WELSH CONSERVATIVE leader Darren Millar MS has dismissed renewed Labour calls for further Senedd powers, warning that the Welsh Government should “stop making excuses” and focus instead on tackling crises in health, education and the economy.

His comments follow an extraordinary intervention earlier this week by 11 Labour backbench MSs, who wrote to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on 3 December accusing his government of “rolling back” devolution. The signatories — including former ministers Mick Antoniw, Lesley Griffiths and Lee Waters — said they were “increasingly concerned” by the lack of progress on key commitments such as reforming the Barnett formula, devolving rail infrastructure, policing and justice, and transferring the Crown Estate to Wales.

The letter singled out the UK Government’s new “Pride in Place” funding scheme — which sends regeneration money for town-centre improvements directly to Welsh councils — as a “constitutional outrage,” arguing that it sidesteps devolved powers through the UK Internal Market Act 2020. Although First Minister Eluned Morgan has raised the issue with Starmer, no Welsh ministers added their names to the letter, laying bare internal tensions as Labour falls back in polls ahead of the 2026 Senedd election.

Opposition parties seized on the dispute. Plaid Cymru’s Mabon ap Gwynfor MS said it showed Labour “falling apart,” while Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Jane Dodds criticised Westminster’s “deep lack of understanding” of the devolution settlement.

At a Council of the Nations and Regions summit on Thursday, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones — standing in for Starmer — defended the UK Government’s record, saying Labour in Westminster had been “delivering at pace” in partnership with Wales. The 26 November Budget provided £508 million in additional resource and capital funding for Wales over the Spending Review period, alongside commitments to Port Talbot brownfield remediation, a South Wales semiconductor cluster, nuclear investment at Wylfa and a £547 million Local Growth Fund devolved to the Welsh Government. Welsh ministers welcomed many of these as having “generational” value, though the Labour MSs’ letter said they fell short of promised constitutional reform.

The Welsh Conservatives have consistently opposed further Senedd powers, arguing that Cardiff Bay already holds significant authority under the existing settlement established in 1997 and expanded in 2011, 2014 and 2017. Millar, who became Welsh Conservative leader in 2024, has previously ruled out abolishing the Senedd as unrealistic, while urging ministers to “transform people’s lives with devolution” by using existing powers more effectively.

Pointing to record pressures in devolved services, Millar said Labour was fixated on constitutional arguments while outcomes worsen. NHS waiting lists in Wales stood at 789,929 pathways by mid-2025 — nearly one in four residents — with first outpatient waits in parts of Rhondda Cynon Taf stretching from 28 to 68 weeks or more. Public satisfaction with the Welsh NHS averaged 5.1 out of 10 in the year to March 2025, down from 6.3 in 2021–22. Education attendance figures for 2023–24 showed slow post-pandemic recovery, while youth employment (16–24) fell to 52.5% in the year to March 2025. Wales’ unemployment rate rose to 4.1% in the year to June 2025, slightly above the UK’s 4.0%, with areas such as Swansea reaching 8.2%. Economic inactivity among 16–64-year-olds remained high at 24.1%.

Darren Millar MS said: “One Labour Government damaging Wales was bad enough — now we have two, and things are twice as bad.

After two damaging budgets, Welsh Government ministers are focused on infighting about Senedd powers instead of fixing the everyday problems families are facing.

The Senedd doesn’t need more powers. What we need is a government that accepts responsibility, stops making excuses, and uses the extensive powers already available to get to grips with the crisis in our NHS, improve standards in our schools, and tackle Wales’ spiralling unemployment.

Only a Welsh Conservative Government will fix Wales.”

The dispute reflects wider public debate on whether devolution is delivering results. Polling suggests consistent support for having a Senedd, but growing frustration over service performance. With the 2026 election approaching and Reform UK and Plaid Cymru gaining ground, Labour’s internal split over devolution exposes fresh vulnerabilities as the party tries to navigate its relationship with Westminster.

RENOWNED storytellers Daniel Morden and Hugh Lupton are bringing a new intimate theatre experience to Wales next spring, exploring classic myths inspired by the night sky. Stars and their Consolations, produced by Adverse Camber Productions, will tour Wales in Spring 2026 and arrives at the Torch Theatre in March.

The production reimagines well-known Greek star myths through a blend of live storytelling, projected animations of the night sky and a mesmerising electro-acoustic soundscape created by award-winning Welsh composer Sarah Lianne Lewis.

The show has evolved from an earlier collaboration between Adverse Camber, Morden, Lupton and Lewis. Its first incarnation premiered in west Wales at the Beyond the Border Storytelling Festival 2021, and the company further developed the piece in 2022. This enhanced touring version promises a majestic, hypnotic experience that brings ancient tales to life with fresh theatrical energy.

Described as a beautiful way to reconnect with stories that have been shared around fires for thousands of years, the production explores familiar constellations such as Orion, Pegasus, the Pleiades, Sirius and the Milky Way.

Storyteller and co-creator Daniel Morden said: “Stars and their Consolations is a way of restoring the night sky. When we listen to these myths, we are connecting with our ancestors. It is as if a hand has reached out from the past and taken our own, and we feel less alone.”

The two-hour show, suitable for ages 12 and over, invites audiences into an enthralling world where gods toy mercilessly with mortals, and stories of pride, lust and passion unfold against the vast canvas of the cosmos. The epic sweep of the sky, the creators say, offers a grounding and consoling perspective on human troubles.

Producer Naomi Wilds added: “Stories shared together bring people together. We all live under the same sky, though it looks different depending on where you stand. Star-related stories help us remember constellation patterns, mark the seasons and even warn us about issues such as light pollution. They remind us why the night sky is valuable, and why we must protect it for future generations.”

Six-month bilingual storytelling project across Wales

Ahead of the spring tour, Adverse Camber—supported by Prosiect Nos Partnership, Theatrau Sir Gâr, Arts Council Wales, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Colwinston Foundation, The Darkley Trust, Welsh Government, Literature Wales and People Speak Up—is launching a six-month initiative: Cysur y Sêr (The Comfort of the Stars).

This Welsh-led, bilingual project will develop new Welsh-language stories, explore the environmental impacts of light pollution and climate change, and leave a long-lasting storytelling legacy. Ten bilingual storytellers will work with communities near venues across Wales in the lead-up to Dark Skies Week in February 2026, before linking into the touring production in March and April.

Although Stars and their Consolations focuses on Greek mythology, the creative team emphasises that Wales itself has some of the best protected night skies in the world—and a largely forgotten tradition of celestial storytelling.

Morden noted: “The Welsh landscape used to be populated with stories. We’ve forgotten many of them—on the ground and in the heavens. If STARS helps make the night sky magical and precious again, perhaps we will do more to protect it.”

Dani Robertson, Dark Sky Officer for the Prosiect Nos Partnership, added:
“Interest in Dark Sky watching across Wales is growing. We suspect many of the star stories once told in rural and coastal communities have been lost, but Cysur y Sêr may uncover memories people still hold. Sharing them helps pass this knowledge on to the future.”

How to watch

Stars and their Consolations will appear at the Torch Theatre on Tuesday, 24 March.
For more information and tickets, visit www.torchtheatre.co.uk
or contact the Box Office on (01646) 695267.

Menevia WI, Girl Guides and local groups among the winners at a packed Cross Square event

CHARITIES, schools and community groups lit up St Davids on 29 November 2025, showcasing creativity, craftsmanship and festive spirit as hundreds gathered in Cross Square for the annual Christmas Tree and Wreath Competition.

The winners were chosen by public vote. Taking first place in the adults’ category was Menevia WI, whose extraordinary tree, nativity scene and decorations were ingeniously created from a clothes airer and wooden pegs.

Second place went to the City Council Coffee and Chat Group with a thoughtful Christmas-and-Remembrance design, featuring hand-knitted red, white and blue decorations. St Davids RNLI secured third with a lifeboat-themed tree celebrating their lifesaving work.

In the children’s category, St Davids Girl Guides took the top spot with a charming design featuring “Girl-Guide-ified” Santas, tents and the iconic Guide logo. Ysgol Penrhyn Dewi (YPD) came second with a colourful puzzle-themed tree carrying the message: “In this school you are a special piece of the puzzle.” Close behind in third place was Brawdy Hayscastle YFC with an inventive cow-themed Christmas tree.

The wreath category also highlighted the community’s talent. The Drifters claimed first place with a striking star-shaped wreath, while Lego Church secured second with a brilliantly crafted Lego design. Third place went to Rebecca Thornton for her beautifully knitted wreath featuring Santa and his reindeer.

As the Christmas lights were switched on and Cross Square filled with families, the event once again showcased the creativity and community spirit that make Wales’s smallest city shine at Christmas.