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Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Senior Labour MSs face three-way selection fight
Welsh Labour risks losing at least one more big hitter at next year's Senedd election because of a three-way fight for selection in a south Wales constituency. Arrangements for the new Afan Ogwr Rhondda constituency mean three significant figures are being pitched against each other, including the deputy first minister and the woman that won Rhonnda for Labour in 2021. Huw Irranca-Davies and Buffy Williams will also face the deputy presiding officer David Rees in the party ballot to decide who will get the best spots on the area's Labour list. Welsh Labour said it would not comment on the selection battle. Ex-Plaid leader's 2026 re-election bid in doubt Plaid Cymru pledges independence referendum Row over where cash from Tory office sale went Labour is already facing a major shake-up after the next Senedd election, with more than a third of current Labour MSs having made the decision not to stand for re-election next year. Former first ministers Mark Drakeford and Vaughan Gething are among those standing down. Parties are currently in the process of drawing up lists for each of the 16 new constituencies for the next Senedd election. They can nominate up to eight candidates per constituency, with parties to be rewarded with seats according to the percentage of the vote they win. While Labour would expect to win two of the six seats available in Afan Ogwr Rhondda, it might struggle to win a third. Winning three of the six seats in any given constituency would roughly require around 36% of the vote. Local party members will now vote again to decide who will take the first, second and third place on the list in the constituency, with a result is expected in the coming weeks. There are already indications from some within the party of a degree of anger were Williams, one of the party's highest profile women politicians – to miss out. There would be "fury", said one source. Williams claimed one of the biggest scalps of the 2021 Senedd election, winning Rhondda back from the former Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood with a 19% vote swing. The previous year she had been awarded the British Empire Medal for services to communities in Rhondda. While Welsh Labour said it was committed to a "diverse slate of candidates" in its selection across Wales's 16 new Senedd constituencies, the Welsh Labour government abandoned plans last September to force parties to ensure at least 50% of candidates were women. There were concerns about their lawfulness and whether the Senedd had the power to make the change. Ogmore MS Irranca-Davies has emerged as an important figure in the current government set up, taking on not only the duties of deputy first minister under the leadership of Eluned Morgan, but also the rural affairs brief in which he has sought to placate protesting farmers. He said last November that he had "listened" after making changes to controversial tree-cover requirements to qualify for subsidies. A former MP, he has served as a minister at Westminster. Rees has been MS for Aberavon since 2011 and deputy presiding officer for the past four years. His current constituency contains the Port Talbot steelworks. Under normal circumstances Labour would have realistic hopes of winning three seats in the constituency, but as another source put it: "These are not normal circumstances." Senior figures in Welsh Labour are very concerned about losing voters to Plaid Cymru, while some of the recent announcements from Reform leader Nigel Farage suggested they were now also turning their attention to wooing traditional Labour supporters. A poll last month suggested that Labour had fallen to third behind Plaid Cymru and Reform. Previous polls had suggested the three parties were neck and neck. At the next election there will be 16 new constituencies made of up of mergers of existing seats and a system of proportional representation. Afan Ogwr Rhondda takes in the former Aberavon, Ogmore and Rhonnda constituency party areas. Each of the three MSs are on the party ballot because they were nominated by their respective areas: Rees in Aberavon, Irranca-Davies in Ogmore and Williams in Rhondda. A Labour party spokesperson said: "Welsh Labour has committed to putting forward a diverse slate of candidates, including women, people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities, those identifying as LGBTQ+, and Welsh speakers amongst other underrepresented communities."
BBC News
7 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Senior Labour MSs face three-way selection fight
Welsh Labour risks losing at least one more big hitter at next year's Senedd election because of a three-way fight for selection in a south Wales for the new Afan Ogwr Rhondda constituency mean three significant figures are being pitched against each other, including the deputy first minister and the woman that won Rhonnda for Labour in Irranca-Davies and Buffy Williams will also face the deputy presiding officer David Rees in the party ballot to decide who will get the best spots on the area's Labour Labour said it would not comment on the selection battle. Labour is already facing a major shake-up after the next Senedd election, with more than a third of current Labour MSs having made the decision not to stand for re-election next first ministers Mark Drakeford and Vaughan Gething are among those standing down. Parties are currently in the process of drawing up lists for each of the 16 new constituencies for the next Senedd can nominate up to eight candidates per constituency, with parties to be rewarded with seats according to the percentage of the vote they Labour would expect to win two of the six seats available in Afan Ogwr Rhondda, it might struggle to win a three of the six seats in any given constituency would roughly require around 36% of the party members will now vote again to decide who will take the first, second and third place on the list in the constituency, with a result is expected in the coming are already indications from some within the party of a degree of anger were Williams, one of the party's highest profile women politicians – to miss would be "fury", said one source. Williams claimed one of the biggest scalps of the 2021 Senedd election, winning Rhondda back from the former Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood with a 19% vote previous year she had been awarded the British Empire Medal for services to communities in Welsh Labour said it was committed to a "diverse slate of candidates" in its selection across Wales's 16 new Senedd constituencies, the Welsh Labour government abandoned plans last September to force parties to ensure at least 50% of candidates were were concerns about their lawfulness and whether the Senedd had the power to make the MS Irranca-Davies has emerged as an important figure in the current government set up, taking on not only the duties of deputy first minister under the leadership of Eluned Morgan, but also the rural affairs brief in which he has sought to placate protesting said last November that he had "listened" after making changes to controversial tree-cover requirements to qualify for subsidies. A former MP, he has served as a minister at Westminster. Rees has been MS for Aberavon since 2011 and deputy presiding officer for the past four years. His current constituency contains the Port Talbot normal circumstances Labour would have realistic hopes of winning three seats in the constituency, but as another source put it: "These are not normal circumstances."Senior figures in Welsh Labour are very concerned about losing voters to Plaid Cymru, while some of the recent announcements from Reform leader Nigel Farage suggested they were now also turning their attention to wooing traditional Labour supporters. A poll last month suggested that Labour had fallen to third behind Plaid Cymru and polls had suggested the three parties were neck and neck. At the next election there will be 16 new constituencies made of up of mergers of existing seats and a system of proportional Ogwr Rhondda takes in the former Aberavon, Ogmore and Rhonnda constituency party of the three MSs are on the party ballot because they were nominated by their respective areas: Rees in Aberavon, Irranca-Davies in Ogmore and Williams in Rhondda. A Labour party spokesperson said: "Welsh Labour has committed to putting forward a diverse slate of candidates, including women, people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities, those identifying as LGBTQ+, and Welsh speakers amongst other underrepresented communities."
Pembrokeshire Herald
2 days ago
- Business
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Single-use vapes banned across Wales from Sunday
A NATIONWIDE ban on single-use vapes will come into force across Wales and the rest of the UK from Sunday (June 1), in a bid to tackle the environmental damage caused by their widespread use and improper disposal. The move is part of a coordinated effort between the Welsh Labour Government and the UK Labour Government to implement the ban simultaneously across borders. The aim is to improve compliance and give the estimated 2,000 small- and medium-sized retailers in Wales time to adapt. Environmental charity Keep Wales Tidy estimates that in a single year, 360,000 disposable vapes are littered on the ground in Wales, with a further 120,000 flushed down the toilet. The Welsh Government says the ban is a key part of its response to the climate and nature emergency, putting environmental protection at the heart of policy. First Minister Eluned Morgan said: 'Littering from single-use vapes spoils our communities, and we have worked closely with the UK and devolved governments to ensure there are no loopholes, with the ban coming into effect UK-wide this weekend. 'This is another example of governments working together to deliver on the priorities of the people of Wales.' Deputy First Minister and Minister for Climate Change, Huw Irranca-Davies, said: 'Single-use vapes are a blight on wildlife and the environment. This ban will significantly reduce the litter and pollution they cause. 'This is further evidence of Welsh Labour's commitment to tackling the climate emergency and maintaining Wales's status as the second-best recycling nation in the world.' Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing, Sarah Murphy, added: 'This ban will also help protect children and young people from nicotine addiction. It's a vital step towards our goal of Iechyd Da—better health—for all.' Meanwhile, in last year's Parliamentary debate on single-use vapes, Reform UK's Nigel Farage was notably absent, choosing instead to host his television programme. Welsh Labour accused him of prioritising media attention and 'fantasy economics' over delivering meaningful change.
Business News Wales
3 days ago
- Politics
- Business News Wales
Will Planning Become an Election Battleground in Wales?
It's been nearly a year since Labour took over at Number 10 and in that time, it has made sweeping changes to the planning system. In its effort to 'Get Britain Building Again' the changes seek to enhance housing delivery and to amend long established Green Belt policy to allow housing development in appropriate circumstances. However, the changes to the planning system in England will not impact Wales as planning is devolved to Welsh Government. Unlike England, Wales has had no mandatory housing targets since the removal of TAN1 in March 2020 which required local authorities to produce joint housing land availability studies, and changes in national policy (Planning Policy Wales) which removed the need to have a five-year housing land supply. This was replaced by monitoring housing delivery based on trajectories set in Local Development Plans (LDPs), which – based on the Welsh housing delivery figures – has not been successful in meeting the challenge of providing sufficient new homes since 2020. Although there are now Labour Governments in both Wales and England, this does not mean there is an increased likelihood Wales will be influenced by English policy. It seems likely the current system in Wales will be in place for the foreseeable future. For the current housing delivery approach in Wales to work effectively it requires up-to-date LDPs that take forward the new standards in relation to housing requirements introduced in 2020, deliverable allocations and the formulation of robust housing trajectories. Of the 22 LPAs in Wales only four have an up-to-date plan which accounts for the changes for monitoring housing delivery (Bridgend, Flintshire, Merthyr Tydfil and Wrexham). Wrexham is a special case, with an ongoing legal battle between the council and Welsh Government which has now reached the Supreme Court, placing uncertainty on whether the recently adopted plan will be withdrawn. Without up-to-date LDPs or an alternative national policy approach there is little incentive in Wales to ensure that LPAs are delivering the required amount of housing. This has led to annual completions being below targets, with 2023/24 completions equating to 5,161 dwellings. This is set against Future Wales: National Plan need of 7,400 dwellings per annum over the first five years of the plan – which has not been met in any year since its adoption. Although the initial implementation of Welsh Labour's housing delivery policy through the planning system did not deliver the intended result due to slow delivery of new LDPs, 18 councils are reviewing their plans, with adoption for most of these planned by 2026/27. Once adopted this may lead to the increased housing delivery Welsh Labour hoped for, primarily managed through allocations. Or it will demonstrate that without a national exception policy to allow speculative development to meet the ever-growing housing need, housing growth in Wales will continue to be stymied. Currently, the UK Government is taking steps to address the housing shortfall within England. However, it appears in Wales that the Welsh Government has yet to address the housing shortfall with the current policy approach. Without a step change in Welsh Government thinking it is unlikely the situation in Wales will change. With Welsh Government elections looming in May 2026, housing delivery may become a similar key policy issue for political parties, mirroring the political battlegrounds of the Westminster elections. For all involved, the stakes remain high and the housing crisis in Wales rumbles on. Whether Welsh Labour or another political party can deliver housing at scale via the planning system remains to be determined. However, we will see if the elections crystalise the issue.
Wales Online
5 days ago
- Politics
- Wales Online
Eluned Morgan calls for ‘damaging' two-child benefit cap to be scrapped
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Sir Keir Starmer is under increasing pressure to abolish the two-child benefit cap, following comments from Wales' First Minister who labelled it "damaging" for families. There appear to be tensions between the Prime Minister and the Welsh Labour leader in recent weeks, with Baroness Eluned Morgan recently urging for the winter fuel allowance to be reinstated, for the "majority of pensioners" and a rethink on planned welfare cuts. Introduced by the Tories in 2017, the benefit cap limits child tax credit and universal credit to the first two children in a majority of households, reports PA. The Government has faced ongoing calls to scrap the policy, highlighted by seven Labour MPs defying party lines to vote against the King's Speech due to its omission of a pledge to remove the cap, all within Sir Keir's initial month as leader. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson suggested scrapping the policy is "not off the table" earlier this week, before Downing Street revealed ministers are "not going to rule anything out when it comes to tackling child poverty". The Government's child poverty strategy, which was due to be published in the spring, is now set to come in the autumn so it can be aligned with the Chancellor's budget. Speaking to BBC Wales on Wednesday, Baroness Morgan said: "Today we've issued a statement to call on the UK Government to get rid of the two-child benefit cap. We think it is damaging for lots of families in Wales." Plaid Cymru has branded the First Minister's comments "staggering hypocrisy from Labour", adding it is "panic, driven by polling, not values". Ms Phillipson, who is leading the Government's child poverty task force alongside the Work and Pensions Secretary, said the taskforce is "certainly looking at" the policy, when asked if she would scrap the cap. "As I say, nothing's off the table but this is not straightforward, the costs are high," she added. The Prime Minister's official spokesman said on Tuesday that the Government is "absolutely committed to tackling child poverty". He later added: "We've been very clear that we're not going to rule anything out when it comes to tackling child poverty, and the ministerial task force is considering all available levers to give every child the best start in life as part of our strategy." The spokesman said that he would not speculate on the measures that could be included in their plans. The North Wales Live Whatsapp community for top stories and breaking news is live now - here's how to sign up Find out what's happening near you
