News
Invasion of Ukraine and spiralling energy costs steer Chancellor’s Spring Statement
THE CHANCELLOR, Rishi Sunak, has warned the invasion of Ukraine “presents a risk to our recovery” as he promised to provide “security for working families” with a new “Tax Plan” at the Spring Statement.
The Chancellor explained his desire to offer people “security”. He said: “We will confront this challenge to our values not just in the arms and resources we send to Ukraine but in strengthening our economy here at home.
“So, when I talk about security, yes – I mean responding to the war in Ukraine.
“But I also mean the security of a faster growing economy.
“The security of more resilient public finances.
“And security for working families as we help with the cost of living.
Preseli Pembrokeshire MP, Stephen Crabb said: “I have consistently argued that fuel tax is too high for rural communities like Pembrokeshire. The Chancellor’s landmark decision to cut Fuel Duty by 5 pence will be welcomed by the thousands of individuals and businesses across our County who rely on road transport. The big increase in the threshold for paying National Insurance Contributions to £12, 570 is another good measure which will benefit many people on lower incomes.”
“When compared to the rest of the country, Wales has a significantly higher proportion of poorly insulated homes. Abolishing the tax on insulation and other energy-saving measures is a really practical way to help more people cut their energy costs and stay warm. Improving home insulation is one of the quickest ways to help shield people from high gas prices.”
“Overall today’s package makes a strong start in tackling the cost of living crisis. I suspect the Chancellor may need to bring forward further measures in due course depending on how long the surge in energy prices continues. I will keep making the case for practical steps that make a real difference for people in Pembrokeshire, especially those on the lowest incomes.”
ENERGY COSTS
Sunak says he is announcing three measures to help with energy costs.
Fuel duty is being cut by 5p a litre, Sunak says.
He says this is the biggest cut to fuel duty ever. It will be in place until March next year.
It is worth more than £5bn.
And it will take effect from 6pm
VAT CUT ON ENERGY SAVING DEVICES
Sunak says VAT being cut to zero on energy saving devices, such as solar panels.
This could cut the cost of having a solar panel installed by £1,000.
NATIONAL INSURANCE THRESHOLD
Sunak said that the national insurance threshold was due to go up by £300. Instead, it will go up by £3,000, he says.
This means it will be equivalent to the income tax threshold
That is a £6bn tax cut for 13 million people. And that amounts to a tax cut for people of £330 a year, he says.
It is the single biggest tax cut for a decade, he says.
He says the IFS said it was the best step to take.
And he says 70% of workers will have their taxes cut by more than they pay for the new levy, he says.
HEALTHCARE
Sunak says the NHS now has a dedicated tax supporting it: the health and care levy.
But that is compatible with reducing taxes on families, he says.
Over the last decade it has been a Conservative mission to cut taxes for working people, he claims.
Some opposition MPs were laughing at this.
BUSINESS RATES
Sunak says the business rates discount coming into effect next month for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses will save them up to £110,000.
A typical pub will save £5,000, he says.
INFLATION
Inflation will average at around 7.4% this year, – meaning an extremely painful squeeze on families, with real wages likely to fall through the year for millions of workers.
Last October, it forecast inflation of 4% this year (which would already have been double the Bank of England’s 2% target).
We learned this morning that inflation hit 6.2% in February. The energy price cap is 54% in April (with another rise feared in the autumn), and commodity prices are being pushed up by the Ukraine war, so 2022 will bring much more pain to households.
TORIES IN WALES
Welsh Conservatives have welcomed the cut in fuel duty in the Spring Statement after leading the campaign in Wales for the Chancellor to take action as prices at the pump continue to rise.
The Chancellor is taking direct steps to support hard-working families in Wales, in light of increased financial pressures due to the war in Ukraine, the rising price of gas and oil and shortages in goods by:
• Scrapping VAT on renewable energy sources to help homeowners to reduce their energy costs, saving £1,000 in tax and £300 in energy costs per year.
• Equalising the tax threshold at £12,570 in July before workers’ pay income tax or national insurance, saving the typical employee £330 a year.
• Cutting fuel duty by 5 pence per litre for all fuel types from 6pm this evening, only the second time in twenty years.
• Doubling the Household Support Fund to £1 billion to help those families most in need.
The announcement follows the UK Government’s action earlier in the year to give households a £150 rebate through Council Tax and a £200 energy discount in October.
WELSH SHADOW MINISTER FOR FINANCE
Commenting on the news, Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Finance and Member of the Welsh Parliament for Monmouth, Peter Fox MS, said: “The Chancellor has made it clear today he has a clear plan to tackle the cost of living by protecting jobs, growing the economy and leaving more money in people’s pockets to support family budgets. I particularly welcome the action by the Chancellor to cut fuel duty after our campaign to support hard-working Welsh families.
“However, whilst the UK Conservative Government is taking steps to support families, Labour minister in Cardiff Bay continue to play politics with the cost of living.
“We need to see more action and less words from them. If Labour in Wales were serious about easing the financial pressures on Welsh families, Labour ministers would use devolved levers and cut income tax in Wales.
“In stark contrast to Rishi Sunak in cutting the cost of politics, Labour and their nationalist coalition partners are looking to increase the number of unknown politicians in the Cardiff Bay bubble.
“The additional £12 million a year would be better spent on hundreds of extra nurses and doctors a year to tackle Wales’ NHS waiting time crises and ambulance responses times.
“Once again, Labour ministers have their priorities wrong.”
THE VIEWPOINT FROM WALES
Welsh Government Finance Minister Rebecca Evans has said the Spring Statement has let down people struggling with the rising costs of living.
The Chancellor’s Spring Statement was delivered amidst widespread calls to deliver more support to help people pay bills. The Welsh Government had called for measures including increasing welfare benefits, a windfall tax on big energy companies, and introducing a low income energy tariff to better target support to lower income households.
Despite the OBR almost doubling its inflation forecast to 7.4% from 4% for this year, the Chancellor limited the uplift in benefits to just 3.1% – after a below inflation increase of 0.5% last year.
April will see more pressure on household budgets, with energy bills and National Insurance contributions both rising.
Rebecca Evans, Minister for Finance and Local Government, told The Pembrokeshire Herald: “People will be right to feel let down by today’s threadbare statement. Bills are rising rapidly and disposable income is falling, but there is not enough in today’s statement that recognises the struggle many are facing. It’s an ideological, regressive statement from the Chancellor that lacks practical measures to help those who need help the most – there is nothing for those who cannot work and those on lower incomes.”
“The UK Government has squandered the opportunity to provide meaningful support. It exposes an out-of-touch Chancellor and exacerbates the fairness gap running through Westminster’s lacklustre approach to the cost of living crisis.”
Last month the Welsh Government confirmed a £330m cost of living support package, included extended £200 winter fuel payments, a £150 cost of living payment and more money through the Discretionary Assistance Fund.
The Minister also told this newspaper: “In Wales we provided a cost of living support package worth nearly double the equivalent support provided in England. We encourage everyone to familiarise themselves with what is available and to take advantage of the support on offer. But we also recognise it doesn’t provide all the answers, and that many of the key levers such as welfare support lie in Westminster. We will continue to call on the UK Government to join us in providing a full crisis response to help people with the rising cost of living.”
WELSH LIB DEMS
The Welsh Liberal Democrats have accused Welsh Conservative MPs and MSs of “utterly failing” to make their voices heard after the Chancellor Rishi Sunak delivered his spring statement today.
According to the Welsh Liberal Democrats, the announcement contained nothing of significance to help people in rural areas deal with the cost of living crisis, particularly the extortionate costs of heating faced by those living in rural Wales.
Commenting Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds MS told The Pembrokeshire Herald: “Today the Chancellor has given rural regions nothing to help them cope with the crisis my residents are facing in being able to heat their homes. Welsh Conservative MPs are clearly failing to influence the Chancellor despite almost exclusively representing rural parts of Wales.
“The cut to fuel duty is welcome, but only will take between £2-£3 off filling your car. It alone does not rise to the occasion. What we would have liked to have seen was the rural fuel duty relief scheme expanded to parts of Wales like Ceredigion, Powys and Gwynedd. We have been calling for this since 2015, but have been blocked by the Conservatives at every point.
“More importantly, the Chancellor has refused to introduce a windfall tax on oil and gas companies that we would want to use to double and expand the warm homes discount. Oil and gas companies are making record-breaking profits while the rest of us are suffering.
“This is especially true in Mid & West Wales where in some counties up to 23% of households live in fuel poverty.
“Finally, the Chancellor made no announcement to protect those reliant on heating oil and LPG. With large numbers of households across rural Wales off the national gas grid, the bare minimum the Government could have announced was a plan to include oil and LPG into the energy price cap or to implement an automatic fuel duty rebate if the price of heating oil reaches over certain levels.
“This spring statement has made it abundantly clear that Welsh Conservative MPs are failing to make their rural constituents’ voices heard in an increasingly London and southeast centric Government.”
TENBY residents and traders are once again raising the alarm about poor mobile phone coverage, as the town enters another busy tourist season with no clear sign of improvements.
County Councillor Michael Williams first raised the issue with Pembrokeshire County Council’s trading standards department back in November, warning that unreliable mobile signal was becoming a serious concern for both residents and businesses. With Easter holidays now underway and visitors flooding back into the town, the problem has resurfaced as a pressing issue.
“All the providers are blaming visitor numbers, but that excuse doesn’t justify the charges people are paying,” Cllr Williams said. “It’s the same problem every year, and it’s time something was done.”
Real-life impact on residents
One local resident, Paul, who is disabled following a serious leg injury, told The Herald that poor signal had led to missed hospital appointments and vital calls.
“It’s ridiculous that in 2025, my phone signal is worse than it was in the 1990s,” he said. “I’ve missed calls from my doctor and the Ambulance Transport Service trying to arrange transport to Morriston Hospital in Swansea. My provider, Three, dropped my bill to £9.99 a month, but what’s the point if I still can’t use the phone?
“I’ve looked into switching providers, but I contacted them all and they said there are problems in Tenby too.”
Missed bookings and safety concerns
Ben Jones, a local plasterer, said the problem is also costing him work.
“I’ve missed bookings from clients because they couldn’t get through,” he said. “One persistent customer said it took him five tries to make contact. I don’t know if emergency calls are prioritised, but if not, this could be a serious safety issue too.”
Local businesses relying on mobile networks for card machines, bookings, and deliveries also say they are being let down.
“It’s embarrassing having to explain to customers that we can’t process a payment because the network’s gone down again,” one shop owner told The Herald. “It makes us look like we’re stuck in the past.”
Infrastructure plans face resistance
Although all four major UK networks—EE, Vodafone, O2 and Three—operate in Tenby, the infrastructure struggles to cope during peak seasons. While there have been plans to install new masts, including a proposed 20-metre 4G mast, progress has been hampered by objections linked to the town’s location within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.
“There’s a tension between improving connectivity and preserving the landscape,” said a council planning officer. “But the pressure on mobile networks isn’t going away.”
Regulator urged to step in
The Herald contacted Ofcom to ask whether they are aware of Tenby’s ongoing mobile signal issues and whether they intend to work with providers to improve service ahead of the summer.
In a recent Parliamentary debate, ministers acknowledged concerns that Ofcom’s mobile coverage reports may not always reflect users’ real-world experience—an issue likely to resonate with residents in Tenby and other rural tourist hotspots.
As the Easter holiday rush continues, locals are left hoping that 2025 will finally be the year something changes.
RAMSEY ISLAND, one of Pembrokeshire’s most popular wildlife destinations, will be closed to visitors over the Easter holidays due to serious safety concerns.
The RSPB-owned nature reserve, renowned for its towering cliffs, seabird colonies, and rare plants, normally welcomes thousands of tourists each year between April 1 and October 31. However, this year the island will remain closed after the RNLI shut the St Justinians slipway used by ferry and tour boats.
The RNLI confirmed that the concrete structure had suffered ‘catastrophic’ storm damage over the winter and earlier this year, making it unsafe for public use.
“An urgent safety critical issue with the slipway following the recent storm damage has led the RNLI to take the responsible action to remove access,” said a spokesperson. “As a lifesaving charity, we cannot continue to carry the liability or invest in the maintenance of a site which does not support our lifesaving mission.”
The charity said a risk assessment highlighted major issues with the slip’s concrete, metalwork, steps and handrails.
As a result, no boats are able to land on the island, and visitor access has been suspended. Three tour boat operators are reportedly still running restricted trips around the island at high tide, but the majority of services have been disrupted.
A spokesperson for the RSPB confirmed: “The slipway is not in a condition to be used, and visits to Ramsey Island will not be possible for the Easter holidays.”
They added that alternative access options are being explored and further updates will follow.
Ramsey Island is designated as a Special Protection Area for choughs and supports internationally important flora and breeding colonies of Manx shearwaters, peregrines, and grey seals.
Has Zack Griffiths been locked up for speaking out?
ZACK GRIFFITHS, a prominent whistleblower and prison reform campaigner, has been recalled to prison and is now facing fresh criminal charges — sparking outrage across Wales and beyond.
The 35-year-old, who has helped lead protests over the management of HMP Parc in Bridgend, was arrested at Cardiff Crown Court last week and is expected to remain in custody until at least October. Supporters have called his detention “a national scandal” and “a clear attempt to criminalise whistleblowing.”
The prison houses hundreds of inmates from Pembrokeshire, as it is the our nearest long-term jail and the largest in Wales.
Campaigners — including bereaved families, justice groups and former inmates — say the authorities are targeting Griffiths because he has consistently spoken out about deaths, alleged abuse and neglect at the G4S-run prison.
Arrested, recalled and facing new charges
Griffiths was arrested at court while attending a scheduled hearing. A video widely shared on social media shows officers detaining him under Section 43 of the Prison Act 1952 — an obscure offence linked to blackmail involving unauthorised prison communications.
That blackmail charge has since been dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service, with no case to answer. Griffiths now faces a charge of malicious communications under the new Online Safety Act — an offence that could lead to further time in custody.
A spokesperson for South Wales Police, when asked by The Herald about the arrest, said:
“South Wales Police neither confirms nor denies names put to us in connection to an arrest and nor do we provide guidance on names put to us.”
Why he was on licence
Griffiths was on licence at the time, following a 12-month sentence handed down in November 2024. He had pleaded guilty to transmitting an image from prison and sending offensive communications, after posting a video online which showed HMP Parc officers restraining an inmate.
The court ruled the footage breached prison security and imposed a restraining order banning him from contacting certain individuals or sharing related material. Breaching such conditions — including through alleged malicious communications — allows the Probation Service to recall an individual to custody.
“The only one telling the truth”
Griffiths is the co-founder of Predator Awareness, a group originally set up to expose child grooming gangs and institutional failings. More recently, he co-led the HMP Prison Justice Group, which has campaigned for transparency and reform at UK prisons, particularly HMP Parc.
Since early 2024, he has been one of the most outspoken critics of G4S and South Wales Police — sharing testimonies from families, whistleblowers, and former officers, and helping to organise vigils and protests outside Parc prison.
“Zack is the only one who has dared to name names and shine a light on what’s going on,” said Sean Wilson, a fellow campaigner. “And now he’s been silenced. The system wants him gone.”
Tom Blewitt, another organiser, posted: “He’s had a full recall. They’re panicking because we’re getting too close to the truth. But this won’t stop us — it just proves we’re right.”
On Griffiths’ official Facebook page, his partner shared a heartbreaking message: “I don’t have my partner here to hold me anymore. He sacrificed himself for the greater good… My family is broken.”
“He gave us a voice”: Zack’s final protest
Just days before his arrest, Griffiths organised what would become his final public protest — a highly visible demonstration outside HMP Parc attended by dozens of bereaved families and national media outlets. Around twenty people stood together at the gates of the troubled Bridgend prison, demanding that G4S be stripped of its contract and that urgent reforms be introduced to tackle what they described as a “drug epidemic” and “mental health emergency” behind the walls.
Among those present were the families of men who had died inside Parc — some from suspected spice overdoses, others by suicide. Mothers, siblings, and partners spoke candidly about their pain, the unanswered questions surrounding their loved ones’ deaths, and their fears for those still incarcerated. Protesters carried placards and gave interviews to TV and radio crews, helping to catapult the issue onto the national agenda.
Clare Jones, whose 29-year-old son Ross died in Parc in 2023, said: “This needs to stop. Ten days before Ross died, another boy passed away. They were warned to make improvements — nothing changed. Zack was the only one who gave us a voice.”
Frances Jones, who lost her nephew Michael “Mikey” Horton to suicide inside Parc at just 19, said: “There were 33 families like us, maybe more now. Zack helped bring us together. We believe justice will come — but not without a fight.”
Brandon Lee-Jones, Mikey’s cousin, added: “He committed suicide, but no-one was there to help him. He felt so alone. Zack gave us a reason to keep pushing for answers.”
The Herald understands the protest attracted widespread media coverage and placed significant pressure on authorities — just days before Griffiths’ sudden recall to prison.
HMP Parc: A prison in crisis
The arrest comes amid mounting scrutiny of conditions inside Parc. Since the start of 2025, at least seven inmates have died at the Category B private prison, with causes ranging from suspected overdoses and suicide to alleged neglect.
In January, six prison officers were arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office. Investigations are ongoing, and G4S has confirmed it is cooperating with the Ministry of Justice.
“My son died in Parc last year. We still haven’t had an inquest,” one grieving mother told The Herald. “Zack was the only one who cared. Now they’ve taken him too.”
Legal support grows
A fundraiser titled “Justice for Zack Griffiths – Support His Fight” has been launched to help cover legal costs. It has already raised hundreds of pounds, with messages of support from across the UK.
Sophie Lewis, who started the campaign, said:
“Zack stood up when nobody else would. Now we must stand up for him. This is about truth and accountability.”
Concerns have been raised that Griffiths’ legal team needs strengthening ahead of a potential hearing at Swansea Crown Court later this month.
Demands for inquiry and intervention
There are now growing calls for a public inquiry into the management of HMP Parc and the handling of Griffiths’ arrest by South Wales Police.
“If speaking up about dead prisoners gets you jailed, but those responsible walk free — we don’t live in a democracy anymore,” said one campaigner. “We live in fear.”
Several groups are calling on the Justice Secretary, the Parole Board and the Independent Office for Police Conduct to intervene.
“You can’t jail the whistleblower and walk away,” said one supporter. “This country needs to wake up.”
What comes next
Griffiths remains in custody and is expected to be held until at least October 2025 pending the outcome of the malicious communications charge. A court date has not yet been set.
Meanwhile, protests calling for his release are gaining momentum, both on the streets and online. Supporters say they will not stop until Griffiths is freed and a full inquiry is launched into what they describe as “the Parc Prison cover-up.”
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