Two Trains Collide in Wales Leaving One Person Dead and 15 Injured

THE GUARDIAN: Crash in Powys occurred on single-track section near passing loop, with one train apparently unable to stop

A rail passenger died and 15 people were being treated for injuries in hospital after two trains collided on a rural line in mid-Wales on Monday evening.

Witnesses described how people were thrown to the floor of a train and pictures of the scene showed part of one of the carriages crumpled in the impact.

Investigators were at the scene near the village of Llanbrynmair in Powys on Tuesday morning to try to establish why the trains had collided on the line, a single-track section.

The incident took place close to a passing loop on the largely single-track Cambrian line, where one train should stop and the other proceeds at low speed on a small loop of track. It appears that the train that should have stopped was unable to do so, but the collision was slow enough that neither train derailed. » | Steven Morris, Gwyn Topham, Jamie Grierson and Nadeem Badshah | Tuesday, October 22, 2024

Wales' First Minister Vaughan Gething Resigns | BBC News

Jul 16, 2024 | The first minister of Wales, Vaughan Gething, has announced his resignation, only four months after taking the job. It comes after three of his Welsh government ministers and his top legal adviser released resignation statements, calling for him to stand down.

Since taking over in March, he has been embroiled in controversy, and has been dogged by questions over a £200,000 campaign donation from a businessman convicted of environmental offences.

In his resignation statement, he denied wrongdoing, adding: "I regret that the burden of proof is no longer an important commodity in the language of our politics."

Wales Is Bringing In a 20mph Speed Limit. Why – and What Will Happen?

THE GUARDIAN: While many oppose the new restrictions, the Welsh government says it is the ‘sensible and progressive thing to do’

A car travels past a 20mph and ‘Welcome to St Brides Major’ sign in Wales. Photograph: Dimitris Legakis/Athena Pictures
The introduction of a 20mph speed limit on most residential roads across Wales from Sunday is proving one of the most controversial the Labour-run Welsh government has ever put in place.

Welsh ministers argue it will save lives and lead to fewer injuries, save money for the NHS and make communities more pleasant places to live and work in.

The Conservatives argue it will cost the Welsh economy billions of pounds with the Welsh shadow transport minister, Natasha Asghar, calling the rollout “madcap, ludicrous” and Penny Mordaunt, the leader of the House of Commons, attacking it as “absolutely insane”. » | Steven Morris | Friday, September 15, 2023

Penny Mordaunt is right on this. It is indeed “absolutely insane”! If you’re thinking of visiting Wales, leave your Lamborghini or Ferrari home! You won’t need such a beautiful car in Wales. Instead, drive your horse-and-buggy! – © Mark Alexander


Related article here.

All the roads now changing to 20mph and the roads that will remain 30mph as new default comes in »

Tories Lose Vote to Ditch Default 20mph Policy for Wales

WALES ONLINE: Conservative politicians wanted the new 20mph default law in Wales scrapped days before it is due to come into force, but it never looked likely given their low numbers in the Senedd

Opposition politicians have this evening lost their bid to throw out the Labour-run Welsh Government's default 20mph speed limit for Wales, just days before it is due to come into force. The Welsh Government says the law, which comes in on Sunday, September 17, will make roads safer and "improve the quality of life for everyone".

Conservative politicians held a typically fiery hour-long debate at plenary in the Senedd on Wednesday evening, followed by a vote on MS Darren Millar's motion which called for the Government to "repeal The Restricted Roads (20 mph Speed Limit) (Wales) Order 2022".

The motion failed with 15 votes to 38. It never looked likely that the Tories would get enough support due to the political make-up of the Senedd. » | Ruth Mosalski, Political editor and Jonathan Hill, News reporter | Wednesday, September 13, 2023

Putting in place 20mph speed limits in Wales is truly absurd. Whoever thinks that this will save lives and cause fewer road traffic accidents is surely mistaken. In my humble opinion, this policy could well cause more RTAs, not fewer, simply because of the frustration it will cause to drivers. A frustrated driver is a dangerous driver. This is a truly sad development. It is also madness. – © Mark Alexander

Welsh Nationalists Say Gold Cape Is Not Safe at British Museum

THE TELEGRAPH: Plaid Cymru has joined calls from other countries to repatriate artefacts in wake of theft revelations

Plaid Cymru wants the 4,000-year-old Mold Gold Cape returned to Wales
Welsh nationalists have joined the Chinese Communist Party and the Greek government in calling for the return of ancient artefacts from the British Museum.

Liz Saville-Roberts, Plaid Cymru’s group leader at Westminster, has repeated calls previously made by her party for the return of an almost 4,000-year-old gold cape in the wake of revelations about thefts at the museum.

The Welsh MP claimed the security of the museum is no longer a strong argument for keeping treasures from nations “under the control of the British Empire”, adding that the Mold Gold Cape and a bronze shield should be handed over. » | Craig Simpson | Tuesday, August 29, 2023

This Horror Story Visited on South Wales by Suella Braverman Could Be Coming to a Street Near You

THE GUARDIAN: A far-right backlash against the home secretary’s asylum policy has brought a deluge of hate to a peaceful Welsh town

Wales hotel protesters Composite: Guardian Design
Take what follows as a little local horror story, if that makes you feel better. But I see it as a parable, a lesson in how toxic things can get when some of the basest ingredients in politics are blended just so and left to fester. Our setting today is a town a few miles outside Swansea, yet with only a few changes it could come to the end of your road.

“I was always proud to say I was from Llanelli. Now? It’s worse than embarrassed. I’m ashamed.” That’s not a disgruntled neighbour speaking, but the leader of Llanelli’s council. And what’s upsetting David Darkin isn’t some new eyesore, but the forces gathering on his streets. In the privacy of his office, he likens what’s outside to the 20th century’s darkest decade.

Just a few months ago, no one here would summon up the ghost of 1930s fascism. But that was before this spring, when the town’s top hotel was taken over by the Home Office to house about 250 asylum seekers – and all hell broke loose.

The Stradey Park Hotel is described by local people as “the jewel in Llanelli’s crown”, the place where everyone wanted to hold their weddings. Even today, as workmen pull out the building’s innards in preparation for its new role, it leaves a splendid shell: a cream-coloured Edwardian mansion tucked into a hillside, with views over the Gower coastline.

Now it is in the hands of Suella Braverman. However hard the home secretary huffs and puffs about cutting hotel bills for asylum seekers, she is now one of the biggest hoteliers in Britain. To house a huge backlog manufactured by the Tories, Braverman has just shy of 400 hotels, creating a chain more than twice the size of the Hilton group in the UK. » | Aditya Chakrabortty | Thursday, August 24, 2023

Anger as Gendered Pronouns Stripped from All of Arts Body's Literature

THE TELEGRAPH: Taxpayer-funded Arts Council Wales is set to purge male and female pronouns like ‘he/him’ and ‘she/her’ from its official documentation

First Minister Mark Drakeford warns that ‘a need for constant vigilance remains’ with regard to the rights of ‘LGBTQ+ communities’ CREDIT: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire
Gendered pronouns will be purged from official documentation by the Welsh government’s primary arts body, The Telegraph can reveal.

The Arts Council of Wales, the taxpayer-funded body responsible for supporting the arts on behalf of the devolved government, is set to purge male and female pronouns like “he/him” and “she/her” from the body’s official documentation, The Telegraph understands.

In place of gendered pronouns, the Arts Council will use the gender-neutral pronouns “they/them”.

News of the policy arts comes after the Welsh government this year rolled out an LGBTQ+ Action Plan for Wales, which pledged to ensure public bodies were “sensitive to gendered language”.

Information from the Arts Council of Wales states that the public body is “currently undertaking a general update across our policies amending any specific references to gender (eg she/he/his/her) to ‘they/them’”.

A statement from the Council confirmed that documentation would be changed “as part of our continuous review process”, and that “if we come across gendered pronouns, we’ll be replacing them for the words ‘they/them’. » | Craig Simpson | Saturday, July 15, 2023

What a load of bollocks! This is woke bullshit! Left-wing, socialist crap! What on earth is Drakeford trying to do to Wales? And more to the point, what is he trying to do to the English language? To say nothing of wasting taxpayers' money. Enough already! – © Mark Alexander

Bronze Age Wooden Comb Could Be Oldest Discovered in UK

THE GUARDIAN: Comb and gold hair-ring dating back more than 3,000 years unearthed near Barry in south Wales

The bronze age comb was found in a small burial pit. Photograph: Red River Archaeology Group
They are sometimes depicted as unkempt and wild-haired but the discovery of what is being billed as possibly the UK’s oldest wooden comb suggests prehistoric people liked to take care of their appearance.

The comb and a beautifully crafted hair-ring, dating back more than 3,000 years to the bronze age, were unearthed near the seaside town of Barry in south Wales.

Discovered in a small burial pit where the cremated remains of a human had been placed, archaeologists suggest it shows bronze age people may have been fond of keeping their hair looking good. » | Steven Morris | Wednesday, July 12, 2023

Pride Cymru 2023: Live Updates as Crowds Gather to Celebrate in Colourful Parade before Heading to Cardiff Castle

WALES ONLINE: It's set to be a joyful day in Cardiff city centre full of music and performance

Pride Cymru 2022 was a visual feast to behold (Image: Mark Lewis)
It's that time of year again. Cardiff city centre is set to be filled with colour, joy and celebration for the LGBT+ community throughout the weekend as Pride Cymru 2023 brings people from all walks of life together. The event has been moved forward from its usual August date to June with the main events taking place at Cardiff Castle this year instead of outside the Civic Centre.

This year the parade will start at 11am outside the castle on Saturday and travel down St Mary Street back up the Hayes, along Queen Street, around Park Place and back towards the castle along Greyfriars Road. The feast of colour and music is expected to last up to two hours, with the festival then to follow from 12pm at Cardiff Castle, with last entry at 9.30pm. The festival continues at the same times on Sunday. » | Laura Clements, Senior Reporter & Branwen Jones, Reporter | Saturday, June 17, 2023

UK Could Break Up unless It Is Rebuilt as ‘Solidarity Union’, Says Mark Drakeford

THE GUARDIAN: Exclusive: First minister of Wales says bonds that tie UK together have come under ‘sustained assault’ from 40 years of neoliberalism

Drakeford said Anglocentric Tories in London had shown a ‘fundamental disrespect’ for the Welsh and Scottish parliaments. Photograph: Dominic Lipinski/AFP/Getty Images
The UK could break apart unless it is rebuilt as a “solidarity union” where every citizen’s rights to public services and financial security are protected, the first minister of Wales, has warned.

Mark Drakeford said the social and political bonds that tie the different parts of the UK together have come under “sustained assault” from 40 years of neoliberalism, a trend launched by Margaret Thatcher in 1979 and then reinforced after Brexit by Boris Johnson and Liz Truss.

“In order to persuade people in all parts of the United Kingdom that their futures lie together within a restructured United Kingdom, we have to recreate a solidarity union,” the Welsh Labour leader said in an interview with the Guardian.

That included rebuilding the safety net for those sick or out of work, with fundamental rights, he said, to environment, consumer and trade union protections, to human rights and to affordable public services. » | Severin Carrell, Scotland editor | Monday, May 29, 2023

What Has Brexit Done for Britain?

Brexit, Britain was promised, would allow the country to ‘take back control’ – of its economy, its borders and its land. But what has that really meant for people now living with its consequences?
It’s three years since the UK officially left the EU. For many of those who voted to leave in the 2016 referendum, it was in answer to a promise to take back control – of funding, over farming, over immigration and trade. But have those promises been kept?
Listen to the podcast here.
As leave voters’ Brexit regret rises, will political parties dare to follow?: Even leavers might be changing their minds, but there’s little incentive for opposition to revisit issue, say analysts »

What has Brexit done for Britain? In two words: Sod all! – © Mark Alexander

Nigel Owens - Respect - Part 1/2 | London Real

Apr 23, 2017

Watch the full episode for free here.

WIKIPEDIA: Nigel Owens.

Mark Drakeford: 'The Conservative Party Is Ungovernable'

First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford has said the Conservative Party is "ungovernable" and has called for a general election.

He also spoke about Boris Johnson's chances of a comeback and said "anyone who thinks Boris Johnson returning is a get out of jail card must have some of the shortest memories in political history."


FFS! Keep BoJo the Clown well away from the levers of power! We’ve only just managed to get rid of that idiot. – © Mark Alexander

Britain hangs by a thread. Give the end to Boris Johnson and we’ll unravel: This must be the moment to root out the C-listers and crackpots who have dominated the Tory party ever since Brexit »

Wales: Skeletons: Remains of 240 People under Haverfordwest Store

Archaeologists believe the ruins are from a 13th Century priory, including a hospital
BBC: The remains of more than 240 people, including children, have been unearthed by archaeologists working on the remnants of a medieval priory found beneath a former department store.

The "hugely significant" discovery was made under the old Ocky White building in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire.

Archaeologists believe the ruins are from St Saviour's Priory, founded by a Dominican order of monks in about 1256.

One expert said it offered a "window into medieval Haverfordwest".

Ocky White was a popular store for more than a century before its riverside premises closed in 2013.

Site supervisor Andrew Shobbrook, from Dyfed Archaeological Trust, described the priory as a significant complex of buildings with dormitories, scriptoriums - rooms devoted to writing and manuscripts - stables and a hospital.

"It's quite a prestigious place to be buried. You have a range of people, from the wealthy to general townsfolk," he said.

It is believed that the graveyard could have been used until the early 18th Century. » | Aled Scourfield, BBC News | Tuesday, October 11, 2022

Thousands March in Cardiff Calling for Welsh Independence

THE GUARDIAN: Rally by campaigners, who say Westminster government does not serve nation’s best interests, is second in a few months

Welsh independence campaigners in the centre of Cardiff, Wales on Saturday. Photograph: Bronwen Weatherby/PA
Thousands of people have marched through Cardiff as part of a rally for Welsh independence.

Campaigners at the event carried large flags and banners and paraded through the city centre led by a samba band. It was organised by All Under One Banner Cymru (AUOB) and Yes Cymru. It was the second pro-independence rally to take place in Wales this year, after a march attracted about 8,000 supporters in Wrexham in July.

The AUOB and Yes Cymru [Cymru is Welsh for Wales] are campaigning for independence from the United Kingdom, as they believe Westminster does not operate with the best interests of the Welsh people in mind.

Despite rail strikes across the UK, organisers estimated about 10,000 people made it to the march – at the front of which was a banner saying “Annibyniaeth”, meaning independence in Welsh.

…

Harriet Protheroe-Soltani from AUOB Cymru said: “Given the UK government’s recent tax cuts for the rich and continual erosion of workers’ rights it’s important, now more than ever, that people come along and demonstrate that we do not trust Westminster to look after the interests of Wales.” » | Gemma McSherry | Saturday, October 1, 2022

How ironic it would be if Scotland and Wales seceded from the Union and Ireland became independent, too. Scotland and Wales could be independent nations in the European Union. The Republic of Ireland is already in the European Union and is prosperous as a result of its membership; so, if Northern Ireland joined Eire, the whole of Ireland would be in the EU. That would leave England truly isolated. Perhaps it could apply to the US to become its 51st state! I'm sure Disney could do something splendid with England's royal heritage! A sad irony indeed. Sad, that is, for the English. – © Mark Alexander

Welsh First Minister Says People Have Right to Protest during King Charles Visit

THE GUARDIAN: Mark Drakeford calls for policing to be proportionate, as silent demonstration planned in Cardiff

Placards and wellwishers outside Llandaff Cathedral. Drakeford said he expected protests to ‘be a footnote to the dominant feelings of the day’. Photograph: Carl Recine/Reuters
The Welsh first minister has said that anti-monarchists have a right to protest in Cardiff when King Charles visits the Welsh capital on Friday on the last leg of his tour of the four nations, but called for them to be restrained.

Mark Drakeford also made it clear that he did not expect there to be an extravagant investiture for William, the new Prince of Wales, but said he thought he could play an important role in Welsh life.

The Labour first minister said that while nobody would expect William to suddenly become fluent in Welsh, he believed he would “want to recognise” its importance in shaping modern life in Wales.

A silent anti-monarchist demonstration is due to begin from 1pm at Cardiff Castle, organised under the banner “Real Democracy Now”. » | Steven Morris | Friday, September 16, 2022

Funérailles d’Elizabeth II : Charles III au Pays de Galles, avant la « veillée des princes » : Le nouveau roi poursuit sa longue série d’engagements officiels, et achève à Cardiff une tournée dans les quatre nations constitutives du Royaume-Uni. Vendredi soir, les quatre enfants de la monarque observeront une « veillée des princes » autour du cercueil de leur mère. »

Support for Welsh Independence Is Growing – People Are Fed Up with Being Forgotten

THE GUARDIAN: As in Scotland, many people have looked at the United Kingdom and decided that it’s simply not working for them

‘With his calls for ‘home rule’, Mark Drakeford, the first minister, has essentially parked his tanks on Plaid Cymru’s lawn.’ Photograph: Matthew Horwood/Getty Images
The idea of an independent Wales is no longer just a hobby-horse of bearded men in Carmarthenshire pubs on Six Nations rugby match days. Polls put support for independence at about 30%, (and skew more pro- the younger you go): not enough to signal anything imminent, but high enough for us to be certain something real is happening. After all, Scotland was polling similar numbers in 2007, and just seven years later David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg were making “the vow” to the people of Scotland as they scrambled to keep the union together.

Of course when we look at this 30% figure, there is a question of saliency. People may support independence, but how crucial is the issue for them? Most people support House of Lords reform, for instance, but it doesn’t result in a massive majority for the Lib Dems. Having spent the last 18 months immersed in the idea of an independent Wales, I can attest that this is a real movement, with legitimate grievances which should be taken seriously. This isn’t to say that independence is inevitable but just that, like the leave campaign or those for an independent Scotland, these issues are fringe, minority movements – until they’re not.

Perhaps the biggest surprise when I started researching this area is how, especially for people who have come to the idea of Welsh independence since Brexit, identity is only a secondary motivating factor. For them it is, first and foremost, a matter of the head not the heart. Most supporters have simply looked at the state of the United Kingdom, seen that it isn’t working for Wales, and view independence as the most effective vehicle for fixing Wales’s problems. That doesn’t mean independence necessarily is the answer, just that the status quo is leaving the country both impoverished and unable to fix the problems it has. » | Will Hayward | Tuesday, August 30, 2022

World Cup 2022: Wales Staff Boycott Qatar over Gay Rights

BBC: Some of the Welsh national football team's staff will not travel to the World Cup in Qatar because of the country's stance on gay rights.

Head of Welsh football Noel Mooney said the team would use the event as a "platform" to discuss human rights in Qatar, where homosexuality is illegal.

He is also asking Fifa and Uefa to "think very deeply about their conscience" when choosing host nations.

Qatari officials have said it would be a "tournament for everyone". » | James Williams, BBC Wales political correspondent | Sunday, June 12, 2022

Laura Ashley " Pattern of Success"

Oct 7, 2020 • This film was produced by an American Film Company and is an excellent documentary on the history of Laura Ashley over several decades. From when Laura and Bernard met right through to when they died. They are both buried at the church cemetery in Carno, Mid-Wales, just a few hundred yards from the factory where they first started their empire.

Wales and Scotland Vow to Press Ahead with Trans-inclusive Conversion Therapy Bans

Wales and Scotland to press ahead with conversion therapy bans (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
PINK NEWS: The devolved governments in Wales and Scotland have expressed their commitment to banning “draconian” conversion therapy in all forms, in spite of Boris Johnson.

Johnson was widely condemned after first U-turning on plans to ban conversion therapy, before changing tack and promising that a ban would be forthcoming – though reportedly, it will now not include trans conversion therapy.

After initially stating that the government would pursue non-legislative measures against conversion therapy, a spokesperson told PinkNews on Friday (1 April): “The government has a proud record on LGBT rights, and the prime minister is committed to bringing forward legislation to ban conversion therapy.

“The content, scope and timing of the proposed bill will be confirmed in due course.” Representatives for Wales and Scotland have both released official statements affirming their commitments to banning conversion therapy in the wake of the two U-turns.

Though Scotland is not affected by Boris Johnson’s plans – the UK government had already said its ban would be for England and Wales only – a minister said in a statement that the practice has “no place in our society”.

Christina McKelvie, minister for equalities and older people, said: “Conversion practices that try to change a person’s sexuality or gender identity are harmful, discriminatory, and have no place in our society. » | Emily Chudy | Friday, April 1, 2022