Politics

Welsh publishers ‘facing existential crisis’

Published

1 year ago

October 20, 2024

WELSH publishers face an existential crisis following a decade of cuts, a committee heard.

Helgard Krause, chief executive of the Books Council of Wales, said cuts in the past year have made it difficult to operate after years of standstill funding.

She also pointed to production pressures with the cost of printed books rising significantly as she gave evidence to a Senedd culture committee inquiry on October 17.

Ms Krause raised concerns about a fall in the number of Welsh-medium books from 185 to 122 in the past decade, particularly in light of the target of a million Welsh speakers by 2050.

Giving evidence remotely from the Frankfurt book fair, she told the committee: “It feels counterintuitive that the thing to help with language skills, namely books, is being cut.”

Asked what would happen if similar cuts were repeated in the 2025/26 budget, Ms Krause stressed that the Books Council passes most of its funding onto the publishing industry.

“For some, the impact is fewer books – for others, it’s an existential crisis,” she said.

Ms Krause warned: “We’re at risk of losing publishers completely.”

She said the Books Council – which has annual revenue of about £3m, half of which comes from the Welsh Government – has sought to absorb cuts over the years by reducing staff.

“When I started seven years ago, there were 50 people working in the organisation,” she explained. “Now, we’re down to 36. This isn’t a proud record but that was the only way of how we’ve been able to cope with standstill funding.”

Ms Krause told the committee that unlike some other culture bodies, the Books Council has not received any extra in-year money from the Welsh Government.

Warning of uncertainty and people becoming more risk averse, she pointed out that not one project sponsored by the Books Council receives 100% of the funding it requires.

She raised concerns about new voices and opportunities for young people being lost.

Ms Krause said: “We are at risk of turning to the old regime where publishing was a little bit a gentleman’s occupation, namely those people who can afford to work in the area.”

She told the committee the profile of people working in the sector remains middle class.

She warned: “We have made some inroads but, when money is scarce and salaries are stagnant, that’s the pernicious impact and we will see this problem in ten years’ time.”

Calling for a ten-year strategic intervention to make Wales a reading nation, Ms Krause urged the Welsh Government to adopt international examples of best practices.

Ms Krause said she supported the principle of the Arts Council’s calls for culture and the arts to become a statutory responsibility.

But she pointed out that libraries are already a statutory duty, yet “we’re losing, across Britain, or have done, thousands of libraries in the last decade”.

She cautioned that the Libraries Act is phrased loosely enough for councils to absolve themselves from responsibilities of providing a library service.

Ms Krause sympathised with the need to protect core services like health and education but she said culture can make a significant contribution to both.

She said: “It is cuts on top of a decade of austerity that makes this such an existential issue.”

Ashley Drake, acting chair of Publishing Wales, which represents publishers, said grant funding fell by about 8% in 2023/24 then a further 10% in 2024/25.

In a letter to the committee, he wrote: “Our understanding is another significant cut is being discussed for 2025/26. Three consecutive cuts on the back of a decade or more of standstill budgets will be catastrophic…. It would signal nothing less than an existential crisis.”

Seren, the independent Bridgend-based publisher, warned the industry faces a real threat.

Bronwen Price, chief executive, and Duncan Campbell, chair, wrote: “As it stands, we are rapidly heading towards a tough decision: either we slash costs and therefore strip out everything that makes Seren Books what it is or face the prospect of closing for good.

“Were that to happen, Wales would lose its last standing significant English language publisher.. It would lose the major societal, economic, cultural, environmental and wellbeing contribution Seren Books makes and will make for future generations.”

News

Kurtz calls on Labour MPs to back release of Mandelson papers

Published

4 hours ago

February 4, 2026

Staff Writer

Opposition motion follows Epstein-linked document disclosures

A SENEDD Member has called on Labour MPs to support a Conservative Opposition Day Motion demanding the release of papers linked to Peter Mandelson’s appointment as the UK Ambassador to the United States.

Samuel Kurtz said the motion follows the publication of new files and photographs involving Lord Mandelson, which were released as part of a United States investigation into the disgraced and convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Speaking out, Mr Kurtz said that during Prime Minister’s Questions, the Prime Minister admitted he was aware of Peter Mandelson’s ongoing relationship with Epstein at the time of his appointment.

“That means the Prime Minister knowingly appointed Peter Mandelson to one of the most important diplomatic roles in government despite his links to Epstein,” he said. “This raises serious questions about the Prime Minister’s judgement.”

Mr Kurtz went on to accuse the Prime Minister of attempting to prevent transparency over the appointment process.

“Now, instead of being open and transparent, the Prime Minister is attempting to block the release of documents relating to Mandelson’s appointment in order to protect his own position,” he said.

He warned that Labour MPs who oppose the motion would share responsibility for withholding information, adding: “If Labour MPs support blocking the release of these papers, they will be complicit in covering up the process and judgement that led the Prime Minister to appoint Peter Mandelson as Ambassador, despite his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.”

News

Welsh peace campaigner removed from court during Palestine protest case

Published

6 hours ago

February 4, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Concerns raised over use of terrorism laws against silent sign-holders as Welsh activist among those ejected from London hearings

A WELSH peace campaigner was among several protesters removed from court by security staff this week as plea hearings continued for people charged under terrorism legislation for holding pro-Palestine signs.

Angie Zelter, aged 74, from Knucklas, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London on Monday as part of mass proceedings linked to the Government’s ban on Palestine Action.

Campaigners say hundreds of people across the UK – including some in Wales – have been charged under Section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000 after quietly holding handwritten signs reading: “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.”

Zelter, a long-time anti-war activist and founder of Trident Ploughshares, attempted to read a prepared statement criticising the prosecutions before being escorted from the courtroom, according to supporters.

She told the court she did not accept being labelled a terrorist for what she described as peaceful protest and opposition to the war in Gaza.

Outside the building, fellow campaigners said she had sought to argue that international law and freedom of expression should protect non-violent dissent.

Also removed from the hearing was Tim Crosland, co-founder of Defend Our Juries, who said he had tried to raise legal objections to the charges before being asked to leave.

Arrests nationwide

Organisers of the “Lift The Ban” campaign claim nearly 3,000 people have been arrested across Britain since late 2025 for taking part in silent vigils, with several hundred now facing prosecution. The offences carry a maximum sentence of six months in prison.

The group argues the legislation is being used to criminalise peaceful protest. It is calling on the Government to lift the ban on Palestine Action and to change its stance on military cooperation with Israel.

However, ministers have defended the proscription, saying the organisation has been linked to criminal damage and disruption at sites connected to defence manufacturing.

Welsh perspective

While most hearings are taking place in London, campaigners say demonstrators in Wales have also taken part in sign-holding protests.

Civil liberties advocates have warned that applying terrorism laws to non-violent protest risks setting a troubling precedent.

For many in mid Wales, the sight of a pensioner from rural Powys being removed from a courtroom has sharpened debate over where the line lies between legitimate protest and criminality.

Further hearings are scheduled in the coming weeks, with more defendants from across the UK expected to appear.

Business

Bid to convert office space into chocolate factory, salon and laundrette

Published

13 hours ago

February 4, 2026

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL for the retrospective conversion of office space previously connected to a Pembrokeshire car hire business to a chocolate factory, a beauty salon and a laundrette has been submitted to county planners

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, Mr M Williams, through agent Preseli Planning Ltd, sought retrospective permission for the subdivision of an office on land off Scotchwell Cottage, Cartlett, Haverfordwest into three units forming a chocolate manufacturing, a beauty salon, and a launderette, along with associated works.

A supporting statement said planning history at the site saw a 2018 application for the refurbishment of an existing office building and a change of use from oil depot offices to a hire car office and car/van storage yard, approved back in 2019.

For the chocolate manufacturing by ‘Pembrokeshire Chocolate company,’ as part of the latest scheme it said: “The operation comprises of manufacturing of handmade bespoke flavoured chocolate bars. Historically there was an element of counter sales but this has now ceased. The business sales comprise of online orders and the delivery of produce to local stockist. There are no counter sales from the premises.”

It said the beauty salon “offers treatments, nail services and hairdressing,” operating “on an appointment only basis, with the hairdresser element also offering a mobile service”. It said the third unit of the building functions as a commercial laundrette and ironing services known as ‘West Coast Laundry,’ which “predominantly provides services to holiday cottages, hotels and care homes”.

The statement added: “Beyond the unchanged access the site has parking provision for at least 12 vehicles and a turning area. The building now forms three units which employ two persons per unit. The 12 parking spaces, therefore, provide sufficient provision for staff.

“In terms of visiting members of the public the beauty salon operates on an appointment only basis and based on its small scale can only accommodate two customers at any one time. Therefore, ample parking provision exists to visitors.

“With regard to the chocolate manufacturing and commercial laundrette service these enterprises do not attract visitors but do attract the dropping off laundry and delivery of associated inputs. Drop off and collections associated with the laundry services tend to fall in line with holiday accommodation changeover days, for example Tuesday drop off and collections on the Thursday.

“With regard to the chocolate manufacturing ingredients are delivered by couriers and movements associated with this is also estimated at 10 vehicular movements per week.”