for those young people returning to or staying in wales after graduation, not only would plaid cymru reduce their tuition costs and keep their maintenance costs, we would also create a substantial programme of postgraduate opportunities. we want to see living and working spaces to support

self—employment. funding and support for innovative entrepreneurs. much more support for setting up co—operatives or social enterprises, including tax breaks, grant support for new entrants into the farming industry and to prepare for the challenges of the future, plaid cymru wants to work with trade unions and education providers to put in place a full programme of in work training, up to the 290,000 welsh workers whose jobs could be at risk because of automation. these measures are in addition to existing commitments to childcare and those policies which value and support teachers. free and hence of preschool education for all would ensure that children are starting from the same place and that all children get the same opportunity to succeed. conference, what we are proposing is nothing short of a sea change in the way that education is to the economy. 0ur change in the way that education is to the economy. our nation will be

empowered when people are empowered to unleash their full potential. in the past, we in wales were renowned for our commitment to learning and education. plaid cymru will restore this country's good name. friends, we don't do what we do because we want to create a little britain in wales. we want wales to be eight distinct political entity so we can create something different and something better. a politics centred on community, on cooperation. the two establishment parties are not able to meet the needs of wales. the tories are offering more austerity and the vague promise of a british dream and labour are unable to offer anything but centralising solutions which have no regard for the specific

interests of wales. i have always believed that to change our country, we need to do it from the bottom up, and that is why community action is so important to us. our members are active in communities, working hard with others to reverse the effects of austerity. whether it is a cafe or kitchen on the public estate in karnataka or that centre in wrexham, or the recently reopened paddling pool in the park, these services matter to people. when they shot them down, people lose hope and they think that politics has failed them. let me tell you what it means to people when plaid cymru helps provide solutions. i remember seeing our local swimming pool closed down four years ago against the will of the community and i visited the site shortly after the election as the rhondda am and i supported the

children's calls for it to be reopened. there was cynicism and we we re reopened. there was cynicism and we were told we could not do it and people said they had heard it all before and nothing would happen, they told us. but months later, as a community, we did it and by reaching out to young people and others to grow the volunteer base, we brought the community together as well. now the community together as well. now the volunteers are ready to tackle the volunteers are ready to tackle the next project. these are all exa m ples the next project. these are all examples where plaid cymru members are working with others to make their communities more resilient. the answer to combating austerity is not to wait for parties or government to change colour in westminster, but to do it ourselves, to roll up our sleeves and end our dependence ourselves. so i call on all plaid cymru members to be the change that you want to see. show how we believe in wales by empowering our people. friends, following this conference, i will be

undertaking a complete tour of community meetings across the country. the aim is to reconnect our party with people in all communities and to our clown the arguments for decisions about wales to be made in wales. the aim is to talk about how we can improve our democracy and to build a national network which embeds plaid cymru in towns and villages the length and breadth of the country. we will build the foundations of our next manifesto unpractical community action. plaid cymru, in your street, unpractical community action. plaid cymru, in yourstreet, building unpractical community action. plaid cymru, in your street, building the nation and strengthening our communities. and i encourage eve ryo ne communities. and i encourage everyone who ca res communities. and i encourage everyone who cares about the future of wales to get involved. conference, it is 20 years since wales first voted yes in the 1997 referendum and 20 years ago, i put our assessors onto the stage of the

national conference in aberystwyth. that was a symbolic transition from one generation to another. i was 25 yea rs old one generation to another. i was 25 years old then. i have been a councillor —— i had been a councillor —— i had been a councillor for two years and i was not alone in being full of hope the period of self governance ahead of us. there is a handful of areas where country has outperforms expectant since then, not least where plaid cymru led the way with an idea or proposal, but only a where plaid cymru led the way with an idea or pro; 2:5 been en§.§§ “eh—‘tul ii rte-21? as..- ~55h 5“"‘-‘j"‘ like “eh—“fll ee ree-il’e flit» ~55h efli-flgfl like the wee fito the the 3:27