WALES need a reversal of austerity and its small businesses must be protected from expected hikes to employer National Insurance contributions, Plaid Cymru said today ahead of the Budget.

The party’s Treasury spokesman Ben Lake MP said that following Labour’s election promise of change, anything short of substantial reforms will be a failure to meet the needs of Wales.

“Welsh public services are face serious budget shortfalls that urgently need to be addressed,” he said. “Furthermore, the ongoing HS2 saga is depriving Wales of up £4 billion in rail funding: money that could transform our public transport infrastructure.

“The Labour Party’s election campaign centred on a promise of change, and so now in government they must deliver it.”

He said Britain’s enormous wealth gap means it is crucial that Wednesday’s Budget creates opportunities for all and that expected tax increases would disproportionately affect rural areas.

He called on Labour to grant Wales greater control over its own resources to empower local communities.