SAMUEL KURTZ MS has called on the UK Government to take immediate action to ease mounting cost-of-living pressures, warning that families across west Wales are being “squeezed from all sides” by rising fuel and energy costs.

Writing to Chancellor Rachel Reeves, the Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire Senedd Member urged ministers to cancel planned fuel duty increases and introduce fairer, more effective support for rural households living off the gas grid.

Energy bills are forecast to rise to nearly £2,000 from July, while persistently high global oil prices continue to drive up costs at the pumps. Diesel prices have surged in recent months, with petrol also climbing—adding further strain to already stretched household budgets.

Kurtz warned that any increase in fuel duty later this year would hit rural communities hardest, where reliance on cars is unavoidable due to limited public transport.

In parts of west Wales, the challenges are even more acute. In Ceredigion, up to three quarters of households are not connected to the gas grid, while in Pembrokeshire around 40% rely on alternative fuels such as heating oil and LPG. Unlike mains gas users, these households are not protected by energy price caps and remain exposed to volatile global markets.

He also criticised existing support measures, describing them as “limited and reactive,” often only available once households reach crisis point. While recent funding announcements for off-grid households have been welcomed, concerns remain over delays and a lack of clarity around how the support will be delivered.

Kurtz pointed to the UK Government’s response during the 2022 energy crisis, which included the Energy Price Guarantee, £400 bill support, and a £200 Alternative Fuel Payment for off-grid homes.

He said: “Households across west Wales are under real pressure, and for many this is not about cutting back—it’s about keeping up.

“Rural families already face higher costs, whether that’s heating their homes or filling up the car. Increasing fuel duty now would only make that worse.

“Off-grid households are being overlooked. They don’t benefit from price caps and are exposed to volatile fuel costs.

“The UK Government acted decisively during the last energy crisis. The same level of urgency is needed again now.

“The Chancellor must act—cancel the planned fuel duty increases and reintroduce the £200 Alternative Fuel Payment to give households the support they need.”

He warned that without swift intervention, rural communities risk being left further behind as cost pressures continue to rise.

WELSH Labour leader Eluned Morgan has pledged that patients with urgent health concerns will be seen within 48 hours, as the party launched its manifesto ahead of the 2026 Senedd election.

Speaking at an event in Swansea on Monday (Mar 30), Morgan said a re-elected Welsh Labour Government would guarantee access to a GP or other primary healthcare professional on the same day or the following day for pressing issues.

She said: “If you are worried about your child, if your elderly parent needs help, or if something does not feel right, you should be able to get help quickly – not weeks later.”

The pledge forms a central part of Labour’s health offer, alongside plans for same-day, open-access mental health services and a £4bn “Hospitals of the Future” investment programme.

Pressure on delivery

However, the announcement has already prompted questions about how the target would be delivered, given ongoing pressures across NHS Wales.

Latest figures show around 757,000 patient pathways remain on waiting lists, with approximately 38,000 people waiting more than a year for treatment. Previous Welsh Government targets to reduce long waits have also been missed.

The 48-hour target itself is less ambitious than proposals in England, where a 24-hour access standard has been discussed. Morgan has said the Welsh target reflects what is “realistic” given current pressures.

Critics argue the pledge risks repeating a familiar pattern of commitments that prove difficult to deliver in practice.

‘Plans to have plans’

Beyond health, scrutiny of the manifesto has focused on what some commentators have described as a lack of urgency in key policy areas.

Several flagship commitments involve future strategies or reviews, including a promise to publish a new industrial strategy within the first year of the next Senedd term, and proposals to “explore” ways to reduce teacher workload.

Opponents have characterised this approach as “plans to have plans”, questioning whether it reflects the scale of challenges facing Wales in areas such as healthcare, housing and education.

The First Minister has defended the approach, arguing that detailed proposals are set out across the manifesto and that flexibility is needed to respond to changing economic conditions.

Health investment under scrutiny

Labour’s £4bn pledge for new hospitals and infrastructure has also come under examination.

The party says the funding will support major developments, including replacing University Hospital Wales and Wrexham Maelor Hospital, as well as improvements in West Wales.

However, questions remain about whether the funding would be sufficient to cover large-scale rebuilds while also addressing existing maintenance backlogs across the NHS estate.

Morgan said the figure was based on previous capital projects and insisted the funding plans were “realistic”.

Cost-of-living commitments

Alongside its health pledges, Welsh Labour has committed not to raise Welsh rates of income tax during the next Senedd term.

The manifesto also includes a £2 cap on single bus fares, continued discounted travel for young people, free travel for over-60s, and plans to create 20,000 new childcare places.

Labour says the package is designed to ease cost-of-living pressures while supporting economic growth.

A ‘new chapter’ or more of the same?

At the launch, Morgan described the manifesto as the start of a “new chapter” for Wales, signalling a shift from what Labour describes as a period of “protection” through austerity, Brexit and the pandemic, towards a focus on growth and opportunity.

But with Welsh Labour having been in power for more than two decades, opponents argue the party faces a challenge in convincing voters that change will come from the same administration.

While the manifesto contains a range of policy commitments across health, the economy and the environment, the central question is likely to remain whether voters believe the pledges can be delivered.

As the campaign for the May 2026 Senedd election gathers pace, that question is set to dominate the political debate in Wales.

RESIDENTS in North Pembrokeshire have just days left to invest in a unique community project to purchase a historic Victorian corrugated cottage in Boncath for £12,000.

After a month of gathering support, volunteers behind the initiative are holding a final public meeting at the cottage on Saturday (Apr 4) from 11:00am to 12:00 noon. The event offers a last opportunity for new investors to join the cooperative and for existing supporters to view the building they now collectively own.

The cottage has served the community for more than 130 years. Since the 1930s it has been home to the Boncath WI, while earlier uses included a sawmill office and a rent collection point for the local estate.

The meeting will be led by Cris Tomos of Narberth-based community development organisation PLANED, who will explain how the scheme works and the financial incentives available. Investors contributing £500 may qualify for 50% tax relief through the UK Government’s Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS).

A similar model was successfully used in nearby Crymych, where community investors raised £210,000 to purchase and reopen the Crymych Arms pub.

Supporters can invest by contacting [email protected]
or downloading forms via the Bwthyn Boncath Facebook page. Printed forms are also available from Boncath Village Shop and Post Office.

Following the purchase, organisers plan to launch a wider community share offer at £50 per share to encourage broader local ownership.

The long-term vision is to transform the building into a small heritage centre, celebrating Boncath’s history and collecting local stories, photographs and artefacts for future generations.

For further information, contact Cris Tomos on 07974 099738 or email [email protected]
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