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Politics

Greens denounce Osbourne’s policy to stop taxing polluters

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Greens123WE have heard the howls of pain as the Chancellor slashed welfare in the July budget, but more muted, but just as agonising is the pain felt by many as the Climate Change Levy on polluting companies is removed, the Green party said in a statement.

Pippa Bartolotti, Wales’ Green Party leader said “News of methane plumes and record ice melt in the Arctic should be worrying us. The physical evidence of climate change becomes more dramatic every year: forests retreating, animals moving north, glaciers melting, wildfire seasons getting longer, higher rates of droughts, floods, and storms – the list just keeps on growing.

“The displacement of 100million people in low lying countries should be top of the list in our concerns, yet the Tory government is expanding North Sea oil investment and riding roughshod over homeowner rights to frack yet more fossil fuels which will increase greenhouse gases at the very time we should be reducing them. Climate change will exacerbate human displacement in war zones and bring many more immigrants to our shores.

“If that is not enough, we already have 50 coastal communities in Wales abandoned by the Welsh Government to the rising seas. Householders who cannot get insurance, who will find it difficult to sell their houses, who wait in dread for the next winter gale, should be in our minds every day. It is time we helped these people, and the many who will sadly follow as a result of ever more biased decisions in favour of fossil fuel companies.”

Climate scientists have been ridiculed and hunted down by the fossil fuel lobby, yet in the face of a barrage of personal attacks, their message remains stark and clear. We are heading for in excess of 4 degrees of global warming.

Pippa Bartolotti added, “Climate change is a creeping sickness, and the most important issue of our times, but if we move to cut greenhouse gases, rebalance our economy towards waste reduction, and tax the biggest polluters, we could reduce emission by 70% in 2030.

A house built to passivhaus standards reduces fuel bills to a staggering £12 a year. Addressing climate change can be a win-win, taking us all out of fuel poverty, slashing bills and reducing pollution.

“There is a clear route for every country to take which will remove this terrible threat to our lives, and give other species a fighting chance for survival. There will not be social justice or anything else of value on an uninhabitable planet.”

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News

Andrew RT Davies resigns as Welsh Conservative leader after confidence vote

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ANDREW RT DAVIES has stepped down as leader of the Welsh Conservatives after narrowly surviving a confidence vote within his party.

In a letter announcing his resignation, Davies expressed regret, stating that his position had become “untenable” after some Members of the Senedd (MSs) threatened to resign from his frontbench if he remained in post.

The vote, held on Tuesday morning, saw Davies secure nine votes in support but faced opposition from seven MSs. Reflecting on the outcome, he said: “It was clear from the result that a substantial minority of the group do not support our approach.”

Davies has served as leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd for most of the past 13 years. His departure marks the end of a tenure defined by both challenges and significant contributions to the party in Wales.

Commenting on the resignation, Reform UK Wales Spokesman, Oliver Lewis said: “True to form, the Tories have turfed out another leader thinking that will resurrect their failing party. They care more about jousting for position than they do about serving Welsh people.

“It does not matter who they have as leader, the simple fact is they have failed in opposition just as they failed Wales in Government in Westminster for 14 years.

“The people of Wales want real change in 2026 and that is just what we plan to offer them. Wales needs Reform.”

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Politics

St Davids recycling centre saved but others to see hours cut

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CLOSURE-threated St Davids’ recycling centre is to stay open, while other facilities in the county ‘share the pain’ with a reduction in opening times to meet cost savings.

Members of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet, meeting on December 2, considered a range of money-saving options for the provision of recycling centres in the county, against a backdrop of a need to save £70,000 from the service, which included closing the St Davids centre.

Pembrokeshire currently operates six WRCs across the County; Crane Cross, Hermon, Manorowen, St David’s, Waterloo and Winsel, one of the highest levels of provision in Wales.

The council’s medium term financial plan identifies “a ‘most likely’ projected funding gap of £84.6m over the period 2024-25 to 2027-28,” with the council needing to deliver at least £70,000 of savings from the waste and recycling budget

Four options will be presented to Cabinet: no change, with the £70,000 coming from other areas of the service; the closure of St Davids netting the £70,000; its closure along with reductions in the amount of days at other centres to save £110,000; the final option being a reduction in the number of days all were open, but keeping St Davids running, saving the £70,000.

All four options were considered by the Policy and Pre-Decision Overview and Scrutiny Committee in November, where it was “acknowledged that the status quo could not continue and a requirement for change was accepted,” the committee favouring the fourth option, described as “sharing the pain,” which it recommended to Cabinet.

A complication for keeping St Davids open was a significant capital investment requirement for that site and Hermon, Cabinet members heard.

Despite concerns by Cabinet Member for Housing Cllr Michelle Bateman that she could not justify the costs, with the level of capital investment required, to keep St Davids open, fellow Cabinet member – and local councillor – Cllr Neil Prior proposed the option four was backed, supported by leader Cllr Jon Harvey.

Members, by six voted to two, backed the “sharing the pain” approach, which will  see a reduction in opening days across the county sites.

Posting on social media after the meeting, fellow local councillor Cllr Mark Carter welcomed the news “which means that St Davids WRC stays open for the foreseeable future with two opening days a week all year round,” adding: “All other WRC sites will lose one day per week. The remaining issue to be addressed at some point is the required upgrade work and where the funding will come from but for the time being St Davids WRC is safe.”

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Politics

Deputy First Minister stands with commitment to disqualify lying politicians

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THE DEPUTY First Minister reiterated a promise to introduce legislation disqualifying lying politicians amid concerns about vexatious complaints and politicisation of the courts.

Huw Irranca-Davies restated the pledge as he appeared before the Senedd’s standards committee to give evidence to an inquiry about accountability on December 2.

Labour’s Lee Waters questioned if the commitment, to a bill on disqualifying politicians found guilty of deception through an independent judicial process, will be kept by 2026.

Mr Irranca-Davies told the committee: “Come what may, that commitment stands.”

But he warned of practical complexity in disqualifying candidates and Senedd Members, raising further concerns about politicisation of the courts and vexatious complaints.

Mr Irranca-Daves said any new legislation would need to be cognisant of freedom of expression, under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

He stated proportionality will be the key test of compliance with human rights law.

The standards committee is weighing up recommendations including creating a criminal offence of deception, a civil offence, or strengthening the existing self-regulation system.

Mick Antoniw, a former minister who gave the initial commitment to legislation to avert defeat in a Senedd vote, argued the standards committee sits as a quasi-judicial body.

Senedd counsel general Mick Antoniw
Labour MS Mick Antoniw

But Plaid Cymru’s Adam Price disagreed, drawing a distinction between self-regulation and an independent judicial process through a tribunal or criminal court.

Jane Dodds, the Liberal Democrats’ leader in Wales, called for clarity on the timetable.

Mr Irranca-Davies reiterated the commitment to bringing a bill forward before the 2026 Senedd election, saying the Welsh Government has set aside a slot for the legislation.

Turning to parliamentary privilege, which affords MPs immunity from legal challenge, Mr Irranca-Davies said the precious principle allows politicians to speak freely.

In the Senedd, privilege is limited to defamation and contempt rather than absolute but moves are afoot to provide parity across the four nations.

“We have to make sure we don’t trespass on that essential right of parliamentarians to speak freely on behalf of their constituents and against injustice,” Mr Irranca-Davies said.

Calling for the standards process as a whole to be strengthened, he backed the introduction of a system of recall, which would allow voters to boot out Senedd Members between elections.

He said: “It is very important, we believe, as a point of principle where Members are found to have fallen well short of expected standards of behaviour that the electorate do have the opportunity to remove them.”

He described the triggers used in Westminster: a custodial sentence for 12 months or less, a suspension of at least ten days or an expenses offence conviction: as a useful starting point.

But the former MP said Wales could diverge, raising concerns a ten-day suspension could tie the committee’s hands and suggesting discretion for suspensions of 30 days or less.

Mr Irranca-Davies cautioned that bringing forward a bill before the next Senedd election would require “rapid manoeuvring”, with implications for the legislative programme.

From 2026, people will vote for parties rather than individuals as the Senedd ditches the first-past-the-post system in favour of a full form of proportional representation.

The next candidate on the political party’s list would be elected, with the public having no further say on who would replace a recalled Senedd Member.

Mr Irranca-Davies said: “The [Welsh] Government remains firmly of the view that there isn’t a form of by-election, that you would see under the first-past-the-post system, that would work within this new system. The fit isn’t there.”

He argued individuals rather than parties should be punished, warning recall could otherwise undermine the proportionality of the Senedd as decided at an election.

The Deputy First Minister advocated a simple yes-no public vote on whether a politician should stay in office following a recommendation of recall from the standards committee.

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