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News

Labour’s Henry Tufnell wins in Mid and South Pembrokeshire

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LABOUR have won the Mid and South Pembrokeshire seat in a tightly fought race against Stephen Crabb, the incumbent, who has served Pembrokeshire for nineteen years.

Henry Tufnell said it had been a very hard-fought campaign. He said: “I would like to pay tribute to Stephen Crabb for his nineteen years of work here in Pembrokeshire, and all the other candidates. When asked what his priorities will be as the new MP for Mid and South Pembrokeshire, Tufnell said: “As I was talking through the campaign there is an importance of getting good well paid jobs here in the county, through Labour’s Green Prosperity Plan. I think that the opportunities in the Milford Haven waterway are really exciting, so I want to try and harness Labour’s plan and put that into action here in Pembrokeshire.”

Speaking to The Pembrokeshire Herald after the declaration, Stephen Crabb said: “First and foremost I am pleased with my campaign team, we knew at the outset that it was going to be incredibly difficult – that we were behind in the polls. We have built support as we have gone through this campaign. But the other party which built support very quickly was reform.

“That is what ultimately has cost us victory tonight. It is disappointing but that is democracy.”

Stuart Marchant from Reform said that the Reform vote locally “sends a really important message”.

“Reform UK has made its mark, today is a sea-change in UK politics. Reform have entered the political arena in the UK. We will be back – this gives us the dynamite to take our mission onwards.”

Mid and South Pembrokeshire results

  1. Labour,Henry Tufnell
    • Votes 16,505
    • Share 35.4%
    • Share change -1.8
  2. Conservative,Stephen Crabb
    • Votes 14,627
    • Share 31.4%
    • Share change -21.5
  3. Reform UK,Stuart Marchant
    • Votes 7,828
    • Share 16.8%
    • Share change +16.8
  4. Plaid Cymru,Cris Tomos
    • Votes 2,962
    • Share 6.4%
    • Share change +1.1
  5. Liberal Democrat,Alistair Cameron
    • Votes 2,372
    • Share 5.1%
    • Share change +0.5
  6. Green,James Purchase
    • Votes 1,654
    • Share 3.5%
    • Share change +3.5
  7. Independent,Vusi Siphika
    • Votes 427
    • Share 0.9%
    • Share change +0.9
  8. Women’s Equality Party,Hanna Andersen
    • Votes 254
    • Share 0.5%
    • Share change +0.5

Change compared with 2019

Crime

Johnston railway station named as United Kingdom crime hotspot

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Unstaffed Pembrokeshire stop has highest crime rate per passenger

JOHNSTON train station in Pembrokeshire has been revealed as one of Britain’s most crime-ridden stations, according to new figures from British Transport Police (BTP).

Despite recording only ten crimes in 2024, Johnston’s crime rate per million passengers is the highest in the UK. The small, unstaffed station, which serves just 7,000 passengers a year—an average of 19 a day—logged a crime rate of 1,440 per million passengers.

Figures show that four of the ten recorded crimes at Johnston were violent incidents, which could include altercations, assaults, or even stabbings. The data analysis, conducted by MailOnline, placed Johnston at the top of the list due to its low footfall relative to the number of reported offences.

A spokesperson for BTP said: “Stations like Johnston appear to have a high crime rate because they have a low number of crimes recorded combined with a low footfall of passengers. With less than one crime recorded per month, it’s incorrect to suggest passengers are at greater risk of crime at these stations.”

Johnston a hot-spot: The figures come from the British Transport Police

Crime on the railways at all-time high

The report comes as overall crime on the UK’s transport network has surged to record levels, with nearly 80,000 offences recorded by BTP in 2023/24. Violent crimes and sex offences have more than doubled over the past decade, while overall crime levels are up 55 per cent compared to ten years ago.

Johnston is not the only small station where crime rates appear disproportionately high. Redbridge station near Southampton recorded 38 crimes last year, translating to 1,180 crimes per million passengers. Similarly, Tiverton Parkway in Devon ranked fourth with a crime rate of 830 per million passengers, mainly due to theft and shoplifting incidents.

Serious incidents at major UK stations

While small stations dominate the crime rate rankings, larger stations continue to record the highest total number of crimes. London St Pancras International saw 1,616 crimes in 2024 but serves more than 38.5 million passengers annually.

High-profile violent incidents have raised concerns about safety at UK train stations. In August, 19-year-old mother Stephanie Marie was stabbed to death by her boyfriend in front of commuters at Crawley Station. Last November, 87-year-old Dorothy Chiles died after being attacked at Birmingham New Street Station.

BTP said they are increasing proactive operations to tackle crime on the railways, including stop-and-search initiatives and targeted crackdowns on county lines drug gangs. They urged passengers to report any concerns via their 61016 text service.

Despite the statistics, authorities stress that the chance of becoming a victim of crime on the railway remains low, with serious violent incidents remaining rare.

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Charity

Paul Sartori and Shalom House celebrate successful ‘Light up a Life’ concert 

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THE PAUL SARTORI FOUNDATION and Shalom House are delighted to announce the success of their recent ‘Light up a Life’ concert, held on January 25th, 2025, at the historic St Davids Cathedral. This annual event, part of the national hospice initiative, brought the community together for a beautiful evening of reflection and remembrance, honouring loved ones who are no longer with us. The event also raised a staggering £3,795 to share between these two important Pembrokeshire charities. 

The concert featured captivating performances by the amazing female group, Bella Voce, the fantastic Paul Sartori Community Choir, the talented Cwm Cerwyn Ensemble, and clarinet soloist Julie Conybeare, accompanied by Margaret Blackledge. Attendees were treated to a diverse musical repertoire by candlelight, creating a serene, contemplative, and unforgettable atmosphere within the cathedral’s hallowed walls.  

The event was made possible through the generous support of local businesses, including Richard Brothers, A Way with Flowers, St Davids Bookshop, The Retreats Group, Topp Tyres, Chilton Cars, Nex Media, and Syncro Motor Factors. Their contributions ensured the concert’s success and underscored the community’s commitment to supporting vital hospice care services in Pembrokeshire. Thanks, too, to the fantastic team at St Davids Cathedral. Rosalind Raymond, Trustee at The Paul Sartori Foundation and Sam Wilson-Croft, Business Manager at Shalom House, echoed their gratitude for the support of the community and local businesses on the night.  

Both the Paul Sartori Foundation and Shalom House Palliative Care Centre are dedicated to providing compassionate end-of-life care to individuals and families across the county. The funds raised from the ‘Light up a Life’ concert will directly support these essential services, enabling both organisations to continue their mission of delivering hospice care to those in need. 

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News

Significant funding boost restores Welsh publishing to pre-cut levels

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THE WELSH GOVERNMENT has confirmed a major funding boost for Wales’ publishing sector, restoring its financial support to pre-cut levels and reinforcing its commitment to the creative industries.

An additional £272,000 will be allocated to the sector through the Books Council of Wales (BCW), as part of the government’s Final Budget for 2025-2026. This is in addition to an earlier uplift of £120,000 announced in the draft budget, bringing the total increase in funding for the next financial year to £392,000.

This move effectively restores the sector’s overall funding to 2023-2024 levels, reversing reductions made in the previous budget cycle. The BCW, which operates as an arms-length body, will oversee the distribution of these funds to publishers across Wales.

Investment in international presence and diversity

The Welsh Government has also reaffirmed its ongoing commitment to promoting Welsh publishing on the global stage. Additional funding is regularly provided to the BCW to support Welsh publishers at major international events, including the Frankfurt Book Fair and the London Book Fair. Last year, 18 Welsh publishers attended Frankfurt, where they showcased their work to a global audience.

Beyond international outreach, the government is investing in broadening audience engagement through the BCW’s New Audiences Fund, managed by Creative Wales. Over the past three years, £1.5 million has been channelled into more than 100 projects, leading to the creation of 117 new jobs and commissioning of over 540 pieces of work. The initiative aims to increase diversity across the publishing sector.

Beneficiaries of this funding have included a range of innovative projects and organisations. Broken Sleep Books received support for a literary festival, while the anthology Writing Back Home—a collection of letters from Syrian writers to their homeland—was made possible through this scheme. News platform Nation Cymru has used the funding to nurture creative talent, while the history magazine Hanes Byw has supported authors in their research fields.

Government stance on publishing support

Jack Sargeant, Minister for Culture, welcomed the funding confirmation, describing it as a clear signal of the Welsh Government’s commitment to publishing as a core part of the nation’s creative economy.

“This significant funding confirmation shows how serious we are about supporting Welsh publishing as a priority creative sector,” he said. “Despite the creative sector’s continued brilliance, I am all too aware of the challenges also being faced. I welcome the strong and constructive relationship the Welsh Government has with the Books Council as we look to write a positive next chapter for publishing in Wales. Our Final Budget will no doubt bring good news for the wider sector too and is a positive step forwards from which we can build together.”

Wider investment in arts and culture

The publishing sector is part of a broader Welsh Government strategy to enhance funding for arts and culture. The total additional investment in arts, culture, heritage, and sport revenue for the 2025-2026 budget now stands at £9.6 million, bringing the total allocation to £122.5 million.

Additionally, capital investment in this sector has seen a dramatic rise. The 2025-2026 budget allocates £73.8 million in capital funding—an increase of £18.4 million compared to 2024-2025. Since 2014-2015, capital investment in the sector has surged by 274.2% in real terms.

This funding increase represents a renewed push to support Welsh publishing, bolster the creative economy, and ensure the sector remains resilient in the face of economic pressures. With restored funding levels and a clear strategy for international and domestic growth, Wales’ publishing industry is set to enter its next chapter with renewed strength.

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