News

Crabb’s cock up provides Commons comedy gold

Published

4 years ago

June 2, 2020

WESTMINSTER’s status as an anachronistic set of procedures and rules subject to the whims of a Government with an eighty-seat majority was further emphasised in farcical scenes in and around the House of Commons today (Tuesday, June 2).

The biggest laugh of the day was inadvertently provided by local MP Stephen Crabb.

Alarmed by the Prime Minister’s appalling performances at PMQs without packed backbenches to cheer him on and bay at the opposition leader, the Leader of the House of Commons, Jacob Rees Mogg, called a vote which meant that only members present in the Palace of Westminster would be allowed to vote and speak in Commons debates.

During the prevailing coronavirus precautions, members had been allowed to attend proceedings online and vote and speak using digital technology.

Anyone on College Green today outside the Houses of Parliament would have been bemused by the sight of members formed in a line to allow them to cast their votes in a non-debate. The queue of members waiting to vote stretched from the Commons chamber, around Westminster Hall, and onto the green outside.

The strong smell of farce was unmistakable as those MPs who are often considered lobby-fodder, fed themselves into the lobby to vote along Party lines.

The comedy potential of proceedings was amply demonstrated by Stephen Crabb. Entering the Chamber to cast his vote, Mr Crabb stepped to the ‘no’ side and said ‘aye’. Realising his error, he proceeded to the ‘aye’ side of the Speaker’s Chair to cast his vote and voted ‘no’.

The incident was captured on video, along with Mr Crabb’s eye-rolling moment of realisation about his mistakes. He finally managed to vote in favour of the Government’s motion, which was carried by a substantial majority.

A clip of the incident is here:

https://news.sky.com/video/coronavirus-mp-goes-wrong-way-to-vote-then-votes-wrong-way-11999430

Meanwhile, the devolved governments continue to operate in the twenty-first century instead of the nineteenth.

Crime

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

Published

5 hours ago

November 25, 2024

Court Reporter

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.

News

Welsh Conservatives urge Labour to scrap ‘family farm tax’

Published

5 hours ago

November 25, 2024

Tom Sinclair

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.

Community

Internet outage for two villages after exchange box destroyed

Published

7 hours ago

November 24, 2024

Tom Sinclair

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.”