SENEDD members from Wales’ four main political parties set their differences aside to call on the Welsh and UK Governments to recognise the state of Palestine.

Plaid Cymru’s Peredur Owen Griffiths tabled a statement of opinion co-submitted by Labour’s John Griffiths, the Lib Dems’ Jane Dodds and the Conservatives’ Darren Millar.

The statement, which is similar to an early day motion in Westminster, will not be debated nor voted on in the Senedd chamber but MSs can add their name to support the cause.

It urges the Senedd to:

1. Recognise historic links between the Palestinian people and people of Wales.
2. Reaffirm its calls for an immediate ceasefire on all sides, the release of all hostages and an end to the conflict in Gaza.
3. Call upon the UK and Welsh Governments to immediately recognise the state of Palestine as a first step in a process to enable a path to a lasting peace and two-state solution.

Mr Owen Griffiths urged fellow members to support the cross-party statement which was signed by seven MSs when first published on May 16.

Palestine is recognised as a sovereign state by most of the UN’s 193 member states, with Ireland, Spain, Slovenia and Malta set to become the latest to join the list.

The South Wales East MS called for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the return of hostages, a massive humanitarian operation and the rebuilding of Gaza.

“We also need to establish Palestine as a recognised state in the eyes of the international community,” he said. “That is the best path to securing a just and long-lasting peace.

“We want the Welsh and UK Governments to step up, recognise Palestine as a state in its own right and then apply whatever pressure they can to achieve this change.

“The state of Palestine has already been recognised as a sovereign state by a majority of UN member states with many more already pledging to follow suit in the coming weeks.

“It is incumbent that the governments of Wales and the UK are not left behind by this growing movement in the international community for peace and justice in Palestine.”

Labour’s John Griffiths pointed to growing momentum to recognise Palestine as a state, agreeing it would be a key first step towards a lasting solution.

Mr Griffiths, who has represented Newport East since 1999, organised a meeting between MSs and Husam Said Zomlot, Palestine’s ambassador to the UK, on May 15.

He said Dr Zomlot provided an update on the situation on the ground in Gaza and his big ask was for support for the campaign to recognise Palestine as a state.

Mr Griffiths tabled a separate statement on the same day to mark 76 years since some 750,000 Palestinians fled or were expelled from their homes during the Nakba in 1948.

Darren Millar, who represents Clwyd West, said: “Recognition of a Palestinian State is a key step on the road to a permanent peace between Israel and Palestine.

“The sooner it happens, the better.”

A PLAID CYMRU MS called for a rural poverty strategy, raising an economist’s warning that rural Wales is probably in more trouble than at any point in living memory.

Cefin Campbell, who lives in the Tywi Valley, described rural Wales as a picture of decline, with banks, schools, post offices and pubs all closing.

The Plaid Cymru politician told the Senedd young people are leaving to seek work, affordable housing, a better life or leisure facilities.

Mr Campbell said an external view of relative wealth can hide poverty under the surface, warning significant poverty is hiding in the shadows in rural Wales.

He raised the example of Ceredigion, which has among the highest house prices in Wales, yet 30% of children living in poverty – the second highest rate in the country.

Mr Campbell, who represents Mid and West Wales, said rural areas face the triple pressures of high costs, low incomes and poor access to public services.

He quoted Calvin Jones, a professor of economics at Cardiff University, as warning rural Wales is in trouble – “probably more trouble than in living memory”.

“Economic dysfunction is old hat here of course,” said Prof Jones.

“The social problems consequent on poor wages, low value added, and a lack of economic opportunity and market income are many and longstanding.

“These include poverty, the hollowing out of towns, poor service provision for rural areas, and the out-migration of the young.”

Mr Campbell advocated following the example of Northern Ireland’s Rural Needs Act which places a legal duty on public bodies to carry out a rural-proofing test

The former lecturer urged the Welsh Government to adopt a specific strategy, arguing urban and rural poverty must be addressed differently.

He told the chamber he has commissioned research and developed a strategy, which will be published shortly, due to the lack of response from the Welsh Government.

His Plaid Cymru colleague Mabon ap Gwynfor said: “There’s one thing that’s certain, which is that there is less investment in our rural areas, in the infrastructure.”

The Dwyfor Meirionnydd MS called for fair funding from Westminster, saying Crown Estate and HS2 money could transform rural Wales.

Siân Gwenllian highlighted a Bevan Foundation report on poverty in her Arfon constituency, warning of a cost-of-living premium in rural areas.

She raised concerns about food deserts in communities such as Dyffryn Nantlle and Deiniole where there is no supermarket and public transport infrastructure is poor.

Samuel Kurtz, who chairs the cross-party group on rural growth, raised a report on rural productivity which made 19 recommendations following an inquiry.

The Conservative said: “There are genuine opportunities within this report that do not require big money bags being spent to improve productivity in rural Wales.

“These are some small changes that can be implemented that can deliver real change in rural Wales, that would benefit people that we represent across Wales.”

Responding to the short debate on May 15, Huw Irranca-Davies agreed it is a crucial issue, with 80% of Wales classified as rural and one in three people living in rural areas.

The new rural affairs secretary told the chamber the Welsh Government’s goal is to ensure equal access to support whether you live in a rural or urban area, or between the two.

Mr Irranca-Davies said ministers firmly believe a strategic all-Wales approach is the best way forward while recognising the challenges in different communities, including rural areas.

“I’m not convinced that a rural poverty strategy on its own is the right approach,” said the former MP, who was environment minister in Gordon Brown’s UK Government.

He battled away calls for legislation, saying rural proofing should form part of existing impact assessments and he will hammer this point home with cabinet colleagues.

MORE THAN a quarter of childcare providers say they will not survive the year due to funding rates failing to keep up with costs, a committee warned.

Jenny Rathbone, who chairs the Senedd’s equality committee, highlighted an Early Years Wales survey which raised the sector’s concerns about financial sustainability.

The Cardiff Central MS said while 72% of providers were confident they would survive for one year, that means 28% feared for their immediate future under the current model.

Ms Rathbone warned of a “falling-off-a-cliff” scenario with 80% of providers saying they did not think they would survive two years and only 9% confident of surviving the next five.

Calling for a rapid review, Ms Rathbone warned: “Any increase in funding would only come in the next financial year. So, where does that leave these people?”

Buffy Williams, a fellow Labour backbencher, said almost all providers want the hourly rate of childcare offer funding to be reviewed annually or linked to inflation.

She raised evidence to the committee that the current £5 rate – which was initially set in April 2022 – is unsustainable and risks the viability of a large number of childcare providers.

Jayne Bryant, who is new in post as early years minister, said a three-year cycle aligns with the budget-setting process but she would be open to reviewing the vital rate more regularly.

Acknowledging the fragility of the childcare sector, she said: “I do recognise that for some providers this really does mean that they’re operating very close to the financial wire.”

Ms Bryant confirmed any rate change would not come into effect until April 2025, stressing that budgets are tight and decisions must be based on robust evidence.

Clare Severn, the Welsh Government’s head of childcare and policy, warned that childcare settings in Wales face “really, really tough times”.

She said: “The national minimum wage has really impacted on childcare settings.

“The increase in the actual wage as well as the change to the age at which people are entitled to the national minimum wage has really fallen hard on the childcare sector.”

Jane Dodds, the Lib Dems’ leader in Wales, who was a social worker for 27 years, raised concerns about inadequate provision across Wales for disabled children.

Sharing her concerns, Ms Bryant pointed to the additional support grant, which aims to ensure that all children have equal access to the Welsh Government’s childcare offer.

Pressed for a timeline on proposals for professional registration of the workforce, Ms Severn stressed the need to tread carefully, suggesting the reforms are at least two to three years off.

Plaid Cymru’s Sioned Williams highlighted evidence from the Bevan Foundation and Oxfam Cymru that most parents believe childcare is completely unaffordable.

Ms Bryant told the committee a universal childcare system remains the ambition, with a wider vision for a fully integrated early childhood play, learning and care system.

Quizzed about the expansion of the childcare element of the Flying Start programme, the witnesses said five councils are lagging due to recruitment and retention challenges.

Responding to the Bevan Foundation’s calls for a more cohesive childcare offer, Ms Bryant agreed it is important to make it as easy as possible for parents to understand entitlements.

Carolyn Thomas, who represents North Wales, echoed the Wales TUC’s calls for a childcare forum to tackle low pay and the undervaluing of a predominantly female workforce.

The Labour MS highlighted suggestions that standards and benchmarks relating to the workforce could be used as a condition of funding in future.

Ms Bryant suggested Wales could follow Scotland in attaching requirements in relation to pay and staff development, particularly a commitment to the real living wage.

Giving evidence as part of the committee’s follow-up inquiry after a 2022 report on childcare, she said she will shortly be launching a review and refresh of the ten-year workforce plan.

Pressed for her priorities, the early years minister listed the first 1,000 days in a child’s life, workforce challenges and equal access to childcare for disabled children.