News

Welsh employment rate remains lowest in Britain as poverty and joblessness rise

Published

6 months ago

June 10, 2025

Opposition parties blame Labour’s tax policies and call for urgent reforms

WALES continues to have the lowest employment rate in Britain, according to the latest official figures released for May 2025, sparking renewed political criticism over the Welsh Government’s economic performance and approach to tackling poverty.

The data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that employment in Wales stands at 72.2%, the lowest in Britain, compared to a UK average of 75.1%. Meanwhile, economic inactivity—people neither in work nor actively seeking work—remains the highest in Britain at 24.2%, above the UK average of 21.3%.

Unemployment in Wales has risen to 4.7%, a year-on-year increase of 1.3 percentage points, and the number of paid employees has dropped by 5,300 in the past month, according to separate figures from Stats Wales.

The figures have prompted concern from opposition parties, who argue that tax and regulatory policies are pushing businesses to halt recruitment or cut jobs.

Welsh Conservative Shadow Economy Secretary Samuel Kurtz MS said: “Under Labour, our economy is broken, both here in Wales and across the United Kingdom. You cannot tax your way to prosperity.”

He criticised what he called a “regulatory stranglehold” on enterprise, including business rates, the so-called “jobs tax,” and the proposed Tourism Tax, which he claims stifles growth.

“We would scrap business rates for small firms, revitalise our high streets and axe the Tourism Tax once and for all,” Kurtz added.

Welsh Liberal Democrat MP David Chadwick went further, saying: “These figures show the huge damage Labour’s misguided jobs tax is already having on the Welsh economy. With Wales more dependent on small businesses than other parts of the UK, the Chancellor must scrap it now.”

The criticism was echoed by the Welsh Conservatives’ Shadow Social Justice Secretary Dr Altaf Hussain MS, who cited a recent ‘Poverty in Wales’ report revealing that 22% of the population—around 700,000 people—are living in poverty.

This includes 200,000 children (31%), 400,000 working-age adults (21%), and 100,000 pensioners (16%).

“After 26 years of Labour in Wales, poverty remains stubbornly high,” Dr Hussain said. “We would cut taxes for working families and match England’s childcare offer, enabling more parents to work and reducing child poverty.”

The Welsh Government has not yet responded to the latest labour market figures or the criticism from opposition parties. Ministers have previously stated they are focused on reducing regional inequality and supporting job creation through skills programmes and targeted investments.

The full employment and poverty statistics can be accessed via Stats Wales and the Office for National Statistics.

Crime

Man charged with strangulation and assault offences after October incident

Published

9 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

A MAN recorded in court as having no fixed abode has appeared before magistrates charged with intentional strangulation and two further assault offences.

Michael Sudbury, 50, whose address was not read out in court, but in Herald records is Glan Hafan, Llangwm, appeared before the bench facing multiple charges.

The charges relate to an incident on 22 October 2025 and include:

Intentional strangulation, contrary to section 75A of the Serious Crime Act 2015
Common assault
Assault by beating

No further details of the alleged incident were opened in court, and no plea was entered at this stage.

Sudbury was remanded on conditional bail, with the case listed to return to magistrates later this month.

Crime

Haverfordwest man sent to Crown Court on multiple serious charges

Published

10 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

Defendant remanded in custody

A HAVERFORDWEST man has been sent to Swansea Crown Court to stand trial on a series of A 49-year-old Haverfordwest resident has been committed to Swansea Crown Court to face trial on multiple serious charges deemed too grave for magistrates to handle.

David Guy, of Market Street, Haverfordwest, appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates facing a series of allegations stemming from a single case. The charges, which were not detailed in open court, include:

Assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH)
A second count of assault
Criminal damage
An additional allegation of interpersonal violence
A public order offence

Magistrates declined jurisdiction, determining that the matters exceeded their sentencing powers, and sent the case in its entirety to Swansea Crown Court.

Guy was remanded in custody pending his next appearance. The court register notes: “Sent to Crown Court for trial in custody – next hearing at Swansea Crown Court.”

A date for the initial Crown Court hearing will be set administratively. Guy will remain in custody until then.

The Pembrokeshire Herald will provide further updates as the case progresses in the Crown Court.

Crime

Castlemartin man back before magistrates over multiple alleged assaults

Published

10 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

Defendant remanded on conditional bail ahead of further hearing

A CASTLEMARTIN man has appeared repeatedly before magistrates this month over a string A 40-year-old man from Castlemartin has made repeated appearances before magistrates this month in connection with a series of serious alleged offences, including assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH), intentional non-fatal strangulation, common assault, and criminal damage.

Anthony Alcock, of Pwll Street, Castlemartin, is facing six linked charges stemming from incidents said to have occurred earlier this year. These appear to relate to the same complainant in what is understood to be a single ongoing domestic abuse prosecution.

During recent administrative hearings at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court, Alcock did not enter pleas while matters of bail and case management were addressed.

Charges Include:

Assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH)
Intentional non-fatal strangulation
Common assault on a woman
Criminal damage in a domestic context
Additional assault allegations involving the same complainant
Breach of bail conditions

Alcock was initially granted conditional bail but was subsequently brought before the court on two occasions for alleged breaches. On those instances, magistrates remanded him in custody ahead of further hearings. He was later re-granted conditional bail, subject to strict conditions such as no contact with the complainant and exclusion from specified locations.

Magistrates have now declined jurisdiction, ruling that the case—particularly the more serious charges involving non-fatal strangulation—is too grave for summary trial. It has been committed to Swansea Crown Court for plea, trial, or sentencing.

No detailed evidence has been presented in open court at this preliminary stage. Alcock remains on conditional bail pending his next appearance at the Crown Court.