News

Smoke and mirrors as 20mph is here to stay

Published

2 years ago

May 5, 2024

LAST week, Labour’s new Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Ken Skates, delivered his statement to the Senedd and seemingly reversed Labour’s blanket 20mph speed limit, writes Natasha Ashgar MS.

However, looking closely at what has been said, it becomes increasingly clear that Mr. Skates has played a PR masterclass.

Unfortunately for Wales and the people who have signed the record-breaking half-a-million-strong petition. 20mph is going nowhere and is firmly here to stay.

As time has progressed since Labour’s blanket 20mph policy was introduced last year, public opinion against it has only grown. This disastrous blanket policy has negatively impacted bus services, commuters, emergency services, tourists, residents from all corners of Wales and businesses.

The most concerning aspect of this seemingly public U-turn is that Labour, Plaid and the only Liberal Democrat are all still actively misleading the public, ignoring their plea, petition and calls to rescind even more than before.

Make no mistake about it: Labour will change nothing. The Welsh public has received a lot of warm words, and the press has been quick to report that change is coming. However, no streamlined system exists to create equality amongst councils to revert back and give the public what they want. When all is said and done and when the dust settles, the default speed limit across Wales will remain 20mph.

The Welsh Conservatives have been clear from the start. We would scrap the blanket speed limit and introduce appropriate speed limits in areas where there is clear evidence that they are necessary, such as outside schools, hospitals, and playground areas and revert to 30mph where required.

The Labour Government in Wales is no stranger to anti-motorist initiatives. It has previously banned all roadbuilding and scrapped the relief road for the M4. Despite wafer-thin assurances, it continues flirting with congestion and road charging.

The estimated cost of 20mph is £33 million, a massive amount to spend on such a madcap initiative. Yet, reversing sections of this law will cost an additional £5m. This is an extravagant cost considering the lack of changes we will actually see on our roads.

However, this is all just the tip of the iceberg.

The Welsh Government’s own estimates acknowledge that the policy could impose a staggering cost of as much as £9 billion on the Welsh economy. That substantial amount could be better spent on the failing NHS, a below-par education system (as Wales ranks at the bottom of PISA), or even investing in local public transport services such as buses and train services.

By imposing their punishments on motorists, Labour is strangling economic activity throughout all of Wales.

Blanket 20mph zones and a ban on new roadbuilding before creating a strong, sufficient, and synchronised public transport infrastructure is put in place is nothing short of madness, particularly at a time when Labour-run Transport for Wales (TfW) has come bottom in the UK for overall customer satisfaction and clocked up 1 million minutes of delays last year alone.

Labour’s unexpected change of tack is nothing more than an attempt to curry favour of voters in the run-up to a General Election. Keir Starmer will not want such a divisive issue standing in his way. Yet, with him referring to Wales as a blueprint for what a Labour Government will look like in the UK if he wins the next GE, we can see far more of Labour’s divisive socialist policies becoming law throughout the UK with no light at the end of the road.

In a world where we are seeing huge technological advancements and transport innovation, Wales has had a Labour government in place for twenty-five years who, in the words of Doc Brown from Back to the Future, have firmly decided ‘where we are going, we don’t need roads.’

Natasha Asghar is a Welsh Conservative member of the Senedd for South Wales East and Shadow Minister For Transport.

Named British Vogue’s Force for Change
Named as BBC’s 100 women
Award winner- ‘Devolved Politician of the year 2024’ for her work on the 20mph campaign in Wales.

News

Reform accused of ‘punishing voters’ with detention centre plan

Published

2 hours ago

May 4, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Cross-party backlash as proposal to target Green-voting areas sparks outrage

REFORM UK has been accused of seeking to “punish voters” after unveiling a controversial plan to site migrant detention centres in areas that do not support the party.

The proposal forms part of the party’s pledge to deport “all illegal migrants” in Britain, which would require holding tens of thousands of people at a time in large-scale detention facilities.

In a statement, Reform said the centres would not be located in constituencies where it holds parliamentary seats or controls local councils. Instead, it would prioritise areas represented by the Green Party of England and Wales.

The party said: “If you vote in a Reform council or Reform MP, we guarantee you won’t have a detention centre near you. If you vote Green, there’s a good chance you will.”

Reform argued the approach was an “exercise in democratic consent”, claiming communities that back stricter immigration policies should not bear the burden of enforcement measures.

Political storm

The announcement triggered swift condemnation from across the political spectrum.

Mothin Ali said the policy was “abhorrent” and accused Reform of making inflammatory statements to distract from its wider agenda.

Labour chair Anna Turley described the proposal as “grotesque”, warning it undermined fundamental democratic principles by targeting communities based on how they vote.

Senior figures within the Conservative Party also voiced concern. Leader Kemi Badenoch shared criticism from former minister Simon Clarke, who warned the policy could amount to an abuse of power.

Clarke said deliberately siting facilities in areas based on voting patterns would likely face legal challenge and could be struck down in court, potentially costing taxpayers millions.

Legal and practical doubts

Critics have also raised questions over whether the plan could be implemented in practice.

Large detention centres would require suitable locations, infrastructure, and planning approval, as well as compliance with domestic law and international obligations.

Legal experts have suggested that targeting specific areas for political reasons could be open to challenge, particularly if it is seen as discriminatory or lacking a rational planning basis.

Reform’s defence

Reform has defended the proposal, insisting it is about fairness and accountability.

The party argues that voters who support stricter immigration controls should not be forced to host detention facilities, while those backing more liberal approaches should accept the consequences of their stance.

The policy was also framed as a direct challenge to Zack Polanski, with Reform suggesting Green politicians should “embrace” the idea.

Election backdrop

The row comes just days before local elections, with critics accusing Reform of deliberately provoking controversy to dominate the political agenda.

While the policy may appeal to the party’s core supporters, opponents say it risks alienating mainstream voters by appearing divisive and vindictive.

News

Land Rover swallowed by tide at popular Welsh beach

Published

4 hours ago

May 4, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A LAND ROVER Discovery has been lost to the sea at Abersoch after becoming stranded on the resort’s Main Beach.

The vehicle, worth tens of thousands of pounds, was spotted by early morning dog walkers on the sand at the Gwynedd coastal village before being completely covered by the incoming tide at around 10:00am.

Stranded on sand

Images circulating on social media showed the 4×4 marooned on the beach, with some locals initially questioning whether the pictures were genuine.

However, witnesses later confirmed the incident, with one RIB owner reporting: “People are paddleboarding over its roof!”

It is believed the vehicle may have become stuck while being used to recover a boat trailer or jet ski.

‘Not the first’

Locals said the incident was a familiar sight at the popular seaside resort, where vehicles have previously become trapped by soft sand and fast-moving tides.

One man wrote: “Not the first and it won’t be the last.”

Another joked: “The tide comes in. Who knew?”

Others described it as the start of the “silly season”, when coastal mishaps increase as visitor numbers rise.

Expensive mistake

New Land Rover Discovery models can cost around £80,000, while Discovery Sport models start from about £55,000.

Commenters suggested the vehicle’s off-road reputation may have given the driver false confidence.

One wrote: “It probably gave him a sense of security that it can go anywhere — we all know it can’t.”

Recovery expected

As the tide began to recede, boat owners reported the outline of the vehicle starting to reappear beneath the water.

Recovery was expected to require a beach tractor, but seawater damage means the Land Rover is likely to be written off.

One local said: “Very sad to see that something went wrong. You see many cars go into the sea to retrieve boat trailers, and you know that car will be rotten very soon afterwards.

“There’s a reason why old tractors are used.”

Despite the flood of “can’t park there” jokes and “Chelsea tractor” comments online, many said they felt sorry for the owner, who now faces what one person called a “very expensive weekend.”

Community

Cllr marks 10th blood donation and urges others to give blood

Published

4 hours ago

May 4, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A PEMBROKESHIRE councillor has urged more people to become blood donors after receiving his 10-unit donation badge from the Welsh Blood Service.

Cllr Thomas Tudor said he was pleased to receive the recognition and encouraged anyone who is able to donate to come forward.

He said: “If you can give blood, please do so.”

The Welsh Blood Service says hospitals in Wales need around 350 blood donations every day to support patients in need.

A single donation can help up to three patients, as blood can be separated into different components and used in different ways to help people recover.

The service is calling for donors from all backgrounds, including first-time donors and those who have given blood before, to help maintain supplies for hospitals across Wales.

Giving blood is described as quick, simple and safe, and remains one of the most important ways members of the public can help save lives.

Anyone wishing to find out more can contact the Welsh Blood Service on 0800 252 266, Monday to Friday from 8:00am to 7:00pm, or Saturday from 9:00am to 1:00pm. They can also email [email protected].

Caption:

Cllr Thomas Tudor giving blood after receiving his 10-unit donation badge from the Welsh Blood Service.