A closer look at Welsh Labour's Senedd manifesto

The message was clear from Monday's manifesto launch in Swansea - Labour is pushing hard that it's the party of stability, hoping voters will stick with them in a changing and uncertain world.

It's hoping to make a difference to people's lives with promises to improve primary care, rebuild hospitals, boost childcare and help reduce the cost of bus travel, among others.

But much of the manifesto is very cautious - beyond a few eye-catching policies it is not promising wholesale change in the way Wales is run.

This is becoming a pattern among the major parties, none of whom are yet offering radical change to Welsh public services, possibly because the finances are not there to do it.

Meanwhile Labour's biggest pledges is a promise not to do something - to stick to previous plans not to use Welsh powers to raise income tax, powers that have never been used.

What do our BBC Wales specialists think?

The big health promise in this manifesto had already been teased - a £4bn pot for new hospitals, both in Wrexham, Cardiff and west Wales.

That's got to be seen with the big caveat that new hospitals take years to plan, approve, fund and build.

When surgical and diagnostic hubs, as well as care closer to home are also among the promises in this Labour manifesto, exactly what is included in a "hospital of the future" may not be as obvious as it once was.

In the meantime there's around £1bn in repairs backlogs required to the existing estate for the next government to contend with.

A new promise guaranteeing people will be seen within 48 hours if you have a pressing primary care need is a further acknowledgement that not all GP practices have been able to do away with the 8am bottleneck.

But it doesn't really get to the heart of the frustration for many: urgent needs are often dealt with well, particularly as pharmacies or minor injuries units can be alternatives.

It's those whose symptoms can wait a little longer who will see no solution on offer here.

Elsewhere, the 10-year women's health strategy has certainly been welcomed and has big ambitions.

However, when you read claims that women's health hubs in every part of Wales have been opened, bear in mind that doesn't mean all women in every part of Wales are served by a health hub yet.

It's a minor footnote, but an important one.

Many in education may well welcome the fact there aren't any big eye-catching announcements on schools in this manifesto.

That's because recent reforms to the curriculum and the additional learning needs system have brough huge pressures which are still working their way through the system.

Welsh Labour are promising a "relentless focus" on literacy and numeracy but their critics would say that major concerns about the basics in Welsh education are an indictment of their record.

There's a pledge to extend free school meals in secondary schools "at least to all households receiving Universal Credit".

On higher education, there's a promise to "protect the long-term futures" of universities and colleges but it has little detail.

And prospective students and their families will also be keen for more information about how a Wales-only repayment plan for student loans would work at a time when student finance is high on the agenda.

Childcare is an area where all parties are promising to act and in this Senedd term, Labour has focused on extending free childcare to all two year olds.

They haven't completed that roll out, but now say they would phase it in for children from nine months if they got back in government.

Eluned Morgan knows that cost of living is a major issue in this Senedd election, so she is emphasising her plans for cheaper bus travel and expanding child care.

But she's also talking about "cheaper energy bills" – a very topical issue given the impact of the war in Iran on oil and gas prices.

The manifesto talks about using renewables to make Wales more energy self–sufficient and keep bills low, but such projects will take time and are unlikely to impact bills in the short term.

But the manifesto also promises support to make 100,000 homes more energy efficient over the next Senedd term, which could have a more immediate impact for some bill payers given Wales' older housing stock.

The manifesto repeats a claim that's been criticised previously by the statistics watchdog that the Welsh government has beaten a target of creating 100,000 apprenticeships.

Ministers have changed the way they count apprentices by including those who dropped out in the first two months of their course. But Penny Young, interim chair of the UK Statistics Authority said those apprentices would have been excluded from "the well-established 'rigorous' measure" and she said it could be perceived as "cherry-picking the data".

At the last Senedd election in May 2021, Labour promised 125,000 apprenticeships, reduced to 100,000 in 2024.

The environment section pledges are largely building on work in progress - such as finishing setting up new organisations to manage coal tip safety and regulate the water industry.

Existing targets like a net zero public sector and protecting 30% of land and sea for nature by 2030 are reaffirmed.

The party also says it will "take the final steps" towards a new national park in north east Wales, after a public local inquiry was announced last week.

The manifesto does confirm plans to "increase restrictions on the shooting of gamebirds", there's talk of a "dedicated Nature Investment Summit" and the creation of an "urban rewilding taskforce" to help nature in towns and cities.