The Welsh Labour leadership election is doing a good job of stimulating debate amongst our members. The candidates have already set out a number of issues about which we care. Last weekend, I began an extensive tour of the country, rolling out my policy platform at a series of themed events across Wales – meeting party members, professionals and experts in the various policy areas. This process will continue next week when I publish my manifesto for Welsh Labour’s future.

Today I explain why I think Labour members in Wales should back my leadership bid.

Over the last year, we have seen people turning away from politics and politicians. I believe that to rebuild, Welsh Labour has to demonstrate once again that it puts ordinary working people first. To win in Wales in the general election next year and the assembly election in 2011, we need a united party, with MPs, AMs, party members and trades unionists working together for the benefit of the people of Wales.

My politics are Labour politics. I have never been a member of any other political party. I know our members want a leader who will fight for Labour values. When it comes to fighting the Tories, Labour’s values and Labour’s principles are completely non-negotiable.

As the next general election approaches, my energies are focused, 100%, on returning a majority Labour government to Westminster.  As leader, I will be working flat out to get as many Welsh Labour MPs elected as possible next spring.

I am not running in this election to be the candidate who can best negotiate with a future Tory government. Such talk is defeatist and totally alien to the values and principles on which our party was founded. I am running in this election to win – to win for my party but crucially to win for the people of Wales. I have no intention of being the only Labour leader in the UK after that election.

Just two decades ago, Wales paid the incalculable price of having a Tory government in Westminster. We know the Tories cannot be trusted to deliver for our people. As our party looks to elect a new leader, we must not pretend or fool ourselves into believing anything else. That is why my message is clear and unambiguous – we fight and we fight to win.
 
I am not the candidate who was opposed to the coalition – but nor am I the candidate whom our coalition partners would prefer. The ‘One Wales’ agreement will be secure in my hands until April 2011. Then the gloves come off and we take the fight to all of our opponents, all over Wales. I am standing for leader to deliver us a majority at that election.
 
I want to re-build our party from the grassroots upwards. I want to create a party that the people of Wales will turn to once again for hope and ambition. It’s time to get real.