News
Farage pledges coal revival and steelworks comeback for Wales
Reform leader eyes Senedd victory as critics blast ‘fantasy economics’
NIGEL FARAGE visited Port Talbot on Monday (June 10), promising to reopen the town’s steel blast furnaces and revive Welsh coal mines if Reform UK wins the next Senedd election.
Speaking shortly after noon, Farage placed traditional steel-making at the heart of Reform UK’s 2026 campaign in Wales, claiming the town had been “betrayed by 26 years of Labour rule.”
“Our long-term aim is to hopefully reopen Port Talbot steelworks—and instead of importing coal for it, use our own,” Farage told The Mail ahead of his speech.
“Wales needs Reform.”
The plan, which includes reopening domestic coal pits to fuel the blast furnaces, comes after Indian-owned Tata Steel confirmed plans to close both blast furnaces at the Port Talbot plant. The company is shifting to a lower-emission electric arc furnace, but this will not be operational until 2028 and will produce less steel overall—prompting warnings of up to 2,800 job losses.
Farage framed the proposal as an economic rescue mission and a patriotic industrial policy, aiming to outflank Labour on its traditional turf. His speech marks the latest escalation in Reform’s ambition to challenge for power at the 2026 Senedd election, with polls already placing the party above Labour in some regions.
But the proposal drew immediate fire from opposition politicians.
Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Jane Dodds MS accused Farage of peddling fantasy politics while ignoring international realities.
“Nigel Farage has some real cheek to come to Port Talbot and promise them the world while his best mate Donald Trump is threatening to destroy the remnants of our steel industry, with yet more tariffs at the end of this month,” she said.
“Like his idols, Donald Trump and Liz Truss, Nigel Farage would wreck the Welsh economy and local services with unfunded tax cuts and the hollowing out of public services.”
Dodds said that while many voters feel abandoned by both Labour in Cardiff and the Conservatives in Westminster, it is the Liberal Democrats who offer realistic local change, especially in health and education.
“In a recent by-election in Neath Port Talbot, we easily beat Reform and pushed Labour into fourth place,” she added. “Industrial heartlands aren’t buying what Reform is selling.”
Nigel Farage’s calls for Port Talbot’s blast furnaces to be reopened are ‘more lies from an opportunistic chancer’, GMB union has said.
Ruth Brady, GMB Regional Secretary, told The Pembrokeshire Herald in a sharply worded statement exactly what he thought of the plan: “The people of Port Talbot will see this for what it is: more lies from this opportunistic chancer.
“Nigel Farage was happy to let British Steel go to the wall.
“He’ll trot out any line when the cameras are rolling. He doesn’t care about steel communities or steel workers.
“The deal to shut the blast furnaces was signed and sealed by the last Tory government.
“With the opportunities offered by floating offshore wind and the industrial clusters strategy, it’s now time for the Labour government to make good on their promises to our members in Port Talbot.
“We’ll be watching the spending review this week closely.”
Farage’s visit comes just days after party turmoil saw Zia Yusuf resign as Reform chairman, only to return two days later in a redefined leadership role. Monday’s rally was seen as an attempt by Farage to reset the campaign and reassert his party’s direction.
The promise to reopen coal mines will be controversial in Wales, where the last deep coal mine closed in 2008, and the environmental legacy of mining remains raw in many communities. Environmental campaigners have previously warned that such proposals ignore climate commitments and the long-term shift to greener energy.
However, supporters at the rally welcomed the focus on jobs and national self-reliance. Local resident Martin Davies, 58, told The Herald: “We’ve had enough of broken promises. If someone’s talking about proper work and not just cutting back all the time, I’ll listen.”
Farage ended his speech by warning voters not to let “the political establishment shut Wales down from the inside out,” and said Reform would “bring energy, jobs and pride back to this country.”
PHOTO CAPTION:
Coal comeback: Nigel Farage delivers a speech in Port Talbot promising to revive steel and mining if Reform wins in 2026 (Pic: Farage/Reform/X)
Charity
Tenby golf captain raises more than £8,000 for hospice charity
Fundraising year inspired by personal experience of end-of-life care
TENBY GOLF CLUB has announced that £8,360.68 has been raised for the Paul Sartori Foundation after a year of fundraising led by club captain Heather Morgan.
Heather’s captaincy was particularly notable as she is only the second female captain in the club’s history since it was founded in 1888. Her choice of charity was inspired by personal experience, following the care and support provided to her mother by the hospice-at-home charity.
Her mother, who lived to the age of 97, was able to remain at home during her final days thanks to the support of Paul Sartori’s clinical team.
Heather said she could not have managed without the compassion and professionalism of the staff, who supported both her mother and the wider family during a difficult time. She therefore chose the charity not only to raise funds, but also to increase awareness of the services available to families across Pembrokeshire.
The fundraising year included a packed programme of well-supported events, including a charity golf day, Captain’s Day, and a popular night golf competition. Members and guests also supported quiz nights with themed food, a special performance by Tenby Male Voice Choir, as well as Easter and Christmas raffles.
Joanne Lutwyche, Events and Fundraising Officer for the Paul Sartori Foundation, said: “Becoming a charity of the year is a great privilege for us, and we always aim to support our community fundraisers as much as possible during the time we are chosen.
“Our fundraising and events team have been astonished by the generosity of the golfers throughout the year. We have been invited to support events at Tenby Golf Club, and they have been great fun to be part of.”
The charity has thanked Heather Morgan, Tenby Golf Club, and everyone who contributed to the fundraising efforts, saying the money will help provide hospice-at-home care for people living with life-limiting illness across Pembrokeshire.
The funds raised will enable more families to receive care and comfort in their own homes at the most difficult times.
Photo caption: Heather Morgan with Brendan Monnelly, General Manager at Tenby Golf Club (Pic supplied).
News
New project launched to preserve Pembrokeshire’s hidden place names
Communities invited to share historic names of fields, lanes and landmarks
A NEW project has been launched to uncover and protect historic place names across the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park — from forgotten fields to little-known lanes — before they disappear from living memory.
The initiative, led by the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority in partnership with the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales (RCAHMW), will gather local knowledge from communities throughout the Park and record it in the national List of Historic Place Names for Wales.
A series of community workshops will take place during 2026, giving residents the opportunity to share names passed down through generations, including those linked to fields, footpaths, buildings and local landmarks.
All information collected will be compiled by Dr James January-McCann, Place Names Officer at the RCAHMW, and formally recorded to help safeguard this cultural heritage for future generations.
Pembrokeshire’s landscape reflects a rich linguistic history shaped by Welsh, English, Nordic and Flemish influences. Organisers say capturing this knowledge now is vital, not only to preserve local identity but also to support landowners, communities and the National Park Authority in future land management and heritage projects.
Tomos Jones, Community Archaeologist at the Park Authority, said: “This is a fantastic project that empowers local communities to come forward with their place names knowledge. The information can then better inform our understanding of the National Park area and help us develop relevant projects.”
Dr James January-McCann added: “Given Pembrokeshire’s rich linguistic history, this is a brilliant opportunity to discover how strong those influences remain today, and to deepen people’s knowledge of their heritage.”
With the National Eisteddfod taking place in Pembrokeshire this year, the project will also use the festival as a platform to reach a wider audience, including a dedicated talk supported by the Eisteddfod team.
Six community workshops are currently scheduled for 2026, with the ambition to expand the programme in future years.
The first workshop will take place at St Davids City Hall on Wednesday (Feb 18), with members of the public invited to drop in at any time between 10:00am and 4:00pm to share information or speak with the project team. Further sessions will be promoted locally and through social media.
Caption: A series of place name workshops will be held to capture the rich linguistic heritage of the local area.
Crime
Pembroke Dock raids: One man in court today as three released on bail
Update follows major Gordon Street operation reported on Friday
ONE man is due to appear in court today (Monday, Feb 16) following last week’s armed police operation in Pembroke Dock, as officers confirmed that three other suspects have been released on bail.
The Herald reported on Friday (Feb 13) that firearms officers, dog units and multiple police vehicles were deployed to Gordon Street during a pre-planned operation involving several specialist departments.
Dyfed-Powys Police has now provided an update on the outcome of the raids.
Two men, aged 37 and 35, and a woman aged 32 — all arrested during Friday’s operation — have been released on bail pending further enquiries.
A fourth suspect, a 28-year-old man arrested for failing to appear in court, has been recalled to prison.
Officers also confirmed that a fifth person was arrested the following day, Saturday (Feb 14).
Zack High, aged 26, has since been charged with grievous bodily harm and is due to appear at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court today.
During the initial operation, police said arrests were made for a range of suspected offences including grievous bodily harm, firearms possession, drugs supply, fraud, and possession of a bladed article.
Detective Sergeant Jamie Hughes, of Pembrokeshire CID, previously thanked the community for its patience during the large police deployment and said the action demonstrated that officers would “deal with offenders robustly and efficiently”.
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