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Labour leader receives hero’s welcome in Haverfordwest

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AROUND 1000 people waited patiently in a drizzly and cold Castle Square for the Labour Leader’s visit to Haverfordwest. Despite being around an hour late, the crowd remained cheerful – listening to music from the stage, and speeches from various local contributors.

Just before Jeremy Corbyn took to the stage, Labour’s Preseli Pembrokeshire candidate, Phillipa Thompson addressed the crowd.
She is hoping to gain the the 300 odd extra votes she missed out on in 2017 to get elected.
The candidate addressed the crowd: “Good evening Haverfordwest!”
The crowd cheered loudly; Mrs Thompson went continued: “I’m delighted to be here alongside our leader of the Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn. And Jeremy, the first time I met you was when you spoke to a group of us from the foreign office about working in parliament. And you spoke passionately about the shortage of housing in your constituency of Islington North. And if I remember rightly your first question as prime minister when you became leader of the opposition was about housing. So, I have the good fortune to have the opportunity later this week to be elected to represent the constituents of Preseli Pembrokeshire with just as much passion and just as much care as Jeremy has represented his constituents, and would now represent all of us for this country.

“Pembrokeshire is a fantastic place to live, and a fantastic place to visit. However, many of our young people in particular leave to find work. I would like see people Have more opportunities here in Pembrokeshire so that they have more choice. So, I hope Jeremy not to see you here only at election time but to welcome you back here again as Prime Minister.
Working together we can all make labour’s ambitious plans a reality for everyone in our country. With change coming right along the M4 and carrying on to this far-western edge of Wales.
I say on behalf of all of us here: Croeso i’r Sir Benfro – welcome to Pembrokeshire, Jeremy Corbyn!”

It was the moment the crowd had been waiting for.
Jeremy Corbyn took to the stage: “Good evening Haverfordwest… good evening Preseli Pembrokeshire!”
“Are you going to win it for Labour on Thursday? Is Phillipa going to be your next MP?
“This election is going to be about justice for people all over Britain.
“Last night you saw in the debate that was going on – you saw that the Prime Minister represents a party that is created and funded by billionaires.
“You saw that the only solution to his problems is a trade deal with the United States, which will put the NHS at risk of American companies taking it over.
“You can see what they are doing in this election campaign.
“A party for billionaires, funded by billionaires for the in equality of this country.
“Well, is it right that in the fifth richest country in the world there are five million children living in poverty? That over Christmas more than 100,000 children will know the security of a safe home in which to live? That thousands of people will be sleeping rough over Christmas in parks and tents, stations and bus stations, and all other places – they just try and find somewhere to survive. And all the while that gap between the richest and the poorest has just got wider, and wider, and wider.
“In 2010, the Tories and Liberal Democrats got together and formed a coalition government and decided to make the political choice – and it was a political choice – of austerity. They used it to cut local government spending in England – to cut the budget of the government of Wales.
“They used it to freeze benefits, to freeze public sector wages, to introduce Universal Credit – and to create – quite deliberately – poverty in the lives of very many millions of people.
“Most working-class families have a spending power of between 20 and 25% less than ten years ago. Small wonder that all over the country in Wales, England and Scotland, high streets are struggling to survive. Shops struggling to survive because of that loss of spending power. And so, we cannot go on like this as a country. We cannot go on with this degree of inequality and the levels of stress it creates in society. The growth of mental health stress and the mental health crisis. The growth of debt. Personal debt, household debt and student debt all over the UK. Surely to goodness we need to do things differently.
“And when the United Nations – yes, the United Nations – sends a special rapporteur to Britain you must ask yourself the question: Hang on a minute, we’re supposed to be a rich country. “We’re supposed to have a welfare state. We’re supposed to be a country which reaches out to everyone, and that report says that the 1940’s contract between the people and the government that says nobody should be in destitution has been “cast aside” and replaced in their words by “a cold and uncaring ethos”

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Crime

Three more arrested after 18-year-old dies in Gorseinon crash

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Five people are now in custody following a collision involving a car and an off-road motorcycle

THREE more men have been arrested after an 18-year-old died following a collision between a car and an off-road motorcycle in Gorseinon.

South Wales Police were called to Pen Cae Crwn Road at around 12:58pm on Thursday, where the teenager, who is believed to have been from Swansea, was pronounced dead at the scene.

A second man, aged 19, was taken to hospital with injuries.

Two 18-year-old men were arrested on suspicion of murder on Thursday.

Police confirmed on Friday that a further three arrests had been made.

A 33-year-old man from Gorseinon was arrested on suspicion of murder.

A 38-year-old man from Gowerton and a 38-year-old man from Mount Pleasant were arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.

The latest arrests bring the total number of people detained in connection with the investigation to five.

Several roads in the area remained closed on Friday morning while officers continued their investigation.

Cordons had been removed from some streets, although traffic cones, road signs and police tape remained at the roadside.

Gorseinon Rugby Club chairman Ian Murphy said the local community had been left in “deep shock”.

He said: “For youngsters to get involved in a tragedy like this is shocking and disturbing, very disturbing for us all.

“Everybody was talking about it. All the roads were closed by police and ambulances, so it took a while for it to sink in what was going on.

“We were aware that there might have been a chase involving a car and a motorbike, and the full tragedy unfolded from there.”

South Wales Police has not confirmed the circumstances leading up to the collision, and enquiries remain ongoing.

 

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Health

Hywel Dda patients waited average of 64 weeks for hip surgery

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Freedom of Information figures show more than 1,600 patients remained on the health board’s hip replacement waiting list in May

PATIENTS awaiting elective hip replacement surgery under Hywel Dda University Health Board waited an average of 450 days during the 2025/26 financial year, according to newly released figures.

The average wait was equivalent to just over 64 weeks, significantly longer than the treatment times set out under Welsh NHS targets.

The figures were obtained through a Freedom of Information request submitted to the health board by private healthcare marketplace My Medical Gateway.

In Wales, the stated aim is for 95% of patients to begin treatment within 26 weeks of referral, with no patient waiting longer than 36 weeks.

Hywel Dda confirmed that 1,608 patients were on its waiting list for hip replacement surgery as of May 28, 2026.

The health board also said 16 patients had been removed from the waiting list during the 2025/26 financial year after choosing to undergo treatment privately.

Hip replacement surgery is most commonly offered to people experiencing severe pain, stiffness and reduced mobility, often after other treatments such as physiotherapy, pain relief, injections and lifestyle changes have failed to provide sufficient relief.

Sara Gezdari, Head of Investor Relations at My Medical Gateway, said prolonged waits could have a serious effect on patients’ physical and emotional wellbeing.

She said: “Many people join NHS waiting lists after already spending months or years attempting to manage their condition through physiotherapy, pain relief medication, injections and lifestyle modifications.

“By the time surgery is recommended, they are often already struggling. The true impact of waiting is measured not in weeks but in declining quality of life.”

She said patients waiting for surgery could experience increasing pain, disrupted sleep, reduced mobility, loss of independence, social isolation and worsening mental health.

Long waits could also have financial consequences, particularly for people whose employment relies on physical mobility.

Ms Gezdari added: “Many patients continue working despite severe symptoms. As pain worsens, productivity often falls. Some reduce their hours. Others leave work entirely.

“The consequences can be particularly significant for self-employed individuals who depend upon physical mobility to earn a living.”

My Medical Gateway said private hip replacement surgery in the UK typically costs between £12,549 and £14,950.

The company, which connects UK patients with private hospitals in the European Union, said the average price offered by many European providers was approximately £9,088.

However, travelling abroad for medical treatment can involve additional considerations, including travel costs, insurance, post-operative care and arrangements if complications arise.

The Freedom of Information response was returned by Hywel Dda University Health Board on June 8, 2026.

 

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Education

Saundersfoot graduate secures teaching job before completing degree

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Local school placements helped Millie Brace gain the experience and connections needed to begin her career at Templeton Primary School

A SAUNDERSFOOT student is celebrating after graduating from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David and securing a teaching job in Pembrokeshire before completing her degree.

Millie Brace graduated this week with a BA in Primary Education with Qualified Teacher Status from UWTSD’s Carmarthen campus.

She will begin her first teaching post at Templeton Primary School in September.

Millie said the opportunity to remain close to home and complete placements in Pembrokeshire schools had been a major factor in her decision to study at UWTSD.

“I chose UWTSD because it allowed me to stay close to my family and continue living at home while studying, which was important to me,” she said.

“Another key reason was the opportunity to complete local teaching placements.

“I knew how competitive teaching jobs can be in Pembrokeshire, so gaining experience in local schools was a great way to build professional connections and develop an understanding of the schools and communities I want to work in.”

Her placements allowed her to gain experience in a range of classrooms and helped her develop the confidence needed to apply for teaching roles.

“Before graduating, I was delighted to secure a teaching position at an amazing primary school in my local area,” she said.

Millie praised the support she received from university staff, school mentors and teachers during her final placement at Lamphey Primary School.

“Although I had not previously taught that particular year group, I received fantastic support from my class mentors and staff at Lamphey Primary School,” she said.

“Their knowledge and experience, combined with the research and understanding I developed through my course and assignments, greatly increased my confidence.”

Millie said the flexibility of the degree allowed her to explore subjects linked directly to her classroom experience and professional development.

“My favourite thing about the course was the flexibility of the assignments,” she said.

“They allowed me to explore topics that genuinely interested me and focus on areas that reflected my personal development targets from placements.

“This made the work feel relevant to my experiences in the classroom and helped me connect theory with practice.”

She also valued the sense of community at the Carmarthen campus and the friendships she formed with other student teachers.

“One of the biggest challenges during my studies was adapting to different placement schools and managing the increasing expectations placed on me as I progressed,” she said.

“Each school had its own routines, approaches and learning environments.

“What helped me most was the support of other student teachers. We shared resources, exchanged ideas and helped each other with lesson planning and preparation.”

Outside her studies, Millie continued to enjoy the Pembrokeshire coastline, spending her spare time paddleboarding, walking her dog and learning to surf.

She said she would recommend UWTSD to anyone considering a career in teaching.

“The course provided excellent placement opportunities, allowing me to gain valuable experience in local schools and build professional connections that helped me secure a teaching job before graduating,” she said.

“I have also made friends for life, and the relationships I built have been one of the most rewarding parts of my university experience.”

Millie will now take the next step in her career when she joins Templeton Primary School at the beginning of the new academic year.

 

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