The Home Office confirmed this week that the rapper — who now goes by Ye — has been denied entry on the grounds that his presence would not be “conducive to the public good”. The move followed widespread backlash over his planned headline slot at Wireless Festival, which has since been cancelled, and his history of antisemitic and pro‑Nazi statements.

Sir Keir Starmer said West “should never have been invited” and that the government “stands firmly with the Jewish community” in tackling antisemitism.

Nigel Farage, however, argued that West should not be barred from the UK on free‑speech grounds. He said he found West’s comments “vile” but warned that banning people for their views was a “dangerous path”.

Farage said: “If we start banning people from entering the country because we don’t like what they say, I worry where that ends up… I wouldn’t ban people even if I think what they say is thoroughly objectionable, unless the line is crossed and you see direct incitement of violence.”

Harriet Harman strongly criticised his stance during Sky’s Electoral Dysfunction podcast, saying: “It’s so deplorable that Nigel Farage is trying to lead a culture war against this. What kind of society does he want us to be living in?”

She referenced concerns about security at Jewish schools and synagogues, saying these issues affect “all of us, not just the Jewish community”.

Reform UK has been contacted for comment.

Farage has previously condemned rising antisemitism in the UK and has been a vocal supporter of Israel. He has also faced historic allegations of racist and antisemitic behaviour during his school years, which he has denied, saying he “never directly racially abused anybody” and that the claims have a “strong political element”.

The debate over West’s ban continues to spark wider discussion about free speech, public safety and the government’s approach to extremism.

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Interviews with defence sources reveal widespread frustration over Defence Secretary John Healey’s reform programme, which aims to reshape how the UK rearms, procures weapons and prepares for future conflict. One source said there is “lots of ill feeling among the civil servants” and “little meaningful action”. 

Naming disputes and internal delays

The newly created National Armaments Director Group (NAD Group) — responsible for procuring billions of pounds of military equipment — has already faced internal disputes, including arguments over whether to rename it the Royal Armaments Directorate. One source said the abbreviation “NAD” being slang for “testicle” had caused “unfortunate amusement”. 

The MoD has denied any plans to change the name.

A mass email intended to inform 27,000 defence staff about new reporting structures had to be halted due to inaccuracies, and corrected emails have still not been issued — despite the NAD Group becoming fully operational on 1 April. 

Long‑delayed defence investment plan

The MoD has also failed to publish its long‑promised Defence Investment Plan, which should outline what equipment the UK will buy over the next decade. It was expected last autumn but has been repeatedly delayed, reportedly due to Treasury funding issues.

“There is a gap of billions of pounds just to deliver the programme of record,” one defence industry source said. “It is so broken inside.” 

Reforms criticised as ‘theatrics’

Healey’s reforms include creating a new Military Strategic Headquarters to decide how the UK fights future wars, with the NAD Group then responsible for sourcing the required equipment.

However, multiple defence insiders say the reforms have changed job titles rather than culture, with the same officials who oversaw previous procurement failures now tasked with delivering the overhaul.

“It is reform theatrics,” one industry source said. “We have the same people in similar jobs just under a different label.” 

Industry left waiting for contracts

Defence companies say they are being left in limbo, with order books empty as they wait for the NAD Group to issue contracts.

“I am twiddling my thumbs trying to find something to do,” one defence employee said. “I half expect to lose my job.” 

Some firms are reportedly considering moving overseas, with Germany and the US investing far more aggressively in defence.

MoD rejects criticism

The MoD strongly rejected claims the reform programme is failing, calling the criticism “incorrect” and insisting the changes represent “the biggest shake‑up of UK defence for over 50 years”. 

It said reforms are already delivering results, including “clearer accountability”, reduced duplication and improved procurement processes.

‘You’ll go to the next war with the old stuff’

Air Marshal Ed Stringer warned that without genuine cultural change, the UK risks entering future conflicts with outdated equipment.

“You’re going to the next war with the old stuff,” he said. “You’ll find, pretty quickly on, you’re taking casualties.” 

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Speaking during a visit to the Middle East, the prime minister argued that the UK must push for energy independence and said renewables are the fastest route to achieving it.

Sir Keir told ITV’s Talking Politics podcast: “I’m fed up with the fact that families across the country see their bills go up and down… because of the actions of Putin or Trump across the world. We need energy independence, and the only way to get energy independence is to go even more quickly to renewables.”

His comments came shortly before a scheduled phone call with President Trump. When asked by broadcasters whether he repeated the same message directly to the US leader, Sir Keir said he “set out the views of the region” and focused the call on the situation in the Strait of Hormuz.

He said the UK has been working with more than 40 countries on plans to reopen the vital shipping route and ensure long‑term security for global trade.

Middle East visit and regional security

Sir Keir’s remarks came as he concluded a three‑day trip to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Qatar, where discussions centred on the war in Iran, regional defence cooperation and efforts to protect Gulf states from missile and drone attacks.

He said there was “a real desire” in the region to work more closely with the UK on defence and economic resilience, adding: “This conflict is going to define us for a generation, and we must respond with strength.”

Response to Trump’s NATO comments

The prime minister also addressed a recent social media post from President Trump, who wrote: “NATO WASN’T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WON’T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN.”

Sir Keir said NATO remains essential for both Europe and the United States, calling it “the single most‑effective military alliance the world has ever known”.

He added that the UK will continue to make the case for a stronger European role within NATO and said he has been encouraging European partners to contribute more for “the best part of two years”.

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Known as Pindar, this fortified underground complex sits around 200 feet beneath the Ministry of Defence headquarters and has been on permanent standby since it became operational on December 7, 1992.

With global tensions rising and fears of nuclear escalation resurfacing, interest in the UK’s doomsday preparations has surged — especially as billionaires like Mark Zuckerberg build their own private survival bunkers. But unlike the tech elite, Pindar isn’t for the rich or famous. Its guest list is far more exclusive.

Who’s allowed inside Pindar?

Access to the bunker is strictly limited to:

- Government ministers  

- Senior military leaders  

- Key civilian officials  

- Operational and support staff essential to national survival

That’s it. No celebrities. No wealthy escapees. No members of the public.

The Prime Minister is the only person permitted to bring their family, ensuring their decision‑making isn’t compromised by fears for loved ones.

Colonel Philip Ingram, speaking to MailOnline, described Pindar as:

“Britain’s worst‑case scenario bunker… a last throw of the dice to keep the country running after a full‑scale nuclear strike.”

He added that the list of who gets inside may not even reflect the current government — the priority is competence, not politics.

What’s inside the UK’s secret nuclear bunker?

Pindar is essentially a self‑contained underground city, built to survive catastrophic nuclear attack and keep the government functioning.

Inside, it contains:

- Around 400 bunks for essential personnel  

- A broadcast facility for national emergency communications  

- A vast Situation Room with wall‑to‑wall screens  

- A hardened communications hub capable of running the UK’s entire network  

- Medical rooms  

- Storage packed with essentials like toothpaste, shower gel and hygiene supplies  

- Breathing apparatus and protective gear  

- A colossal industrial‑grade document shredder  

Photographer David Moore is one of the only civilians ever allowed inside. His images — heavily vetted and censored by the MoD — show stark bunk rooms, briefing areas, endless monitors and shelves of emergency equipment.

He recalled seeing a sign reading “To the Bomb Shelter Area” and even a copy of The Ipcress File on a bookshelf.

How the bunker would operate during a nuclear attack

Pindar was commissioned by Margaret Thatcher and took a decade to build. It cost the UK £126.3 million and remains permanently staffed.

If the worst happened:

- Staff would have minutes to reach the bunker before lockdown  

- Pindar can seal itself off completely from the outside world  

- It has its own air filtration system to protect against radioactive fallout  

- Personnel would work in three eight‑hour shifts  

- Secret tunnels reportedly link Pindar to 10 Downing Street and the Cabinet Office  

Despite its readiness, Pindar has never been used for a real emergency — only drills and simulations.

But its location beneath one of the most secure buildings in the country shows exactly how seriously the UK takes its worst‑case planning.

For more news visit Pulse Media.

John Clark, 57, who previously stood in Aberconwy in 2024, is second on Reform’s Bangor Conwy Môn regional list — a position considered likely to secure a Senedd seat.

According to the BBC, Clark suggested in December 2023 that NATO expansion contributed to the conflict, writing that the war “would not have happened” without NATO “pushing into Eastern Europe.” In another post, he claimed NATO wanted to “bleed Russia dry.”

His comments drew further scrutiny after he said former prime minister Rishi Sunak “hates the British people more than Putin” and thanked Vladimir Putin following the Russian leader’s interview with US commentator Tucker Carlson. Clark also appeared to cast doubt on Putin’s responsibility for the death of opposition figure Alexei Navalny, though he later clarified he believed Putin was responsible and said his remark was intended as a quip about David Cameron.

Reform UK Wales distanced itself from the posts, stating that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was “unprovoked and illegal” and that Putin’s regime “deserves calling out in the strongest terms.”

Opposition parties have called for Clark to be removed as a candidate. Labour MS Mick Antoniw said he “should be removed,” while Conservative candidate Janet Finch‑Saunders described the comments as “extremely troubling.” Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Jane Dodds said attempts to shift blame from Russia were “wrong and dangerous.”

Clark remains on the ballot despite a series of resignations from Reform UK candidates in Wales in recent days. Several former candidates have criticised the party’s internal decisions, with some claiming Reform is prioritising ex‑Conservative politicians over local voices.

Speaking after Donald Trump suggested he was considering pulling the United States out of the alliance, Starmer said:

“Nato is the single most effective military alliance the world has ever seen, and it has kept us safe for many decades. We are fully committed to Nato.”

He added that “whatever the pressure on me and others, whatever the noise”, his decisions would be guided by the national interest.

Starmer reiterated that the UK would not be drawn directly into the current conflict, saying:

“This is not our war and we’re not going to get dragged into it.”

Calls for closer European cooperation

The Labour leader said defence, security and economic stability required closer ties with Europe, pointing to last year’s summit and confirming another would take place this year.

He said the upcoming meeting would:

- Build on equipment and agreements put in place last year  

- Go further on alignment with European partners  

Starmer framed the approach as part of a long‑term strategy to strengthen the UK’s security and economic resilience.

The candidate in question, Corey Edwards—a former Conservative now standing for Reform UK in the Pen-y-Bont Bro Morgannwg constituency—has come under intense scrutiny after an image surfaced showing him mimicking a moustache with one finger while raising his other arm.

While the image is cropped and lacks clear context, it has immediately become a lightning rod for criticism as the May 7 election approaches. Pulse Media has the full breakdown on the party's defiant stance.

Farage: "It looks terrible, but he’s a human being"

Speaking to ITV News, Nigel Farage admitted the photograph "looks terrible" and stated he "wouldn’t approve of it," but he confirmed that Edwards would not be removed from the party's candidate list.

Farage dismissed the gesture as a "Fawlty Towers impression," referring to the famous John Cleese character, Basil Fawlty. "Maybe we should ban the BBC, I don't know," Farage quipped, before adding: "No [he won't be kicked out]. He's a human being. Things in isolation often do look bad."

The Candidate’s Defense

In a statement to the press, Corey Edwards claimed the photo was from "many years ago" and was an attempt to parody both Basil Fawlty and Welsh footballer Wayne Hennessey, who was involved in a similar salute controversy in 2019 (a charge that was eventually found "not proven").

"I recognise it looks bad and could be misinterpreted," Edwards stated. "The Nazi regime was the most barbaric ever, and I'd never make light of its seriousness. My grandfather fought against the Nazis." He went on to describe himself as a "staunch champion of Judaism" and asked voters to judge him on his current professionalism rather than "mistakes" made as a young man.

A spokesperson for Reform UK Wales echoed this sentiment, telling Pulse Media: “We’re not willing to write people off forever because of mistakes they made when they were young.”

Political Backlash in Wales

The revelation has drawn a blistering response from political rivals. A Plaid Cymru spokesperson called the situation "utterly disgraceful," suggesting it highlights a "clear pattern" in the calibre of candidates Reform UK is selecting.

"This photo confirms they aren't fit to be anywhere near power here in Wales," the spokesperson said. "Reform has serious questions to answer regarding their vetting process across the UK."

The controversy lands just 24 hours after Reform UK published its full list of candidates for the upcoming election. Edwards, who previously worked for former Welsh Secretary David TC Davies, reportedly had the image circulating within Conservative circles for over six years before it was made public by Nation.Cymru.

The Pulse Media Take

With polls suggesting the Welsh election is becoming a head-to-head battle between Plaid Cymru and Reform UK, this latest scandal puts Farage’s "no-apology" leadership style to the test. Will voters accept the "Fawlty Towers" defense, or will this be the breaking point for Reform's momentum in Wales?

Leave your comments below

Under the proposals, the price of an online adult passport would rise from £94.50 to £102, while children’s applications would increase from £61.50 to £66.50. Postal applications would see even steeper charges, climbing to £115.50 for adults and £80 for children.

The changes are scheduled to take effect on 8 April, pending parliamentary approval. The SNP has confirmed it will vote against the measures. The Home Office says the increase is intended to reduce the system’s reliance on general taxpayers.

Research commissioned by the SNP from the House of Commons Library highlights the scale of long‑term price rises. Since 1997, the cost of a standard adult passport by post has increased by 542%, rising from £18 to £115.50. Children’s passports have risen by 627% since 1999, from £11 to £80. Over the same period, average wages have grown by 144%.

According to the research, if passport fees had risen in line with inflation, an adult passport would cost £33.36 today, while a child’s would be £21.60. The SNP argues the new increases could leave a family of four paying up to £391 for two adult and two children’s passports — roughly equivalent to a week’s wages for someone on minimum pay.

Pete Wishart, SNP MP for Perth and Kinross‑shire, said the proposed rise would place further pressure on households already dealing with higher bills and rising prices.

“Families are struggling with increased energy costs, rising food and fuel prices, and higher mortgage rates,” he said. “Adding another significant increase to passport fees will only make it harder for people to afford holidays or travel to major events such as this summer’s World Cup.”

The UK Government has been contacted for comment.

The UK steel industry, which has been calling on the government to shield it from cheaper steel made abroad, welcomed the measures.

The UK Government says it will protect domestic steelmaking and build more resilience in the supply chain for critical national infrastructure and defence.

On a visit to Tata Steel Port Talbot to meet steelworkers and launch the strategy UK business secretary Peter Kyle announced a target to boost domestic production.

From July 1, 2026, overall quota levels for steel imports will be significantly reduced. It will apply to imported steel products only where they can be made domestically. 

Business and trade secretary Mr Kyle said: "Making steel in the UK is vital for national security, critical infrastructure and the wider economy. Steel-making is a cornerstone of our modern industrial policy that deliberately focuses support for key industries, technologies, and strategically important sectors.

"With this strategy we are closing the decades-long chapter of destructive de-industrialisation and committing instead to strengthening and sustaining Britain as a steel-making nation.”

First Minister of Wales, Eluned Morgan, said: “Steel has a long and proud history here in Wales where the industry is the lifeblood of many communities.

“The publication of the UK Government’s steel strategy is good news for our steel communities and the thousands of people across Wales who work in or around the industry now and in the future.

“The commitment for 50% of steel used in the UK to be made here is important not just for steelworkers but to the Welsh economy as a whole. The strategy also re-affirms the transition to electric arc steel production in the UK where Port Talbot is leading the way not just in the UK but across Europe. It was great to be able to meet the Tata management and unions again and to see the progress that has been made in building the new electric arc steel plant.

“The Welsh Government has fought tirelessly for a good future for steel at Port Talbot, Llanwern, Shotton, and tinplate at Trostre, Llanelli.”

The new strategy also:

• confirms electric arc furnaces (EAF) as the future of British steelmaking, continuing the shift from blast furnaces to cleaner EAF-based production using recycled scrap to support net zero;

• enables offshore wind developers to include steel manufacturers in the next round of clean industry bonus applications (to maximise UK steel use in renewables;

• launches a cross-government working group to secure a sustainable supply of scrap metal for UK steelmakers, and;

• tasks the Steel Council with action on workforce needs and practical research and innovation to boost productivity and competitiveness.

Alongside the new trade measures being announced on Thursday the UK Government will also be raising the UK’s maximum most favoured nation (MFN) steel tariffs at the WTO to 50% to protect domestic industry in the long run from the impacts of global overcapacity.

In tandem the government will explore the possibility of introducing requirements to identify where steel imports are melted and poured.

There will be a quarterly rollover of quotas within the year and a review of the measure after 12 months.

The vision for the railway station, which secured planning permission last year from the Welsh Government, is to integrate it into a business park that, over the long term, could see around 900,000 sq ft of new employment space built - supporting thousands of new jobs.

The funding expected from the UK Government is thought to be additional to the £445m announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in her three-year spending review last summer, which takes effect from April, for rail enhancement projects in Wales. The Chancellor also referred to the Parkway project, although without a funding commitment, in her Budget back in November and again a month later at the Welsh Government’s Investment Summit.

The Parkway announcement will coincide with the publication of Transport for Wales’ new vision document, endorsed by the Wales Rail Board, which will outline a pipeline of rail enhancement projects seeking further UK Government funding. It is understood that the vision document, which was expected to published later this week, has been pushed back a few weeks.

Projects included will be the removal of level crossings to speed up train times on the North Wales Mainline, increased services from Wrexham to Liverpool, and further phases of the South Wales Metro, where the £1.1bn electrification of the Core Valley Lines is close to completion. Further investment is need to ensure four services per hour (currently just two) on the most densely populated parts of the network on the Coryton and City Lines that run through Cardiff.

The Cardiff Parkway project is being driven by Cardiff Parkway Developments, which is owned by financial services giant Investec, the Roberts family and the Welsh Government, which has a minority 10% interest.

Due to the protracted time it took the Welsh Government to make a favourable planning decision - for which a number of previous ministers had little appetite to see approved - the cost of the train station element and required rail corridor investment has increased from the initial projection.

Work is still required on the final design of the station, as well as confirmation of the number of trains that could call there.

The funding required for the train station and related road and utility infrastructure to serve the business park - where buildings would be developed on a pre-let basis - is around £180m.

Transport for Wales (TfW) would take a long lease to run the station, with a privately funded securitisation deal against future rents providing upfront capital. TfW’s leasing costs would be covered by increased rail ticket sales and car parking income. More detailed work is required to assess the number of trains that could stop at the station, which in turn would impact car parking offset income.

For the business park element, as the site is included in the Cardiff and Newport UK Government-backed investment zone - some of the required infrastructure could be financed through tax increment financing.

This allows borrowing against future business rates generated by new companies attracted to the park. Unlike investment zones in England where 100% of business rates are retained for further investment, the Welsh Government intends to keep half of the rates raised. The zone will be overseen by the Cardiff Capital Region.

A simpler funding model for Parkway Station would be for Network Rail to take over ownership of the station itself, or potentially for Transport for Wales to do so as a devolved asset. This would allow Cardiff Parkway Developments to focus on attracting new investment into the integrated business park.

There is already strong interest from engineering giant Rolls-Royce, which has appraised the site as ticking all the right boxes for a potential new hub investment that could create thousands of high-skilled jobs.

It has appraised Parkway’s planned business park positively due to its own train station, access to a skilled workforce, nine universities across South Wales and the west of England, and the security afforded by a 200-acre site with close rail proximity to both Cardiff and Bristol.

The company has already established a satellite office at a nearby business park in St Mellons for its Submarines division, which will eventually create 200 jobs. While it continues to assess the site for further investment, clarity around the station would only strengthen the case for a hub development.

Of the £445m announced last year by the Chancellor for rail enhancement projects, £90m is allocated for development work to build cases for further investment. It also includes £77.87m from the Department for Transport for the upgrade of Cardiff Central Station. The remainder of the cost, despite it being a non-devolved rail asset, will be funded by the Welsh Government and the Cardiff Capital Region

This leaves only around £300m from the spending review allocation for Wales. The planned Burns stations between Cardiff and the Severn Tunnel - recommended by the Lord Burns Commission, set up by the Welsh Government after it decided not to proceed with the £1bn M4 Relief Road - have an estimated cost of around £70m each (with Magor expected to be lower).

As a result, there is currently insufficient funding to deliver all of the Burns stations, let alone other projects.

Speaking recently to the Senedd’s Climate Change, Environment and Infrastructure Committee, TfW chairman Vernon Everitt acknowledged that the current spending review envelope of £445m for rail projects in Wales needs to be built on significantly.

He told the committee’s cross-party members: "I would describe it as a useful start. It’s unlocking stuff, it’s giving us the opportunity to demonstrate we can deliver, building on everything that James Price, chief executive of TfW, and the team have done on the Core Valley Lines. But no, it’s not enough, and we need to keep making the case for more.”

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar held a press conference at 2.30pm on Monday, February 8, where he called for the Prime Minister to resign. Mrs Morgan did not issue any comment until 10.45am on Tuesday, February 9, despite numerous requests for an update on her position. In an online statement, she then said the Prime Minister had her backing.

Conservative group leader, Darren Millar, told her she had "bottled" calling for his resignation and that was "absolutely pathetic". 

Plaid leader Rhun ap Iorwerth said she was as "weak" as the Prime Minister.

In the weekly First Minister's Questions session, Mrs Morgan was asked why it had taken her so long to issue a statement of support.

"Well, can I first start by saying that Keir Starmer was elected with a clear mandate to be the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and I support him in the job that he was elected to do? When Labour succeeds in government, the people of Wales become better off, and that is my key concern.

"My job as First Minister is to improve the lives of people in Wales, not to provide a running commentary on Westminster politics.

"I have never been a fan of Peter Mandelson. I never felt that he held the same kind of values as we do in Welsh Labour. The recent revelations that he shared sensitive government information with somebody who could benefit financially I think was a low that many people hadn't expected.

"But also, of course, what is important now is that Keir Starmer takes this opportunity to refocus the issues relating to Epstein on to the women and girls who have been abused. That's where the focus needs to be and that's where the focus needs to stay.

"I think that the Prime Minister is an honourable man, he's committed to public service, and I think that he wants to do right by the country."

Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth said while her words about Peter Mandelson were "no doubt justified", "her continued defence of the Prime Minister, of course, raises more questions".

He said the First Minister didn't know "which way to turn".

She retorted: "I am focused on the needs of the people of this country. I do not jump up in the middle of a cabinet meeting to respond to issues going on in Westminster. That is not the way you run a country."

He continued: "It must have been a very long cabinet meeting if it started yesterday afternoon and you couldn't get a statement out until this morning.

"But the real reason why the First Minister is so passive when it comes to passing judgments on the Prime Minister is because she is equally as weakened as he is.

"She has invested so much political capital in supporting him she can't back down now. But the tragedy is that she gets nothing in return for her loyalty."

Mrs Morgan responded telling him: "I was elected to run Wales, not to provide a running commentary on Westminster politics.

"I find it genuinely incredible that after more than 25 years of devolution the office of First Minister is still treated as a pundit’s chair rather than at the head of a democratic government.

"You are not at the BBC any longer Rhun, this is a Senedd, it’s not a studio, it’s not a talking shop, it’s the seat of Welsh democracy and every time it’s reduced to gossip about what is happening elsewhere, the people of Wales are being shortchanged".

"I chose the truth," the Brecon and Radnorshire MS says, to applause.

He says he has been "blown away" by the support of people across his constituency and within the "Reform army".

"I want to say this, the last few weeks have not been easy. Telling the truth to power is rarely easy."

He thanks his family saying they had stood by him. "To my wife, thankyou very much darling, I wouldn't be here without you"

He addresses his previous, very public, criticism of Reform UK, saying "a wise person can change their mind".

I looked again, listened, read the detail, and saw a movement that has grown.

He says - again - Britain and Wales are "broken". "That is why I am here, I know exactly what happens next. I've seen this playbook before."

He says the "Welsh media bubble" will be rolling out his former clips to "destroy reputations".

Mr Evans, launches into a huge criticism of the media, to huge applause here in the room, that journalists are "left wing activists passing themselves off as journalists".

At a time when councils across Wales face unprecedented pressure on services, additional funding for local government has been enabled by Labour’s commitment to supporting Wales through fair funding settlements and targeted investment.

Cllr Deryk Cundy, Leader of the Labour Opposition on Carmarthenshire County Council, said: “People deserve clarity. The money being provided to councils comes from the Labour Government in Westminster, working with Welsh Labour. Supporting a budget is not the same as providing the funding.

“Our responsibility at county level is to ensure that this Labour-provided funding is used effectively, transparently and in the best interests of residents.

“We will rigorously examine decisions to make sure money reaches frontline services and delivers real improvements for communities.”

This funding provides vital support for services such as social care, education, highways and community provision.

While Plaid Cymru has stated it will support the Welsh Labour budget in the Senedd, Carmarthenshire Labour is clear that support for a budget does not equate to delivering the funding itself.

The resources being passed to councils originate from the Labour Government in Westminster and are made available through Welsh Labour’s budget settlement.

Carmarthenshire Labour says it is important that residents are given honest and accurate information about where council funding comes from.

Carmarthenshire Labour has also confirmed that it will closely scrutinise how this funding is spent locally by the Plaid-led administration.

Carmarthenshire Labour says it will continue to hold the administration to account to ensure that public money delivers value, protects essential services, and supports the people who rely on them most.

Commenting, Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Local Government, Joel James MS said: “Successive Labour Welsh Government budgets, which Plaid Cymru allowed to pass, have prioritised wasteful projects, depriving local government of much-needed funding.

“The Welsh Conservatives are clear: cut the waste, review and replace the woefully out-of-date funding formula to address the fact that some councils are sitting on hundreds of millions in reserves, and introduce local referendums to protect the public against inflation-busting council tax rises.”

Plaid Cymru was approached for comment.

Such is the appeal of Reform UK that as 10am approached, the seats were almost all filled, and the 1990s dance music got louder. Then Nigel Farage came onto the stage, saying he had two announcements to make - once he'd taken aim at Keir Starmer's handling of the Peter Mandelson saga, that is.

The defection of James Evans, the former Tory Brecon and Radnorshire MS, felt almost inevitable after his expulsion from the Welsh Conservatives. Despite one of his former colleagues this week telling me he hoped there was a way back to the Tories, the signs were all there and then with a glossy video, the deal was announced.

The murmurings from those immediately behind us journalists weren't exactly deafening as his name was announced. However, by the end his speech, in which he criticised the media, Plaid Cymru and Labour, he had seemingly won them over.

Nigel Farage and his team have long batted off questions about when they will announce policies, candidates or leaders. Today he set out a timeline: Leader announced today, candidates in two weeks, and a manifesto in the first two weeks of March.

Of the 100 candidates they plan to put up, just three or four, he said will be ex-Conservatives. One of those will be the man named as the party's new leader in Wales today, former Barnet Council leader Dan Thomas.

Candidates have been put through their paces with media training at a day in London, with 00s talk show host turned TV pundit, Jeremy Kyle, as the person in charge of training them.

They've long faced criticism that the party is made up of a huge percentage of former Conservatives and they've long faced criticism that Wales isn't their priority.

By appointing, in Thomas, a man who has spent the last 20 years of his adult life as a councillor in London, who was a self-proclaimed lifelong Tory, they have given their opponents even more ammunition for the se accusations. Although it never seems to fluster Farage.

So what did we learn about Dan Thomas?

He's a Blackwood Comp student, who was a paperboy and an air cadet. He moved to London for work he said, and he's returned for his two young sons. When we asked what was top of his wishlist to solve, he answered education.

Nigel Farage said he has watched videos of his new deputy in a council chamber and he can handle himself, and knows he can handle a budget. He is, he said "up to it".

So what does the party's new leader in Wales believe in?

Britain - and Wales - being "broken" was repeated time and time again, by all three speakers.

Plaid Cymru was the main target, Labour too. The media were subject to a prolonged attack from James Evans - his anger and issues news to the many journalists in the room who know, speak to, and have booked him for media appearance he had never complained of.

Dan Thomas focused a section of his speech on immigration, honing in an example of a fight involving eight men with makeshift weapons on a Thursday afternoon.

"Plaid and Labour are living in denial when it comes to immigration," he said receiving loud claps.

"They say there's nothing to be concerned about because immigration is relatively low in Wales, and besides that, it's not a devolved matter. So let's not talk about it.

"Well, I can tell you the people of Wales are concerned about immigration and it's not to see why.

"This time last year, in the high street of my hometown, it was a violent fight between a dozen or so Iranian and Afghan young men in broad daylight.

"We've never seen anything like that before. It just didn't happen when I was growing up. Apparently it was a turf war between rival barber shops, but no one believes that they were really fighting over haircuts and they weren't certainly fighting over mine," he joked, referencing his bald head.

"These kinds of businesses are being used as fronts for illegal activity, and they're causing alarm and distress in once peaceful high streets.

"Just down the road, there was a car wash which was the centre of a people trafficking ring and then there's the number of increasing HMOs [homes of multiple occupancy] which are changing the character of our communities forever.

"HMOs are a symptom of the housing crisis, and one of the major causes of the housing crisis is uncontrolled immigration, which has a ripple effect across the UK.

"So ladies and gentlemen, when Labour and Plaid Cymru to you that you're not allowed to talk about immigration, when they try to shout you down by calling you a racist. Please know that they were wrong and they are out of touch."

There's been many questions about how a Welsh leader will fit in to Reform UK's structure, as few would argue the party is built around him, and both men were asked that, during the questions from journalists.

Mr Thomas said he wouldn't go into the conversations he'd had with Nigel Farage privately about his role as leader but when he was asked in different ways by different journalists how the pair would work together, Mr Farage said he wouldn't be micromanaging.

He said given the successes that Reform is going to have at English councils, in Scotland, and in Wales, even if he wanted to, he couldn't.

Decisions on devolved matters will be for the Welsh Reform team, Nigel Farage said. "When it comes to devolved matters, it's up Reform UK in Wales to make those decisions.

"The party here, under Dan, will have full autonomy," he said. A quote it may well be worth bookmarking.

A telling sign of the dynamic though was when they were asked if council reorganisation in Wales would be on the agenda.

"As this is a Welsh policy, I won't interfere or intervene in any way," said Mr Farage. "and I also won't expect Dan to have a full answer for it yet," he said.

Granted, that was not him interfering on Welsh policy, but it was a strong suggestion to the man on his left that he shouldn't answer.

We did get a first policy through - scrapping the default 20mph speed limit. Even if he did, under questioning from those pesky journalists, admit he has no idea what that would cost.

Asked what a man who has 20 years the other side of the border could know about Wales, Mr Thomas said he had stood her in 2010 and 2017, where on both occasions he came second to Labour in the then-Westminster seat of Islwyn. While he said he had kept "abreast" of politics here while in London, the way he handled questions about devolution suggest there is a little homework to do.

There was no real answer to how they will work out the many issues that straddle the devolved and reserved governments, except Mr Farage saying disagreements will be behind closed doors. Although to be fair to Reform UK, Labour hasn't worked out a way of dealing with that either.

Reform UK have intentionally or otherwise, waited to announce candidates and policies in Wales until the clock has reached 90-something days until polling day. Each time they have been asked about a leader, they have brushed it off with "soon". Today, the scrutiny of Dan Thomas and Reform UK (Wales) really begins.

My review? Those in the room lapped it up. Tellingly afterwards, once the live feeds stopped, there were people queuing up to go on stage.

No doubt some of those posing with Dan Thomas, or in front of the "Wales needs Reform" signs will be some of the almost 100 that the party will announce as candidates in a few weeks, and if the polling is to be believed, some of their first class of Senedd members.

These few hours in the ICC answered some of the many questions but there are an awful lot more to answer.

After former Conservative Senedd Member James Evans, recently thrown out of the party over defection speculation, was unveiled as a new recruit Mr Farage was able to announce the party’s leader in Wales would be former Barnet council leader, Dan Thomas. 

While it was made clear Mr Thomas had been a council leader, it wasn’t explicitly stated he’d led a Conservative administration, until its defeat to Labour in 2022 was raised by a journalist, and neither was it stated Mr Thomas had been a Conservative councillor until June last year, and only recently left the council to return to Wales. 

He was described as someone “born in the Valleys” who had to move away at 18 for opportunities. Few details of Mr Thomas background where revealed but he was described as successful in business, which he later described as banking, who also had experience of leading a local authority.  

Policies and candidates will, Mr Farage, said be announced in March but as well as attacking the Welsh Labour Government he had Plaid Cymru in his sights. 

Polls have suggested Reform and Plaid will be battling to form the next Welsh Government but were described by Mr Farage as the party of “looney polices such as 20mph. Which I promise you will be disappearing if we win the election.” 

During a question and answer session with journalists Mr Thomas said “every single person” he speaks with complains about the lower speed limit. 

In later interviews Mr Thomas repeated the promise to repeal the policy but challenged on evidence it has reduced injuries and deaths said it could be appropriate on certain routes and said it was the “blanket” approach he objected to but said reversing 20mph as the default limit, rather than 30mph, hadn’t been costed. 

Mr Thomas also said he first became interested in politics after standing in a mock election at Blackwood Comprehensive in 1997 for the Conservatives – at a time when Labour won a landslide but said as a 17-year-old he hadn’t given much thought to its promise of establishing a Welsh Assembly which the Tories opposed at the time. 

But he insisted he is committed to devolution. He said: “I think we’ve had quite a long time now to look at (devolution) it’s not working in the interests of Wales because of the parties in charge. Devolution can work with the right parties in charge.” 

Cwmbran councillor Jason O’Connell, who had been widely tipped after a string of media appearances and a prominent role in a party political broadcast, was in attendance but was clear with anyone who asked that he wasn’t going to be announced as leader. 

The Torfaen Borough councillor repeated his phrase about being “flattered” to be linked with the leadership role but said he didn’t know if he’d been considered for the role, selected by Mr Farage rather than a vote of party members, or if he will be a candidate at May’s election. 

He said: “I don’t know. I’ve put my name forward (to be a candidate). I’m delighted with Dan as leader and we’ve selected the right man to lead the party. He’s experienced in local government and business, he has the right mix and we’re thrilled to have him.” 

The MS said that if his party wins power in May, it will “look into renewing and reforming the local government funding formula so that it is fair and reflects the realities of serving larger rural populations”.

Cllr Batrouni said “everyone supports a funding floor for our rural authorities, but cutting cities is not a growth agenda”.

“It is deeply worrying Plaid are looking to starve Newport, and other Welsh cities, of funding,” the council leader alleged. “It is economic madness to cut funding for our cities, which contain the most people and drive the Welsh economy.”

In response, Mr Owen Griffiths cited his party’s recent budget deal with the Welsh Government, and warned against “Labour politicians lashing out to distract from the fact that their budget only works because Plaid Cymru stepped in to do the right thing”.

Newport has received the highest percentage increase in local government settlement funding in each of the past three years, which Cllr Batrouni said was down to census data showing the city is the fastest growing area of Wales.

Cllr Batrouni said that growth “requires substantial infrastructure investment, with a booming population and double-digit growth in our under 16s”.

He explained how Newport features highly in rankings for the “major drivers” of council funding – which include population growth, the number of children in schools, and deprivation levels.

“To boost funding for rural areas in any meaningful way, you have to change those elements”, he said, adding some of those areas have declining populations or falling numbers of under-16s.

“I would have expected Plaid’s leading candidate for Casnewydd Islwyn to be fighting for our city to have the funds it needs to match our expansion,” claimed Cllr Batrouni. “Sadly, and very disappointingly, the opposite seems to be happening.”

Mr Owen Griffiths branded the council leader’s comments as “a desperate and inaccurate attempt to rewrite the record”, however.

“It was Plaid Cymru that stepped in to rescue local government from a catastrophic Labour draft budget that would have pushed councils towards bankruptcy, mass job losses and double-digit council tax rises,” he said.

“Newport is receiving 6.1% uplift – or over extra £6m from the draft settlement initially offered by the Labour Welsh Government,” added Mr Owen Griffiths. “That has provided stability, protected services and taken 10%-plus council tax rises off the table. Labour failed to deliver that – Plaid did.”

The Senedd Member said the council funding formula “no longer reflects modern pressures”, and while fast-growing cities deserve funding to meet pressures, “so do councils serving dispersed rural populations with higher service costs and weaker tax bases”.

“Newport deserves serious leadership focused on securing investment and reforming a broken system,” Mr Owen Griffiths alleged, adding his party would “ensure funding keeps pace with need – not pit communities against each other.”

It means people who live or work in the shadow of coal tips can feel safer in their homes and workplaces, especially given the risks to disused coal tips with more extreme weather.  I know people living near the British will welcome this money.

The new scheme which was announced by Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies at the British Regeneration Project in Abersychan, will allow local authorities and Natural Resources Wales (NRW) to plan, develop and deliver larger, more complex schemes.

Works will range from minor maintenance through to major capital projects worth up to £7 million. Phase one of the new Coal Tip Safety Grant will provide funding to 10 local authorities and NRW until the end of the 2029-30 financial year.

Key projects receiving funding include: Nant-Yr-Odyn, Merthyr Tydfil – £7m; The British Regeneration Project Phase 1, Torfaen – £5.6m; Graig Ddu Dinas, Rhondda Cynon Taf – £4.8m; Pen Yr Englyn, Natural Resources Wales – £3.8m; and Tylorstown Landslip Remediation, Rhondda Cynon Taf – £2.3m.

Torfaen Council will receive a total of £14,163,352 across the next three years. This is made up of £13,012,250 in capital funding and £1,151,102.18 in revenue funding.

The investment is great news and will help Torfaen Council realise its ambitions to improve safety at the site, which is valued by the local community. The project will also have wider benefits in terms of protecting important biodiversity and alleviating the risk of flooding in the local area.

For years, the Welsh Labour Government has been working hard to protect our coalfield communities, investing to improve coal tip safety and bringing in a brand new law so that we can go even further.

And this year, the UK Government has committed £25 million in the current financial year and a further £118 million over the next three years, bringing total UK investment to £143 million.

Combined with Welsh Government funding of £87m, more than £230 million has now been committed to coal tip safety across Wales.

Given the unpredictable nature of coal tip conditions, including the impact of extreme weather events, the grant scheme will be reopened annually to ensure funding remains responsive to emerging risks and changing local priorities.

Lynne Neagle is the member of the Senedd for Torfaen.

Reform UK is polling well ahead of the devolved elections on May 7, however the most recent poll showed their seemingly ever increasing boom was slowing somewhat. In a poll in September 2025, the party was almost level pegging with Plaid Cymru - which was the party way out in front of Labour.

By January's poll, Plaid had pulled out in front, while Reform UK had dropped back. Academics put that down to two main things, one, that they are taking Conservative votes - of which there are declining number in Wales, but also Reform UK's biggest chunk of support came from people that previously haven't voted, as awareness of the election grows and those people make their minds up, the party could see its numbers stall. There are also questions about whether party scandals, its performance in English councils, and a lack of Welsh leader, policy or candidates is harming the party.

Time is also running out - there are now less than 100 days to go until voting day, and candidates names have to be in the hat by the beginning of April, according to electoral rules.

While the party could pick anyone it wants as a leader, there are some names circulating as potential runners and riders..

Jason O'Connell

Rating: Quite possibly

Jason O'Connell has been one of Reform UK's most regular media performers in Wales in recent weeks, and fronted a recent party political broadcast, adding to speculation he could land the top job.

A councillor for Llantarnam in Torfaen, he is listed on his council register of interests as a program manager and with appointments at American-based energy company Enerysys. He was elected to the council in a by-election in 2023 as an independent councillor, having served as a councillor councillor for five years before losing his seat in Cwmbran’s Greenmeadow ward.

When elected in 2023, he said he didn't believe party politics had a place on councils. "Local politics has no place for political parties," he said. "People realised local elections are about local politics. What Keir Starmer or Rishi Sunak do doesn’t have any influence on education in Torfaen for example," he said.

"I spent a few months in the Conservative Party and left pretty much soon afterwards when I realised I’d made a mistake,” he said. “I apologised and held my hands up and it’ll not be repeated".

He did not, at that time, have any intention of joining a political group. "It’s not something that’s been discussed or I’ve given any thought or time to. I don’t want to get into any political games at the Civic Centre.," he said, then joining Reform UK in August 2024.

He's working in the Senedd for Reform's sole MS, Laura Anne Jones. He was asked if he wanted to be leader on the BBC's Sunday Politics programme he said he quite fancied the gig.

Mark Reckless

Rating: Possible

Mark Reckless, who was one of the Ukip class of 2016 in the-then National Assembly of Wales has certainly tried a number of political parties - he's variously been in the Conservatives, the Brexit Party, an independent, and Abolish the Assembly. But he is now a Reform member.

A common thread through his various political affiliations is his loyalty to Nigel Farage, and has been at the Reform UK founder's side long before the current crop of defectors.

A former lawyer who has held roles in finance too he is in the Farage mould and, another thing in his favour is that he has been in the Senedd before, and that experience could be vital if Reform UK deliver a group of politicians to the Welsh Parliament.

We understand he's also been working on policies too for Reform UK's Senedd bid, putting him in a central role at a crucial time.

Jake Berry

Rating: Possible

A former Conservative MP who represented Rossendale and Darwen from 2010 to 2024, SIr Jake Berry is now a Reform member. During the pandemic, he courted controversy after going to what was described as his holiday home on Ynys Mon. There was questions about whether he was following the rules.

The then-MP Virginia Crosbie came to his defence saying the family had been on the island since before lockdown.

The reason the home is important is that one of the rule changes coming into force for the Senedd is that candidates will need which is that all candidates need to be registered as a local government elector in Wales.

Sir Jake wrote an article for the Sun when he defected saying Reform was a "better way" than "old Westminster politics".

He said he was backing Reform “because I’ve always believed that change comes with challenging the old order. In shaking up the system when it isn’t working.”

There have however been rebuttals of previous suggestions he could end up as a Senedd candidate, or leader.

Sarah Atherton

Rating: Possible

The former MP for Wrexham is another former Tory who has joined the party. Widely respected for her work on behalf of the armed forces during her time in Parliament, she is another confident speaker who would bring experience to the role.

Born in Bangor, she served in the Intelligence Corps and then worked as a nurse, district nurse and social worker. She was the first female Welsh Conservative MP elected to the Commons.

She is prolifically sharing images and support for Reform UK on her social media.

Laura Anne Jones

Rating: Possible

Currently the party's only Senedd member, Laura Anne Jones defected from the Conservatives in July last year. At the time she was welcomed by Nigel Farage with plenty of photographs and attention, allegations about racism and expenses were hanging over her head, but she said she was confident she would be cleared.

Standards commissioner Douglas Bain was investigating a three-part complaint against the regional MS. Firstly, that Ms Jones had made fraudulent fuel claims, that she made a racist comment and failed to address discriminatory behaviour, and that she failed to act in accordance with the code of conduct when dismissing an employee.

He rejected the complaint about fuel claims, saying he accepted that Ms Jones' account was the most likely, and he said that it should not be his role to investigate the complainant's dismissal by Ms Jones, but upheld the complaint about Ms Jones' WhatsApp messages.

When the cross-party Senedd standards committee reported its findings, it recommended she be suspended from the Senedd, and her colleagues agreed, and she faced a two week suspension - something that would have led to her facing a recall if she had been an MP, or if the Senedd had a recall provision.

She apologised for her language.

Questions have also been raised about claims she made when a sales rep for Forever Living Products from 2013 to 2016 about cancer risks.

A polished speaker, enthusiastic social media performer, and experienced Senedd member, there is plenty of potential for her to be the face of Reform UK in Wales, but as the party tries to solidify its position as a serious political force, there are questions about whether it could appoint someone who has been found to use racist language as its leader.

James Evans

Rating: Possible, but unlikely

The Brecon and Radnorshire Senedd member was thrown out of the Conservative Party just days ago having told his then-group leader, Darren MIllar, that he had been approached by Reform UK.

Mr Millar's version of events was that he had asked Mr Evans to commit to the party and he would not. Mr Evans said he was asked to leave "primarily because I raised serious concerns about the refusal of the UK Conservative Party to recognise the reality that our country is broken

"I believe Britain is broken. I was asked not to say this and instead to support a position that the UK is not broken. I could not, in all conscience, support a position that I believe is not true."

In his Facebook post - he did not respond to requests for an interview - he said he would make a "decision on my political future shortly, based on what is in the best interests of my family, my constituents and the people of Wales".

He has not yet updated his position but is a well-known and confident speaker, however if he arrived in the party and was immediately made leader it would likely ruffle feather. The day after he left the Tories, Nigel Farage too had said he had not spoken to him directly in some time.

David Jones

Rating: Almost certainly not

The party's most experienced Welsh figure, the former Welsh Secretary defected from the Tories after many months of rumours swirling around political circles. But, he, we understand, has no desire to re-enter frontline politics, so he would be an unlikely leader, but one people in Reform UK would be happy to persuade.

David Thomas

Rating: Impossible

David Thomas is the leader of the Reform UK Wales group on Torfaen Borough Council. He, along with two other formerly independent councillors, joined Reform shortly after the 2024 general election becoming the first representatives for the party at a council level in Wales.

He represents the Llantarnam ward on the borough council, he was elected as an independent candidate to represent the Two Locks ward on the community council in a by-election in September 2023. 

However, in January 2026, he was removed from the community council role for not attending meetings. He attributed his failure to attend community council meetings to his time being "increasingly stretched".

He found himself in the headlines after his life as a rave DJ Dowster came to light. He distanced himself from songs with lewd lyrics despite being credited online as one of the "composers". Councillor David Thomas was not involved in creating songs such as P***ystomp but did post them online, according to his political party.

Cllr Thomas has confirmed that he will not be contesting the upcoming Senedd elections in May, having previously announced his decision not to run on social media platform X.

Matthew MacKinnon

Rating: Possible

Reform UK's director of external affairs, Matthew Mackinnon from mid-Wales, is exceptionally close to those at the top of the Reform UK hierarchy - including Nigel Farage, and he is a valued counsel to the Reform UK leader, who few doubt will keep a very close eye on the team in Wales.

MacKinnon was a big player in the Vote Leave campaign in Wales, being the regional director here. He then set up a think tank billed as "a pro-Brexit Welsh think-tank, which advocates a positive vision for Wales outside the European Union." That was set up with Ed Sumner, the head of communications at Reform UK - and a fellow ex-Conservative.

He's previously been a press officer for former Welsh Tory MP Chris Davies, and worked for the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society.

However, will his youthful indiscretions in 2012 - when he got a football banning order - be the type of thing that could stand against him? And does he have any desire to move from the sidelines into the frontline of elected politics.

Under the plans, parents will be able to choose between nominating a grandparent to look after their child, or to place their child in a traditional childcare placement like a nursery or with a registered childcare provider.

Nominated grandparents would receive a Grandparent Childcare Payment of £200 per child per month for up to two children in a single household.

The Welsh Conservatives have also confirmed that they will also extend the offer of up to 30 hours of free childcare per week to working parents of children aged nine months to four years of age. At present, only parents of three and four-year-olds in Wales can access 30 hours of free childcare.

Welsh Conservative group leader Darren Millar said: "At this election, I am committed to putting forward the most pro-family policy offer Wales has ever seen.

"After 27 years of failure, parents in Wales face the highest childcare costs in Britain. That must change.

"Our Welsh Conservative childcare offer recognises the vital role that grandparents play in delivering care for their grandchildren, extends access to more free childcare, and empowers parents to make the best choice for them and their family.

"These plans are affordable, deliverable, and will help to get Wales working."

The Senedd election takes place on May 7.

International relations is not a devolved issue and is handled by the UK Government, not the Welsh Government, but there are limited roles the Welsh Government can play on the international stage including non-binding international agreements in devolved areas and the Welsh Government has agreements with countries, regions and cities.

There is a cross-party scrutiny committee of Senedd members to look at international relations.

That committee has raised what it calls "serious concerns" about the Welsh Government’s budget allocations for international activity throughout this Senedd term, which started in 2021 and will end in March.

The committee says it has repeatedly called for accuracy and improved transparency on intended outputs, outcomes, impact, and value for money, and has expressed its disappointment that all three of the last First Ministers have declined to appear for scrutiny.

While international relations has previously been a cabinet role of its own, it now falls as part of Eluned Morgan's First Minister role and she is singled out for criticism.

The Welsh Government has 20 overseas offices in 11 countries and there are 43 staff employed in those, with £4.7m allocated to the annual running costs of those offices. They are in Belgium, Canada, China, Ireland, France, Germany, India, Japan, Qatar, UAE and the USA.

The committee, having requested them, gets Welsh Government monthly lists of overseas ministerial visits and incoming diplomatic visits to Wales but costs are not included.

The report concludes "provision of financial information to the Senedd and the public must improve".

"Serious consideration must be given to better utilising the resources available to government," it also says.

A Welsh Government website lists nine agreements but the report says some are missing. "The committee has not succeeded in obtaining a complete list of the Welsh Government’s international agreements, despite multiple requests," the committee writes in its report. They say they asked to be formally notified about any new arrangements, but say that has not happened.

The committee says it holds the view "that the [fact] Welsh Government cannot provide a list of its current international agreements is baffling and a symptom of a lack of strategic oversight and implementation. We have not been notified of new or renewed agreements, despite multiple requests, although we acknowledge that a recent commitment from the First Minister resulted in notification of agreements with Catalonia and the Basque Country".

It says that there have been numerous "promotional years" such as Germany in 2021, Canada in 2022, France in 2023, India in 2024, and Japan in 2025 but while Vaughan Gething, the former First Minister, had said there had been evaluation of these schemes, "these are not published nor shared with the committee".

There are further concerns about what information is published or even obtained by politicians to scrutinise.

"We are concerned about the Welsh Government’s communications and accountability around this area of work. Gaps in reporting and low awareness were illustrated time and again in examples shared by witnesses. The availability of information about delivery of its international relations strategies is too often inexplicably, and frustratingly, poor.

"This is reflected in the evidence we received. It also corresponds to our experience as a committee. Since 2021, our work has been dominated by establishing a basic understanding of arrangements, activity and delivery.

"Efforts to obtain information have been disproportionate, often times requiring multiple exchanges of correspondence because our questions have not been answered. This has hindered scrutiny and expended precious resource."

The report says that while First Ministers have appeared for annual scrutiny sessions, Mrs Morgan has not attended plenary debates on international relations reports, but other cabinet members have stepped in. The report also says Mrs Morgan recently declined to appear for Wales-Ireland relations sessions. 

In its findings, the committee say: "That the First Minister has declined invitations to attend committee in person outside an annual session is highly unsatisfactory and contrasts starkly with the approach taken by other Cabinet Secretaries to scrutiny of international matters in their portfolios.

"As a matter of principle, if a First Minister chooses to take on policy responsibilities, they should make themselves available to be held to account for those responsibilities. If a First Minister is unable to do so due to competing demands on their time, they should consider delegating those responsibilities to another minister."

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “Wales has a strong and growing international presence, built on our values, our global partnerships and our commitment to promoting Wales on the world stage.

"In the last year alone, we hosted the first ever Wales Investment Summit and secured over £16bn worth of inward investment, and we’re looking forward to welcoming major events such as the Tour de France and Euro 2028.

"Through our international offices and a wide range of programmes, we continue to attract investment, support Welsh businesses to export and promote our culture, language and talent internationally."

The decision was made by a 10-strong sub-group of the NEC, chaired by the Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood on Sunday morning.

Confirming the decision in a statement, the Labour Party said the NEC had decided to deny Mr Burnham permission to stand in order to avoid “an unnecessary election for the position of Greater Manchester mayor”.

The party said a mayoral by-election “would have a substantial and disproportionate impact on party campaign resources” before local and devolved elections in May.

It added: “Although the party would be confident of retaining the mayoralty, the NEC could not put Labour’s control of Greater Manchester at any risk.

“Andy Burnham is doing a great job as mayor of Greater Manchester.

“We believe it is in the best interests of the party to avoid an unnecessary mayoral election which would use substantial amounts of taxpayers’ money and resources that are better spent tackling the cost-of-living crisis.”

Despite blocking his candidacy, senior Labour politicians left the door open for Mr Burnham to return to Westminster after his term as mayor ends in 2028.

Steve Reed, the Local Government Secretary, told the BBC: “In due course, I look forward to seeing Andy back in Parliament”.

But he added that, at the moment, it would trigger an “avoidable” by-election and voters “don’t like elections that come mid-term”.

Blocking Mr Burnham is likely to provoke anger from some parts of the Labour Party after several senior figures called for local members to have the final say on whether he should stand.

They included deputy leader Lucy Powell, herself an NEC member, and Cabinet minister Ed Miliband, who had both told a conference in London on Saturday that the decision should be left to members.

A Labour backbencher told the Press Association the decision was “a total shitshow” and “utter nonsense”, predicting the party would now lose the Gorton and Denton by-election.

Former Cabinet minister Louise Haigh said the decision was “incredibly disappointing” and called for the NEC to “change course and make the right decision”.

She told PA: “Otherwise I think we’ll all come to regret this.”

Although previous MP Andrew Gwynne won the constituency comfortably in 2024, the collapse in Labour’s polling numbers since then means the party now faces a tough fight with Reform UK and the Green Party to retain the seat.

Other Labour MPs backed the decision, however, urging the party to avoid infighting and move on to winning the by-election.

Phil Brickell, who represents the Greater Manchester constituency of Bolton West, said speculation about Mr Burnham’s candidacy in recent days had “seen the Labour Party quickly turn inward… undermining the PM’s efforts at home and abroad”.

Rugby MP John Slinger said the “quick and clear decision” meant the party could “move on from the damaging, introspection and psychodrama of the last week” and “pull together” behind the eventual candidate.

In a post on social media on Saturday the US president said: “The great and very brave soldiers of the United Kingdom will always be with the United States of America.

“In Afghanistan, 457 died, many were badly injured, and they were among the greatest of all warriors.

“It’s a bond too strong to ever be broken. The UK military, with tremendous heart and soul, is second to none (except for the USA).

“We love you all, and always will!”

It came a day after Mr Trump was criticised for his remarks that NATO allied troops “stayed a little off the front lines” in Afghanistan.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer raised the comments directly with the US president in a conversation on Saturday, Downing Street said.

Speaking in Downing Street on Friday, Sir Keir described the remarks as “insulting and frankly appalling”, adding that he is “not surprised they have caused such hurt to the loved ones of those who were killed or injured”.

The Duke of Sussex also weighed in on the comments and said the “sacrifices” of British soldiers “deserve to be spoken about truthfully and with respect”.

Armed forces minister and former commando, Al Carns, who served five tours in Afghanistan, described Mr Trump’s comments as “ridiculous”.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said Mr Trump’s comments were “complete nonsense”, adding that it is a “disgrace” to “denigrate” the memory of British soldiers who died in the conflict.

On Saturday, she posted on X that she is “pleased” the president has “now acknowledged the role of the British armed forces and those brave men and women who gave their lives fighting alongside the US and our allies”.

She added: “It should never have been questioned in the first place.”

The UK suffered the second highest number of military deaths – 457 – in the Afghanistan conflict, behind the US, which saw 2,461 deaths.

In total, America’s allies suffered 1,160 deaths in the conflict, around a third of the total coalition deaths.

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said “how dare” Mr Trump question the sacrifice of British soldiers and commented that the US president “avoided military service five times”.

Mr Trump has previously been criticised for avoiding being conscripted to fight in Vietnam thanks to being diagnosed with bone spurs in his heels – a claim that has been subject to doubt.

He said the decision had been “difficult”, but now was “the moment to mount the strongest possible defence of what we stand for”.

The NEC can still block his bid for selection by refusing permission, and supporters of the Prime Minister are reported to be mobilising to prevent him from becoming a candidate.

But senior Labour figures have called for Mr Burnham to be allowed to stand, with the party’s deputy leader, Lucy Powell, saying the decision should be up to local party members.

And London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan explicitly called for him to be allowed to contest the election, telling a centre-left conference in London: “I think if Andy Burnham wants to be a member of Parliament, Andy Burnham should be allowed to be a member of Parliament.”

Given the timetable for choosing a candidate set out by the NEC, the latest it can make a decision on whether Mr Burnham can apply for selection is Monday, but a decision could come as early as Sunday.

In a letter to the NEC asking for permission to stand, Mr Burnham said he had “given careful thought to what is in the best interests of our party and the city region I represent” following the announcement of a by-election “nobody wanted or expected”.

He argued there was now “a direct threat to everything Greater Manchester has always been about from a brand of politics which seeks to pit people against each other”.

He added: “I see this by-election as the front line of that fight for the Manchester way and I feel I owe it to a city which has given me so much to lead it from the front, despite the risks involved.”

Mr Burnham’s candidacy was welcomed by Cabinet minister Ed Miliband, who was giving a speech to the Fabian Society’s annual conference in London as the mayor made his announcement.

Mr Miliband said Mr Burnham had done “an outstanding job” as mayor and would be “a massive asset” in Parliament, adding he hoped the Gorton and Denton party would have “the option” of selecting him as a candidate.

He said: “My view about this is Keir needs the best possible team serving under him in Parliament.”

Mr Miliband denied that Mr Burnham’s return to Westminster would raise questions about Sir Keir’s leadership, given the mayor is widely believed to have ambitions to become leader himself.

He said: “The Labour party needs to look outwards and not inwards and it needs to be loyal to Keir and it needs to get on with the job of serving the country.”

The by-election was triggered on Thursday after the sitting MP, Andrew Gwynne, announced his resignation from Parliament on health grounds.

Although Mr Gwynne won the seat with 51% of the vote in 2024, Mr Burnham could still face a tough fight given the collapse in Labour’s polling position and the rise of both Reform UK and the Green Party.

If elected, Mr Burnham would be legally required to stand down as mayor of Greater Manchester, triggering a city-wide by-election.

In his letter to the NEC, he said he would “give my all” in any mayoral by-election, adding he was “confident” Labour could win.

James Evans, MS for Brecon and Radnorshire and shadow cabinet secretary for health and social care in the Senedd, confirmed in a social media statement on Tuesday (January 20) that his Conservative Party membership had been withdrawn. Mr Evans said the decision followed his decision to "speak out", including discussions with Reform UK and his views on the condition of the country.

In full, Mr Evans said: "Today, the Conservative Party removed the whip from me and revoked my membership after more than 20+ years. This followed my decision to speak out and challenge the status quo.

"I was asked by the Chief Whip whether I had been in talks with Reform. I gave an honest answer and said that I had. Those discussions were mainly about the serious challenges our country faces and the need to ensure we do not end up with a hard left Plaid Cymru / Green Party coalition.

"The whip was removed primarily because I raised serious concerns about the refusal of the UK Conservative Party to recognise the reality that our country is broken.

"I believe Britain is broken. I was asked not to say this and instead to support a position that the UK is not broken. I could not, in all conscience, support a position that I believe is not true.

"I will be making a decision on my political future shortly, based on what is in the best interests of my family, my constituents and the people of Wales." 

His dismissal comes amid allegations that Mr Evans was "continuing to engage" with Reform representatives regarding the prospect of switching parties, despite giving assurances last Friday that he had rejected an approach from them.

Welsh Conservative leader Darren Millar took to social media to announce Mr Evans' dismissal. "This morning, I took the decision to remove James Evans from the Welsh Conservative shadow cabinet and withdraw the Conservative whip," Mr Millar wrote. "I did so after being informed by James that he was continuing to engage with Reform representatives about the possibility of defecting to the party, in spite of his personal assurances on Friday that he had rejected an approach they initiated last week.

"Understandably, I expect all Welsh Conservative MSs and candidates to be 100% committed to our party and our plan to fix Wales. Regrettably, James was unable to give me that commitment."

Reform currently has one Member of the Senedd following former Conservative Laura Anne Jones's defection in July. Mr Evans' removal comes after Tory leader Kemi Badenoch pre-emptively sacked her former shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick last week, hours before he became the most high-profile Tory figure to switch allegiance to Reform UK.

He was closely followed by Romford MP and ex-shadow foreign affairs minister Andrew Rosindell, who announced on Monday that he was also defecting to Nigel Farage's party.

The letter says: "Across our constituencies, we hear the same message: children are anxious, unhappy, and unable to focus on learning. They are not building the social skills needed to thrive, nor having the experiences that will prepare them for adulthood.

"At home, the average 12-year-old now spends 29 hours a week on a smartphone, much of it on social media platforms rife with harmful content, designed to be addictive.

"The consequences of this are clear. More than 500 children a day are being referred for anxiety alone in England. For teenage boys, going from zero to five hours of daily social media use is associated with a doubling of depression rates. For girls, rates triple."

The five Welsh MPs are all from Labour – Tonia Antoniazzi (Gower), Ruth Jones (Newport West), Henry Tufnell (Mid and south Pembrokeshire), Andrew Ranger (Wrexham), and Steve Witherden (Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr).

Australia recently brought in a law requiring that the world's most popular social media sites – including Instagram and Facebook – stop Australian children aged under 16 from having accounts on their platforms.

About 550,000 accounts were blocked by Meta during the first days.

The letter sent to Keir Starmer in full reads:

Dear Prime Minister,

We are writing to request urgent action to raise the minimum age for access to social media platforms to 16 years old.

Across our constituencies, we hear the same message: children are anxious, unhappy, and unable to focus on learning. They are not building the social skills needed to thrive, nor having the experiences that will prepare them for adulthood.

At home, the average 12-year-old now spends 29 hours a week on a smartphone, much of it on social media platforms rife with harmful content, designed to be addictive.

The consequences of this are clear. More than 500 children a day are being referred for anxiety alone in England. For teenage boys, going from zero to five hours of daily social media use is associated with a doubling of depression rates. For girls, rates triple.

Around the world, Governments are recognising the severity of this crisis and taking action. Australia has banned tech companies from providing social media accounts to under 16s. Denmark, France, Norway, New Zealand and Greece are expected to follow suit. Britain risks being left behind.

We believe the onus must be placed on technology platforms, not parents, to prevent underage access. We would support a model similar to Australia's that requires companies to take meaningful steps to enforce age limits.

Public support for this approach is strong. Many of our constituents have recently got in touch sharing their concerns about the impact of social media on children and asking us to support a social media minimum age of 16. Most strikingly, young people themselves recognise the harm: 78% of Gen Z say they would try to delay their child using social media as long as possible.

We are all strong supporters of technology, and of this Labour Government's ambition to use tech to improve lives. But successive Governments have done far too little to protect young people from the consequences of unregulated, addictive social media platforms.

We urge the Government to show leadership on this issue by introducing a minimum age for social media access of 16 years old.

Yours sincerely,

House of Commons, London, SWIA 0AA

Councillor Jasmin Chowdhury, who served as Labour councillor for the Canton ward, said she would now be serving residents as an independent member after citing a number of concerns.

In a statement posted on Facebook Cllr Chowdhury said she could not remain affiliated with a party due to a leadership that “lacks the moral courage and political backbone to stand up to tyrants”.

She added the party was “shifting to the right” leading to what she described as “disastrous policies that erode civil liberties and punish the most vulnerable in our society, including disabled people”.

In a resignation statement she said: “Having been a member of the Labour party for most of my adult life this decision has not been taken lightly. I joined the Labour Party because of its historic commitment to social justice, internationalism, equality, and the protection of human rights.

“However I can no longer, in good conscience, remain affiliated with a party whose current leadership lacks the moral courage and political backbone to stand up to tyrants who are making a mockery of international law and continuing acts that many international bodies and experts have described as genocide.

“This moral failure is mirrored domestically. The party’s continued cowardice in shifting to the right has contributed to disastrous policies that erode civil liberties and punish the most vulnerable in our society, including disabled people.

“This includes the criminalisation of dissent through the arrest of peaceful protesters across the UK including in Cardiff. Rather than defending the fundamental democratic right to protest Labour has too often chosen silence or accommodation, legitimising authoritarian approaches it should be challenging.

“The failure of the Labour government and party leadership to offer principled opposition, meaningful accountability, or a clear ethical stance — both internationally and at home — has left me deeply disillusioned.

“Silence, ambiguity, and political calculation in the face of injustice and bigotry both internationally and at home are not compatible with the values that brought me into public service.

“At a local level I am equally concerned by the absence of accountability within party leadership structures. Serious questions must be asked about how decisions are made, whose voices are heard, and whose are marginalised.

“In particular there has been a troubling failure to support women within the party, many of whom feel alienated, dismissed, or unsupported when raising concerns. This culture is not one I can continue to endorse.

“My duty is, first and foremost, to the people I represent. Continuing as an independent councillor for Canton will allow me to act with integrity, honesty, and freedom of conscience without being constrained by party positions that I fundamentally disagree with.

“I remain committed to the principles of justice, equality, peace, and accountability and I will continue to advocate for these values both locally and more broadly.”

The resignation of Cllr Chowdhury comes just weeks after another two Labour councillors resigned from the party in the borough of Blaenau Gwent with Cllr Helen Cunningham of Llanhilleth becoming an independent member and Cllr Sonia Behr of Nantyglo joining the Green Party.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service has approached Welsh Labour for comment on the recent resignation of Cllr Chowdhury.

When the polling data is transferred to seats, two different projection methods both show she herself would fail to be elected in the new Ceredigion Penfro seat where she is standing.

Speaking to WalesOnline the day after the latest poll of Welsh voters' was released, she acknowledged she had a fight on her hands.

"I've always stood in marginal seats, this is a very common position for me to be in.

"When I first stood for the Senedd, I found out that I got in sitting in my pyjamas in my own home because I was told I hadn't won [and hadn't gone to the count].

"So this is not unusual for me, to be a position where I have to fight for my political life. I'm happy to do that, I'll continue to do it, it's what I've done all my life.

"I'm up for the fight, I'm up for the challenge and I'm very keen to put our case to the Welsh nation," she said.

When she saw the poll she said she was "obviously disappointed".

"What we are clear about is that we've got a lot of work to do between now and the Senedd elections.

"We've already started by putting out one of our pledges which is to put a cap on of £2 bus fares, we hope to demonstrate that we're in tune with the public that we understand that they're under a bit of pressure, that the cost of living crisis is affecting them, that we can demonstrate that we are continuing to listen to them.

"There are headwinds against us, we understand that.

"I hope though that what this will do is to concentrate people's minds about the challenges ahead if Labour is not in power and I hope that there'll be much more thorough scrutiny on, in particular, Plaid Cymru, in particular their spending commitments, their policy commitments, in a way that we've had for years and years and frankly as opposition parties they've been getting away with a lot for a long time.

"If you aspire to govern you must demonstrate that it's not all about hope, it's actually about practicalities of governing, where are they getting the money from, what are they going to cut, how are they going do it, what's going to be different," she said.

The poll showed a surge in support for the Green Party, and while Plaid fall just short of a majority, the Green Party is a group it could decide to work within a coalition.

Both support Welsh independence.

That is, the First Minister said, a "worry".

"It's a major worry for the country. We've never been in this situation before in Wales and what we know is that are occasions when people may not vote in their own national interest, we've seen that with Brexit.

"People were promised things and they haven't been delivered.

"When there's an offer of independence in an age of extremism, of populism, I think that there's a real danger that people could reach for that.

"The implications for Wales would be extremely dangerous, massive cuts to our public services, massive cuts to pensions. People have to rethink our entire country and in particular our relationship with the United Kingdom," she said.

This election however has new constituencies and a new voting system. Instead of the party with the most votes winning, there will be six people elected from each of the 16 constituencies via a proportional system.

When Labour lost the Caerphilly Senedd by-election, party sources said that a poll part way through the campaign putting Labour in third sealed their fate, because people thought voting for them was a wasted vote.

Asked whether that could happen if polls keep showing similar figures for her party, she said: "I think one of the major challenges we have is to demonstrate to the public that this election is different because of the voting system," she said.

"People in Wales are really sophisticated voters, they know they want to stop Reform. At the moment they're piling in behind Plaid because they're thinking in the same way as a first-past-the-post system.

"That is not the system we have.

"We have a proportional system and that needs to be explained to the public and I hope that means that they will take the opportunity to vote for the party that they have been supporting for many, many years and that they can continue to support because it will be represented proportionately in a way that hasn't happened in the past," she said.

It was 1983, Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister, and in the school mock election at Lampeter Comprehensive she put her name forward for election, as a Tory. "Why?" I ask. "I have no idea," she laughs, "But I can tell you that it is one of the very few wins the Tories have ever had in Ceredigion."

A Senedd member since 1999, under the Plaid Cymru banner she's been mayor of Aberystwyth, chair of Plaid Cymru, she was rural affairs minister in the One Wales government, and since 2016 Llywydd, or speaker, of the Senedd, to name just some of the roles she's had under the Plaid banner. She has had two unsuccessful attempts at being elected party leader.

Next May she will be one of two people who has been in the Senedd since its first day in 1999 who will attempt re-election for a seventh time - the other being Lynne Neagle, the current education minister.

Yet, standing for election to Parliament - Welsh or otherwise - was never her plan. The devolution referendum fell during her spell as Mayor of Aberystwyth having been a town councillor for the five years preceding but "it hadn't actually crossed my mind to stand for Parliament, whichever Parliament," she says.

She had just "spectacularly failed" to become a county councillor. "I think I was fifth in the poll in Aberystwyth," she said. "The significant decision that allowed me to think about standing for the Assembly, as was, was when Cynog Dafis decided that he wouldn't put his name forward.

"People like Dafydd Wigley and Ieuan Wyn Jones, they put their names forward even though they were still MPs. Cynog decided that he wouldn't do that and he would allow somebody new to be elected in Ceredigion and that selection for the Plaid Cymru seat in 1999 was one of the most difficult elections I've been involved in because there were a lot of older, more experienced, Plaid Cymru members locally who also put their names forward. I was the young kid on the block," she said.

That spell is always talked about with excitement. "It was the time of Cool Cymru and everything seemed possible and then I woke up to the realisation that somehow when I'd been on Aberystwyth Town Council, it had more fiscal powers and the national Parliament of Wales that I'd just been elected to.

"Zero taxation powers at all, whereas the town council could charge a precept on the electorate. So it was the slow realisation for me that the powers here meant that we could talk ad infinitum about most things, but we could affect any change on very few.

"The politics of that period was so dominated by the struggle within the Labour Party in particular. Alun Michael had been elected as first Secretary, and his quite his particular way of continuing to work in the same mould as the Secretary of State and just consulting with members of his own party, members of the Assembly, rather than behaving as First Minister with a government,and then that government accountable to the Parliament.

"All of those things hadn't worked themselves out at the start," she said.

While she credits Dafydd Elis Thomas for the "really important role that he played" along with Rhodri Morgan in "delineating the course of this parliament and government" her bigger praise is for those behind the scenes.

"I think that this is generally a difference between some of the male politicians here and some of the women politicians here. The contributions when I think of the last 26 years and where the people who made many of the changes. They're not the first ministers or leaders of the parties always, but there the Jane Hutts, the Edwina Hart's, Jocelyn Davis of this world rather than the people who could reel off," she says.

"These are definitely people behind the scenes people and they were definitely people who got things done, they had no time for the performance politics and the show of politics. They just wanted to make sure that either policies, pieces of legislation, budgets were being passed. All of all of the important stuff that governments and parliaments do," she said.

"I've been one of those politicians that's been there or thereabouts around what's been happening and what's made things happen in this place for the last 26 years. And I only wish I had a better memory that I could recall it all.

"I'm also one of those people who's particularly bad at keeping records or diaries or anything," she said.

"There are politicians in this place who have meticulously kept their diaries or memories and written about the happenings of this place from their perspective and unless we're careful it's those perspectives that will last the next 100 years rather than the actual what happened or the mix of interpretations of what's happened."

Is it, I ask, that she just doesn't care about those often small battles" and what been has been and gone.

"Exactly. Too too busy, too interested in what's what's happening now, what's happening next rather than thinking too much about how we record about what happened then.

Since 2016, she has been the effective speaker of the house, so has been out of the show that is politics. She will not seek a third term in the presiding officer's chair.

"I found it quite difficult to adjust in 2016-17, when I first became Llywydd because I'd always taken a very active role in my own party and in committee work here, and I'd been a minister, so everything that I had done, I was no longer able to do in the same kind of way. I found being Llywydd quite a lonely place to be because you can't rehearse and discuss a decision you're about to take with politicians around you because they would influence you or seek to influence you depending on their political perspective.

"You have to take these decisions on your own," she said. "I found it difficult to get used to being solo, basically, but I've adjusted to that ten years later and now I'm actually looking forward to diving back into the pool of my own political party," she said.

"When I first decided and announced that I wasn't going to try be Llwydd any more, I kind of saw myself as a backbencher wanting to do scrutiny, wanting to do committee work properly. I've talked a lot in terms of Senedd reform on the need to improve scrutiny in the Senedd we need to up the game of all the scrutiny that happens here.

"So I wanted to just contribute to that in some way," she says.

But since then, the polls show her party may not be in opposition at all. Instead, she could be being looked at for a cabinet role.

"Politics is changing.

"Who knows, Plaid Cymru may not be in the position of being in opposition and may be a party of government in its own right or working with other political parties. So I may be a backbencher and a trouble maker for a Plaid Cymru government," she said.

Taking any ministerial job would, she says, "depend what it was."

"My mother has told me not to take the health portfolio, the only way she would continue to talk to me is if I promise now not to take health," she said.

Was standing again a dead cert, I ask. "I've been actively campaigning and involved in redesigning the Senedd, the Senedd that's going to be elected in 2026 will be a far different Senedd to the ones I've been elected to previously, given the numbers and the politics involved in that election. I wanted to be there in order to kind of see through the project that I've been involved in and see it from the perspective of a backbencher and contribute to making the project work and to ensuring that it develops the right culture into the next Senedd and then I'll definitely be thinking about whether I stand again or not," she said.

She does not plan, she says, to be the person in her party who will sit and reminisce about the days gone by. "I don't want to be that person within Plaid Cymru that hangs around for too long and and tells everybody 'we've tried this before and it didn't work'

"I want to just be a voice of experience within the group, that is going to be, probably, much bigger than it is today, but to also allow those younger voices to kind of feel their way and do their own thing.

"I having the right mix of experience and newness is something that's very that's very important for Plaid Cymru and the Senedd as well," she said.

Her party is doing well, partly at the expense of Labour. So why is Labour's vote plummeting? Was Labour's drubbing in the Senedd by-election in Caerphilly a one off?

"It's a perfect storm in terms of why people aren't as keen to support them as they were, the perfect storm of 26 years of Labour in government in Wales, and probably their biggest problem is the reputation and how let down people who voted Labour last year in the UK general election feel as a result of the Keir Starmer government.

"I'm just picking that up on the doorstep as I go around canvassing a new area for me, in Pembrokeshire that voted Labour in 2024.

"I remember the time, of course, when Labour was in power in the UK government under Tony Blair or Gordon Brown and Labour were in power here and it was always a far more difficult ask for Labour here.

"I remember listening to the kind of lead up to the 2024 election and politicians, Labour politicians in this place, saying how partnership in power would work wonderfully well for the people of Wales. And I just kept thinking back to that period of Tony Blair's government, thinking how challenging that time was for Rhodri Morgan and Carwyn Jones later, as the First Ministers," she said.

"It's very easy to romanticise," she said.

"I remember actually being in government because I was a minister in the Plaid-Labour government and the challenges with dealing with the Wales Office in the context of getting the referendum for 2010 at a time when Labour were in power, and there was a lot of strain in that relationship between Labour in government here and there.

"So the tensions we see today between Labour MPs and possibly Labour Senedd members on issues around devolution of powers, they have always been there," she said.

The other big change in dynamic, with the usual disclaimer about polls, is that Reform UK is projected to take a large number of seats. She is one of few voices saying the potential arrival of that new political group does not worry her.

"I think the institution is stable enough to deal with whatever politics the people of Wales decide the institution needs to deal with.

"It's for the people of Wales to decide what the flavour of the politics that's elected into this place in 2026 is.

"I think the parliament itself is strong and stable enough to deal with that and we have the parliamentary structures in place, the expectation on standards of behaviour from members, the mechanisms to deal with members when they fail to meet those standards of behaviour.

"When I'm reminded of 2016 and the Ukip members elected at that point, were they disruptive? I think on the whole they were more disruptive within their political party than the establishment of the Senedd.

"They obviously fell out with each other more than they ended up falling out with other political parties.

"So there's a lesson there probably. The established parties have their structures and the ability to select candidates that they feel are able to become political representatives of people in Wales.

"Ukip failed to keep that that gel that most political parties have.

"We'll see whether Reform behave any differently to that if they're elected in 2026."

"There's a high expectation on them to do the work that they've been elected to and that they're paid for from the public purse and I would expect anybody of any political party elected in 2026 to uphold that expectation."

"I'm pretty excited by the fact that we're turning a big new chapter in Welsh politics. The kind of political fragmentation that's happening in the way people are thinking about how they will vote in that election, that there's some jeopardy in the Welsh election that we possibly haven't felt enough of over the last 30 years.

"There's some excitement as to who the next government could be.

"I'm excited by that.

"I'm also excited by the fact that finally we will have a Parliament that has the capacity to do the work that it needs to do on behalf of people in Wales, because we were too small of a Parliament to start with. We've accumulated far greater powers than we had in 1999. We now need the capacity in the context of the Parliament, the people to do the work.

"We need the numbers of those to be the appropriate kind of number for people in Wales for the next century. This isn't a generational change, this is a one in a 100 years change."

But, I put to her, more doesn't necessarily mean better.

"What I think about the Senedd, some people make a point that "so and so isn't a particularly good performer". We know every single one of these 60 members, those of us who sit here and watch what's what's going on.

"In Westminster that are 650 MPs and even those who watch what's happening, such as journalists, they have no idea who half of those people are. There's no kind of light shone on them at all, so who knows whether they're good or bad," she said.

Her colleagues, cannot hide. "It's a fishbowl," she said. "In the House of Commons there's apparently close to 100 members who have no responsibility at all, whether in government or on committees in Parliament. That's a luxury that's certainly not afforded to members here," she said.

"We won't be able to hide behind the fact that we say that we're too few members in the next Senedd, the expectation on those members to perform to a higher kind of productivity, what will will most definitely be there. They need to live up to expectations."

The poll by YouGov for ITV Cymru Wales asked people who they would vote for at the next general election - which has to take place before August 2029.

That shows Plaid's support at Westminster has gone up 6% on the last equivalent poll and Reform UK's has dropped by 4%. Labour's support has dropped 5% and leaves them with just 13% of the vote.

The results were:

Plaid Cymru: 29%

Reform UK: 25%

Labour: 13%

Conservatives: 12%

Green Party: 12%

Lib Dem: 6%

Other: 2%

YouGov’s total sample size for the Westminster voting intentions model was 1,205 adults and questions were asked between January 5 and 12, 2026.

This result came as another poll looked at the Senedd voting intention.

That poll showed Labour is projected to fall to a catastrophic defeat in May's Senedd election while Plaid Cymru becomes overwhelmingly the largest party. 

It showed a Plaid surge to go further ahead of Reform in the run up to the vote in May. Analysis of the poll suggests Labour has less support than the Green Party and may have as few as eight out of the 96 seats in the Senedd after May.

People were asked who they plan to vote for in the Senedd election in May, and the results echo what we have seen before - that Labour is in serious trouble in Wales, and Plaid Cymru and Reform UK will be the two largest parties.

Plaid Cymru's projected vote share has increased from 30% in the last equivalent poll in September, to 37%. Reform's support has dropped in this poll from 29% in September to 23% now.

According to a draft text reported by the Financial Times, a clause informally dubbed the "Farage clause" would require London to pay substantial compensation if it withdrew from a "veterinary agreement" intended to cut red tape for British food and drink exporters.

The FT said that EU diplomats describe the clause as a "safety provision to provide stability" in the case of a future government in London led by Reform UK.

A source told FT: "The EU wants an agreement long-term and not only until 2029, should a change happen at the next election."

The measure would cover costs for border infrastructure, equipment, and staff training, effectively making it expensive for any government to walk away.

Labour leader Keir Starmer wants to strike an agreement to improve trade with the EU. Trade groups have backed the deal strongly, and a 2024 study suggested it could boost UK food and drink exports by 22%.

Concerns in Brussels have grown as Reform UK leads in some opinion polls, raising the risk that any deal agreed under Sir Keir could later be scrapped.

The draft also sets a fee for the UK to join the veterinary scheme, reflecting its share of EU border agencies’ costs, plus an extra 4% participation charge.

Under the agreement, the UK would need to align its animal and plant product rules with EU regulations as they evolve. Sir Keir's European relations minister, Nick Thomas-Symonds, said enabling legislation should be in place by the end of the year, with the deal operational by early to mid-2027.

Both Reform UK and the Conservatives have pledged to cancel the arrangement if they take office. Farage said Sir Keir was "doing his best to give away our parliamentary sovereignty, to give away our rights as voters." Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch called the deal "terrible" and said she could not accept any agreement that left Britain subject to European Court of Justice rulings.

A senior Labour source criticised Reform and Conservative promises to restore trade barriers, saying: "Nigel Farage is going to go into the next election saying he wants to bring back red tape, mountains of paperwork, and a greater bureaucratic burden."

With UK households likely to be brimming with festive revellers this week, a spokesperson from UKHSA has issued a warning to Brits. According to the latest UK government figures there has been an uptick of patients admitted to hospital with Covid-19, with a 32.4% increase month-on-month.

Dr Jamie Lopez-Bernal, Consultant Epidemiologist at UKHSA, said: “The virus is still very much with us and with RSV at similar levels as previous weeks, everyone, especially those most vulnerable to these winter bugs, needs to take care to protect themselves or help not to spread these viruses to others.

“This is particularly important over Christmas as families come together to celebrate. So if you have any cold or flu-like symptoms you should try to minimise contact with others. There are simple steps we can all take to protect one another when mixing indoors.

“Washing hands regularly and ensuring indoor spaces are well ventilated helps and we advise those who have symptoms and need to go out, to consider wearing a face covering in indoor public spaces. These simple measures can help make a difference to reduce the spread.”

Lopez-Bernal added: “Flu is always unpredictable, is still circulating and could bounce back even further in the new year as we have seen in past years. For anyone eligible who is still not vaccinated, it’s not too late to get protected for the rest of the winter, but time is running out.

“Nobody wants to start the new year with flu so if appointments are still available near you, please make an appointment as soon as you can as vaccination can make all the difference in preventing severe illness and hospitalisation.”

Earlier this month health officials warned hospitals wer "nowhere near out of the woods yet" as flu cases continue at record highs for this time of year.

The statistics emerged as junior doctors in England entered their second day of industrial action amid an ongoing bitter row with the Government over jobs and pay.

Officials revealed that the combination of walkouts and soaring flu levels means hospitals remain on "high alert".

Data from the NHS showed the number of people hospitalised in England with flu keeps climbing and stays at a record level for this time of year, though the pace of increase has eased.

An average of 3,140 flu patients were receiving hospital treatment each day last week, representing an 18% jump from 2,660 the week before.

At the same point last year, the figure stood at 2,629 patients whilst in 2023 it was merely 648.

NHS England highlighted that there are "welcome signs" that the surge in hospital flu cases is decelerating in certain areas of the country - noting a drop in flu cases in North West hospitals over the past week.

Daniel Elkeles, chief executive of NHS Providers which represents NHS trusts, said the country was facing a “nasty” strain of flu. He said: “When you were talking about anything like Covid, I think we need to get back into the habit that if you are coughing and sneezing, but you’re not unwell enough to not go to work, then you must wear a mask when you’re in public spaces, including on public transport to stop the chances of you giving your virus to somebody else.

“And we were all very good about infection control during Covid. And we really, really need to get back to that now.”

He added: "We have really got to worry about the fact that this is a very nasty strain of flu. It spreads very easily. It’s warm and wet out there and people need to be sensible.”

Mr Elkeles said the peak of this flu season could be worse than previous winters, adding: “We really do need people to sit up and listen. And actually, we need to have a big debate probably after this flu season about how we prepare the public better for what happens every year.

“So if you haven’t already had your flu vaccine and you’re eligible, please go and take it.”

Dr Andy Whittamore, clinical lead at the charity Asthma and Lung UK, said people with lung diseases should “consider wearing a face mask in crowded or indoor spaces to reduce their chance of catching flu”.

He added: “Masks can help reduce the chance of inhaling viruses but staying up to date with vaccinations, practising good hand hygiene, and avoiding contact with sick people are the main ways to stay safe.”

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has also called on people to get a flu jab. UKHSA data suggests this year’s vaccine is providing good protection even though a drifted influenza A(H3N2) strain – dubbed super flu – is currently dominating cases in England.

The number of people in hospital with flu in England is at a record level for this time of year. An average of 1,717 flu patients were in beds in England each day, including 69 in critical care, the most recent data showed. This is 56% higher than the equivalent numbers for the same week in 2024, when the total was 1,098 with 39 in critical care.

Some schools have been forced to close temporarily due to high levels of illness. A Government spokesperson said: “School attendance is critical for children’s life chances, and while it’s clear cases of flu are going to have an impact on attendance levels, we are clear school closures should only happen in extreme circumstances.

“We provide clear guidance to help parents know exactly when to keep children home, and to help schools both manage children’s wellbeing and keep disruption to a minimum.”

A No 10 spokesman said: “There is long-standing guidance in place for people on a range of measures they can consider taking to help limit the spread of winter bugs if they have flu-like symptoms. This is neither new nor an instruction, but simply something people can consider when trying to limit the spread of winter respiratory illnesses. It’s been a long-standing position.

“The best defence against flu is the vaccine, which is why we’re ramping up our vaccination efforts this winter with almost 17 million flu jobs already delivered, which is 350,000 more than this time last year.”

The Prime Minister was in Cardiff on Friday to attend a carefully choreographed press event about the government’s child poverty strategy as well as to attend the British and Irish Council.

At a family centre in the city’s Ely suburb, which is receiving £2m of funding from the Welsh Government to expand, remodel and refurbish, he and First Minister Eluned Morgan met families and spoke to the media.

This was a visit designed to talk about one thing, child poverty and the government’s new strategy designed both to tackle it and justify the extra tax everyone will have to pay to fund lifting the two-child benefit cap.

To that end, broadcast cameras were allowed to film families at the centre. Radio and written journalists were held outside that room and allowed one question each in a group interview.

For the network TV journalists there aiming to file packages for the evening news on the child poverty strategy, this may work for everyone.

But for the Welsh media, who do not follow the Prime Minister around every day, and have serious questions about Wales they wish to ask him, it doesn’t. Moreover, it exposes the fact that Wales, and Cardiff in this case, was just a convenient location for the PM to use as a backdrop.

Keir Starmer’s team didn’t give our reporter enough time to ask his questions. Nor did the Prime Minister trouble himself to properly address the issue that he did ask about - the accusation by 11 Labour Senedd Members that the PM is undermining devolution.

Their argument is that the Prime Minister has not taken forward any measures to improve the devolution settlement but is undermining Cardiff Bay by directly funding Welsh councils in a devolved area of responsibility.

If the Prime Minister had a track record of showing he understood Welsh issues and the role he can play in helping to address them, or if he had a strong record of facing up to questions about these issues, none of this would matter very much.

But on serious issues from rail funding to questions about his approach to devolution, the Prime Minister has shown little interest in Wales or inclination to do the very simple things within his power to help.

Rather like our journalist’s questions, it is starting to seem like Wales is just a bit of an annoyance to Mr Starmer unless it is happy to be just a convenient backdrop for an interview.

Mr Benson, of Dinas Powys, spoke out after Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced that from January 2027, victims of pensions scandals like ASW would start to receive inflation-linked rises. However, the pensioners have not received any inflationary increases to their pensions payouts since the steel firm went bust in 2002.

The former ASW worker estimates he is currently receiving just half of the pension he paid for, an annual income of £13,000 compared to the £26,000 he would be receiving under the terms of the scheme. Future increases based on the CPI rate will provide some protection from future inflation but do nothing to close the gap between the pension he receives and the pension he paid for.

In a letter to MPs and Senedd members, Mr Benson said: "I have just found out that a Labour Government has once again stitched up workers, now pensioners, with their shameful act of treason and betrayal.

"Once again, after a tireless 23-year campaign for justice, they are still trying to deny the former workforce at ASW Cardiff and others, the pensions they paid for and rightfully deserve in full."

The ASW workers initially feared they had lost all their pensions savings when the firm went bust but a deal brokered by Peter Hain in 2007 gave them and other victims of similar pensions scandals 90% of their lost savings through what was called the Financial Assistance Scheme.

However, it was only designed as a compensation scheme. There was no inflation protection and the value of that deal has been severely eroded over the last 18 years.

Mr Benson said the Chancellor's promise in the budget was "another con trick like Labour did in 2007 telling MPs and the country that Labour were going to pay us 90% of our pensions".

He said: "The appalling way Labour treat workers, now pensioners, is beyond belief. These men and women worked hard to secure a decent retirement for themselves and their families. And have once again been stitched up and fed to the wolves by those they put their trust in.

"The leader of the opposition told Rachael Reeves to resign, I totally agree, and she should take that arrogant pensions minister [Torsten Bell] with her, both a bloody disgrace to hard working men and women, and the high office they hold."

Plaid Cymru work and pensions spokesperson, Ann Davies MP, has tabled amendments to legislation before Parliament aimed at giving the ASW workers and other pensions victims full protection from inflation and make good their pensions.

She said: "Plaid Cymru has campaigned alongside former Allied Steel and Wire workers for many years, and we know the scale of the injustice they and other members of the FAS and PPF schemes have endured.

"For more than two decades, these pensioners have watched the value of their hard-earned pensions fall because they were not properly protected against rising prices. It is therefore welcome that the UK Government is finally beginning to take action.

“But limiting pre-1997 indexation to a 2.5% cap for those whose schemes originally offered it simply does not go far enough. These workers paid in on the understanding that they would receive a secure and decent retirement. Instead, their pensions have been eroded year after year.

“To fully deliver justice, the government must go further. Ministers should adopt my amendment to the Pension Schemes Bill – removing the cap, backdating payments to make good the losses, and ensuring that surviving dependents are included.”

The changes in the budget were said by the UK Government to be an affordable balance of interests in a difficult fiscal environment.

A DWP spokesperson said: "Supporting pensioners is a top priority and our commitment to the triple lock means millions of older people are set to see their state pension rise by up to £2,100.

“Over 250,000 pensioners will benefit from these increases announced in the budget – reversing a policy which has been in place for over 20 years.

“On top of this, nine million pensioners will receive the winter fuel payment this year, we have expanded the £150 warm home discount to six million households and given an extra 57,000 pensioner households pension credit.”

Last month, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced a 4.8% rise in the basic and new state pension for next year. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Torsten Bell, informed the Commons yesterday: "To tackle pensioner poverty, we are both increasing the state pension and running the biggest ever pension credit take-up campaign.

"Raising the new state pension in line with the triple lock over this Parliament is set to increase it by over £2,000 a year, while 60,000 extra pension credit awards were made in the year to July compared with the previous 12 months."

However, Father of the House, Tory Sir Edward Leigh, countered: "I am very grateful to the Minister to be in receipt of the triple lock, but it is not an effective way of tackling pensioner poverty and it is bankrupting the country. I am sorry not to be party political, but can we not have a consensus between the parties that we should phase out the triple lock, concentrate resources on pensioners in real poverty and have an agreement on dealing with benefits generally to get people back into work? We should work together."

Mr Bell responded: "I am always keen to work together with the Father of the House. He mentions the triple lock, but we are doing far more things to tackle pensioner poverty. There were 900,000 pensioners eligible for pension credit under the Conservatives who were not claiming, and that is why we have brought forward the biggest take-up campaign ever seen."

"The marketing campaign this year will run from September to the end of the financial year, we are carrying out research on what works to encourage take-up of pension credit and we are stepping up data sharing across Departments, including between His Majesty's Revenue and Customs and the Department for Work and Pensions."

The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) discovered earlier this year that, owing to inflation and earnings volatility, the triple lock has cost approximately three times more than originally anticipated.

Uprating through the triple lock rather than earnings alone will have added £15.5 billion to the state pension bill each year by the end of the decade (2029-30), the budget watchdog calculated.

According to the Treasury's Budget, the Government's "commitment to the triple lock for the duration of this Parliament" will "support the incomes of over 12 million pensioners". During November's budget, the government announced its intention to amend legislation to allow inflation increases on pre-1997 pensions for PPF and Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) members.

The government has confirmed it will legislate to enable payment of inflation increases - also referred to as indexation - of up to 2.5 per cent on pre-1997 compensation and assistance payments to PPF and FAS members.

This would be applicable to those members whose original schemes included provisions for indexation on pre-1997 pensions. The change would largely bring pre-1997 indexation rules into line with those already established for post-1997 pensions for PPF and FAS members.

Labour's Gill Furniss raised the issue: "More than a quarter of a million pensioners received compensation from the Pension Protection Fund and the financial assistance scheme, but those who accrued their income before 1997 have suffered a real-terms cut of 24% in the past five years alone. I welcome the Chancellor's commitment to provide indexation on these accruals, but many of those who will benefit are elderly and in ill health. Can the Minister confirm that he will implement this much-welcomed change as quickly as possible?"

Mr Bell responded: "I thank my hon. Friend for that important question. I, like her, have met and listened to lots of those affected by the lack of indexation on pre-1997 accruals within the PPF and the FAS. I can assure her that, assuming the Pension Schemes Bill receives Royal Assent, the uprating will take place at the next PPF uprating, which means January 2027 on cur".

Those concerns could hardly have been better exemplified than in our interview of the two leaders together on Friday in Cardiff.

Not least in the bizarre moments that followed my attempt to question Eluned Morgan on accusations from within her own party that the UK Government has "attacked devolution".

After Ms Morgan failed to directly answer, Sir Keir Starmer waved a hand between me and the First Minister. Spluttering, he called an end to my questions despite none having been properly addressed.

The pair were visiting Ely & Caerau Children’s Centre to talk about £2m in funding from the Welsh Government to revamp the site, as well as the UK Government's new child poverty strategy.

After arriving I was asked to sit in a festively-adorned room alongside two radio reporters ahead of a "huddle" in which we would ask questions. For the next two hours, we waited in the room while broadcast media were allowed to film the two leaders walking through the rest of the centre and meeting families. When we asked UK Government aides why we couldn't film this, there was no clear answer.

The aides were very inquisitive about what I'd be asking the leaders. When I mentioned four general themes, the aides initially gave no objection to me scrutinising the politicians on those issues — which were, by the way, the accusations of devolution rollback; the backlash against plans to scrap jury trials in many cases; the horrifically dilapidated state of the University Hospital of Wales; and reports Mr Starmer is planning to offer the controversial former First Minister Vaughan Gething a peerage.

After the leaders had given on-camera interviews to the BBC and ITV, the two radio reporters and I were ushered into a small room where aides said the politicians would be entering shortly. The aides explained we would actually only be allowed one question each. And we would not be allowed to film.

Despite forceful objections from me and the radio journalists, the aides stuck to their position that we would only be able to record audio. Why couldn't we just film the interview on our phones? "Because it's a conversation," said one aide.

"Conversation" would be a strong word for what came after the leaders' entrance.

I asked the Prime Minister: "Eleven Labour Senedd members have accused the UK Government of attacking devolution by bypassing the Welsh Government to fund town centre improvements. What is the point in a £19m expansion of the Senedd if you're going to cut them out of their own policy areas?"

This was in reference to an extraordinary letter that emerged earlier this week from most of the party's Senedd backbench, slamming the UK Government for directly funding Welsh councils to improve town centres despite regeneration being a power devolved to the Welsh Government.

The letter criticised UK Labour for "cutting out the democratically elected Welsh Government in a policy area that is fully within its remit", adding: "This is ineffective and wasteful, and no way to spend public money. If this was being done by a Tory Government, we would be calling for a judicial review."

Mr Starmer then launched into a long answer which failed to address the Senedd members' criticisms. Twice, when I tried to move him on to that issue, he cut me off.

"I'm a big believer in devolution and I think one of the best examples of devolution is when the First Minister and Prime Minister work together and deliver together," he said, before giving the example of plans for Anglesey to get a small modular reactor and artificial intelligence growth zone. He also mentioned the child poverty strategy, which includes savings on energy bills and abolition of the two-child benefit cap.

Conscious of my limited time, and with Mr Starmer already having spoken for 75 seconds, I tried to get a question in for Ms Morgan. After my first attempt was drowned out by the Prime Minister, I was eventually able to ask Ms Morgan about the meeting she recently had with Mr Starmer in which they apparently discussed the regeneration funding controversy.

According to a statement earlier this week from a Welsh Government spokesman, Ms Morgan had "raised concerns" with Mr Starmer about the powers the UK Government was using. I asked her what the outcome of that discussion was.

"Let me say that the difference between this Prime Minister and the last Prime Minister is like night and day," she replied. "He has given us back control of over £500m that used to go to the centre and is now going back to Wales."

I tried again. "Did he tell you he was going to bypass the Welsh Government?"

She repeated: "He's given us back control of over £500m that previously the Tories were trying to direct to the centre. That shows you the difference."

I reminded her: "You said you've raised concerns. Did it make any difference?"

This was the point at which Mr Starmer reached out a hand and voiced his objection to me getting any more questions — or, seemingly, any answers at all.

After the radio reporters were allowed one question each, the leaders left, and a sheepish-looking aide took our (quite extensive) feedback on what could have gone better.

For the network TV journalists filing evening news packages on the child poverty strategy, the event may have worked out fine. But for the Welsh media, who do not follow the Prime Minister around every day, and have serious questions to ask him about Wales, it didn’t.

If the Prime Minister had a track record of showing he understood Welsh issues and the role he can play in addressing them, or if he had a strong record of facing up to questions about these issues, none of this would matter as much.

But on issues from rail funding to devolution, he has shown little interest in Wales. Rather like our questions, it is starting to seem like Wales is just a bit of an annoyance to Mr Starmer, except of course where it can be a convenient backdrop for a carefully choreographed press event.

I left the children's centre thinking about the contrast between this encounter and my recent interview of Reform leader Nigel Farage during his party's ill-fated by-election campaign visit to Caerphilly.

Yes, Reform's treatment of the press has been alarming, including an interview ban on local newspaper reporters in Nottingham and bizarre legal threats to journalists at NationCymru. But it should also be noted that Mr Farage took questions on camera in Caerphilly from us and various other news outlets, giving each at least three minutes, and answering questions directly if not convincingly.

More relaxed communication, rather than putting up needless hurdles to evade scrutiny, might be something to consider for Mr Starmer as his party plummets in the polls.

• Campaigners had tried to fight the closures but a review recommended closing the bases at Welshpool and Caernarfon and moving the helicopters to a new site in north Wales, which raised fears of slower response times.
• MS James Evans, the Conservatives’ shadow health secretary, warned: "Let's not go around the bush: Powys has become a health desert. We have a county with no district general hospital, no A&E department, minor injury units operating with limited hours and ambulances are consistently dragged out of our communities to cover shortages elsewhere in Wales."
• Mr Evans, who represents Brecon and Radnorshire, said against this backdrop the decision to close the Welshpool air ambulance base is “not only irresponsible, it is dangerous”.
• "Response times are already unacceptable and will only get worse," he said. "Communities across mid and north-west Wales will experience slower emergency interventions."
• Mr Evans described plans to introduce rapid-response vehicles across mid Wales as a mitigation measure as "wholly inadequate".
• He warned: "Even worse, these vehicles do not even exist yet; there are no final plans, no costings, no procurement and no deployment timetables."
• The Conservative accused Welsh ministers of “washing their hands” by failing to intervene to prevent the closure of air bases.
• Mabon ap Gwynfor, Plaid Cymru’s shadow health secretary, similarly stressed that people in Ceredigion and on Anglesey deserve the same service as any other part of the country.
• Mr ap Gwynfor, who represents Dwyfor Meirionnydd, said: “There is no doubt that centralising the service, as is proposed, will be harmful to people in that area.”
• Russell George, the Montgomeryshire Senedd member, emphasised that a judicial review had examined only the decision-making process – not the moral or clinical merits of the policy.
• He told the Senedd: "The people of mid Wales don't buy the spin that some are peddling that this is going to be a better service for them. It's not.
• "Powys health board and Betsi Cadwaladr health board both voted against and do not support the decision to close these key strategic bases. It's not supported by not only the two health boards but by tens of thousands of people and clinicians at the bases."
• Mr George, who sits as an independent, urged the Welsh Government to intervene or explain why people in rural Wales should endure slower emergency response times.
• He said: "The health secretary is ultimately responsible for health services in Wales and should act as the final decision maker on such a significant and strategic decision affecting over one million Welsh residents across approximately half the geographical area of Wales."
• Wales’ health secretary Jeremy Miles stressed: "The aim is to improve everyone's access to care that saves lives. Quite simply, the current service cannot reach enough people who need support and the way that the service is organised is responsible for that."
• Responding to the debate on November 26, he said the crew in Caernarfon did not see a patient for 199 days in 2023/24, with Welshpool not seeing a patient for 163 days. "To all intents and purposes, that is a whole year without a single patient being treated," he added.
• Pointing to plans to improve nighttime coverage, the minister said the service was not able to get to 551 people who needed support in mid and north Wales between 8pm and 2am.
• Mr Miles told the Senedd the courts scrutinised the lawfulness of the decision as he argued a public inquiry would duplicate scrutiny and not result in improved clinical outcomes. He explained a plan and timeline for mitigation measures will be published in early 2026. In a symbolic vote, which does not bind ministers, the Senedd voted 24-20 to "note" the 10,437-name petition – with five Labour backbenchers abstaining.

Guto Ifan, Ed Gareth Poole and Owain Cynfab: Wales Fiscal Analysis, hosted by Cardiff University's Wales Governance Centre, has found that, in Wales, the welfare spending increases and the main tax increases are set to have a "disproportionate impact relative to the UK as a whole".

"The UK Government’s medium-term spending plans point to a darkening fiscal outlook for the next Senedd term," they said.

The Chancellor said there would be another three-year freeze on personal tax thresholds through to 2030-31.

The freeze had been pencilled in to end in April, 2028, after which thresholds would again rise in line with inflation.

Freezing tax thresholds means more taxpayers enter the tax system or start paying tax at the 40p or 45p rate bands, a phenomenon known as ‘fiscal drag’.

The analysis found: "The fiscal drag effect is relatively stronger for Wales, as a larger proportion of Welsh taxpayers are drawn into the basic, higher and additional bands than for the UK as a whole.

"Already this year, 65% of Welsh adults will pay income taxes, up from 53% a decade ago, and the share of Welsh adults in higher and additional rate bands has trebled from 1999 (from 3% to 9%). 

"Our rough estimations suggest that the continued freeze will result in an additional 1.5% of Welsh adults being dragged into the basic rate in 2029, compared with just 0.3% across the UK as a whole.

"We expect the extension of the income tax threshold freeze to disproportionately squeeze Welsh household incomes," the analysis says.

However, it also has "significant implications" for the Welsh Government’s budget.

The Welsh Government does not have the power to vary income tax thresholds (unlike the Scottish Government), so the UK Government’s freeze applies automatically to Welsh Rates of Income Tax.

The Welsh-specific analysis says updated income tax forecasts now provide £49m more to spend in 2026-27 and £120m more in 2028-29.

"This means the improved tax forecasts will boost day-to-day spending over the next four years by more than the consequentials announced," they said.

"The total net effect of tax devolution on the Welsh Government budget next year is set to be £524 million, over 2% of day-to-day spending. The continued freezing of thresholds means the tax bonus will continue to grow until the end of the decade.

"The OBR notes devolved Welsh income tax receipts by 2030-31 will be 21.3% higher as a result of frozen income tax thresholds since 2021, compared with 14.3% for equivalent revenues in England and Northern Ireland."

LIfting the two-child cap was one of the key policy announcements, and this analysis reiterates that is likely to help around 70,000 children in Wales.

Another policy was a cut to energy bills, which we were told would save a typical household £150.

However, the analysis said: "Wales currently does relatively well out of the Energy Company Obligation spending which is being scrapped, and this may lead to less money being invested in making Welsh homes more energy efficient."

In terms of money coming to Wales via the Barnett formula, the Chancellor said there would be £508m more coming to Wales, although no breakdown was provided of what spending measures in England triggered this additional funding for the Welsh Government.

Mark Drakeford had told WalesOnline on Budget day that it was the revaluation of business rates in England, which matches this analysis.

But it warns "pencilled in reductions in spending has significantly worsened the overall outlook for next Senedd term and the fiscal context for next year’s election".

"With real terms growth in day-to-day spending slowing to 0.6% in 2028-29 and 0.5% in 2029-30, this would imply a difficult outlook for the next Welsh Government and cuts to non-priority spending areas. "

Reform UK has been criticised for sending letters across Wales, but only in the English language. The letters, one of their political opponents say, show they "don't care" about Wales.

The letter, was a campaign plea asking people to back Reform UK in the Welsh parliamentary election in May. The letter was signed by Nigel Farage.

People have been sharing images online of them defacing the letters, and returning them in the supplied Freepost envelope. There is no legal requirement, the Electoral Commission has confirmed, for any election leaflet to be printed bilingually.

KanePlaysGames wrote on X: "You know Reform really cares about Wales when they don't even send their letter in Welsh Wales doesn't need Reform. Wales doesn't need a puppet of Russia. Wales needs a party that cares about Wales. Not Westminster. Vote for Wales. Never Reform."

Other examples include people writing on them saying "You can't even be bothered to publish this letter bilingually". Others wrote "ble mae'r Gymraeg?"

A Reform UK Wales spokesperson said: "Reform UK speaks the language of common sense.

"Unlike the vast majority of politicians, people in Reform don’t mince words about the scale of the problems that face our country.

"Whether we’re speaking in Welsh or speaking in English, we’re always speaking up for left behind communities in Wales."

A Plaid Cymru spokesperson said: "What a surprise. Reform sends out a mass leaflet in Wales...and there's no Welsh version.

"As if we needed anymore proof that Reform doesn’t care about Wales, our culture, or our language - here it is. To them, next year’s Senedd election is just a stepping stone to power in Westminster.

"The people of Wales deserve a government that puts communities first, not divides them, and one that will protect their NHS - not privatise it."

Former Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood has used her Facebook page to advise people what to do if they want to return the letter.

"I’m seeing that some people are using free post to return electoral marketing mail back to the party who sent it, in some cases, with some choice words.

"It’s better to use the free post envelope to send a letter outlining your thoughts, on plain paper, without your name and address. That way you will be adding to the costs of the company without giving them data that they can add to their database."