Chancellor defends UK Government funding for Wales
Meeting Welsh Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford MS, she pointed to £118m allocated in the recent Spending Review over three years to improve disused coal tips across Wales.
"The whole of the United Kingdom has benefited from coal in Wales and therefore it's right that the UK make sure that these communities are now safe" she said.
The visit comes just one day after Eluned Morgan completed one year as First Minister, during which time she insisted she would "call out" Labour MPs in Westminster if they "get it wrong for Wales".
Reeves said she continues to work closely with the First Minister and said the partnership has provided money for rail improvements in North and South Wales, "the biggest settlement since devolution", and a fall in NHS waiting lists in England and Wales.
She also defended the UK Government's controversial rise in employers' National Insurance contributions.
Previously Mark Drakeford called out the decision and said it was "wrong" that Wales' public services faces a shortfall of up to £65m due to the increases.
Reeves justified the move, saying it was necessary to improve public services in Wales and England.
She said: "We have now delivered millions more appointments in England and Wales over the last year in our NHS but that was only possible because we raised the money..."
"I do recognise the challenges raises in National Insurance creates but without that money we would not be able to secure our public finances."
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The Independent
3 minutes ago
- The Independent
New picture of Anne and husband released ahead of her 75th birthday
The Princess Royal's forthcoming 75th birthday has been marked by the release of a new photograph of the King's sister with her husband. Anne and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence have been pictured on the night of a Windsor Castle state banquet, held by the King in July in honour of France's President Emmanuel Macron who was making a state visit to the UK at the time. The princess is shown wearing her banquet gown and regalia, Order of the Garter Sash and Star, Order of the Thistle Star, King's Family Order and Royal Family Order from Queen Elizabeth II. Ahead of her birthday next week, the princess has been hailed for her non-political royal soft power and 'amazing' stamina during her decades of duty. Charity leaders who work closely with the King's sister revealed she cares deeply about the state of Britain amid the current climate of challenges facing the world. As the princess approaches her personal milestone on Friday, the woman often labelled the hardest-working royal is said to be, rather than slowing down, doing more than ever. She has, those who know her recounted in celebration of her birthday, a 'wicked wit', a practical approach to problems, and a flair for 'not always agreeing' with what they say. Save The Children UK chief executive Moazzam Malik praised the 'self-effacing' princess for her influential 'soft support', adding 'you can see that she cares' about the state of the nation and the world, and in particular for children experiencing adversity. Mr Malik told the PA news agency: 'Obviously, as a royal, she's not a political figure, but her soft support for us is very inspiring for us as an organisation and for our collaborators and partners.' He added: 'She's very low key. She's self-effacing. 'She doesn't want to kind of take the limelight, but she's very committed … You can see that she cares about the state of Britain and the state of the world. 'There's a lot of challenges for us as a country, and indeed, a lot of challenges for children at a time of great geopolitical challenge. And she cares.' Anne has been involved with Save the Children UK for 55 years, first becoming its president in 1970 in her first ever charity role in the year she turned 20, then as patron from 2017, taking over from her mother Queen Elizabeth II. Mr Malik said the princess had met some 27,000 of the organisation's supporters and helped raise tens of millions of pounds over the years. She spends a large amount of time visiting Save The Children's projects in the UK where one in three children are growing up in relative poverty, and overseas, having travelled to countries such as Bangladesh, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Mozambique, Ethiopia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, with one in 11 children globally in need of humanitarian assistance, he said. Mr Malik added: 'She's one of our chief supporters, and it's great to have somebody like that you know who will keep nudging you forward.' Tanya Curry, chief executive of the Motor Neurone Disease Association of which Anne became patron in 2008, suggested the princess had increased her workload ahead of turning 75, rather than reducing it. 'I think she's probably done a lot more for us actually, and the kind of stamina that she brings to that, mentally and physically, is amazing,' Ms Curry said. She added: 'She's working incredibly hard, and she positions the royal family in such a great way that people really understand and really can see the work that she's doing.' Anne is a key member of her brother the King's slimmed-down working monarchy and played an essential role when she stepped up in support of Charles following his cancer diagnosis. In June 2024, she was rushed to intensive care after she was believed to have been struck by a horse on her Gatcombe Park estate. But the princess, who was back at royal duties less than three weeks later, revealed she has no memory of the incident but now views every day as a 'bonus'. Michael Baker, chief executive of the Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA), said Anne, who has been involved with the organisation since 1971, was determined to attend its national championships for her first return engagement after her admission to hospital. 'She wanted to be there and come what may she was going to be with us, and that was so powerful because it was clearly a determined effort to be there as the first visit back…,' he said. 'That was very deliberate on her part … and even on that day, she stayed well over her time period.' Mr Baker told of the princess's 'great wicked wit', adding: 'She's the first person to put everyone at ease with a quick one-liner or something that really gets to the heart of something.' The princess supports more than 300 charities and organisations, and earlier this year brought many of them together at a special Buckingham Palace forum, insisting this was the only way she wished to mark her forthcoming 75th birthday. Lord Kakkar, chairman of the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 of which Anne is president, highlighted the princess's practical approach and likened her to her father Prince Philip, the late Duke of Edinburgh, for her ability to talk in depth about science, engineering and technology. He said the princess was 'very deeply committed' to the commission's values in order to have a 'profound impact on the lives of people in our country', and around the world. The commission, set up by Queen Victoria's husband Prince Albert at the time of the Great Exhibition, awards around 35 postgraduate fellowships and scholarships a year for advanced research in science, engineering, the built environment and design. Lord Kakkar said of Albert's vision: 'Her Royal Highness is very, very deeply committed and that is really, ultimately, doing all of this so it has a profound impact on the lives of people in our country, throughout the Commonwealth, indeed, throughout the world.' The princess, known for her forthright manner, does not always agree with other people's conclusions, he suggested. 'That is very much the approach that (the Duke of Edinburgh) took and that Her Royal Highness takes, to be interested,' Lord Kakkar added. 'What one sees in the conversations is a genuine fascination and interest in the issues, not always agreeing with the conclusions, but always being able to, with that demonstration of having prepared properly, having thought carefully, being able to engage in a meaningful conversation.'
The Independent
3 minutes ago
- The Independent
The big questions that hang over Liverpool's forced ‘rebuild'
The big spender argued he isn't that big a net spender. The manager who added a £100m playmaker, a £69m striker and a pair of new full-backs still isn't sure if his squad is stronger than his Premier League -winning version. Arne Slot succeeded after a summer of inactivity in the market. Now, as Liverpool are setting records in the transfer window, the Dutchman is trying to place his expenditure into context and waiting to see how the class of 2025-26 compare to their immediate predecessors. Is this an upgrade? 'That is something I can only tell you on the first of September, because the window is still three weeks open,' said Slot. And if that contained the possibility of another attacking addition, such as Alexander Isak, Slot insisted that, in both his forward line and the centre of defence, he has ample options if no one else joins. Amid the hyperbole and frenzy of the cultural obsession with transfers, outgoings can be camouflaged by incomings, and Slot noted: 'We've also lost starters that have had a big impact on our title-winning season last year.' That, he feels, is not being talked about enough. Their replacements seem high-calibre players. Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez are the major recruits, while Giorgi Mamardashvili's move from Valencia was agreed last summer. Yet Slot counsels caution. A reason why he has yet to deliver his definitive verdict on whether this squad is better is because of the circumstances. Can Wirtz adapt from the Bundesliga to the greater intensity of the Premier League, he wonders? Can Kerkez, plucked from Bournemouth, cope with the greater workload? 'I cannot tell you now if these players are able to perform at the same level every three days,' said Slot. 'And I did know that Luis Diaz was able to do that. So, in terms of talent and the quality we've brought in, we see that we have a very good team again. But we have to wait and see; will they stay fit?' Diaz brought in some £65m when he joined Bayern Munich. Include Mamardashvili and various add-ons, and Liverpool's summer spending could already stand at around £300m. Yet when Darwin Nunez's move to Al Hilal goes through, they will have recouped around £190m. They made a profit from trading last summer. 'The net spend of us compared to the other teams is in our favour, if you look at the last two seasons,' said Slot; indeed, Liverpool's net spend is not the biggest this summer. And Slot is thinking about what he has lost as well as what he has gained, and not merely on the pitch. A sensitive man is quick to stress that Diogo Jota 's tragic death affects his wife, children and parents the most. 'I, we, his family, lost him,' he said. Among other things, Jota was a terrific forward and a Slot favourite. Liverpool will continue to mourn him and pay tribute. He leaves a void. 'Then Darwin might be on the verge of leaving,' added Slot. 'Luis Diaz was a definite starter, and Trent [Alexander-Arnold] was a definite starter. So normally in the Premier League, teams only buy, and never sell. We do both. Caoimhin Kelleher and Jarell Quansah played quite a lot of minutes, so that makes four regular starters and two players that played a lot [have left]. 'It's quite normal, if Trent is going to go, that we bring in a full-back. If Luis Diaz is going to go, that we bring in maybe Florian Wirtz, who can play as a [No] 10 and as a left winger. It's quite normal if one attacking option is not there with Diogo, that we bring in Hugo Ekitike. And don't forget that last season we only sold, we didn't buy.' Slot's experience may equip him for a rebuilding job. It was an annual task for him in the past. 'In Holland it's completely normal, because there are levels above Feyenoord or AZ Alkmaar where I worked before,' he explained. 'At a club like Liverpool, there's no level above, so it's not that common that players leave.' Indeed, the previous time a first-team regular left for a sizeable fee was when Fabinho joined Al-Ittihad for £40m in 2023. Then there were signs the Brazilian, like Jordan Henderson, was in decline. Not so with Diaz and Alexander-Arnold. 'We lost players in a good phase of their career,' said Slot. 'I'm used to that, and it sometimes gives new energy as well, because it was one of our strengths that we kept the team the same, because they were very used to each other.' Now there is a different dynamic. Liverpool are spending again, but, casting his eye across the division, Slot said so is everyone else. Many nonetheless expect them to retain their title. 'If we are only favourites because we've spent a bit, I would see that as weird, because we've lost a lot as well,' said Slot. But they have been bolstered by Wirtz and Ekitike, Frimpong and Kerkez. 'It's completely normal that we are one of the favourites, because we won it last season,' accepted Slot. 'And we brought in good players, like all the other ones did, by the way.'
The Guardian
4 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Liverpool should be title favourites but not because of spending, says Slot
Arne Slot has conceded Liverpool can be considered favourites for the Premier League title but played down the impact of their spending and said a summer of upheaval had created some uncertainty over his team's prospects. The head coach accepts Liverpool will carry the mantle of favourites into the new campaign having won a 20th league championship by a comfortable margin last season. Liverpool, who face the FA Cup winners, Crystal Palace, in the Community Shield on Sunday, have since invested almost £300m on new talent and want to add the Newcastle striker Alexander Isak. No Premier League club has spent more than Liverpool but the champions will have recouped almost £200m should Darwin Núñez complete his move to Al-Hilal. The portrayal of Liverpool as lavish spenders, insists Slot, is misleading. 'The net spend of us compared to the other teams is not in our favour if you look at the last two seasons,' he said. 'It's completely normal that we are one of the favourites, because we won it last season. And we brought in good players. Like all the other teams did, by the way. This is what makes this league so nice. I think there's only been one exception [a team winning the league after a frugal summer] in the last two, three, four, five, six years, and that's Liverpool last season. 'Every team in the Premier League is spending money. So if we are only favourites because we've spent a bit, I would see that as weird because we've lost a lot as well. But that we are favourites because we won it last season and we played so well, that's clear. And the ambitions haven't changed, because the ambition of this club is always to compete for every trophy.' Slot believes it is premature to say Liverpool's squad represents an upgrade on last season and says the departures of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Luis Díaz – as well as the tragic loss of Diogo Jota – cannot be ignored. 'The players we've brought in have done really well already, as expected,' he said. 'But I cannot tell you now if these players are able to perform at the same level every three days; we first have to start the season. And I did know Luis Díaz was able to do that, and all the other ones were able to do that. So that is another challenge in the Premier League, because we play so many games. 'For Milos Kerkez, it's going to be his first time at this level probably that he might have to play every three days. Florian Wirtz comes from the Bundesliga, where he was used to playing every three or four days, but we have to ask him in two months if the intensity levels of the Premier League are comparable with the Bundesliga. Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion 'In terms of talent and the quality we've brought in, we see that we have a very good team again. But we have to wait and see. Will they stay fit? The ones that have left were almost fit for the whole season. Will all the ones that we brought in do the same? There are multiple factors you need to take into account. I am really happy with the players we've brought in but we've also lost starters that had a big impact on our title-winning season last year.'
