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South Wales Argus Author

South Wales Argus Author

South Wales Argus

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Celebrating the military and service people after retirement

Celebrating the military and service people after retirement

Often, finishing a service career is presented as the end of someone’s great story. In reality, it is just the beginning.  The Royal British...

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South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

First minister grilled about £4.8bn benefit cuts

First minister grilled about £4.8bn benefit cuts

Senedd members pressed Wales’ first minister about the Labour UK Government's plans to slash spending on welfare by £4.8 billion a year by the end...

previous day 7

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

'The budget also invests in our young people', says Newport MS

'The budget also invests in our young people', says Newport MS

The Welsh Labour Government’s final budget for the coming year was approved by the Senedd at the start of March. The £1.6 billion of extra...

02.04.2025 4

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Councillors reject call to back ‘Zane’s Law’ on contaminated land in Gwent

Councillors reject call to back ‘Zane’s Law’ on contaminated land in Gwent

A Caerphilly Council committee has dismissed a call to back ‘Zane’s Law’, a campaign aimed at tightening rules around contaminated land. Plaid...

28.03.2025 5

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

'Not only is this a manifesto breach, but it is completely counterproductive'

'Not only is this a manifesto breach, but it is completely counterproductive'

Next week, Labour’s latest tax hike is set to hit almost every aspect of our society. Not only is this a manifesto breach, but it is completely...

27.03.2025 1

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

'What stood out was the heart-warming compassion shown'

'What stood out was the heart-warming compassion shown'

This month, I want to share updates on some of the issues I have been working on here at home in Monmouthshire. One that has caused concern for many...

26.03.2025 3

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Why this English border authority wants to become part of Wales

Why this English border authority wants to become part of Wales

Local government shake-up plans which could see the Forest of Dean lose its own council have sparked calls for Foresters to stand up for themselves...

25.03.2025 10

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

AN HISTORIC moment for children in Wales is being marked this week

AN HISTORIC moment for children in Wales is being marked this week

Three years ago on 21 March 2022, Wales joined more than 60 nations around the world by making physical punishment of children illegal. The main aim...

22.03.2025 3

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Post-Brexit funding shake-up could put 93 jobs in Gwent area at risk

Post-Brexit funding shake-up could put 93 jobs in Gwent area at risk

Changes to a post-Brexit funding scheme could put 93 council jobs in Caerphilly at risk next year. A new report outlines how Caerphilly County...

21.03.2025 8

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Wales’ last greyhound track under threat after government proposes racing ban

Just after 3pm on a Wednesday covered in spring sunshine and the hare is running at Wales’ last greyhound track. Nestled between the Rhymney...

15.03.2025 4

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Final constituencies created ahead of 2026 Senedd elections

Final plans for 16 new 'super constituencies' have been unveiled ahead of the next Senedd election in a little over a year. The Democracy and...

13.03.2025 4

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

MP takes 'Newport treasure' to 10 Downing Street for St David's Day

Last week, I had the great pleasure of inviting and joining Norman Parselle, who runs County in the Community, to No.10 Downing Street for a St....

12.03.2025 6

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Plaid Cymru demands pause and review of farm tax

Plaid Cymru urged the UK Government to pause and review planned changes to inheritance tax for farmers, warning the impact could be destructive in...

08.03.2025 6

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Senedd member calls out sexual harassment

A Senedd member shared her own experience of sexual harassment in the workplace as she urged ministers to accelerate action to stamp out the blight on...

08.03.2025 4

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

MS on intentions to stand in Senedd elections and policies

Since my last column I have announced my intention to stand in the Newport & Islwyn seat at next year’s Senedd elections. If I am privileged to be...

07.03.2025 2

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

'It’s vital that we recognise and celebrate the invaluable contributions'

It is an honour to take part in the judging panel of UNISON’s 2025 Local Service Champions Awards. The awards are part of celebrating local...

06.03.2025 7

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Welsh Government needs more powers to protect pensioners

Last month, I called on the Welsh Government to help pensioners struggling with the cold because of the decision by ministers in London to cut the...

06.03.2025 3

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

'I spoke with staff and volunteers about their vital work,' MP on BHF

February was Heart Month, and the British Heart Foundation used the month to urge as many people as possible to learn life-saving CPR. The BHF...

05.03.2025 4

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Reform row over immigration

A row has broken out within Reform UK over its stance on immigration after the group’s Welsh spokesperson made several comments that appeared to...

23.02.2025 3

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Uncertain future beyond 2026 for Welsh infrastructure commission

A commission set up to advise on Wales’ infrastructure needs over the next 80 years does not know its own future beyond 2026, a committee heard. ...

23.02.2025 10

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

'I was impressed by the approach of the learners and staff'

Over the past month, it has been a pleasure to continue getting out and about connecting with communities across Caerphilly. We know how important...

23.02.2025 4

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

'Accusing Zelenskyy of dictatorship is a case of the pot calling the kettle black'

Pot-Kettle. The last person in the world who should be commenting on elections is Donald Trump. He accuses Zelenskyy of being a dictator because...

23.02.2025 4

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Corridor care in hospitals branded 'totally undignified and disrespectful' in Senedd

Senedd members urged the Welsh Government to put an end to the "undignified and disrespectful” practice of corridor care in Welsh hospitals. James...

22.02.2025 2

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

'The Welsh government must stop shying away from rent controls'

IT'S time the Welsh Government stopped shying away from rent controls. Soaring rents hurt the economy by squeezing household budgets. ...

22.02.2025 3

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

'Where is the investment in sporting facilities?'

The Labour Welsh Government is doing its favourite thing and banning things again. It’s bringing forward new nanny-state rules which will mean no...

22.02.2025 4

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Welsh ministers urged to condemn Trump’s Gaza plan

Plaid Cymru called for the Welsh and UK Governments to condemn US president Donald Trump’s proposals to depopulate Gaza. Rhun ap Iorwerth led a...

22.02.2025 3

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

'She should have gone to Specsavers' says reader on Newport comments

Eluned Deluded Morgan thinks that Newport is up & coming. She should have gone to Specsavers. Dave Woolven, Newport.

21.02.2025 2

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

'Eluned Morgan needs to visit an optician if she thinks this about Newport'

The first minister Eluned Morgan urgently needs a visit to an optician if she sees Newport as an up-and-coming city with an exciting future with...

21.02.2025 9

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

'Up and coming Ms Morgan? Don't make me laugh', says resident

Up and Coming? As a 76-year-old native of Newport, far be it for me to disabuse the comments of First Minister Morgan’s assessment of the city’s...

21.02.2025 8

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Animal welfare charities say Wales' greyhound racing ban is 'big step forward'

The Welsh Government has announced plans for Wales to become the first nation in the UK to ban greyhound racing. Huw Irranca-Davies, the deputy...

19.02.2025 4

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

MS on health care, local rugby club flooding and lifesaving

On Friday, February 7, I held a joint advice surgery with Argoed Councillor Walter Williams at the Markham Community House and Centre. Numerous...

19.02.2025 3

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

More than 1,600 former miner are better off after pension injustice 'put right'

Thanks to our Labour Government more than 1,600 former mineworkers in Blaenau Gwent & Rhymney are now receiving an extra £29 a week in their pensions...

18.02.2025 3

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Senedd rejects call for child sex abuse inquiry, but agrees audit

Senedd members rejected calls for a Wales-wide independent inquiry into child sexual exploitation by so-called grooming gangs, supporting plans for an...

15.02.2025 6

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

'We know that grooming gangs are operating in Wales', MS

Child sexual exploitation is a heinous crime and it has been harrowing reading about and listening to details of the sickening abuse inflicted on the...

15.02.2025 8

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

‘Postcode lottery’ concerns over fertility treatment

Couples seeking fertility treatment in Wales face a postcode lottery in terms of access to services, a Senedd member warned. James Evans, the...

14.02.2025 7

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Senedd pays tribute to the late Dafydd Elis-Thomas

Senedd members paid tribute to Dafydd Elis-Thomas following the former Plaid Cymru leader’s death on Friday. Lord Elis-Thomas served as the first...

14.02.2025 5

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Welsh National Opera goes to the movies at Wales Millennium Centre

This was a light but very professional concert that used the movies as the way of presenting some of the most popular music from the operatic...

14.02.2025 5

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Council leader pledges to turn street lights back on and reopen public toilets

Street lights in Newport will be turned back on and public toilets will be reopened, the city council leader has pledged. Cllr Dimitri Batrouni...

13.02.2025 30

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Council leader thanks residents for budget engagement

I would like to thank residents across the Caerphilly County Borough who have taken the time to fill in our budget survey for 2025/26 or took part in...

13.02.2025 4

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

'All the cast shone' in WNO's The Marriage of Figaro

It was with some excitement that I attended the WNO’s production of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff on...

13.02.2025 7

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

National collections at risk due to chronic under-investment says MS

A Senedd member accused the Welsh Government of failing to heed repeated warnings after the national museum was forced to close its doors. Heledd...

09.02.2025 3

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Westminster 'power grab' an 'affront to devolution’, say Senedd members

Senedd members criticised a “power grab” from Westminster, describing plans for UK ministers to make laws in areas already devolved to Wales as an...

09.02.2025 5

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

'Talking openly can be the first step towards better mental health'

As regular readers of this column will know, I really believe good mental health is as critical to our wellbeing as physical health and key to that...

09.02.2025 4

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Catherine Fookes MP on rivers and water quality

Cleaning up our rivers was one of my key promises when running for MP, and since being elected, I have made this issue one of my top priorities. I...

08.02.2025 7

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

UK Government has 'a decision to make' over Trump's 'tariff war'

As a supporter of Brexit, I am willing to concede that it has had a detrimental effect on UK's economic progress, though my reasons for wanting to...

07.02.2025 3

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

John Griffiths MS reflects on positive first month of 2025

The seemingly never-ending month of January has finally come to a close, and we’ve welcomed in a new month of 2025. We have dived headfirst back...

06.02.2025 7

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Council unsure who will fund millions in extra National Insurance contributions

Local authorities face ongoing uncertainty over who will fund increases to National Insurance contributions, councillors in Newport have heard. The...

04.02.2025 3

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

'The people have paid the price for Labour's neglect of our NHS'

The recent comments by the finance minister and former leader, and former minister for health, Mark Drakeford, haven't gone unnoticed.  Mr...

03.02.2025 4

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Ruth Jones MP: Why not seize our moment and build a growth zone in Wales?

THE biggest mission for this Labour government is growth. You might hear politicians use that word a lot and wonder what it really means for your...

02.02.2025 7

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Senedd members criticise ‘colossal’ cuts at South Wales university

Senedd members criticised Cardiff University’s plans to cut 400 jobs and courses including nursing. Members called for ministers to intervene to...

01.02.2025 6

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author