National politics

[Hugo]

Tories failed to move enough to the right, says ex-MP
So out of touch with reality and the ordinary people that the Tories were lucky to have that many MP's

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3ge4peyd87o

[SteveH]

Three members of the new cabinet have told the BBC that if Labour does not keep its promises, voters will back populists instead.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves suggested it would be an "institutional failure" if they could not get things done.

Interviewed for a Panorama special, the chancellor, foreign secretary and health secretary all warned separately that the public has lost faith in mainstream politics and that if they fail, voters will turn toward the far-left or far-right.

Ms Reeves said that if Labour doesn’t stick to its word, "it will be seen as sort of an institutional failing, that mainstream politics doesn’t deliver.

"And there will be a shift to the populists on the left and right".

cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c72vjlgl4j8o

[Hugo]

Home Office criticised for billions of asylum overspending

Over the last three years, the department's initial estimated budgets for asylum, border, visa and passport operations amounted to £320m.

But the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) said it had ended up spending £7.9bn over the period, £7.6bn more than forecast.





https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2npgpz048o

[SteveH]

Wales' new mega constituencies for Senedd elections and how they were drawn up
The proposed constituencies pair neighbouring areas, resulting in some unwieldy names

The next Senedd election in 2026 will produce a very different Welsh Parliament following a major shake-up of constituency boundaries. Under the proposals, the 32 Westminster constituencies in Wales – used in this year’s general election – are to be be reduced to 16 by pairing neighbouring seats.

Each seat will have six Senedd Members, resulting in 96 representatives being elected from the 16 constituencies – a significant change from the current 60-member system. Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru (DBCC) has now published its initial proposals for those new constituencies.

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/wales-new-mega-constituencies-senedd-29857000


BBC article.......
Huge seat part of plans for more Senedd politicians

cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c05jvl65meno

[DaveR]

I was just reading about the Government’s decision to cut the Winter Fuel Allowance for Pensioners - what a mean thing to do!

[Hugo]

DWP's new message to the unemployed and long-term sick
The Labour Market Advisory Board - appointed by Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall MP - is made up of experts from across business, industrial relations and academia


https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/dwps-new-message-unemployed-long-29922296

[SteveH]

First images of £100m tram scheme in Wales to 'encourage people to leave their cars at home'
A public consultation on the scheme's first phase is now underway

Concept images for a £100m new tram line in the Welsh capital have been released. The planned service will run from Cardiff Central railway station to Cardiff Bay and is the first phase of a long-term Cardiff Crossrail scheme.

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/first-images-100m-tram-scheme-29942424

[SteveH]

Preparing the Senedd for more politicians is expected to cost an extra £1.2m, compared to previous projections, the body running the institution has said.

The Senedd Commission wants a 16% uplift to its budget for 2025-26, taking the total figure to £84.3m.

It says the extra money is needed to deliver "the biggest change since devolution", as the number of Members of the Senedd (MSs) rises from 60 to 96 in 2026.

The Welsh Conservatives described the expansion as a "vanity project" and the "wrong priority".

Last year, the commission predicted it would need £5.3m to cover these costs in 2025-26, but its draft budget for 2025-26 will ask for £6.5m.

What does the Senedd Commission do?..........................  apart from wasting money 

cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3rlp4j4w15o

[DVT]

Don't (shouldn't) we, who finance this, have a say in the matter?

The Senedd is a disgrace - spending money on all sorts of vanity projects (Cardiff Airport, Merthyr Race Track, More AMs, trees in Uganda, etc., etc) ... the election in 2026 cannot come soon enough.

 

[DaveR]

Don't (shouldn't) we, who finance this, have a say in the matter?

The Senedd is a disgrace - spending money on all sorts of vanity projects (Cardiff Airport, Merthyr Race Track, More AMs, trees in Uganda, etc., etc) ... the election in 2026 cannot come soon enough.

They genuinely believe they know better than us how the money should be spent.

[Hugo]

Wales Minister pledges to hit 20,000 affordable homes target


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c04pwgqdnllo

Here is a point to ponder on, although this applies to England the same situation may apply to Wales too



https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4g518le0r5o

[SteveH]

LIVE REPORTING from the BBC......

Summary
Chancellor Rachel Reeves is set to deliver Labour's first Budget for 14 years

She has repeatedly warned that it will involve "difficult decisions", with tax rises and spending cuts to the value of £40bn expected

The chancellor has already confirmed that minimum wages will rise in April, with rates for over-21s set to go up to £12.21 an hour

Reeves - the UK's first female chancellor - will give the Budget statement in the House of Commons from 12:30 GMT, following Prime Minister's Questions from 12:00 GMT - watch the build-up live above

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cp9zrg128get

[SteveH]

The Welsh government will receive an extra £1.7bn next April, in what the Labour chancellor called the "largest real-terms funding increase since devolution".

Rachel Reeves also announced £25m towards maintenance and safety measures for disused coal tips in Wales.

The UK government confirmed support for two electrolytic hydrogen projects in Wales, in Milford Haven and Bridgend, to support low carbon hydrogen production.

Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens said the Budget "shows the difference" made when "two governments work together". Welsh Conservatives called it a “smash and grab Budget" that would have a "devastating impact". Plaid Cymru said it fell short of "transformative change".

The additional £1.7bn for the Welsh government, due to extra spending in England next year on matters devolved to Wales, would enable "substantial investment" on "schools, housing, health and social care, and transport", according to UK ministers.

The £25m for coal tip safety measures comes after Welsh Finance Secretary, and ex-first minister, Mark Drakeford said over the weekend that he had been talking to the UK Treasury about the issue and was hopeful of progress.

There are more than 2,500 coal tips in Wales, including 360 deemed to be of highest risk from landslips in bad weather.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn0d151zdkzo

Hopefully the remember North Wales too..................

[DVT]

Sadly, judging by their past record, the Welsh Government (Senedd) will waste it on their pet things - Sustrans, Net Zero, Cardiff Airport, Trees for Uganda, Merthyr Race Track, jollies around the world.

Let's hope they spend it wisely, NHS and education being the main things, but, like many, I won't hold my breath.

[Hugo]

Senior barrister says it's 'wholly unrealistic' to bring in a law to stop politicians lying
Courts could be 'inundated' with complaints, the Senedd's standards committee has been warned, but a politician and a campaign group have defended the idea
I'm completely surprised by that as I thought that lying was already a qualification needed to be a Politician, just ask Boris

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/politics/senior-barrister-says-its-wholly-30400955