News
Stephen Crabb MP appointed as the new work and pensions secretary
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.
Community
Tractor run lights up Pembrokeshire and raises funds for charity
THE PEMBROKESHIRE ILLUMINATED TRACTOR RUN took place today (Dec 21), raising funds for two vital charities: the Catrin Vaughan Foundation and Wales Air Ambulance.
Starting at Clarbeston Road AFC at 6:00pm, the brightly lit convoy of nearly 200 tractors made its way through Withybush Hospital and Haverfordwest High Street before finishing at the Pembrokeshire County Showground.
The annual event has become a highlight of the festive calendar, drawing large crowds to witness the spectacle of tractors adorned with colourful lights and decorations.
Funds raised from the event will support the Catrin Vaughan Foundation, which provides crucial assistance to families facing hardship, and the Wales Air Ambulance, delivering life-saving emergency medical care across the region.
Organisers praised the dedication of local farmers and volunteers, whose commitment ensures the event’s continued success year after year.
(Image: Nia Marshall/Facebook)
Business
Ferry Terminal ‘extremely busy’ due to ongoing Holyhead closure
PEMBROKE DOCK Ferry Terminal has been experiencing significant congestion today as ferry services remain under immense pressure following the closure of Holyhead Port earlier this month.
The disruption, caused by storm damage, has rerouted ferry traffic through Pembrokeshire, leading to long queues and crowded facilities at the terminal.
The Herald can confirm that it has been very busy today with cars, lorries, and foot passengers queuing in large numbers. Staff are working tirelessly to manage the influx, directing vehicles and assisting passengers as they prepare to board the heavily booked ferries.
A spokesperson for the Port of Milford Haven said: “We are working closely with ferry operators and local authorities to ensure traffic flows as smoothly as possible, but the sheer volume of vehicles is causing unavoidable delays.”
Travelers are being urged to arrive early for their sailings and to remain patient as the terminal operates at full capacity.
Both Stena Line and Irish Ferries have increased capacity on their Pembrokeshire routes, deploying larger vessels, including the Stena Adventurer and the MV James Joyce, to handle the surge in demand.
From our position at the terminal, our photographer has captured photos showing long lines of vehicles, groups of foot passengers carrying luggage, and port staff coordinating efforts to ease congestion.
Authorities are advising non-essential travelers to consider rescheduling their journeys where possible and to monitor updates from ferry operators closely.
(Photos: Martin Cavaney/Herald)
Community
Festive celebrations at St Davids Cathedral this weekend
ST DAVIDS Cathedral is set to host two special events on Sunday (Dec 22), offering a blend of joyful participation and traditional carol singing to mark the Christmas season.
In the morning, families are invited to the Scratch Nativity at 11:00am. Attendees are encouraged to come dressed as wise men, angels, sheep, or shepherds and take part in an unrehearsed retelling of the Christmas story. Canon Leigh described the event as: “Complete, wonderful chaos for an hour… but with some poignant, thought-provoking moments to centre ourselves on the real meaning of Christmas.”
Later in the evening, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols by Candlelight will take place at 7:00pm, featuring the Cathedral Choir. The event, steeped in tradition, will see the cathedral bathed in candlelight as carols and scripture readings fill the historic space.
Doors will open at 5:45pm for those seeking unreserved seating, and a large turnout is expected for this beloved Christmas celebration.
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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:
Over 9,000 at the moment – hope he’s looking for another job for when he loses his seat