TRADE UNIONS queued up today to condemn the Welsh Conservative Senedd election manifesto for its package of tax and public-sector job cuts.

It’s understood that the Welsh Tories had to launch their manifesto early after it was leaked to Reform UK who were thought to be copying large chunks of the right-wing agenda.

Conservative Senedd leader Darren Millar said his party would cut income tax, cap council tax increases, scrap Welsh Stamp Duty on main homes and restore the Right to Buy to boost home ownership.

He pledged to find efficiency savings across the public sector to pay for the mini-Liz Truss style budget.

PCS Cymru National Officer Sian Boyles said: “PCS represents the workers who keep public life running in job centres, courts, tax offices, border security, museums and the Senedd itself.

“Cutting these services does not trim bureaucracy. It strips away the state’s ability to function fairly and effectively,” Ms Boyles said.

GMB Wales senior organiser Tom Hoyles said: “After 14 years of a low growth economy under the Tories in Westminster, it’s quite extraordinary that they’re looking to run on a message of economic growth.

“Workers in Wales have been hammered by Tory austerity policies and it’s unsurprising that the Tories are languishing in the polls,” Mr Hoyles said.

Prospect general secretary Mike Clancy said: “After 14 years of funding restraint Welsh services are already fully stretched with precious little leeway for further spending reductions.

“The proposals for further cuts and the suggested abolition of Natural Resources Wales, appear to be yet another attempt to make civil servants the scapegoat for political failures.”

Unite Wales political officer Pasty Turner said: “The Conservatives want to take working people backwards instead of forwards.

“This manifesto would only reverse the gains made since they lost power in Westminster and add to the hardship’s inflicted.”

At the manifesto launch Mr Millar said: “Labour has failed Wales, but they wouldn’t have been able to do it without the support of Plaid Cymru and the Liberal Democrats.”

One of the odder policies was to cut VAT to 5 per cent for tourism accommodation businesses, despite this being a non-devolved tax that the UK Treasury sets.

The Conservatives pledged to reverse the 20mph speed limit, despite the numbers of fatalities and serious injuries saved by the measure.

Mr Millar also promised to lower the number of Senedd members back to 60, from 96.