Archbishop of Wales: People may have to pay 'more tax' for better public services

The Archbishop of Wales has said that people may have to pay 'a bit more tax' if they want better public services.

Speaking to BBC's Sunday Politics Wales programme, the Most Rev John Davies warned there were 'dwindling services' and a 'disintegration of communities'.

He added that the Church in Wales could 'give a voice' to 'those who feel their lives are somehow being diminished by one sort of cut or squeeze after another'.

Davies said: 'Perhaps we have to say from time to time uncomfortable things about, if you want better services, where's the money coming from? Ultimately I guess it's going to come from people's pockets – if you want better services, you may have to pay for them.'

Davies, who was elected as Archbishop of Wales last September, gave an interview to Christian Today in December. In it, he said: 'One of the things I've noticed as a trustee of Christian Aid is that in certain areas of the media there seems to be an increasingly loud noise on the anti aid agenda, and that translates as self-interest coming first. Whereas there are increasing numbers of people living on the streets, demand for food banks and so forth. It sometimes just seems that people are beginning to feel think of yourself, just get on with your own life.'

In his Christmas message, Davies said of Jesus: 'His message for us is that we must try to live our lives demonstrating a genuine, welcoming and loving concern for those around us.

'His very clear message for those who have responsibility for leading and governing the world's societies is that power is to be exercised within the framework of that concern as, even in our own society, divisions between the haves and the have-nots appear to grow ever wider, and as the voices suggesting that we should be concerned only for ourselves seem to get louder and louder.'

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