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Election hopefuls battle it out

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CONSERVATIVE candidate Simon Hart was the only representative of the country’s last coalition government to attend an all-

Delyth Evans talking to PPF member Andy Martin

Delyth Evans talking to PPF member Andy Martin

Pembrokeshire day of hustings on Friday (Apr 17).

The morning session saw Stephen Crabb and Nick Tregoning pleaded other commitments, while in the South Pembrokeshire and Carmarthen West hustings, Liberal Democrat ‘challenger’ Selwyn Runnett joined Plaid Cymru’s Elwyn Williams and John Atkinson of UKIP on the absentee list.

However, as the seat has been something of a two-horse race between red and blue since 1997, it could be argued that the presence of Mr Hart, along with Labour candidate Delyth Evans, allowed people to see the contrast between different probable futures for the constituency. The Green Party’s Gary Tapley, attending the second hustings of his political career, was also in attendance.

The event, held in the Albany Hall, Haverfordwest, was organised by Pembrokeshire People First, a charity set up to enable and empower people with learning disabilities. PPF coordinator Karen Chandler started the ball rolling with a brief summary of what the group have achieved, before introducing the candidates.

Many of the questions asked referred directly to changes in the country’s benefit system over the last five years. In response to a question which pointed out that under changes to the Disability Living Allowance 1 in 5 people may not be able to live independently any more, Mr Hart stated that the policy was not designed to make people miss out, and blamed delays in processing, as well as less-than-perfect communication. “Nobody in this room who needs support should fall foul of the system,” he added.

Ms Evans said that when dealing with vulnerable people it was ‘more important to get things right,’ and added that one of the priorities for a Labour government would be ‘clearing the backlog’ of claims waiting to be processed ‘so people know where they stand.’ She also criticised the negative language used to describe recipients of benefits. Mr Tapley disagreed with the use of private companies ‘with targets to meet’ for assessments.

Mr Hart was also the only candidate across two constituencies who spoke out in favour of the ‘bedroom tax’ on the day, saying that he had witnessed extreme levels of overcrowding in council accommodation due to a shortage of available properties.  His assertion that discretionary payments could be made by the local council to make up the shortfall was challenged by Ms Chandler, who pointed out that in Pembrokeshire those payments were only issued for a maximum of 6 months.

Ms Evans said that the Labour party promised to scrap the tax. “It penalises people who can’t help their situation and hasn’t solved the problem,” she said. Mr Tapley concurred, saying that it was ‘awful to mess with things without a solution in place’.

The Herald spoke to Sophie Hinksman, co-chair of the Learning Disability Advisory Group after the hustings: “I can understand Simon Hart’s point about overcrowding,” she said, “but the bedroom tax should be scrapped. It’s a bad idea, and it’s not fair to everyone.”

Another issue that PPF members felt strongly about was the Human Rights Act.  In response to a question from Chairman Jeremy DeWilton regarding their promises to protect the act, Mr Hart claimed that it had ‘run its natural course’, and should be replaced by a Bill of Rights.  “The Human Rights Act has been used by lawyers to protect the undeserving,” he added.

Ms Evans pointed out that the last Labour government had signed the UN Charter of Rights, and that her party had no plans to alter the act.  “It is more important to make sure that it is put into practice – to make sure organisations like the County Council understand you have human rights,” she added.

Mr Tapley, whose face bore the expression of a schoolboy who has turned up at his science lesson with meticulously completed art homework, admitted that he was unsure of the party stance on the issue, but said that personally he was in favour of keeping the act. “People focus too much on what a few bad people do, rather than what it is for,” he said, and looked relieved when he was told that maintaining the Human Rights Act was in the Green Party manifesto.

In response to a question from vice chairman Ed Lewis asking ‘how can we trust you to do the things you say you will do?’ Mr Tapley was more forthright. “I keep my word – that’s who I am.  Doing this won’t change me, if I’m voted in my duty is to you,” he declared.

Describing trust as ‘very important,’ Ms Evans said that the current lack of trust in politicians saddened her.  “Most politicians are not liars,” she commented, before saying: “I try not to say things I don’t think I can do.”

Mr Hart agreed with the low public opinion regarding politicians. “They seem to be ranked with estate agents and journalists,” he joked. This remark, hopefully not a slur on Lib Dem candidate Mr Runnett, led me to wonder where the estate agent connection came in.  Surely not the ubiquitous identical signs scattered across the south county?

Further questions were addressed to Ms Evans and Mr Tapley, after Mr Hart was forced to leave early.

The Herald spoke to the chair of PPF afterwards. Mr DeWilton said that he was impressed by the way candidates answered the group’s question: “Hopefully they’ll stick to what they said they want to do,” he said.

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Crime

Pembrokeshire businessman sentenced for £150,000 Covid loan fraud

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Director lied on three loan applications after already receiving funds

A PEMBROKESHIRE businessman who fraudulently claimed £150,000 in Bounce Back Loans during the Covid-19 pandemic has been handed a suspended prison sentence.

ZAHID AFZAL, aged 37, of Albert Street, Haverfordwest, was sentenced at Swansea Crown Court on Thursday (June 12) to two years in prison, suspended for two years. He was also ordered to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work.

Afzal, the director of mobile phone businesses Phone Bits Ltd and Phones Onn Ltd, had already received £52,500 in legitimate Covid loans when he applied for a further three loans—one for Phone Bits and two for Phones Onn—between May and November 2020.

The court heard that Afzal lied on each of the second-round applications, claiming they were the first he had made and exaggerating the turnover of the businesses. Each loan was for £50,000—the maximum permitted under the government-backed Bounce Back Loan Scheme.

The Insolvency Service, which investigated the case, found that the majority of the £150,000 Afzal fraudulently secured was transferred to his personal accounts, in breach of the loan scheme’s conditions.

David Snasdell, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, said: “It is clear from our investigations that Zahid Afzal felt he could continue to apply time and time again for loans he was not entitled to. His sentencing should serve as a reminder to those contemplating fraudulently pocketing taxpayers’ money to think again.”

Afzal’s companies operated phone shops and kiosks in Carmarthen, Shropshire, Andover, and North Devon. The Insolvency Service confirmed that no wrongdoing was found in relation to the original £20,000 and £32,500 loans he obtained for Phones Onn Ltd and Phone Bits Ltd respectively.

The government’s Bounce Back Loan Scheme was introduced to support small and medium-sized businesses during the pandemic, offering loans of up to £50,000 at low interest, guaranteed by the Government. Loans were strictly intended for business use only.

The Insolvency Service has confirmed it is now seeking to recover the £150,000 under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

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Crime

Police investigate ‘threats to kill’ at Milford Haven home

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Financial dispute believed to be behind incident on Marble Hall Road

POLICE were called to a property in Milford Haven this week after reports that persons were threatening to kill the occupant.

The incident, which took place on Wednesday (June 11), led to a visible police presence at an address on Marble Hall Road. Dyfed-Powys Police have confirmed that officers are investigating.

In a statement, a police spokesperson said: “Officers are investigating a report of threats to kill made at a property on Marble Hall Road, Milford Haven, on Wednesday 11 June. Enquiries are ongoing.”

The Herald understands the incident may be linked to a financial dispute over money owed, although this has not been officially confirmed by police.

No arrests have been announced at this stage.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Dyfed-Powys Police online or by calling 101.

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Crime

Two arrested following affray near Milford Marina

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TWO people were arrested on Friday evening (June 6) following a disturbance reported on Pill Road in Milford Haven.

Dyfed-Powys Police confirmed that officers responded to a report of an affray at around 7:45pm. A man aged 30 and a woman aged 28 were arrested near Milford Marina shortly afterwards. Both have since been released on police bail.

Police clarified that, contrary to some rumours circulating locally, no drugs raid took place in connection with the incident.

The Herald understands that the arrests followed a confrontation involving multiple individuals, but police have not released further details, including the identities of those arrested.

A spokesperson for Dyfed-Powys Police said: “Dyfed-Powys Police attended to a report of an affray on Pill Road, Milford Haven at around 7.45pm on Friday 6 June. One man, aged 30, and one woman, aged 28, were arrested on suspicion of affray and have been released on police bail.”

Enquiries into the incident are ongoing.

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