Politics
Party leader Wood criticised following Barcelona attacks
RIGHT of centre political parties in Wales have responded with outrage to a social media message from the leader of Plaid Cymru in the aftermath of the attacks in Barcelona last week.
Shortly after the attack, Leanne Wood posted a picture of the incident, accompanied by the comment: ‘Ofnadwy / terrible. Is this more far right terrorism? My thoughts are with all those affected’.
34 people were killed or injured in the attack on Las Ramblas on Thursday, and at the time of writing the suspected driver of the vehicle involved was still at large. Four people suspected of being connected to the attacks have been arrested, and a further seven killed.
While IS has claimed responsibility for the attacks, it is not currently known whether the perpetrators were members of the organisation, or influenced by it.
Ms Wood’s comment was seized on by a number of commentators. She posted a picture of some comments posted on Twitter, including one from ‘controversial’ Daily Mail columnist Katie Hopkins, who left her job at LBC through mutual consent after calling for a ‘final solution’ in the aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing.
A number of those who attacked the politician on Twitter included US-based users like ‘@cheezdog’ whose other posts included criticizing the non-existent leftwing organisation Antifa for their conduct at Charlottesville. Many of the other commentators appeared to be united by a dislike for Muslims; football, and a penchant for retweeting Tommy Robinson.
However, Welsh politicians, including the leaders of two parties, also criticised Ms Wood’s choice of words. Leader of the Welsh Conservatives Andrew RT Davies said it was ‘unbelievable’ Ms Wood had speculated it might be linked to a far-right group, while his colleague Janet Finch-Saunders called upon her to apologise or resign: “Politicising terror so fresh after an attack can never be acceptable, and only adds to the hysteria and toxicity of debate,” she claimed.
Ms Wood clarified her remarks, pointing out that IS was a right-wing ideology: “I am staggered by the reaction to the point that Isis and white supremacism both have far right ideologies driving them. Both see their group as superior to others. Both see people who are not in their group fair targets for abuse, violence and even death. Both hate minorities and consider women to be less than men. Both believe in using extreme violence to repress people with different views. This is far right/ fascism ideology. How can it not be?” she asked.
“I can see why this point may upset so many trolls and people who see themselves as being on the far right. The comparison links western racists and white supremacists to their number one hate target and shows them as no better than each other,” Ms Wood somewhat pointedly remarked. “Some of the responses to me making this point have crossed a line and so I will be relaxing my no blocking rule today.
“Events in Barcelona last night were terrifying, yet again. While it’s important, in my view, to say and keep saying that politics and ideology lie behind these acts of violence, my thoughts are first and foremost with the victims of last night’s horror.”
UKIP’s Senedd Leader Neil Hamilton also weighed in. The veteran politician claimed that because Ms Wood had described UKIP as being a far-right party, attributing this atrocity to the far-right was a calculated insult to UKIP and their 132,138 voters.
“Leanne Wood is clearly not fit for purpose. She is an embarrassment not only to Plaid Cymru but to the whole of Wales. When is Rhun ap Iorwerth going to have the courage of his convictions and spark a leadership contest?” he asked.
UKIP are widely described as a right wing populist party rather than as far-right. However, their MEP Mike Hookem quit as Brussel whip after Anne-Marie Waters, who founded pressure group Sharia Watch and who has called Islam a ‘killing machine’, was cleared to run in the leadership contest by the Ukip national executive committee. “If I were to continue in my position of deputy whip, I would be seen as supporting or at the very least turning a blind eye to extreme views and this is not something I am prepared to do,” he remarked.
Mr Hamilton’s belief that a Plaid Cymru leadership contest is imminent appears to be based on a comment by Rhun ap Iorwerth stating that should Ms Wood step down he would happily run for leader.
For some reason, though, commenting last week, the UKIP Wales leader appeared to dismiss Mr ap Iorwerth as a viable candidate, preferring ‘a red-blooded leader like Adam Price or Neil McEvoy, both of whom are very effective AMs, hungry to break the cosy Cardiff Bay consensus’.
“As a real nationalist party, UKIP will be pleased to work with Plaid Cymru to take Wales forward. We need to create an enterprise economy which will end our status as a beggar nation within the UK. Adam Price has seen a bit of the world and understands this. Neil McEvoy similarly never ceases to point out how Labour has utterly failed Wales’s working class,” he added.
It is not known how Mr Price and Mr McEvoy responded to this endorsement.
It is worth noting that other politicians agreed with Ms Wood’s assessment. Labour AM and Counsel General for Wales Mick Antoniw remarked: “Isis is a right wing extremist, fundamentalist ideology. Your description is right. There is nothing to apologise for.”
News
Pembrokeshire County Council invites public feedback on budget plans
PEMBROKESHIRE County Council is calling on residents to share their views on the upcoming budget as it faces significant financial pressures.
The consultation, open until January 5, aims to identify which services are most valued by the community and where savings could be made.
An update on the provisional funding settlement from the Welsh Government was presented to the full council last week. Councillor Joshua Beynon, Cabinet Member for Finance and Efficiencies, noted that while the 3.6% increase—equating to an additional £8.1 million—was more favourable than expected, it still leaves a funding gap of approximately £28.1 million.
Councillor Beynon said: “Difficult decisions lie ahead despite the improved settlement. We need to prioritise services that matter most to our residents.”
Detailed reports on the settlement’s impact and the projected funding shortfall will be discussed by the cabinet and scrutiny committees early next year, before being presented to the full council in February.
Residents can have their say by completing an online response form available on the council’s website. A budget modelling tool is also provided for public use.
Paper copies of the response form can be requested by calling 01437 764551 or emailing [email protected].
All responses must be submitted by January 5.
Education
Respite care facilities at Pembrokeshire school approved
PLANS for a respite care facility at Haverfordwest’s Portfield special school have been approved.
An application to Pembrokeshire County Council by Morgan Sindall Group, on behalf of Pembrokeshire County Council, sought permission for a three-bed respite unit for pupils aged between 16 and 19 years old.
Portfield School is an additional learning school for pupils aged three-19, and forms part of a broader network including Y Porth based at Ysgol y Preseli and Haverfordwest High VC School.
Portfield School is currently located in two buildings, one for primary school students, along with a secondary school building for key stages 3 to 4, and pupils aged 16-plus.
The proposed location of the respite care is where the existing lower school currently lies.
Demolition of the lower school was granted as part of a recently approved planning application for the wider site redevelopment, including a masterplan for the campus, the redevelopment of the new primary school building, refurbishment works to existing sixth form block and associated works.
A supporting statement by agent Asbri Planning said: “The proposed location of the respite care was marked out on the approved Site Masterplan as ‘proposed area for future development’. As Pembrokeshire County Council were unsure whether the funding would be available for the respite care, they decided not to include it within the scope of works for the main school application approved earlier this year. The funds have now become available which has allowed the application for a new respite care facility to be submitted to the Local Planning Authority.”
It added: “The respite care aims to conjure up a positive arrival experience for users by introducing an entrance courtyard, whilst enhancing links to nature where key vistas towards nature are considered. The users of the building will have full access to the communal areas and facilities.
“There will be no access for the general public, only the users of the building at that time. The unit will operate 24 hours a day all year round. Full-time care is to be provided and there will be staff available at all times for pupils.”
The application was conditionally approved by county planners.
Business
Derelict Cilgerran house to be transformed into cafe
PLANS by a village shop owner to convert a house “in a state of disrepair” to a café to “improve the variety of community facilities” locally have been given the go-ahead.
Mrs Morris, through agent Harries Planning Design Management, sought permission from Pembrokeshire County Council to convert The Old Post House, High Street, Cilgerran, currently a four-bed dwelling, to a ground floor café, along with a first-floor flat.
The application received five letters of support, saying it would provide local jobs, support the community, promote Welsh and local food, and provide a local community hub, with three letters of objection, raising concerns about parking and traffic, and potential odours from the premises.
A supporting statement, through the agent, said: “The proposed site is currently a dwellinghouse, in current need of modernisations and renovations throughout. The site is under the same ownership as the neighbouring village stores Siop Y Pentre,” saying the proposal “can be read as an extension to the existing Siop Y Pentre”.
“Siop Y Pentre is a thriving local community village shop which acts as a village hub. The shop provides local residents with day-to-day necessities, with a focus on local, sustainable and minimal waste products,” the statement says, adding the dwelling it seeks to convert “is in disrepair and in need of internal works to make suitable for modern living”.
It went on to say: “The proposed café seeks to retain its focus on local and seasonal produce with minimal waste and would provide a welcomed opportunity for socialising, especially during the daytime. The café will also seek to employ local staff retaining a community feel throughout. As such, the principle of the café adjacent to the existing village store is considered acceptable. The site seeks to encourage a sustainable community, with development of an appropriate scale and nature.
“Further to this, the location of the development is within the settlement boundary and seeks to fulfil a need for day-time socialising environments currently lacking within Cilgerran.”
The application was conditionally approved by county planners.
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