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Stephen Crabb MP appointed Secretary of State for Wales

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crabbno10PRESELI Pembrokeshire MP Stephen Crabb has been appointed Secretary of State for Wales in the Cabinet reshuffle. 

The new Secretary of State was first elected as an MP in 2005 and was reelected in May 2010 with an increased majority of 4,605. He grew up in Haverfordwest, where he attended Tasker Milward School. He holds degrees from Bristol University (BSc.) and London Business School (MBA). Mr Crabb has said that his experiences growing up in a singleparent household on a council estate have informed his views on social mobility being important in modern society. Before being elected to Parliament he worked as a marketing consultant. He has also worked for the National Council for Voluntary Youth Services and London Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He has been a volunteer youth worker in South London and was Chairman of Governors of a large inner city primary school between 1998 and 2002. Stephen has close links with a number of charities which help young people overcome challenges and is Patron of Pembrokeshire MENCAP. He is also Patron of the Friends of Haverfordwest Museum and Pembrokeshire Counselling Service. From 1995-1996, Mr Crabb worked as a Parliamentary intern for Christian Action Research and Education, an offshoot from the evangelical Nationwide Festival of Light. CARE has been criticised for their opposition to abortion and gay rights, and believes sexuality to be a choice, curable by prayer. Mr Crabb voted against the legalisation of gay marriage in July 2013. He was also the subject of criticism for “flipping” an expenses claim to enable it to be recovered against his constituency home and subsequently designating a room in a London apartment as his main home. In Parliament Mr Crabb has served on the Welsh Affairs, International Development and Treasury Select Committees. In January 2009 he was appointed to the front bench as Opposition Whip. Following the formation of the Coalition Government in May 2011, Mr Crabb was appointed as an Assistant Government Whip. In 2012 he was promoted to Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Wales Office and was also given an enhanced role in the Whips Office. When the leader of Project Umubano, the Conservative Party’s social action project in Rwanda and Sierra Leone from 2010-2012, Stephen took Conservative volunteers to work in the fields of Education, Business, Health, Justice and Community alongside local partners in those two countries. In Pembrokeshire, Mr Crabb has been an advocate of the expanding renewable energy sector and has most recently been in the local news regarding the takeover of the Murco refinery. He is also a founding Officer of the All-Party Dairy Industry Group in Parliament. Outside of politics, Mr Crabb is a keen sportsman and enjoys rugby, mountain biking and tennis. He has run the London Marathon three times, money for local charities in the process. He also enjoys cooking, playing guitar and learning French. Stephen is married to Béatrice and has two young children. Commenting on the appointment, Preseli Pembrokeshire AM, Paul Davies said: “I’m delighted to congratulate Stephen on his new appointment. He is a dedicated and hard-working MP, and his promotion clearly demonstrates the Prime Minister’s acknowledgement of his talents and skills. I am privileged to work closely with him at a local level where he is fully committed to Preseli Pembrokeshire. I know that he will be an excellent Secretary of State who will be a strong voice for Wales across the Cabinet table, and of course, a huge asset to the people across the whole of our country.” Commenting on the appointment of Stephen Crabb as Secretary of State for Wales, shadow Welsh Secretary Owen Smith MP, said: “Congratulations to Stephen on his appointment. It is a great privilege for anyone to be asked to serve as the Secretary of State and Mr Crabb now has an equally great responsibility to break free from the ceaseless negativity that has characterised his predecessors’ attitude to Wales and the achievements of the Welsh Government. “I have written to the new Secretary of State to call on him to go into the new job with the aim of standing up for our nation, rather than indulging in politicised attacks on Wales, with the aim of winning votes in England. The Wales Office can play a vital role in being the voice of Wales at Westminster, but it has recently been reduced to a crude propaganda machine attacking the very country it is supposed to represent, as a proxy for attacking the wider Labour Party.” Stephen Crabb said: “It is a huge privilege to join the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Wales. As a government, we are ambitious for Wales and determined that Wales should be at the forefront of the UK economic recovery. “I will be working closely with my colleagues in the UK and Welsh governments to see new opportunities created for Wales. People and businesses across Wales want to see the two governments working together effectively and delivering the investment our nation needs. I believe that Wales deserves the best and I look forward to providing a strong voice for Wales around the Cabinet table. “I will build on the excellent work of my predecessor David Jones, who achieved so much during his time as Welsh Secretary. He leaves a strong legacy to Wales, not least in breaking new ground in the devolution settlement by devolving tax powers to Wales. He also worked hard to secure new investment for the new nuclear power station at Wylfa, the new prison in Wrexham and reopening the Halton Curve line between Liverpool and North Wales.” He added: “It is a massive honour to be the first Welsh Secretary of State from Pembrokeshire since Nick Edwards in the 1980s. I have an opportunity now to work hard for the whole of Wales in the same way I have always sought to do for Pembrokeshire. The first priority of any MP, regardless of their position in government, is to put the needs of their constituency first and I will always do this for Preseli Pembrokeshire.”

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Police ask motorists to avoid A44 trunk road due to heavy snowfall

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DYFED-POWYS POLICE have issued an appeal to motorists to avoid a 25 mile section of the A44 trunk road between Aberystwyth and Llangurig due to it being impassable due to heavy snowfall.

In a warning issued at 4am on their social media accounts the police said: “Please avoid the area and find alternative routes for your journey.”

Meanwhile, last night The Nags Head in Lampeter uploaded pictures of the snowy scenes in the area, and were encouraging customers to come in and sit next to their ‘nice warm fire’.

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Egg and farm shop to open at award-winning west Wales farm

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A SCHEME for a self-serve egg and farm shop at an award-winning 32,000-chicken Ceredigion farm, to allow it to receive a UK Shared Prosperity fund grant, has been approved by county planners.

Ben Edkins, of Edkins Eggs, Coed Farm, Cilcennin sought permission to site a self-serve farm shop on an existing yard area at the site.

A supporting letter submitted through agent Morgan & Flynn Architectural Services described it as “a more advanced version of an egg stand, with honesty box, which has been a staple for people producing eggs for centuries”.

It added: “This method of selling eggs has already proven to be a hit with communities in Ceredigion, given the success of the already established egg dispenser located in Aberystwyth town centre.”

Family-owned Edkins Eggs, which supplies multiple businesses across the area with eggs, including Aberaeron’s Y Seler, Hive, Harbourmaster, and Costcutters, has been awarded a grant to cover the cost of part of the proposal, on the condition that planning approval is granted, the statement added.

“The grant, which is a UK shared prosperity fund for the Mid Wales region as part of the ‘Cynnal Y Cardi Fund’ provided by Ceredigion County Council was granted in December 2023.

“For this grant to be claimed, it is required that planning permission is granted, the construction is completed and also the egg dispensers are implemented by December 2024. This gives the applicants a 12-month window from the point of the grant awarded to completion of proposal.”
The building itself will include a solar panel array providing the power for the egg dispensing unit and lighting, and it is hoped to create one extra job at 227-acre Coed Farm, home to 32,000 chickens producing free range eggs, 90 beef cattle and 200 sheep.

A green infrastructure statement by the agent added: “The creation of this building to house the self-serve farm shop to enhance the established family-owned business ‘Edkins Eggs’, which also has provisions to allow for other local companies producing items such as vegetables and honey to sell their products, will provide a facility for the local community to purchase locally produced goods directly from the supplier.

“This will not only provide an enhanced shopping experience in terms of being able to purchase directly from the farm, which could act as an educational benefit especially for children, but also provide the additional facility of a small-scale shop to the local area, whereas currently the community would either have to travel to the service centres of either Aberaeron or Felinfach.”

The application was conditionally approved under delegated powers.

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Entertainment

John Singer Sargent’s ‘Fashion & Swagger’ to light up the Torch

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IN an unparalleled celebration of one of the late 19th century’s most revered portrait artists, the Torch Theatre is set to host “John Singer Sargent – Fashion & Swagger” on Tuesday, 16 April, at 7:30 pm. This innovative exhibition, brought to life by Exhibition on Screen, delves into the remarkable artistry of John Singer Sargent, whose portraits are celebrated for their intricate depiction of his subjects’ persona, attire, and the subtleties of their presentation.

The event promises an insightful exploration of Sargent’s influence on modern art, culture, and fashion, featuring interviews with a diverse group of curators, contemporary fashion icons, and style influencers. Filmed at prestigious venues like the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and Tate Britain in London, the exhibition unveils Sargent’s extraordinary ability to capture the essence of his subjects’ identities, social standings, and the complexities of gender through his art during a pivotal time of cultural transformation.

Phil Grabsky, one of the producers behind this compelling film, shared his enthusiasm for spotlighting Sargent’s genius, stating, “As filmmakers, both director David Bickerstaff and I have been thrilled to make this film about Sargent, someone I consider a truly astounding artist.” Grabsky further reflected on the curious case of Sargent’s fading recognition despite his once-celebrated status and affirmed Exhibition on Screen’s commitment to revitalizing interest in artists who deserve renewed attention.

The exhibition promises a fascinating juxtaposition of over 50 of Sargent’s paintings with authentic items of clothing and accessories donned by his subjects, offering audiences a unique passage into the artist’s creative realm. It underscores how Sargent’s subjects, often hailing from affluent backgrounds, entrusted him with their public images — a theme that resonates with the ongoing dialogue around the construction of identity in the public eye.

Tickets for “John Singer Sargent – Fashion & Swagger” are available for £13. Those interested can secure their spots by visiting www.torchtheatre.co.uk or contacting the Box Office at 01646 695267.

For further details and imagery, or to arrange press inquiries, please reach out to Anwen Francis (Marketing, Press & Communications) via email at [email protected] or phone at 07854 772640.

ENDS

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