News
Election hopefuls battle it out
CONSERVATIVE candidate Simon Hart was the only representative of the country’s last coalition government to attend an all-
Delyth Evans talking to PPF member Andy Martin
Pembrokeshire day of hustings on Friday (Apr 17).
The morning session saw Stephen Crabb and Nick Tregoning pleaded other commitments, while in the South Pembrokeshire and Carmarthen West hustings, Liberal Democrat ‘challenger’ Selwyn Runnett joined Plaid Cymru’s Elwyn Williams and John Atkinson of UKIP on the absentee list.
However, as the seat has been something of a two-horse race between red and blue since 1997, it could be argued that the presence of Mr Hart, along with Labour candidate Delyth Evans, allowed people to see the contrast between different probable futures for the constituency. The Green Party’s Gary Tapley, attending the second hustings of his political career, was also in attendance.
The event, held in the Albany Hall, Haverfordwest, was organised by Pembrokeshire People First, a charity set up to enable and empower people with learning disabilities. PPF coordinator Karen Chandler started the ball rolling with a brief summary of what the group have achieved, before introducing the candidates.
Many of the questions asked referred directly to changes in the country’s benefit system over the last five years. In response to a question which pointed out that under changes to the Disability Living Allowance 1 in 5 people may not be able to live independently any more, Mr Hart stated that the policy was not designed to make people miss out, and blamed delays in processing, as well as less-than-perfect communication. “Nobody in this room who needs support should fall foul of the system,” he added.
Ms Evans said that when dealing with vulnerable people it was ‘more important to get things right,’ and added that one of the priorities for a Labour government would be ‘clearing the backlog’ of claims waiting to be processed ‘so people know where they stand.’ She also criticised the negative language used to describe recipients of benefits. Mr Tapley disagreed with the use of private companies ‘with targets to meet’ for assessments.
Mr Hart was also the only candidate across two constituencies who spoke out in favour of the ‘bedroom tax’ on the day, saying that he had witnessed extreme levels of overcrowding in council accommodation due to a shortage of available properties. His assertion that discretionary payments could be made by the local council to make up the shortfall was challenged by Ms Chandler, who pointed out that in Pembrokeshire those payments were only issued for a maximum of 6 months.
Ms Evans said that the Labour party promised to scrap the tax. “It penalises people who can’t help their situation and hasn’t solved the problem,” she said. Mr Tapley concurred, saying that it was ‘awful to mess with things without a solution in place’.
The Herald spoke to Sophie Hinksman, co-chair of the Learning Disability Advisory Group after the hustings: “I can understand Simon Hart’s point about overcrowding,” she said, “but the bedroom tax should be scrapped. It’s a bad idea, and it’s not fair to everyone.”
Another issue that PPF members felt strongly about was the Human Rights Act. In response to a question from Chairman Jeremy DeWilton regarding their promises to protect the act, Mr Hart claimed that it had ‘run its natural course’, and should be replaced by a Bill of Rights. “The Human Rights Act has been used by lawyers to protect the undeserving,” he added.
Ms Evans pointed out that the last Labour government had signed the UN Charter of Rights, and that her party had no plans to alter the act. “It is more important to make sure that it is put into practice – to make sure organisations like the County Council understand you have human rights,” she added.
Mr Tapley, whose face bore the expression of a schoolboy who has turned up at his science lesson with meticulously completed art homework, admitted that he was unsure of the party stance on the issue, but said that personally he was in favour of keeping the act. “People focus too much on what a few bad people do, rather than what it is for,” he said, and looked relieved when he was told that maintaining the Human Rights Act was in the Green Party manifesto.
In response to a question from vice chairman Ed Lewis asking ‘how can we trust you to do the things you say you will do?’ Mr Tapley was more forthright. “I keep my word – that’s who I am. Doing this won’t change me, if I’m voted in my duty is to you,” he declared.
Describing trust as ‘very important,’ Ms Evans said that the current lack of trust in politicians saddened her. “Most politicians are not liars,” she commented, before saying: “I try not to say things I don’t think I can do.”
Mr Hart agreed with the low public opinion regarding politicians. “They seem to be ranked with estate agents and journalists,” he joked. This remark, hopefully not a slur on Lib Dem candidate Mr Runnett, led me to wonder where the estate agent connection came in. Surely not the ubiquitous identical signs scattered across the south county?
Further questions were addressed to Ms Evans and Mr Tapley, after Mr Hart was forced to leave early.
The Herald spoke to the chair of PPF afterwards. Mr DeWilton said that he was impressed by the way candidates answered the group’s question: “Hopefully they’ll stick to what they said they want to do,” he said.
Local firms highlighted as supermarket giant backs £27bn Welsh food sector
HAVERFORDWEST food producers were among those selected to take centre stage at a national showcase celebrating the very best of Welsh food and drink.
Supermarket giant Tesco hosted the St David’s Day event in partnership with the Welsh Government’s Food & Drink Wales initiative, bringing together leading suppliers from across the country.
Two Pembrokeshire-based businesses — Blas y Tir, part of Pembrokeshire Creameries, and Puffin Produce, both based in Haverfordwest — were among those chosen to represent Welsh produce on a national stage.The event, held to mark St David’s Day, showcased a wide range of products including dairy, baked goods, meats, curries and spirits, highlighting the breadth and quality of food produced across Wales.
Organisers said the showcase underlined the importance of supporting local suppliers, many of which are family-run businesses rooted in their communities and reliant on local agriculture.
The Welsh food and drink supply chain is estimated to be worth £27 billion, with companies like those in Pembrokeshire playing a key role in sustaining rural jobs and supporting farmers.
Visitors to the event were given the opportunity to meet producers and sample products, while a surprise performance from Welsh singers added a cultural element to the day’s celebrations.
Enfys Fox, relationship manager for local sourcing at Tesco Wales, said: “St David’s Day is a time to celebrate everything that makes Wales special, and our suppliers are at the very heart of that story.
“This event was a fantastic opportunity to showcase the incredible range, quality and heritage of Welsh produce available in our stores.
“We are incredibly proud to collaborate with the Welsh Government and work with so many dedicated Welsh suppliers, many of them family businesses with deep roots in their communities. By supporting them, we’re not only bringing great products to our customers, but also investing in local jobs and the wider Welsh economy.”
The Herald understands that products from Pembrokeshire suppliers featured at the event are widely stocked in Tesco stores across Wales, giving local shoppers direct access to locally sourced goods.
While the showcase celebrated success, it also highlighted the growing importance of ensuring Welsh producers continue to secure fair opportunities within major retail supply chains.
The event formed part of Tesco’s wider commitment to strengthening partnerships with Welsh suppliers and promoting locally sourced food throughout the year.
‘No jobs in 2026–27’ as graduates told service has ‘more paramedics than required’
AN INTERNAL email sent to student paramedics has confirmed that no newly qualified paramedics will be recruited in Wales during the 2026–27 financial year, escalating concerns over workforce planning in the NHS.
The message, seen by The Herald, was sent to final-year students following a board meeting of the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust on March 26.
It confirms that the trust “does not require any NQPs” this year, stating the decision is based on affordability and workforce restructuring.
The development follows reporting by BBC Wales that students had already been advised to seek work overseas.
‘Simply not affordable’
In the email, the ambulance service states:
“Employing NQPs in 2026 is simply not affordable… No extra funding has been made available by Welsh Government or our commissioners.”
It adds that a review of workforce needs concluded:
“We currently have more paramedics than required and enough lead practitioners to fill any short to medium term vacancies.”
Students say they have also been told the service is aiming to reduce paramedic numbers, despite ongoing delays in ambulance response times across Wales.
Graduates left without roles
Around 70 students are expected to graduate this year from Swansea University and Wrexham University.
Training is heavily subsidised by Healthcare Education and Improvement Wales, with costs estimated by students at around £50,000 per person.
Despite this investment, graduates have now been told to consider employment outside Wales—or even overseas—to begin their careers.
Patient care concerns raised
Students have warned the decision could impact patient care if fewer fully qualified paramedics are deployed on the frontline.
They say being redirected into lower-grade roles means their full clinical training will not be used.
One student told The Herald: “We are ready to go straight into frontline care. Instead, we’re being told to look abroad. It doesn’t make sense.”
Government under pressure
A Welsh Government response seen by The Herald acknowledges the issue and says ministers are working with the ambulance service and universities to support affected graduates.
However, the internal email suggests the decision is already firm for the coming financial year.
The Herald has approached the Welsh Government and the Welsh Ambulance Service for further comment.
Senedd pressure grows as Welsh Government declines to intervene over surgery fears
THE WELSH GOVERNMENT has refused to step in over controversial changes to services at Withybush Hospital — despite a petition signed by more than 15,000 people and mounting political pressure across west Wales.
In a letter dated Wednesday (Mar 26), Health Secretary Jeremy Miles told Samuel Kurtz MS that responsibility for the changes lies firmly with Hywel Dda University Health Board — effectively ruling out direct ministerial intervention.
The decision comes after a major public campaign led by Pembrokeshire resident Ajay Owen, whose petition opposing the removal of emergency general surgery from Withybush rapidly gained traction and passed the Senedd threshold for formal consideration.
With more than 15,000 signatures, the petition has forced the issue onto the Senedd agenda and triggered scrutiny by the Petitions Committee — the first step towards a potential full debate in the chamber.
However, despite the scale of public concern, the Welsh Government has made clear it will not step in.
Mr Miles confirmed that the health board approved its Clinical Services Plan (CSP) at an extraordinary meeting in February, with implementation expected to begin in the next Senedd term and take up to four years to complete.
He said: “Under the statutory arrangements for NHS Wales, planning and delivery of local health services are the responsibility of health boards.”
The Health Secretary added that both he and the First Minister had been “very clear” that decisions of this nature rest with the health board — a stance likely to fuel accusations of ministers “passing the buck” at a time of heightened public anxiety.
Crucially, while Mr Miles stated that emergency department services were not included in the CSP decision, he offered no guarantees over the future of emergency general surgery — the central concern driving the campaign.
Local Senedd Member Samuel Kurtz criticised the response, describing it as deeply disappointing.
He said the reply “feels like the Minister is passing the buck,” adding that communities in Pembrokeshire are increasingly worried after “years of services being chipped away.”
Mr Kurtz, alongside Paul Davies MS, had urged ministers to intervene directly — arguing that the potential loss of key services would have a serious impact on patients in rural areas, where travel times to alternative hospitals are significantly longer.
The Herald understands that the scale of the petition had raised expectations that Welsh ministers might at least pause or review the proposals.
Instead, the response confirms a hands-off approach from Cardiff Bay — even as concern grows over access to urgent and emergency care in west Wales.
The focus now returns to Hywel Dda University Health Board, which faces intensifying scrutiny over how the plans will be delivered and what they will mean in practice for patients across Pembrokeshire.
For many residents, however, the message from the Welsh Government is clear — and unlikely to reassure:
Despite one of the largest health petitions in the region in recent years, ministers will not intervene.
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