News

Crabb calls for clarity on county vaccination centre

Published

5 years ago

December 27, 2020

PRESELI MP Stephen Crabb has called for clarity on when Pembrokeshire will see its own Covid-19 vaccination centre open.

Currently, there are two vaccination centres operating in the Hywel Dda Health Board region, Carmarthen and Ceredigion, both of which are administering the Pfizer vaccine. Pembrokeshire currently has no vaccination centre and NHS staff are required to travel to Carmarthen to receive their vaccinations.

However, in response to concerns raised by constituents about the lack of local vaccinations, the Preseli MP has written to Hywel Dda Health Board’s Chief Executive. Concerns have also been raised by some frontline NHS staff about the difficulties in accessing a vaccination slot through the Health Board’s website.

Stephen Crabb commented: “There is understandably a high level of interest among local people about the roll-out of the vaccine. As we saw earlier in the year with testing, asking people to travel to Carmarthen creates a real barrier. I have been told that Pembrokeshire must wait until the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine gets approval before a vaccination centre will open in our County. That could be weeks away.

“It isn’t at all clear why Withybush is not deemed suitable for the Pfizer vaccine when it is being used so widely now. In other parts of the country we are even seeing the Pfizer vaccine administered from GP surgeries.”

Commenting on the roll out of the Covid-19 vaccine in Wales, Welsh Conservative Shadow Health Minister, Andrew RT Davies MS, said: “A growing number of people, especially those over 80 years old, are getting concerned about when they are going to be receiving the Covid-19 vaccine, with many reporting to us that they haven’t received any information about receiving their first injection.

“The vaccination programme is stuttering into life in Wales with some real concerns around lack of access for care homes and the over 80s compared to other parts of the UK.

“To keep confidence Welsh Labour Ministers need to get a grip. Otherwise, there is a risk, given the scale of the vaccination programme, the public will lose confidence in the Welsh Government’s ability to deliver it, replicating their shambolic handling of the virus to date.”

Meanwhile, The Asthma UK & British Lung Foundation Wales have criticised the Welsh Government for failing to provide clarity on support available to vulnerable people this winter.

In its ‘Traffic Light’ framework of lockdown restrictions, published last Monday, the Welsh Government failed to give clear guidance for those who are Clinically Extremely Vulnerable (formerly known as Shielding).

Instead, the document promised to publish further advice for those who are in the CEV category and simply restated the fact these people were vulnerable. Now, over a week later, many are still waiting to hear what support will be available to them.

The Welsh Government’s webpage entitled Guidance on protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable from coronavirus (COVID-19) – previously known as ‘shielding’ has not been updated since November, with their FAQ page for Tier 4 restrictions stating that people do not need to shield again but offering no information about support available.

The Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr Chris Jones, once again promised the guidance would be updated, but failed to say when this would occur – only stating that it was “under discussion”.

In response, Asthma UK & British Lung Foundation Wales have once again restated their calls for a full system of support for Clinically Extremely Vulnerable people until mass rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine has been achieved.

Joseph Carter, Head of Asthma UK & British Lung Foundation Wales, said: “It’s deeply disappointing that it’ now been over a week since the new lockdown guidance was published, but we are still yet to get any clarity from the Welsh Government about what support is being made available for vulnerable people this winter.

“Over the initial lockdown during the summer, the supported offered to those needing to shield was a vital lifeline for many. It allowed them to access priority shopping, get vital prescriptions delivered, and enabled them to stay at home instead of going to work.

“With a cold and bleak winter ahead, alongside a Wales wide lockdown and changes to the Christmas regulations, many people who were formerly shielding risk being left cut off and isolated. This is frankly unacceptable, and people deserve better.

“The Welsh Government must announce, before Christmas, what support will be offered to vulnerable people, provide clear guidance on this through both letters and online webpages, and ensure this support continues until mass rollout of the vaccine has been achieved.

“Anything less than this represents a serious neglect of vulnerable people and could put lives at risk. This cannot be allowed to happen.”

News

Parties make final push as Wales prepares to vote in historic Senedd election

Published

10 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Campaign leaders criss-cross country in last-minute battle for crucial votes

WALES heads to the polls tomorrow (Thursday, May 7) after a frenetic final day of campaigning that saw party leaders, candidates and activists make one last push to win over undecided voters in what is being described as the most unpredictable Senedd election in modern Welsh history.

With polling stations due to open at 7:00am, parties spent Wednesday targeting key battleground constituencies across the country, including the new Ceredigion Penfro seat, amid growing expectations of a fragmented Senedd and a dramatic shake-up in Welsh politics.

The election is the first to be held under Wales’ new expanded Senedd system, with 96 Members of the Senedd being elected across 16 large constituencies using a proportional closed-list voting system.

Reform UK appeared to finish the campaign with significant momentum following a major rally on Tuesday attended by party leader Nigel Farage. The event drew large crowds and considerable online attention as Reform attempted to convert strong polling figures into seats in Cardiff Bay for the first time.

Farage used the rally to attack both Labour and Plaid Cymru, while positioning Reform as the party of “change” for disillusioned voters. Reform campaigners have focused heavily on immigration, cost of living pressures and opposition to what they describe as “wasteful government spending.”

Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth spent the final day presenting his party as the main alternative to both Labour and Reform UK, insisting Plaid could “build a fairer Wales” while warning against what he described as “divisive politics.”

Labour figures, including First Minister Eluned Morgan and deputy leader Huw Irranca-Davies, urged voters not to “take risks” with public services, arguing only Welsh Labour could protect the NHS and local councils during a period of economic uncertainty.

Labour activists were heavily focused on turnout operations in traditional strongholds, amid polling suggesting the party could lose ground after decades as the dominant force in Welsh politics.

The Conservatives attempted to rally core voters with warnings about both Labour and Reform, while also focusing on farming, the rural economy and healthcare waiting lists.

In west Wales, Conservative candidates Paul Davies and Sam Kurtz spent the day meeting voters and carrying out final campaign visits across Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion, arguing their experience and local knowledge would be important under the new electoral system.

The Liberal Democrats and Green Party also maintained visible campaigns in several areas, hoping tactical voting and the proportional voting system could help them secure representation.

Across Wales, campaign teams handed out leaflets outside transport hubs, supermarkets and town centres, while social media campaigning intensified throughout the day.

Political analysts believe turnout could prove decisive, particularly because the new voting system means relatively small shifts in support could determine the allocation of the fifth and sixth seats in many constituencies.

The campaign has been dominated by debates over the NHS, farming, the economy, transport, tourism and the rising cost of living, alongside concerns about the future direction of Welsh devolution.

Polling stations open across Wales from 7:00am until 10:00pm on Thursday, with counting due to begin on Friday morning.

The Herald will provide live election coverage online throughout polling day and count day, including updates from count centres, candidate interviews and reaction as results emerge from across west Wales and the rest of the country.

News

Plaid Cymru projected to lead Senedd as Labour faces historic collapse

Published

10 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Final poll suggests Welsh politics could be on the brink of a major realignment

PLAID CYMRU is on course to become the largest party in the Senedd, according to the final YouGov MRP projection for ITV Cymru Wales before polling day.

The model suggests Labour’s century-long dominance of Welsh elections could be coming to an end, with Plaid projected to win 43 seats in the newly expanded 96-member Senedd.

Reform UK is forecast to finish second on 34 seats, while Labour is projected to fall to just 12.

The poll, based on responses from more than 4,600 adults between April 25 and May 4, puts Plaid Cymru on 33% of the vote, ahead of Reform UK on 29%. Labour is on 12%, the Conservatives on 9%, the Greens on 8% and the Liberal Democrats on 6%.

Labour facing major losses

The projection points to a dramatic collapse in Labour support across Wales.

YouGov’s central estimate would represent a notional loss of 32 seats for Labour compared with the 2021 result under the new electoral system.

It would also be Labour’s worst result at any major Welsh election since 1906.

The model suggests Labour may fail to top the poll in any of the 16 new Senedd constituencies, and could return no members at all in four of them.

In west Wales, Labour’s support is projected to have fallen into single figures in some areas.

First Minister Eluned Morgan, who leads Labour’s list in Ceredigion Penfro, could also be at risk if the projection proves accurate.

Reform surge

Reform UK is projected to make major gains, rising from just 1% of the vote in 2021 to 29% in the final pre-election model.

The party’s support appears to be spread widely across Wales, though it is weaker in Cardiff and strongest in parts of the south Wales valleys.

One of the most striking projections is in Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr, which includes the Merthyr Tydfil area where Keir Hardie was elected as Wales’s first Labour MP in 1900.

There, YouGov’s central estimate puts Reform UK narrowly ahead on 34%, Plaid Cymru on 33%, and Labour on 14%.

Smaller parties

The Conservatives are projected to win just four seats, which would be their weakest devolved election result.

That would leave them one short of the five members needed to form an official political group in the Senedd.

The Greens are forecast to enter the Senedd for the first time, winning two seats in Cardiff.

The Liberal Democrats are projected to win one seat in Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd, keeping Jane Dodds in the Senedd.

No majority expected

No party is projected to win the 49 seats needed for an outright majority.

YouGov’s modelling suggests Plaid Cymru would be best placed to lead the next Welsh Government, but would probably need support from another party.

Plaid and Labour together reach a majority in most of the model’s simulations, while a Plaid-Green arrangement does so far less often.

A Reform-Conservative majority appears unlikely in the projection.

Under the new D’Hondt voting system, small movements in vote share could still make a significant difference, particularly for the final seats in each constituency.

Polling stations open tomorrow, Thursday, May 7.