Politics
Trade Union bill ‘interferes with devolved matters’

Jonathan Edwards: ‘The UK government has made no attempt to consider the bill impacts in Wales’
PLAID CYMRU MP Jonathan Edwards has accused the government of ‘crippling’ the Trade Union movement and ‘interfering’ on devolved matters, ahead of the Trade Union Bill’s Second Reading in the House of Lords on Monday evening.
The Carmarthen East and Dinefwr MP will address a rally outside Parliament to assert Plaid Cymru’s opposition to the Bill and reaffirm the party’s commitment to vote down any attempts to attack the basic rights of Welsh workers. Plaid Cymru MPs voted against the Bill at the third reading in Parliament in November, when the party called for Wales to be excluded from the Bill, citing its content as a ‘direct attack on working people’s rights’ and an ‘intrusion’ on the National Assembly’s devolved powers.
Mr Edwards will be joined by representatives from NAPO, the NUT, BFAW, with cross-party support from Green Party MP Caroline Lucas and the SNP’s Chris Stephens. Speaking ahead of the rally, Jonathan Edwards MP said: “The UK has some of the most prohibitive Trade Union laws in the West, yet the Tories are intent on weakening the basic rights of millions of workers, tightening the ability of trade unions to take industrial action and effectively holding workers to ransom.
“There is a clear mandate for Wales to be removed from the bill. The UK government has made no attempt to consider the bill impacts in Wales and in particular, on our public services. “Westminster’s attempts at railroading this regressive Bill will only serve to strengthen Plaid Cymru’s call to devolve responsibility for employment law from Westminster to the National Assembly. That is the only way to protect the rights of Welsh workers from these punitive and brutal measures. “Plaid Cymru will continue to push hard for the UK Government to seek Welsh Government consent before the most contentious parts of the Bill can take effect in relation to devolved matters such as Health, Education and Local Government.”
Politics
Dowson dissents on new CEO

A PEMBROKESHIRE county councillor has come forward to oppose the appointment of the authority’s new Chief Executive despite not voting against it when an Extraordinary Meeting of the Council considered.
Controversial Pembroke Dock Central county councillor Paul Dowson issued a press release in which he said that the new CEO had ‘no track record’ in the role.
Last Wednesday (March 31) Pembrokeshire County Council overwhelmingly voted in favour of Major-General Will Bramble’s appointment.
Councillors voted 48 votes for with two abstentions and one against.
Milford Central councillor Stephen Joseph’s was the sole vote against the appointment.
Cllr Joseph is a noted booster of former CEO Ian Westley, whose departure with a £95,000 pay-off caused controversy.
An Audit Wales investigation into the circumstances surrounding Mr Westley’s pay-off is due to report within a few weeks.
Major-General Bramble is currently the Senior British Officer in Italy and Deputy Commander of the NATO Corps in Italy.
His track record was not enough to impress Cllr Dowson, however.
Cllr Dowson said: “He has no experience in a local authority having spent his career entirely in the military.
“I felt that the massive responsibility that comes with this role and the salary level requires more than just one candidate at final stages.
“Cllrs Josh Beynon and Di Clements both stated, ‘give him a chance”.
“I’m afraid at this level you don’t give someone a chance,especially one with no track record in the job.
“He was a very good candidate but I’m not prepared to make a decision on an option already chosen by the senior staff committee and presented to the full council for approval.
“The candidate was strong but the post should have been readvertised and he should have been put forward for the final round when others were competing for the job too.”
Politics
Criticism of Labour’s water pollution policy grow

RIGHT OBJECTIVE WRONG METHOD
Fraser McAuley, CLA Policy Advisor, said: “The Government’s laudable objectives can be better met by an approach which focuses attention where it’s most needed. Where a problem doesn’t exist, we should not be imposing unnecessary costs on a hard-pressed sector in a future of uncertainty.
WG HASN’T LISTENED TO THE SCIENCE
Janet Finch-Saunder said: “CLA Cymru is bang on the money here over Labour’s unfair stance on nitrate vulnerable zones (NVZ).
‘CULTURE WAR’
Carmarthen East & Dinefwr’s MP, Jonathan Edwards, went further and accused the Welsh Government of stoking a ‘culture war’ between farmers and the environmental lobby for electoral advantage.
“The Labour Government have also failed to consider the emergence of innovative slurry management technology.
UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES
Plaid Cymru’s candidate for Preseli Pembrokeshire, Cris Tomos, said: “It is concerning that the Labour Welsh Government continues to ignore farmers and the farming unions.
“These regulations could be detrimental to the farming community, especially to the Welsh family farm.
A TIGHT TIMETABLE
If Labour intends to plough on with its legislation, it really has to get its skates on.
‘GREEN’ CREDENTIALS
Having promised a Clean Air Act for Wales in its 2016 manifesto, it is nowhere near bringing any such legislation forward. It appears it’s more in the presentation and consultation than in the statute book.
As Jonathan Edwards notes above: you’d think there was an election coming.
Suppose Labour cannot form a majority government propped up by votes from individuals like Dafydd Elis Thomas. In that case, it will need to haggle over its future plans or face legislative deadlock.
Education
Senedd approves Wales’ National Curriculum

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