Politics

‘We’re piling up laws never delivered’: former minister criticises own government

Published

6 months ago

November 12, 2025

A FORMER minister has accused the Welsh Government of “piling up laws” that are “never delivered”, painting a picture of a pattern of incompetence over the past decade.

Labour’s Alun Davies criticised a seven-year delay in introducing an environment bill to plug post-Brexit gaps which left Wales with some of the weakest protections in western Europe, according to environment charities.

Mr Davies, who is first on Labour’s list for the new Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni seat at next year’s election, said: “We’ve got to do more than pass declaratory legislation… [which] doesn’t have any bite… All too often the vanity of politicians takes over and we believe we can change things quite fundamental and, usually, outside our control simply by passing laws.”

He added: “I remember when this was important and an emergency back in 2018.”

He accused Huw Irranca-Davies, the Deputy First Minister, of being able to offer “no credible explanation” of why it has taken seven years to bring forward the environment bill.

Mr Davies stressed the delay was not a one-off, questioning why it took ministers about a decade to implement public health and renting laws too.

Calling for a parliamentary inquiry, he asked: “Why is it we’re asked to vote for this legislation, time and time again, but the government isn’t able to deliver?”

He warned: “There are real failures of parliamentary and governmental processes here.”

The backbencher, who has twice been sacked from government, added: “We are creating increasingly bureaucratic and cumbersome new structures, targets, which probably won’t be met and, in fact, if you read the bill, won’t even be set until the end of the next Senedd.”

He made the comments as the environment bill, which would establish a watchdog and set a framework for biodiversity targets, passed the first stage in the Senedd. Similar watchdogs were set up in Scotland, Northern Ireland and England in 2021.

Mr Davies told the Senedd: “It’s increasingly worrying to me that what we’re doing is piling up laws… which are never delivered, never implemented and which create burdensome and cumbersome demands on public bodies which they themselves are unable to deliver.”

The Conservatives’ Janet Finch-Saunders was similarly scathing, describing delays as a “point of national shame” and a “serious political failure”. She suggested the Welsh Government will go down in history for kicking the can down the road.

Conservative MS Janet Finch-Saunders, pictured in June

She warned the bill pushes key decisions, such as actually setting targets, beyond the 2026 Senedd election when cross-party consensus on the issue could collapse.

Labour’s Mike Hedges, who chairs the Senedd’s legislation committee, concluded the bill “appears to have been deprioritised by the Welsh Government”.

He described the biodiversity target-setting framework as “ill-conceived”.

Delyth Jewell, Plaid Cymru’s shadow climate secretary, questioned why the Welsh watchdog was set to receive £300,000 less than its Scottish counterpart despite a wider remit.

South Wales East's Plaid Cymru MS Delyth Jewell — South Wales East’s Plaid Cymru MS Delyth Jewell, pictured in July

And climate committee chair Llŷr Gruffydd warned last-minute government concessions “undermined” scrutiny as he called for the new watchdog to be “genuinely independent”.

During the debate on Tuesday November 11, Huw Irranca-Davies agreed to accelerate the timeline for setting targets from three years to two and bolster the body’s independence.

The Deputy First Minister and climate secretary also pledged to introduce a framework for short- and long-term targets, halve the time to report on missed targets to six months, and ensure the watchdog’s enforcement powers are active within two years.

Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies

Turning to his colleague’s criticism, he joked: “I very much welcome all of the comments that members have made today and the spirit in which they were made – you too, Alun.”

Mr Irranca-Davies then rejected the charge that the legislation was weak, insisting the targets would not be “half-arsed” and telling Mr Davies: “I do think you’re unduly pessimistic on this – this is more than declaratory legislation. This has got the benefit, because it has taken a bit longer, of being exceptionally, exceptionally well-worked, well-crafted.”

Senedd Members voted 50-1 in favour of the general principles of the bill, which now moves to amendment stages, with only Reform UK’s Laura Anne Jones, who represents South Wales East, voting against.

Business

Pembroke Power Station National Grid shutdown power plans

Published

15 hours ago

May 1, 2026

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL to site specialist diesel generators at Pembroke Power Station to help keep the lights on in the event of a National Grid shutdown has been lodged with county planners.

In a screening application to Pembrokeshire County Council, RWE Generation UK PLC, through Ove Arup & Partners Ltd, wants to site up to six containerised diesel generators, diesel storage tank(s) and electrical connections at Pembroke Power Station, Pwllcrochan, near Pembroke.

The application site is within the site of the existing Pembroke Power Station, a combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) station which began commercial operation in September 2012, with a gross consented capacity of about 2,199 megawatts electric (MWe), replacing the previous oil-fired power station which operated for almost 30 years and was decommissioned in 1999.

A supporting statement says, subject to confirmation, it is considered to comprise permitted development, the scheme “a standalone plant, with its own fuel supply, capable of starting up, operating and shutting down independently from the power station”.

It adds: “It is required only in an emergency to maintain plant status and keep the power station operationally ‘ready’ in the event of a total or partial shutdown of the National Grid system. It is not required for the normal operation of the power station and does not extend its capacity, which remains as already consented, therefore it is not considered a change or extension.”

On need, it says it is mandatory that all electricity generators of over a megawatt have to adopt a new minimum standard of asset resilience; power stations “must be capable of restoring demand on the National Grid electricity transmission system in the event of a total or partial shutdown of the National Grid system”.

“The Power Station does not currently meet this new asset resilience standard, therefore new back-up power, control philosophy and on-site services that support site critical systems enabling the power station to remain ready to operate must be implemented.

“RWE is required to install a new enhanced emergency site auxiliary solution (diesel generators and diesel storage tanks) at the power station for resilience against the failure of the interconnected electricity distribution network into which it is normally connected in order to satisfy the Grid Code requirements by the mandated implementation deadline of December 31, 2026.

“RWE will make operational and fuelling provision, within its new resilience design at Pembroke power station of up to 120 hours, in order to provide capability to a slightly enhanced standard known to be valued by the National Energy System Operator (‘NESO’) in certain emergency network scenarios.”

It says construction is hoped to start in July 2026, lasting approximately nine to 12 months, the main part across the summer months.

The call will be considered by county planners at a later date.

Business

Pembrokeshire St Brides Castle biomass and solar scheme

Published

18 hours ago

May 1, 2026

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

PLANS for a green energy scheme at a Pembrokeshire former country house which is now holiday apartments have been given the go-ahead.

In an application to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, HPB Ltd, through agent Acanthus Holden Architects, sought permission for a biomass boiler plant and installation of 16 rows of solar panels to the south of the tennis courts, St Brides Castle, St Brides, along with the removal of two tennis courts, two polytunnels, two sheds and relocation of a container.

Marloes and St Brides Community Council: Supporting

An officer report recommending approval said: “St Brides Castle. Listed Grade II* is a former country house (now holiday apartments) just south-west of the small settlement of St Brides.

“The house and its listed ancillary buildings stand prominently within a large grade-II-registered park and garden. The development site lies immediately south of the registered asset, outside of its boundary.”

It added: “Although in a sensitive location, the proposed scheme is well-screened, utilising an existing hedged enclosure. The proposed panels do not protrude over the hedge line, the proposed extra planting to the south and west providing further screening. The proposed building, also well-screened, is of traditional design, proportions and materials.”

The application was conditionally approved by park planners.

News

UK terror threat level raised to severe after Golders Green attack

Published

1 day ago

April 30, 2026

Tom Sinclair

THE UK’S terrorism threat level has been raised from substantial to severe, meaning an attack is now considered highly likely.

The decision was taken by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre on Thursday (Apr 30), following the stabbing of two Jewish men in Golders Green, North London, which has been declared a terrorist incident.

The Home Office said the change was not based solely on that attack, but reflected a wider increase in the threat from Islamist and extreme right-wing terrorism in the UK.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the attack was an “abhorrent, antisemitic” act of terrorism and said her thoughts were with the victims and the Jewish community.

There are five terrorism threat levels in the UK: low, moderate, substantial, severe and critical.

Severe means an attack is highly likely, while critical means an attack is highly likely in the near future.

Threat levels are set independently by JTAC and MI5, based on intelligence and analysis. They do not have an expiry date and can be changed at any time.

Police say the public may see an increase in visible patrols and other security measures, including Project Servator deployments, where specially trained officers patrol public areas to identify suspicious behaviour.

The public is being urged to remain vigilant and report anything suspicious to police. In an emergency, people should always call 999.