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Stephen Crabb MP wants a leader who will unite the country

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WORK and Pensions Secretary Stephen Crabb said today (June 27) that the Conservatives need a leader who can unite the country following the vote to leave the EU.

The Preseli Pembrokeshire MP, who is considered by some a possible contender himself, said whoever takes over as prime minister must be someone who can talk to Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

Speaking to a scrum of reporters in Westminster he said: “This is a really serious moment for our country, this isn’t just about party unity now, it’s about national unity.”

The comments follow David Cameron’s resignation on Friday morning after leading the defeated campaign to remain in the European Union.

The former Welsh Secretary who was also on the Remain side, said the new Tory leader must have a “plan for holding this United Kingdom together”.

He told reporters: “What I want to see is a candidate emerge who understands the enormity of the situation we’re in and who has got a clear plan to deliver on the expectations of the 17 million people who voted to come out last week,”

There is media speculation that the former Welsh secretary Stephen Crabb is reportedly being urged to stand for Tory leadership.

Prominent leave campaigner Boris Johnson is the bookies favourite to succeed David Cameron as the next Prime Minister.

But odds for Stephen Crabb to take the top job have been cut from 20:1 to 14:1 by some bookmakers.

ITV’s deputy political editor Chris Ship tweeted: “Tory leadership: @scrabbmp being urged to stand. Former Welsh Sec, now Work/Pensions Sec won’t say anything til after seen family at weekend”.

Crabb today has one of the biggest jobs in Government as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.

Mr Crabb says that despite “authoritative opinion about the importance of EU membership” blue collar voters “overwhelmingly decided on something different”.

He said: “The working classes decided quietly and collectively that the change they wanted was bigger than anything we at Westminster were offering.”

He added: “Even in places with low levels of immigration, this issue trumped all others on the doorsteps. For many people who don’t feel a part of this new age of globalisation, who are stuck in jobs paying barely more than minimum wage, who despair at their hollowed-out town centres, immigration is a proxy for all their concerns: opportunity, wages, housing, the future.”

Mr Crabb’s successor as Welsh Secretary, Vale of Glamorgan MP Alun Cairns, was asked whether he thought the Preseli Pembrokeshire MP could become Prime Minister.

He said: “It’s far too early to speculate at the moment; 48 hours haven’t even passed since the Prime Minister made his statement. There’s going to be lots of discussions…

“All I know is he was a very effective Secretary of State for Wales and has had a positive impact in the Department for Work and Pensions within the short time he’s been there.”

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Crime

Pembroke Dock woman in court for failing to remove rubbish from property

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A PEMBROKE DOCK resident is due to appear before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court later today (Nov 25) for multiple alleged breaches of a community protection notice.

Sheena Deacon, of 13 Wavell Crescent, Pembroke Dock, faces charges under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, which carries a maximum penalty of a Level 4 fine.

The charges stem from allegations that Deacon failed to remove accumulated household waste from her property on several occasions. According to court documents, the breaches occurred on September 19, September 26, October 2, October 9, and October 17 this year.

The charges indicate that Deacon, despite being issued with a community protection notice, did not comply with the requirements to clear and appropriately dispose of refuse and household waste from her address.

The Herald will bring updates on the case as it progresses.

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News

Welsh Conservatives urge Labour to scrap ‘family farm tax’

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THE WELSH CONSERVATIVES have announced plans to bring forward a Senedd debate next week (Nov 27) calling on the UK Labour Government to abandon its proposed “family farm tax.”

The tax, introduced by the UK Labour Government, is being criticised as a move that will harm Welsh farming, threaten food security, and increase food prices. Alongside the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Farming Scheme and perceived “anti-farming agenda,” critics argue this new tax amounts to a coordinated effort to undermine the future of agriculture in Wales.

Shadow Minister warns of consequences
Ahead of the debate, Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Rural Affairs, James Evans MS, condemned the proposal, stating:
“Labour’s family farm tax will put family farms out of business, threaten our food security, and lead to food prices rising. Only the Welsh Conservatives will stand up for our farmers, and that’s why we’re bringing forward a Senedd motion calling on Labour to reverse this decision. No farmers, no food.”

NFU Cymru expresses alarm
NFU Cymru President, Aled Jones, echoed these concerns, highlighting the widespread opposition from the farming community. Speaking about the impact of the tax on Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief, Jones said:
“Earlier this week, hundreds of farmers from across Wales journeyed to London to meet with their MPs and register their deeply held concerns about these misguided and ill-thought-out reforms.

“The proposals unveiled by the Treasury last month to introduce a tax on the passing on of our family farms to the next generation are a massive added burden. They will leave many farmers without the means, confidence, or incentive to invest in the future of their business.

“NFU Cymru reiterates its call for the UK Government to halt these changes.”

The motion to be debated
The motion, set to be debated in the Senedd, reads:
“To propose that the Senedd:
Calls on the UK Labour Government to reverse its decision to impose a family farm tax on agricultural businesses.”

This debate is expected to attract significant attention, with Welsh farmers and rural communities keenly watching for the outcome.

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Community

Internet outage for two villages after exchange box destroyed

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RESIDENTS of Clunderwen and Llandissilio have been left without internet access following the destruction of an Openreach exchange box just outside Llandissilio village.

The incident occurred yesterday (Nov 23) when the box was reportedly demolished by a vehicle. The damage has resulted in a complete loss of internet services for the two villages, with repairs expected to take at least a couple of days.

Local residents have expressed frustration over the disruption, as the outage affects home businesses, remote workers, and households relying on internet connectivity for day-to-day tasks.

Openreach engineers have cordoned off the site, and work is ongoing to assess the extent of the damage. A spokesperson for Openreach has been contacted for comment but had not responded by the time of publication.

The vehicle involved in the incident has not yet been identified. Anyone with information about the collision is urged to contact the local police.

With repair timelines unclear, affected residents have called for increased communication from service providers to manage expectations during the outage.

“Bringing the community back online is a priority,” a local resident said. “We’re hoping Openreach can resolve the issue quickly and ensure it doesn’t happen again in future.”

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