News

A last minute trade deal that ends fears of a no-deal Brexit

Published

5 years ago

December 25, 2020

UK AND EU negotiators have announced a trade deal that ends fears of a no-deal Brexit.

With a week to go until the end of the transition period on December 31, the deal’s announcement came this afternoon (December 24).

The agreement means the UK can continue having tariff-free to the EU market. Goods coming from the EU to the UK will also be tariff-free.

Farming unions in Wales, whose industry would have been catastrophically damaged by leaving the EU without a deal, expressed relief at the news.

The negotiators reached a compromise on EU boats’ fishing access to British waters after Brexit. The settlement involves a gradual five-year adjustment to fishing quotas. During that period, British vessels will gradually increase their share of the catch.

UK citizens will be able to enjoy visa-free access to EU countries for 90 days every six months.

The Leader of the Opposition in the Senedd Paul Davies welcomed the deal.

The Preseli Pembrokeshire MS said: “The news this afternoon ends years of discussions over the UK’s future with the EU. I’m delighted the UK Government has been able to secure a deal.
“Crucially, this means that we can add the EU to the list of nearly 60 trade deals that have been secured around the World, which come into place as we enter the New Year. Those deals enable the UK to start our new journey as a strong independent nation.

“I have no doubt that, despite the challenges of Covid-19, across the UK, and especially in Wales, people and businesses will take up the opportunities that these deals provide. They will help Welsh businesses to grow and kick start the Welsh economy.”
Wales’ First Minister said that the deal was ‘thin’ and less than ideal.
Faced with a choice of this deal or no deal, Mr Drakeford said: “Welsh businesses will still face significant new barriers to trade. Welsh citizens can no longer travel freely in Europe, and there will be little in it for service sector businesses.

“Even so, this deal is better than the catastrophe which would have been a no-deal.”
Preseli Pembrokeshire MP Stephen Crabb tweeted his congratulations to Boris Johnson, the UK’s Chief Negotiator Lord David Frost, EU Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Mr Crabb described the deal as ‘important for the UK, Wales, Pembrokeshire – and the EU’. He said the agreement laid a robust platform for continued trade and co-operation.

The deal’s detail means that there will still be increased checks at borders between the EU and UK and inspections at ports on food exports and imports. That will mean increased bureaucracy for firms trading with the EU. However, businesses could consider that a relatively small price to pay compared to the alternative.
With only a week to go before the end of the transition period, teething problems can be expected from January 1.

Tony Danker, CBI Director-General, congratulated both teams of negotiators for reaching a deal but sounded a cautionary note.

Mr Danker said: “This will come as a huge relief to British business at a time when resilience is at an all-time low. But coming so late in the day, both sides must take instant steps to keep trade moving and services flowing while firms adjust.”

The Speakers of both the Commons and the Lords have recalled both Houses of Parliament on December 30 when the deal will almost certainly receive overwhelming parliamentary approval.

Simon Hart MP said: “It’s been a very long journey, but I hope today’s trade deal strikes a careful balance between those for whom only a clean break would suffice, and those who voted to remain but respect referendum results.

“There will no doubt be copious analysis of the detail, but the fact that we leave on reasonable terms and that certainty is at last established I hope brings this chapter to an orderly close.

“I am very conscious that there are many who doubted (back in 2015) that we would ever win an election that committed to a referendum; that if we did we would not honour it; that if we honoured it the result would have been remain; that we would fail to deliver a withdrawal agreement; but if we did we would never get a deal – and that when all that stalled due to parliamentary numbers that we would never win an election which pledged to “get brexit done”.

“That’s all for now, but I will say more on this and Covid as we close in on the new year. It’s been tough, but our community resilience is unbeatable! Happy Christmas.”

News

BBC apologises to Herald’s editor for inaccurate story

Published

58 minutes ago

December 4, 2025

Staff Writer

THE BBC has issued a formal apology and amended a six-year-old article written by BBC Wales Business Correspondent Huw Thomas after its Executive Complaints Unit ruled that the original headline and wording gave an “incorrect impression” that Herald editor Tom Sinclair was personally liable for tens of thousands of pounds in debt.

The 2019 report, originally headlined “Herald newspaper editor Tom Sinclair has £70,000 debts”, has now been changed.

The ECU found: “The wording of the article and its headline could have led readers to form the incorrect impression that the debt was Mr Sinclair’s personal responsibility… In that respect the article failed to meet the BBC’s standards of due accuracy.”

Mr Sinclair said: “I’m grateful to the ECU for the apology and for correcting the personal-liability impression that caused real harm for six years. However, the article still links the debts to ‘the group which publishes The Herald’ when in fact they related to printing companies that were dissolved two years before the Herald was founded in 2013. I have asked the BBC to add that final clarification so the record is completely accurate.”

A formal apology and correction of this kind from the BBC is extremely rare, especially for a story more than six years old.

Business

First wind turbine components arrive as LNG project moves ahead

Published

4 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Tom Sinclair

THE FIRST ship carrying major components for Dragon LNG’s new onshore wind turbines
docked at Pembroke Port yesterday afternoon last week, marking the start of physical
deliveries for the multi-million-pound renewable energy project.

The Maltese-registered general cargo vessel Peak Bergen berthed at Pembroke Dock on
shortly after 4pm on Wednesday 26th November, bringing tower sections and other heavy
components for the three Enercon turbines that will eventually stand on land adjacent to the
existing gas terminal at Waterston.

A second vessel, the Irish-flagged Wilson Flex IV, has arrived in Pembroke Port today is
due to arrive in the early hours of this morning (Thursday) carrying the giant rotor blades.
The deliveries follow a successful trial convoy on 25 November, when police-escorted low-
loader trailers carried dummy loads along the planned route from the port through
Pembroke, past Waterloo roundabout and up the A477 to the Dragon LNG site.

Dragon LNG’s Community and Social Performance Officer, Lynette Round, confirmed the
latest movements in emails to the Herald.

“The Peak Bergen arrived last week yesterday with the first components,” she said. “We are
expecting another delivery tomorrow (Thursday) onboard the Wilson Flex IV. This will be
blades and is currently showing an ETA of approximately 03:30.”

The £14.3 million project, approved by Welsh Ministers last year, will see three turbines with
a combined capacity of up to 13.5 MW erected on company-owned land next to the LNG
terminal. Once operational – expected in late 2026 – they will generate enough electricity to
power the entire site, significantly reducing its carbon footprint.

Port of Milford Haven shipping movements showed the Peak Bergen approaching the Haven
throughout Wednesday morning before finally tying up at the cargo berth in Pembroke Dock.

Cranes began unloading operations yesterday evening.

The Weather conditions are currently were favourable for this morning’s the arrival of
the Wilson Flex IV, which was tracking south of the Smalls at midnight.

The abnormal-load convoys carrying the components from the port to Waterston are
expected to begin early next year, subject to final police and highway approvals.

A community benefit fund linked to the project will provide training opportunities and energy-
bill support for residents in nearby Waterston, Llanstadwell and Neyland.
Further updates will be issued by Dragon LNG as the Port of Milford Haven as the delivery
programme continues.

Photo: Martin Cavaney

Crime

Banned for 40 months after driving with cocaine breakdown product in blood

Published

4 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Sarah-Jane Absalom

A MILFORD HAVEN woman has been handed a lengthy driving ban after admitting driving with a controlled drug in her system more than ten times over the legal limit.

SENTENCED AT HAVERFORDWEST

Sally Allen, 43, of Wentworth Close, Hubberston, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (Dec 4) for sentencing, having pleaded guilty on November 25 to driving with a proportion of a specified controlled drug above the prescribed limit.

The court heard that Allen was stopped on August 25 on the Old Hakin Road at Tiers Cross while driving an Audi A3. Blood analysis showed 509µg/l of Benzoylecgonine, a breakdown product of cocaine. The legal limit is 50µg/l.

COMMUNITY ORDER AND REHABILITATION

Magistrates imposed a 40-month driving ban, backdated to her interim disqualification which began on November 25.

Allen was also handed a 12-month community order, requiring her to complete 10 days of rehabilitation activities as directed by the Probation Service.

She was fined £120, ordered to pay £85 prosecution costs and a £114 surcharge. Her financial penalties will be paid in £25 monthly instalments from January 1, 2026.

The bench—Mrs H Roberts, Mr M Shankland and Mrs J Morris—said her guilty plea had been taken into account when passing sentence.