READERS are probably aware that the first shots in the election campaign for the Westminster election on May 7 this year have been fired.

By election day we will have a bewildering set of options in front of us and many may be heartily sick of all the electioneering.

The election is important however and could have significant impact on matters close the hearts of the people of Pembrokeshire. Our hospital services, our education services, our social services and our roads for example. I know that all these services are under the control of the Welsh Assembly in Cardiff and are not therefore issues which will be foremost in the election debate. However all these services have one thing in common. They all need money.

At the moment the money is allocated to the Welsh Assembly according to something called the “Barnett Formula”.

For many years one party in Wales has claimed that this formula significantly short changes Wales when compared with Scotland or Northern Ireland.

This argument was ignored by the main parties with their headquarters in London.

Only since the assembly has had responsibility for providing services in Wales have some of their representatives in Cardiff woken up to the validity of the argument that Wales is not receiving a fair deal from the “Barnett Formula” .

If you vote for a representative of one of the London based parties do not be surprised if the arguments for fair finance for the Welsh assembly do not appear on their list of priorities.

Do not complain when you turn up at Withybush hospital if you find that they cannot afford to provide the same level of service as in other parts of the United Kingdom, it’s what you voted for!

JOHN RHYS DAVIES

Mynachlog-ddu