Jeremy Miles rules out 20mph U-turn if he becomes first minister

Mr Miles launched his leadership campaign in Swansea on Saturday

Jeremy Miles has ruled out a U-turn on the controversial 20mph law in Wales if he becomes first minister.

The Welsh Labour leadership contender has pledged to carry out an immediate review of the scheme if he wins.

But at the launch of his campaign in Swansea on Saturday, he said only the implementation of the 20mph (32km/h) law would be looked at.

The education minister is one of two candidates in the race to succeed Mark Drakeford as first minister.

"I will not be moving away from the policy of 20mph if I'm elected leader," Mr Miles told BBC Wales.

"20mph is the right policy.

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"The opportunity which the review brings is to understand whether more guidance needs to be given so that councils know what the discretions are that they can exercise within the context of a national framework."

Mr Miles' only opponent in the leadership race, Economy Minister Vaughan Gething, has said he is also in favour of a review of the policy.

He is up against Vaughan Gething, health minister for much of the pandemic

The winner of the leadership race, which follows Mark Drakeford's resignation last month, will be announced in March.

Mr Miles has been the Welsh government's education minister since 2021, having previously served as Brexit minister and counsel general.

He has represented Neath in the Senedd since 2016.

At his campaign launch on Saturday, Mr Miles promised to increase the percentage of Welsh government budget spent on schools and tackle NHS waiting lists.

With hospital waiting times at record levels, Mr Miles said he would establish "dedicated orthopaedic centres for knee and hip replacements to clear backlogs".

"I'm standing for Welsh Labour leader and first minister because I have a vision for Wales' future," Mr Miles added.

"As first minister, I will invest more in education, provide practical help to the NHS in order to cut waiting lists, expand cooperative housing, and introduce fairer bus fares."

Mr Miles said he would also press for more powers to be devolved to Wales, including crime, justice and benefits.

On Friday, Mr Gething pledged to ensure that health and social care spending in Wales did not fall below that of England and ruled out privatisation of the Welsh NHS.

Mr Gething also revealed that the health service had saved his life when he was "seriously unwell" with kidney disease.

"The NHS was there for me when I needed it most and I'll always be there for the NHS," he told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast.

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