News

Stephen Crabb MP appointed as the new work and pensions secretary

Published

10 years ago

March 19, 2016

PEMBROKESHIRE MP Stephen Crabb has been appointed as the new work and pensions secretary, after Iain Duncan Smith resigned on Friday.

Mr Duncan Smith had said in his resignation letter that the latest cuts planned to disability benefit were “not defensible” in a Budget that benefited higher-earning taxpayers.

The Prime Minister, David Cameron, said he was “puzzled and disappointed” that Mr Duncan Smith had decided to go when the policies had been “collectively agreed”.

Vale of Glamorgan MP Alun Cairns has been appointed as new Welsh Secretary.

In his Budget on Wednesday, Chancellor George Osborne had said the government promised to spend an extra £1bn on the disabled, but changes to disability benefit announced a few days earlier in fact suggested that the government is aiming to save £4.4bn by 2020-21.

Mr Crabb, age 43, has represented Preseli Pembrokeshire constituency since May 2005.

Mr Crabb had been the Welsh Secretary since July 2014. He was credited with building bridges between the Westminster and Cardiff Bay in his first months in office. That relationship has recently soured following a bitter General Election campaign in which Tory propaganda targeted the Welsh Labour Government and the abject failure of Mr Crabb to progress The Wales Bill, which will now be taken up by his successor.

Last week his office was sprayed graffiti saying “Why do u hate the sick” after the MP voted with the government for the disability cuts.

The patron of MENCAP Pembrokeshire will now take responsibility for the Government’s policy to reduce welfare payments to the poor, vulnerable, and disabled.

Mr Crabb, a former pupil at Tasker-Milward school, who has made much of his origins growing up in a council house in Haverfordwest, is likely to be regarded as ‘a safe pair of hands’ and much less likely to rock the boat than his predecessor in post. Mr Crabb is also a supporter of the UK’s membership of the European Union, whereas Mr Duncan Smith is a noted and notable member of the Leave campaign.

Related Topics:

Up Next

Dale: Tragic Paddy Dear, 16, was popular, very friendly and caring young man

Don't Miss

Narberth: David Bodfish denies rape at Swansea Crown Court

4 Comments

chizy

March 19, 2016 at 11:09 am

Patron of MENCAP Pembrokeshire. Really?
Well that’s one unpaid,photo opportunity that has to go. Conflict of interest I’ll wager.
Love the last paragraph, speaks volumes.
seren

March 19, 2016 at 12:39 pm

Stephen Crabb. RESIGN as Mencap Patron Pembs immediately. Voted for disabled to lose £30 a week ESA.
3,276
of 4,000 signatures
Pembrokeshire
Campaign Facebook Page
FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL
TO: STEPHEN CRABB MP

Stephen Crabb, MP for Preseli Pembrokeshire and Secretary of State for Wales, we the undersigned demand that you resign your post as Patron of Pembrokeshire Mencap with immediate effect. Your recent vote in the House of Commons for disabled people to lose £30 per week of Employment Support Allowance (ESA) shows that you have absolutely no compassion or understanding for the needs of our most vulnerable and disabled members of society. You should hang your head in shame. As citizens of Pembrokeshire and elsewhere we feel that it is highly inappropriate that you continue as a patron for Mencap after voting for such inhumane and damaging cuts to ESA. Cuts that will cause further suffering, poverty and desperation for disabled people and increase the already horrific effect that your Government’s cruel policies are having on our society.

Why is this important?

Stephen Crabb thinks that disabled people should suffer under his Government, lets force him to resign as Patron of Mencap in Pembrokeshire.
denise clendinning

March 19, 2016 at 12:58 pm

Well he has a hard time ahead of him same job different hatchet man.
tomos

March 20, 2016 at 4:27 pm

seren wrote:

Stephen Crabb. RESIGN as Mencap Patron Pembs immediately. Voted for disabled to lose £30 a week ESA.
3,276
of 4,000 signatures
Pembrokeshire
Campaign Facebook Page
FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL
TO: STEPHEN CRABB MP

Stephen Crabb, MP for Preseli Pembrokeshire and Secretary of State for Wales, we the undersigned demand that you resign your post as Patron of Pembrokeshire Mencap with immediate effect. Your recent vote in the House of Commons for disabled people to lose £30 per week of Employment Support Allowance (ESA) shows that you have absolutely no compassion or understanding for the needs of our most vulnerable and disabled members of society. You should hang your head in shame. As citizens of Pembrokeshire and elsewhere we feel that it is highly inappropriate that you continue as a patron for Mencap after voting for such inhumane and damaging cuts to ESA. Cuts that will cause further suffering, poverty and desperation for disabled people and increase the already horrific effect that your Government’s cruel policies are having on our society.

Why is this important?

Stephen Crabb thinks that disabled people should suffer under his Government, lets force him to resign as Patron of Mencap in Pembrokeshire.

Over 9,000 at the moment – hope he’s looking for another job for when he loses his seat

News

Pembroke Dock man sent to Crown Court over alleged ABH assault

Published

10 hours ago

December 15, 2025

Court Reporter

Charge relates to incident in the town last weekend

A PEMBROKE DOCK man has been sent to the Crown Court for trial after appearing before magistrates accused of assault causing actual bodily harm.

Darren Markes, aged 47, of High Street, Pembroke Dock, appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Dec 15).

The court heard that Markes is charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm, contrary to the Offences Against the Person Act.

The charge relates to an alleged incident on Friday (Dec 13) in Pembroke Dock, when it is alleged that Markes assaulted a woman, causing her actual bodily harm.

No plea was entered at the hearing.

Due to the seriousness of the allegation, magistrates declined jurisdiction and ordered that the case be sent to the Crown Court for trial under the Crime and Disorder Act.

Markes was remanded on conditional bail. Conditions include:

Not contacting a witness, directly or indirectly
Reporting to Pembroke Dock police station every Wednesday between 12:00pm and 2:00pm
Living and sleeping each night at his home address

He is due to appear at Swansea Crown Court on Thursday (Jan 16) at 9:30am for a plea and trial preparation hearing.

Crime

Aberystwyth man denies criminal damage charge over Cardigan gallery window

Published

10 hours ago

December 15, 2025

Court Reporter

Alleged incident said to have taken place on Bridge Street

AN ABERYSTWYTH man has denied a charge of criminal damage relating to an alleged incident in Cardigan.

Ricky Myers, aged 27, of Jasper House, Aberystwyth, appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Dec 15).

The court heard that Myers is accused of criminal damage to property valued under £5,000, contrary to the Criminal Damage Act 1971.

The charge relates to an incident on Saturday (Aug 24, 2024) at Manchester House on Bridge Street, Cardigan, where it is alleged that a window at the Cardigan Gallery was damaged. The property is said to belong to Peter Austin.

Myers pleaded not guilty to the allegation.

Magistrates adjourned the case for further case management, and Myers was remanded on conditional bail, with a condition that he live and sleep each night at his home address.

He is due to return to court at Aberystwyth Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (Dec 17) at 2:00pm.

Crime

Pembroke Dock man remanded in custody ahead of sentencing on string of offences

Published

11 hours ago

December 15, 2025

Court Reporter

Harassment charge and three assaults among cases listed for Llanelli court

A PEMBROKE DOCK man has been remanded in custody ahead of sentencing after admitting a series of offences, including harassment and assaults.

Tony Brundrett, aged 21, of Kavanagh Court, Pembroke Dock, appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Dec 15).

The court heard Brundrett has pleaded guilty to harassment without violence, contrary to the Protection from Harassment Act. The charge alleges that between Tuesday (Sep 17) and Thursday (Oct 31) at Spring View, Pembroke Dock, he pursued a course of conduct amounting to harassment of a female, including attending her home address and contacting her by text message.

He has also admitted assault by beating against the same female, alleged to have taken place on Wednesday (May 21) at Spring View, Pembroke Dock, and a further assault by beating against a second female on Thursday (Oct 30), also at Spring View.

Magistrates were additionally told that Brundrett faces a further allegation of common assault against a third female, said to have occurred on Tuesday (Dec 9) at Kavanagh Court, Pembroke Dock. No plea was recorded to that matter in the register entry.

Brundrett has also pleaded guilty to a number of offences linked to an incident in Haverfordwest on Saturday (Nov 16). These include:

Aggravated vehicle taking, involving a Vauxhall Corsa, with damage caused before recovery
Using a motor vehicle without insurance
Driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence
Criminal damage, involving a window belonging to Pembrokeshire County Council

He was remanded in custody, with the next hearing listed at Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (Dec 31) at 10:00am.