THE LEADER of the Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, launched a fierce attack on Prime Minister Keir Starmer during heated exchanges in the House of Commons on Wednesday (Mar 4).

During Prime Minister’s Questions, Badenoch accused the government of prioritising welfare spending over defence investment and warned that Britain was failing to strengthen its military during a period of international instability.

She claimed the government had no credible defence investment plan, telling MPs the Prime Minister “doesn’t know what is going on on any policy” and simply reads prepared statements regardless of the question being asked.

Badenoch said the government’s spending priorities had left the country vulnerable.

“The truth is that because they spent money on welfare there is no defence investment plan,” she said.

“Because there is no defence investment plan they are not ordering enough missiles.”

The Conservative leader also attacked Labour’s energy policy, accusing the government of undermining the UK’s domestic energy security by restricting new North Sea oil and gas drilling.

She argued that doing so while importing energy from countries such as Norway made little sense during a period of geopolitical tension.

“At a time of geopolitical crisis, does it make sense to kill our oil and gas industry and give up that ready supply of energy?” she asked.

Responding, the Prime Minister defended the government’s approach and said ministers were working with allies and energy companies to safeguard supplies.

Starmer said the UK remained in close contact with international partners and industry leaders amid global instability.

He added that oil and gas would remain part of the UK’s energy mix for many years, but insisted that renewable energy was key to improving long-term energy security.

“If the last few days have taught us anything, it is that while we rely on international markets we are vulnerable to these changes,” he told MPs.

“That is why renewable energy, where we have our own independence and security, will take us off those markets.”

The exchanges became increasingly heated as Badenoch continued to criticise the government’s priorities on defence and national security.

She argued that the Prime Minister was “prioritising his job security over our national security.”

Starmer dismissed the criticism, telling the Commons he had spent the week “protecting British lives” and accused the opposition of failing to act in the national interest.

The clash came amid heightened international tensions and growing debate in Westminster about defence spending, energy security and the rising cost of living.

A CALL for approval for the use of Crymych industrial units as a golf simulator, child’s play space and a wellness centre offering a sauna, ice baths, and oxygen therapy has been submitted to county planners.

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, Mr and Mrs Evans, through agent Preseli Planning Ltd, seek a partly retrospective permission for the erection of commercial building containing three individual business units, at a former vacant storage yard at Parc Gwynfryn, Crymych.

A supporting statement says: “The building provides three sperate business spaces, two of the units are occupied, one as a golf simulator (7B 2) a second is occupied by a child’s role play and play space (7B 4) and the central unit (7B 3) is currently unoccupied, proposed to be let as a wellness centre.”

The site owners and applicants, Mr and Mrs Evans, are also the operators of the golf simulator enterprise and the original developers of the industrial estate, the statement says.

“The aim of the application is to regularise the existing building and existing and proposed uses. The building was substantially complete May 2025 and first occupied June 2025. Unit 7B2 is occupied by a golf simulator whereby users book slots online and self-serve.

“Unit 7B3 is currently unoccupied but would be occupied by wellness centre once planning permission is granted, consisting of sauna, ice baths, cryotherapy room, oxygen therapy etc. Unit 7B4 is occupied by a new enterprise which offers indoor roleplay space for children, Byd Bach.”

It adds: “In terms of the golf simulator, this is owner managed and the sites proximity to their main office within the site makes managing and attending the unit convenient and enables multiple businesses to be managed by the same members of staff.

“In terms of Byd Bach, this is operated by a local couple who also manage other premises in Crymych, amongst other employment. The site’s proximity to Crymych is therefore important and these arrangements are only successful given that the site is well-related to Crymych.

“The offering would not disrupt existing comparable provision, the closest facility of this kind being in St Clears, well beyond the catchment of this facility.

“The third unit is not yet occupied but would be operated by a local spinal injury sufferer, and athlete, who would benefit from the facilities themselves and offer therapy for others.”

Citing a recently-approved change on use of a building on the industrial site itself to a Hair and Beauty Salon, it said it was considered the development would not have a significant detrimental effect on the overall supply of business units or land in Pembrokeshire or Crymych.

The application will be considered by county planners at a later date.

AN EMERGENCY call for Pembrokeshire’s council to take greater action in safeguarding the future of Withybush hospital is to be heard next week.

At the full council meeting of March 5, an emergency notice of motion by the council’s 11-strong Conservative Party group will demand that the Welsh Government immediately reverses the decision to cease emergency general surgery at Withybush Hospital.

Last year, Hywel Dda University Health Board consulted with its communities on options for change in critical care, dermatology, emergency general surgery, endoscopy, ophthalmology, orthopaedics, stroke, radiology and urology.

It said its Clinical Services Plan focuses on nine healthcare services that are “fragile and in need of change”.

The proposed changes included an option for Withybush patients needing specialist critical care being transferred to Glangwili.

At a recent two-day meeting, the board, amongst its many other decisions, backed changes into emergency general surgery which will see no emergency general surgery operations taking place at Withybush, but a strengthening of the same-day emergency care (SDEC).

A petition against the plans already has more than 4,000 signatures and has met an angry response from local politicians and campaigners.

At the March council meeting, the Conservative council group, led by Cllr Di Clements, will say: “The Welsh Government has powers of intervention in Sections 26-28 of the NHS (Wales Act) 2006 which enables it to intervene in decisions made by a health board, in this case the Hywel Dda University Health Board.”

It says that Pembrokeshire residents “have seen continual downgrading of services over the years, and this has been detrimental to all residents,” adding: “We believe this recent decision is life threatening to those who need emergency surgery and a matter of resident’s safety.

“Every hour lost, on average, survival rates decrease by four per cent. Those who live furthest west and north will be affected the most.”

The group adds: “We are concerned especially that this has the huge potential to affect A&E provision. With limited opportunity for doctors to operate we are concerned that our county hospital will be left with few or no senior surgeons and A&E will be forced to close.”

The group has also questioned the accuracy of figures quoted by the First Minister Eluned Morgan on the number of affected patients, saying: “HDUHB own figures for the changes to emergency surgery put the number at nine per week, not five.”

The group has said it “acknowledges that Pembrokeshire County Council has no control over health services in the county, but the 60 county councillors represent approximately 120,000 people who at some point may need hospital services”.

Group leader Cllr Di Clements said: “I am certain the whole county will support our aim to prevent any more downgrading of services at Withybush.

“We are treated like second class citizens, and it is just not good enough.”