First Minister says plans for major defence development in Pembrokeshire should be paused amid concerns over the USA’s reliability as an ally

ELUNED MORGAN has called for a proposed AUKUS-linked defence project in her constituency to be halted, arguing that the scheme should not proceed while the United States is proving to be what she described as an unreliable ally.

The First Minister of Wales, who is also Labour’s candidate for Ceredigion Penfro, has spoken out as the Ministry of Defence moves forward with plans for the Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability programme at Cawdor Barracks, Brawdy, in north Pembrokeshire.

The project forms part of a joint UK, US and Australian initiative and would see a network of ground-based radars installed to track objects in high Earth orbit. Plans for the Pembrokeshire site include 27 large parabolic dishes designed to monitor satellites and space debris.

The Brawdy site would be one of three locations in the programme, alongside bases in the United States and Australia.

Ms Morgan, who lives in St Davids and represents the area in which the base is located, said the proposal should now be paused. She is seeking re-election as Senedd Member for Ceredigion Penfro and is also campaigning to remain First Minister after next month’s Senedd election.

She said: “Trump’s hostility towards the UK and verbal attacks on our nation in the light of the Prime Minister’s refusal to give the US President support in the attack on Iran should lead us to pause our involvement in this proposal.

“His threats to annihilate the Iranian civilisation reached a new low recently and we should not be associating ourselves with such an unreliable partner who threatened war crimes on civilians, and have insulted UK armed forces in terms of their commitment to fight in Afghanistan.”

The pre-application consultation on the scheme has recently ended, and the expectation is that the Ministry of Defence will next submit a formal planning application to Pembrokeshire County Council.

Social media video links were also issued alongside the statement.

Senedd candidate Nerys Evans says west Wales has been left behind for too long as party renews call for rail investment

PLAID CYMRU has pledged to press ahead with plans to reopen a railway station in St Clears if it forms the next Welsh Government after the Senedd election on Thursday (May 7).

The proposal to restore a station in the Carmarthenshire town, which lost its rail link in the 1960s, was first announced in 2020. But despite years of campaigning and political pressure, the scheme has yet to be delivered.

Nerys Evans, one of Plaid Cymru’s candidates in Carmarthenshire, said communities in west Wales had repeatedly missed out on their fair share of transport investment.

In its manifesto published earlier this month, Plaid Cymru said it would improve rail links across the west of Wales. The party has also repeated its demand for rail powers to be devolved to Wales and for what it says is Wales’ full share of HS2 funding.

Plaid argues that Wales is owed £4 billion after HS2 was classified as an “England and Wales” project, despite no part of the line between Birmingham and London being in Wales.

Speaking near the proposed site of the new station, Ms Evans said Carmarthenshire had every right to feel overlooked.

She said: “There is often a feeling in Carmarthenshire that we are not getting our fair share of funding, and that is absolutely justified. Too often, Wales gets very little, and west Wales even less.

“Plaid Cymru has continuously campaigned for our fair share of rail investment in west Wales, and in government we will ensure fair treatment for communities like St Clears.

“We have outlined how a Plaid Cymru government would bring forward plans to develop our rail infrastructure in the west, including in St Clears, even as we fight for the funding and powers that Wales deserves.

“It is so important that Wales has a government after the election on Thursday (May 7) that is really willing to stand up for its people and communities in order to demand the money and powers that are owed to us, not only when it comes railways, but many other policy areas too.”

The pledge forms part of Plaid Cymru’s wider transport offer ahead of the Senedd election, with the party seeking to make improved rail links a key issue for rural and west Wales communities.

Photo caption:

Station pledge: Plaid Cymru Senedd candidate Nerys Evans near the proposed site of the new St Clears railway station (Pic: Supplied).

New research says sea breezes and exposed cliff-top paths make county trail a safer bet for runners with allergies

PEMBROKESHIRE’S world-famous Coast Path has been named one of the best trail running routes in the UK for people who suffer from hay fever.

New research by health and fitness supplement brand Ten Percent Club ranked the Pembrokeshire Coast Path joint second overall among the UK’s National Trails for low hay fever risk, giving it a score of 3.8 out of 5.

Only the South West Coast Path matched it, while the King Charles III England Coast Path also received the same score.

The study looked at all 20 UK National Trails and assessed them across five factors linked to pollen exposure: altitude, vegetation type, landscape, wind exposure, and animal and insect density.

According to the findings, coastal routes performed far better than inland trails because of their stronger air flow, open terrain and lower pollen build-up.

Researchers said the Pembrokeshire Coast Path’s exposed cliff tops, constant sea breezes and relatively limited dense vegetation make it one of the most suitable long-distance routes in Britain for runners who struggle with seasonal allergies.

That could come as welcome news for many local runners and walkers as tree pollen season begins and spring training gets underway.

For the estimated millions of hay fever sufferers across the UK, the report suggests that choosing a route like the Pembrokeshire Coast Path could make a noticeable difference compared with more enclosed inland trails, where pollen can hang in still air and become more concentrated.

The worst-performing route in the study was the Thames Path, which scored just 2.0 out of 5. Other poorly rated trails included the North Downs Way, Cotswold Way and Glyndŵr’s Way.

The research found that low-lying riverside routes, wooded valleys and areas with dense vegetation tend to be the most difficult for allergy sufferers, particularly in late spring and early summer when pollen levels rise.

By contrast, Pembrokeshire’s coast appears to offer something of a natural advantage.

With marathon season already under way and more people heading outdoors as the weather improves, the findings may give local runners another reason to stick to the county’s spectacular coastline.