A POLITICAL row has erupted after Senedd minister Julie James told Members that a separate Welsh legal jurisdiction is “inevitably developing”.

The Minister for Climate Change made the remarks during a plenary session on Tuesday (Nov 11), saying that as more laws are passed in Wales, they are becoming increasingly distinct from those in England.

“A separate Welsh legal jurisdiction is inevitably developing,” Ms James said. “The more laws we make in this place, the more separate they become from the England jurisdiction. Regardless of whether you view it as a separate legal jurisdiction, a separate body of law is growing up in Wales, and lawyers need to be cognisant of that.”

She said she had discussed the issue with the Lady Chief Justice and other senior judges to ensure the developing body of Welsh law is “properly adjudicated”.

Conservative criticism

Her comments drew a sharp response from South Wales Central MS Andrew RT Davies, who accused Labour and Plaid Cymru of using Senedd reform as “a step towards separatism”.

“Plaid and Labour’s plans to spend £120 million on 36 more politicians and a bigger Senedd are rooted in corrosive separatism,” he said.
“The minister’s comments give the game away about their salami-slice approach to breaking our nation apart. Scrap Senedd expansion and fund our NHS.”

Wider debate

Plans to expand the Senedd from 60 to 96 Members have been jointly backed by Labour and Plaid Cymru under their co-operation agreement. Supporters say the change will improve scrutiny and strengthen Welsh democracy.

Opponents, including the Conservatives, argue the cost—estimated at around £120 million over the next decade—cannot be justified during a period of pressure on public services.

The discussion over whether Wales should eventually have its own legal jurisdiction has been ongoing for more than a decade, as devolved law increasingly diverges from that of England.

A CALL to convert an isolated  former chapel, that “has withstood Atlantic gales and bleak, Pembrokeshire winters” for some 180 years, to a home and studio has been approved.

In an application to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Cathy Fisher, through agent KDJA, sought permission for a change of use of the former Rehoboth Chapel, near Square and Compass, Mathry to a mixed residential and studio/work use.

An officer report recommending approval said: “Rehoboth Chapel lies, surrounded by its graveyard, on the narrow minor road that links the small settlements of Mathry and Square and Compass.

“The chapel’s isolated position in the wild and rugged coastal landscape, makes it a prominent and iconic feature of the area – a well-loved building that has withstood Atlantic gales and bleak, Pembrokeshire winters to serve its dispersed, rural community for 180 years, until the end of its life as a chapel in 2021.”

It went on to say: “The current applicants purchased Rehoboth in May 2023. The Chapel had ceased to be used for its original purpose in June 2021 and the property was marketed in February 2022,” adding: “Although the building is not listed by Cadw, Rehoboth Congregational Chapel has significant historical value alongside its landscape value and its local importance, having served its community for 180 years.”

It said pre-application advice said there was a need to demonstrate that the chapel was no longer required and that a marketing exercise would need to be undertaken to sell it; the chapel placed on the open market from February 2022 and purchased by current applicants in May 2023.

“No alternative community uses were proposed during the marketing period. It is considered that the chapel was available on the market for an acceptable period of time and that as no alternative community uses have been proposed,” the report said.

The application includes a unilateral undertaking, for affordable housing, of some £23,450.

The report finished: “Overall, subject to appropriate conditions, the proposed scheme is considered to be acceptable in terms of scale, form, use and design.

“The development will not cause an unacceptably detrimental impact to the special qualities of the National Park. It is not considered that the development will cause an unacceptable impact on the privacy or amenity of neighbouring properties.”

The application was conditionally approved by national park planners.

REFORM UK leader Nigel Farage has accused BBC Wales of being “infected with left-wing bias” — comments that add fresh fuel to the storm engulfing the broadcaster following the resignations of Director General Tim Davie and News chief Deborah Turness.

Farage’s criticism centres on Rhuanedd Richards, the BBC’s interim Nations Director, who previously served as chief executive of Plaid Cymru and as a special adviser during the Labour–Plaid “One Wales” coalition government.

According to the BBC’s website, Richards earns between £190,000 and £194,999 per year in her current role overseeing the corporation’s national output across Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the English regions.

Farage told supporters: “Rhuanedd Richards was the chief executive of Plaid. She worked during the Labour–Plaid coalition for the Government of Wales. She’s now a director of BBC Wales, on just over £190,000 a year. There is living proof that, right the way through to the top, the BBC is infected with left-wing bias.”

The BBC declined to comment directly on his remarks but has repeatedly denied institutional bias. Outgoing news chief Deborah Turness said earlier this week: “Our journalists aren’t corrupt — they’re hardworking people who strive for impartiality.”

Political theatre or deeper problem?

Farage’s comments come less than 24 hours after The Pembrokeshire Herald’s opinion piece on BBC bias went viral, reaching more than 89,000 views and getting 2,600 likes. That article argued that the real issue isn’t one flawed Trump edit — it’s the political culture that uses “bias” as a weapon to discredit journalism.

Farage’s intervention fits that pattern. His attack on Richards — a respected Welsh broadcaster with a long BBC career both before and after her time in politics — blurs the line between legitimate scrutiny and political point-scoring.

Supporters of Richards note that her appointment followed standard BBC governance procedures and that previous political experience does not automatically equate to editorial bias. She began her career as a BBC Wales journalist and political correspondent before moving into party work and later returning to broadcasting.

The irony: BBC caught its own error

Amid the noise, one fact has been largely overlooked — the controversial Trump edit was identified by the BBC’s own internal checks. The broadcaster’s review system flagged the mistake, demonstrating that its mechanisms for accountability do, in fact, work.

Where next for the BBC?

With senior leadership in flux, the corporation faces intense scrutiny from all sides — government, Reform UK, and commercial rivals keen to weaken its public-service model.

Yet the bigger question remains: without a strong, independent BBC — and without a thriving local press to nurture the next generation of reporters — who will defend factual, balanced journalism in Britain?

In the end, the loudest cries of “bias” may come from those who fear impartial reporting the most.