News

Reform attacks Plaid on spending and immigration ahead of Senedd poll

Published

7 seconds ago

April 12, 2026

Party claims Plaid’s plans would strain public finances and increase pressure on services, while rivals insist Wales needs a different approach for Wales

REFORM UK has stepped up its attack on Plaid Cymru ahead of the Senedd election, accusing the party of making unaffordable spending promises and warning that its approach to migration would place further pressure on already stretched public services.

The criticism comes as the election campaign intensifies before polling day on Thursday, May 7, with Reform seeking to draw a sharp dividing line between itself and Plaid on both the economy and immigration.

Reform candidate Llyr Powell said Plaid was offering “fantasy economics”, pointing to analysis from the Institute for Fiscal Studies which said the party’s manifesto contained important question marks over how some of its commitments would be funded. The IFS warned that, with the Welsh budget already expected to be under strain, delivering Plaid’s plans could mean deeper cuts to unprotected services or increases in devolved taxes.

Mr Powell said: “This is exactly the kind of politics people are fed up with — big promises, no plan. The independent experts are clear: Plaid’s numbers simply do not add up.

“Families across Wales are already struggling with the cost of living. The last thing they need is a government quietly hiking taxes to cover unfunded promises.”

Reform Wales leader Dan Thomas also attacked Plaid over migration, claiming the party’s stance would add to pressures on housing, schools and the NHS.

He said: “Here in Wales we have a health crisis, an education crisis and a housing crisis.

“The last thing we need is a surge in immigration adding further pressure on hospitals, schools and communities.

“Vote Reform on May 7 to stop Plaid’s immigration surge.”

Plaid Cymru, however, has presented its manifesto as a programme for “real hope for the future of Wales”, with Rhun ap Iorwerth saying the party is offering renewal, practical action and a new direction for the country.

The party’s platform focuses heavily on health, childcare, education and economic development, arguing that Wales needs new leadership, new energy and new ideas after years of Labour-led government.

On migration, the wider Welsh Government position has been that international recruitment remains necessary in some sectors. Ministers have previously said that while domestic skills investment remains vital, international recruitment is still an important part of workforce strategy in the short to medium term.

That means the issue is likely to become an increasingly prominent dividing line in the run-up to polling day, with Reform arguing for a tougher stance while Plaid and others continue to frame migration as part of a broader workforce and economic challenge facing Wales.

Community

Lauren Clewes begins trainee solicitor role at Eaton-Evans and Morris

Published

13 minutes ago

April 12, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Pembrokeshire law firm confirms internal promotion after Lauren joined the business as a paralegal in 2024

LAUREN CLEWES has been promoted to trainee solicitor at Eaton-Evans and Morris Solicitors.

Lauren joined the firm in 2024 as a paralegal, working first with Helen Hodges and later with Pauline Mainwaring. Over the coming months, she will work alongside the firm’s fee earners across all departments as part of her training.

Sean Dyer, one of the firm’s directors (pictured), offered his congratulations on her promotion.

News

Emergency response after person enters water at Milford Haven marina

Published

43 minutes ago

April 12, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Casualty recovered as police, coastguard and lifeboat crews attend

A MAJOR emergency response was launched at Milford Marina in Milford Haven on Sunday (Apr 12) after a person was reported to have entered the water.

Police, ambulance crews, HM Coastguard and lifeboat teams were called to the scene at Milford Docks shortly after 1:00pm.

The casualty was recovered from the water by emergency services. However, at the time of publication, their condition has not been confirmed.

Eyewitnesses described a significant multi-agency presence, with crews working together in a coordinated rescue operation.

The Herald understands that the incident prompted a rapid response from all emergency services in the area.

No further details have yet been released regarding the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Crime

Over 500 arrests at latest Palestine Action protest in London

Published

2 hours ago

April 12, 2026

Tom Sinclair

The Herald understands demonstrators from Pembrokeshire were among those in London as 523 people were detained at Trafalgar Square vigil

MORE than 500 people were arrested in Trafalgar Square on Saturday during a mass protest against the ban on Palestine Action, in what campaigners say has pushed the total number of arrests linked to the group’s proscription to more than 3,300 since July 2025.

The Herald understands that a number of those attending had travelled from Wales, including some protesters from Pembrokeshire.

The Metropolitan Police said 523 people were arrested during the demonstration, where protesters staged what organisers described as a silent vigil against the war in Gaza and the use of terrorism laws against pro-Palestinian activism.

Those detained were said to range in age from 18 to 87. Among those arrested was Robert Del Naja, the Massive Attack musician and artist, who was identified by national media as being among those detained during the protest.

The latest mass arrests come amid continuing legal and political controversy over the Government’s decision to proscribe Palestine Action under terrorism legislation.

The group was banned after activists broke into RAF Brize Norton in July 2025 and damaged military aircraft in protest at Britain’s support for Israel. The proscription came into force on July 5, 2025, making it a criminal offence to belong to the group or to express support for it.

However, in February this year, the High Court ruled that the ban was unlawful. Despite that decision, the proscription remains in force while the Government pursues an appeal, which is due to be heard later this month.

That legal uncertainty has fuelled criticism of the Metropolitan Police, which had initially indicated it would not arrest people simply for holding signs while the case remained unresolved. The force later reversed that position and resumed enforcement.

The handling of Saturday’s protest has drawn further scrutiny after former Metropolitan Police chief superintendent Dal Babu said the “optics” were “very challenging for the police” when faced with hundreds of peaceful demonstrators willing to be arrested.

Campaigners say the arrests raise serious questions about free speech, peaceful assembly and the practical enforcement of the law, particularly while the ban itself remains under appeal.

The protest was organised by Defend Our Juries, which said many of those detained were elderly or disabled and claimed the latest arrests showed the ban was becoming increasingly difficult to enforce consistently.

There was further controversy after reports that Devon and Cornwall Police did not make arrests at a similar protest in Truro on Friday, despite demonstrators there reportedly holding the same signs as those seen in London.

With the Court of Appeal due to hear the case on April 28 and 29, the latest arrests are likely to intensify pressure on both ministers and police over how far terrorism laws should be used in response to peaceful public protest.