TODAY, the UK General Election is underway, with polling stations open from 7am to 10pm. Voters across the nation, including those in Pembrokeshire, are heading to the polls to elect their representatives.

Candidates for Mid and South Pembrokeshire

In the Mid and South Pembrokeshire constituency, the candidates are:

• Conservative Party: Stephen Crabb
• Labour Party: Henry Tufnell
• Liberal Democrats: Alistair Cameron
• Plaid Cymru: Cris Tomos
• Green Party: James Purchase
• Women’s Equality Party: Hanna Andersen
• Reform UK: Stuart Marchant
• Independent: Vusi Siphika

Candidates for Ceredigion Preseli

For the Ceredigion Preseli seat, the candidates are:

• Conservative Party: Aled Thomas
• Labour Party: Jackie Jones
• Liberal Democrats: Mark Williams
• Plaid Cymru: Ben Lake

To cast your vote, you must present a valid form of identification. Accepted IDs include a passport, driving licence, or a voter ID card. Ensure you vote at your designated polling station, which is usually indicated on your polling card or can be verified through your local council.

Make Your Voice Heard

This election is a pivotal moment for the UK, and every vote counts. Whether you’re supporting a local candidate or addressing national issues, your participation is crucial. Head to your polling station before 7pm today to make your voice heard.

For more information on the election process, candidate profiles, and real-time updates, stay tuned to The Pembrokeshire Herald.

The Pembrokeshire Herald encourages all eligible voters to participate in the democratic process. Remember, your vote is your voice—use it wisely.

EVERYONE participating at this General Election will need ID in order to cast their vote

There are 22 acceptable forms of ID, external to vote in person in England, Scotland and Wales, including:

• passports
• driving licences
• older or Disabled Person’s bus passes
• Oyster 60+ cards

You can use out-of-date photo ID as long as you look the same.

If you wear a face covering, such as a medical mask or a veil worn on religious grounds, you will be asked to remove it briefly, external so polling station staff can check that your ID looks like you.

There are nine valid forms of ID, external to vote in Northern Ireland, including:

• passports
• driving licences
• senior travel passes
• war disablement passes

What if you don’t have an acceptable form of ID?

You can exchange a paper driving licence for a photocard, or apply for a photocard travel pass if you are aged 60 or over, disabled or registered blind or partially sighted.

Alternatively, anyone registered to vote, external without the correct ID – or who no longer looks like their photo – can apply for a free document called a voter authority certificate., external

However, the deadline to apply for one to use in the general election has now passed.

Voters in England, Scotland and Wales whose ID is lost or stolen after the deadline can apply for an emergency proxy vote, external up until 17:00 on polling day. Both they and their proxy – a person nominated to vote on their behalf – must already be registered to vote.

Voters in Northern Ireland who do not have the correct ID can use an electoral identity card, external, but the deadline to apply for one of these for the general election has also passed.

What happens if you can’t show valid ID at the polling station?

If you go to the polling station without the correct ID, you will be asked to come back with valid documentation.

If you think your ID has been wrongly rejected, the Electoral Commission – which oversees UK elections – says you should notify the presiding officer at the polling station., external If this does not resolve the issue, you can raise your concerns with your council’s returning officer.

Polling station staff record how many voters are turned away, as well as the number who return with valid ID.

According to the commission, about 14,000 people were unable to vote in the May 2023 local elections in England as a result of the new rules. Equivalent figures for the 2024 local elections are not yet available.

Why do voters need photo ID?

When the photo ID rules were introduced, the government said it would stop votes being stolen, although that is quite unusual in the UK.

There were 1,462 cases of alleged electoral fraud reported to police between 2019 and 2023, according to the Electoral Commission., external

Of these, 11 involved impersonation at polling stations. One resulted in a conviction and one in a caution, and the police took no further action in the other nine cases.

The Electoral Commission has called on the government to expand the list of accepted ID and to allow voters to cast their ballot without ID if another registered voter could vouch for their identity.

(Source: BBC Newshub/Electoral Commission)

CANDIDATES for the new Westminster seat of Mid and South Pembrokeshire outlined why they should have your vote at an electoral hustings last week.

The joint Planed/Pure West Radio general election hustings was held at Pembrokeshire College on June 27, with six of the candidates for the Mid and South Pembrokeshire seat attending.

Those attending were: Alistair Cameron (Welsh Liberal Democrats); Stephen Crabb (Welsh Conservative); Stuart Marchant (Reform UK); Vusi Siphika (Independent); Cris Tomos (Plaid Cymru); and Henry Tufnell (Welsh Labour), with Hanna Andersen (Women’s Equality Party) and James Purchase (Green Party) unable to attend.

The candidates initially outlined why they should have your votes before a series of question and answer sessions.

Stephen Crabb said: “My promise at this election is the same as every single time I’ve been elected, to be the very best for Pembrokeshire.”

Vusi Siphika said: “It’s a real honour to be here as an independent to put myself forward; there is a choice, there is a word we’ve used, having a love for each other, not very often used in politics, it can be used for the betterment of people.”

Cris Tomos told members he was standing for “activism and localism”: “I’m a fifth-generation dairy farmer, it’s great to be part of a community; I’m standing for activism and localism, we can do great stuff, now is the time grasp these natural resources, starting from the grass roots upwards.”

Alistair Cameron, a county councillor, said: “As liberal Democrats we want to do a lot for job opportunities, particularly in floating offshore wind, and in social care, an enormous challenge for the county council at the moment.”

Reform’s Stuart Marchant said: “I think our best days lay ahead of us; there are so many opportunities in Pembrokeshire; it needs a member of parliament that will shout and scream and draw out the best of the community.”

Labour’s Henry Tufnell said: “It’s tough out there, there’s a cost-of-living crisis; next week we have a fantastic opportunity for change, I want Pembrokeshire to be at the forefront of that change.”

In a submitted statement, James Purchase said his party was “the only party talking about the climate crisis”.

A question about “the crisis in social care” as a “consequence of generational underfunding,” by the Rev Neil Hook, who later said the biggest crisis was around the elderly, but also included the vulnerable in society, was asked.

Alistair Cameron said: “The biggest challenge faced by the council is how to pay for it, and treat people with dignity. Pembrokeshire is an aging county, I think it’s beyond the county, it needs Welsh Government and UK Government support.”

Vusi Siphika, a carer himself, said: “I have been through every step of the crisis,” saying there was a need for “a radical approach”.

“We’re battling to ensure dignity, it’s on a wing and a prayer at the moment,” adding: “We have to fight tooth and nail for our elderly and give them back their dignity.”

Henry Tufnell said the Conservatives had “played fast and loose with public services,” adding: “We’re struggling with where the money comes because of what Liz Truss did; this is one of the greatest issues we face.”

Stephen Crabb reacted to Mr Tufnell’s comments: “It’s an enormous challenge, there’s threadbare social care and a lot of loneliness with people retiring here without family support.

“It trivialises the importance to say three months of Liz Truss led to these consequences, for decades the government in Cardiff has failed.

“Until we take party politics out of this, we can’t have a grown-up decision.”

Stuart Marchant said the system needs serious reform, adding: “It’s not fit for purpose”.

“What Reform would do is restructure a dedicated department, partially through tax reform, making things less bureaucratic, throwing money at a broken system will never work.”

Cris Tomos said there was a need for greater resources, with a reform of capital gains.

“The money is there but we’ve got to be brave to go after the money and care for our elderly people and give them a quality of life as they get older in Pembrokeshire.”

The candidates were also asked what they would do to address housing in rural areas, “other than just building social housing”.

Cris Tomos said Plaid would ensure there was a bill of rights, adding: “Everyone deserves a first home”.

Mr Marchant said: “I have the pleasure of renting a few homes around Carmarthenshire which are affordable, I try to keep the rents as low as possible.

“Developers need to be making full use of brownfield sites; we need to reform planning laws to allow people to build on brownfield sites.”

On a supplementary question on the issue of tourism vs local housing, he said: “Both are very important to Pembrokeshire; a lot of farms are diversifying to have a holiday home, I think that’s something we should be encouraging, tourism is very important to Pembrokeshire.”

He said there was “a balance to be had” over second homes and holiday homes.

Mr Crabb said: “Unfortunately we need to build more homes, there’s not normally like enough one and two-bed starter home in Pembrokeshire.”

He said there was a need for shared equity schemes and local covenants; with one of the major issue on housing the number of empty properties.

On a supplementary question on absentee landlord, he said he had “some sympathy” in closing down “second homes loopholes,” adding there were powers with local authorities to require landlord to keep properties in good order.

Vusi Siphika said: “The private sector has control; councils need to use the powers they have in planning law for the benefit of people.

“We can’t be in a society where house prices are rocketing.”

Henry Tufnell said: “It’s important to acknowledge there is a housing crisis.

“The second homes council tax and the 182 days rule, both of these are steps in the right direction; Broad Haven and Little Haven are both hollowed-out communities; it does really come down to supply, you need to build more affordable housing.

“It’s really positive the council is starting to build council housing again, really huge. Get that aspiration back, homelessness is not acceptable.”

Candidates were also quizzed on funding for green energy projects.

Vusi Siphika said there was a need for cross-party agreement to present a strong case to Westminster for renewables.

Cris Tomos said it was “vitally important” to address the issue, with an opportunity to devolve the crown estates in Wales, with revenue opportunities in Pembrokeshire.

Stuart Marchant said a cheaper option than renewables would be “small nuclear reactors built near cities around our country, adding: “We believe that is actually the right way to go, and funding jobs around our country; we don’t believe our children should pay for our mistakes and believe we should be nuclear.”

Alistair Cameron said off-shore green energy had “a massive potential for Pembrokeshire,” with a potential to power a third of the households in the UK, adding: “If it’s going to be successful it’s got to have the support of UK Government.”

Mr Tufnell said: “We need Pembrokeshire to be at the forefront of this.”

He said he would be “cheer-leading from the front” over green energy.

Mr Crabb said: “We don’t get many big individual opportunities like this, it’s a once in a 30-year opportunity; we’ve got to do everything we can to seize it with both hands.”

The general election is being held today, Thursday, July 4.