THE WELSH Government has escalated intervention at Aneurin Bevan University Health Board to one step short of special measures, amid concerns about an £18m deficit and A&E failures.

Jeremy Miles, Wales’ health secretary, announced the Gwent health board will move to level four for finance and emergency care on the government’s five-point scale.

In an update on escalation at each NHS organisation in Wales, Mr Miles warned the health board’s financial position has “deteriorated rapidly” over the past year.

“It is forecasting an £18.3m deficit by the end of March. This is not acceptable,” he said, announcing he will revoke approval of the health board’s three-year plan.

Mr Miles said the health board had been at level three due to concerns about emergency care at the Grange hospital in Cwmbran but will move to level four.

He told the Senedd: “The health board has failed to deliver the required improvements… This will result in direct intervention by the Welsh Government… to improve the timeliness and quality of urgent and emergency care for people living in the Gwent region.”

Mr Miles announced Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board, in north Wales, would remain at level five or special measures. He pointed to interventions including a review of planned care, cancer and emergency services as well as an investigation into management of waiting times data.

But he raised “considerable” progress on governance and leadership at Hywel Dda Health Board following the appointment of a new chair and chief executive.

He announced Hywel Dda will be de-escalated to routine, level-one arrangements for governance and leadership. However, the west-Wales health board remains at level three for planned care and cancer as well as level four for finance and A&E performance.

He told Senedd members he was appointing a “senior turnaround director” to provide support to Cardiff and Vale Health Board, which was placed into level four in July.

Mr Miles said the escalation levels of Cwm Taf Morgannwg, Swansea Bay and Powys health boards, as well as other NHS bodies such as the ambulance services trust, will not change. All seven health boards in Wales remain in some form of escalated status.

In today’s (December 16) statement, Mr Miles said long waits are falling as he pointed to a 43% reduction in lost ambulance hours since the last six-monthly update in July.

But James Evans, the Conservatives’ shadow health secretary, questioned whether intervention is delivering meaningful improvements for patients and staff.

Pointing out that Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board has been “trapped” in special measures for most of the past decade, he told the Senedd: “It is deeply concerning that, once again, we see multiple health boards at levels four and five.”

Mr Evans urged ministers to publish performance metrics, risk assessments and evidence used to assign escalation levels to enable decisions to be properly scrutinised.

He warned focusing on local financial mismanagement of health boards risks ignoring wider, systemic challenges driven by the Welsh Government’s policy and funding decisions.

Plaid Cymru’s Mabon ap Gwynfor agreed with his Tory counterpart about “deeper and more systemic” failures becoming a “constant feature” of the government’s record.

“Measures that should be exceptional, temporary and used only as a last resort have instead become routine,” he said. “It is the people of Wales who are paying the price for that failure.”

The Plaid health spokesperson said Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board has come to “embody the Welsh Government’s failure to embed lasting performance improvement”.

Mr ap Gwynfor told the Senedd: “This situation suggests one of two things: either the special measures system itself is not working or there’s no ceiling to Labour’s mismanagement.”

Mr Miles emphasised that escalation is about supporting health boards, not punishing them. The health secretary also pointed to challenges in other parts of the UK, with 12 of the 14 health boards in Scotland also in escalation.

Speaking ahead of the Senedd debate, South Wales East MS Natasha Asghar said: “This serious intervention is a damning indictment of Labour’s track record when it comes to the health service here in Wales and it is my constituents who are paying the price.

The Conservative MS continued: “Our dedicated NHS staff go above and beyond day in, day out, often under unimaginable pressure, but they are being let down by the chaos and mismanagement from the Labour Welsh Government.

“The problems within our health service have been known for quite some time, yet it appears Labour politicians in the Senedd are either reluctant or totally incapable of doing anything to fix the system.

“The Welsh Government must now finally declare a health emergency and focus all efforts on improving outcomes for patients, driving down shamefully high waiting lists, and turning our health service around.”

A TEN Minute Rule Bill calling for the UK to negotiate a customs union with the European Union has passed its first Parliamentary hurdle after a knife-edge vote in the House of Commons.

The proposal, brought forward by Liberal Democrat Europe spokesperson Al Pinkerton MP, was approved by a single vote on Tuesday after the Commons split 100 votes to 100, with the Deputy Speaker using their casting vote in favour of the Bill proceeding.

The Liberal Democrats described the result as a “historic victory”, arguing it sets an important parliamentary precedent for closer post-Brexit trading ties with the EU.

The vote saw 13 Labour backbenchers break ranks to support the proposal, alongside MPs from the Liberal Democrats and Plaid Cymru. In Wales, six MPs voted in favour, including Plaid Cymru’s Liz Saville Roberts, Ben Lake, Llinos Medi, Ann Davies, and Liberal Democrat MP David Chadwick, as well as Labour’s Tonia Antoniazzi, the MP for Gower.

However, the majority of Welsh Labour MPs chose not to back the measure. Among those abstaining was Henry Tufnell, Labour MP for Mid and South Pembrokeshire, who did not vote either for or against the Bill.

Other Welsh Labour MPs who abstained included representatives from Cardiff, Swansea, Llanelli, Neath, Newport, the Valleys and north Wales constituencies.

Economic impact of Brexit cited

The Liberal Democrats pointed to analysis from the House of Commons Library, commissioned by the party, which estimates the UK is losing around £250m a day in tax revenue as a result of Brexit-related economic impacts.

The party also highlighted concerns about the effect of Brexit on Welsh trade, citing research suggesting the volume of Welsh exports to the EU fell by around 31% between 2019 and 2024, while EU imports into Wales declined by approximately 20% over the same period.

They argue that small and medium-sized businesses in Wales are particularly exposed to additional trade barriers with the EU, given Wales’ historic reliance on European markets.

Speaking after the vote, Welsh Liberal Democrat Westminster spokesperson David Chadwick MP said the result reflected growing pressure for a change in the UK’s trading relationship with Europe.

“Across Wales, people are crying out for real change and a solution to the cost-of-living crisis,” he said. “A customs union with the EU is the single biggest step the government could take to grow our economy, put money back into people’s pockets and generate billions for our public services.”

Government position unchanged

The vote does not change government policy, and Ten Minute Rule Bills rarely become law without government backing. Labour ministers have so far ruled out rejoining the single market or customs union, citing commitments made during the general election campaign.

However, the narrow margin and cross-party support are likely to add pressure on the government as it seeks to “reset” relations with the EU through negotiations on trade, defence and regulatory cooperation.

For Pembrokeshire, where agriculture, food production, tourism and small exporters form a significant part of the local economy, the debate is likely to resonate, particularly among businesses affected by post-Brexit paperwork, costs and delays.

The Bill will now proceed to a second reading at a later date, though its long-term prospects remain uncertain.

Chadwick calls for scrapping of costly and controversial policy after thousands of Welsh signatures and Westminster debate

THOUSANDS of people across Wales have voiced their opposition to the UK Government’s proposed mandatory digital identity scheme, with the Welsh Liberal Democrats accusing ministers of ignoring the concerns of the public.

David Chadwick, the Liberal Democrat MP for Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe, led calls in Westminster to scrap the controversial policy, following a debate in Westminster Hall on December 8, 2025. Chadwick expressed concerns over the cost, the exclusion of digitally disadvantaged groups, and the potential for the scheme to be ineffective in tackling its stated goals, including illegal immigration.

Chadwick referred to the case of Harry Willcock, the last person in the UK to be prosecuted for refusing to produce an identity card in the 1950s, in an effort to highlight the historical and civil liberties concerns surrounding the proposal.

Growing opposition across Wales

According to figures released by the Welsh Liberal Democrats, 4,587 people in Chadwick’s constituency have signed the public e-petition opposing the digital ID scheme, and more than 154,000 people across Wales have added their names to the growing list of signatories. The petition has gathered over three million signatures nationwide, reflecting widespread opposition.

Concerns over cost and exclusion

Speaking in Parliament, Chadwick pointed out that the scheme, which is estimated to cost at least £1.8 billion, is likely to exceed this figure, given the track record of large-scale government IT projects. He warned that such a large financial commitment could divert much-needed resources away from essential services such as the NHS, policing, and local councils.

Furthermore, Chadwick raised concerns that the digital identity system would exclude vulnerable individuals, particularly the elderly and those living in areas with limited digital access. These groups could struggle to engage with an increasingly digital-first society, leaving them further marginalized.

Security risks and ineffectiveness

The Liberal Democrats have also warned that the concentration of personal data in one centralised system poses significant risks, including the potential for data breaches and cyberattacks. Chadwick described the scheme as a “gold mine” for hackers, urging caution.

Critics argue that the digital ID system will not effectively tackle illegal immigration. Chadwick highlighted that existing systems, such as National Insurance numbers and right-to-work checks, already address the issue, making the proposed ID system redundant.

Calls for immediate scrapping

In his closing remarks, Chadwick said: “The fact that so many people in Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe have signed this petition shows how deeply concerned the public is about mandatory digital IDs. Yet, the Government seems determined to ignore these concerns.”

“The scheme’s projected £1.8 billion cost is an astonishing priority, especially considering the many challenges facing our public services. This proposal is not the answer to issues like immigration or public safety—it’s an expensive distraction,” Chadwick concluded.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats are continuing to campaign against the scheme, calling for the Government to redirect funds to more pressing public services. The debate is likely to continue as the UK Government assesses public and parliamentary opinion on this divisive issue.