Morning Star Editorial: Attention turns to Wales: Labour’s long-term control under threat

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/attention-turns-wales-labours-long-term-control-under-threat

Wales Green Party Leader Anthony Slaughter, Reform UK’s Dan Thomas, Welsh Labour Leader and First Minister Eluned Morgan, Plaid Cymru of leader Rhun ap Iorwerth, Welsh Conservative leader Darren Millar and Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds

RARELY has Wales featured so prominently in all-Britain election coverage as today in the run-up to polling day on May 7. Certainly, it is difficult recall such media interest in any of the six general elections to the National Assembly of Wales and its successor, the Senedd, over the past quarter of a century.

The London-based mass media usually show little interest in Wales unless a gruesome murder, a royal visit or a sporting spectacle has attracted journalistic attention beyond the M25 bubble.

What’s so different this time around? The big story is that the Labour Party is set to be replaced as the biggest electoral force in Wales for the first time in 100 years. The old certainty of a Labour victory (and most often a Labour landslide) is dying.

Welsh Labour is suffering from over-familiarity and its all-too-supine relationship with Keir Starmer’s government at Westminster. Many thousands of habitual Labour voters in the south Wales valleys are likely to switch to Plaid Cymru, despite not yet sharing that party’s aspiration for Welsh independence from the UK. A smaller number may go Green, and many more probably won’t vote at all.

They don’t feel the change promised by Starmer’s party. They dislike his lack of honesty and integrity. Many are repelled by his refusal to condemn US-Israeli massacres of the innocent in Palestine, Iran and Lebanon.

Neither do they remember — unless forcefully reminded — of the achievements of Welsh Labour and Labour-Plaid coalition governments despite the lack of powers and resources at the disposal of the Welsh parliament: free NHS prescriptions, free hospital parking, free bus travel for the elderly, the reintroduction of student maintenance grants, free museum entry, primary school breakfast clubs, financial penalties for holiday home ownership, aid for the Welsh steel industry, nationalisations to invest in Cardiff-Wales Airport and Transport for Wales rolling stock, etc.

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/attention-turns-wales-labours-long-term-control-under-threat

Keir Starmer says that the Labour Party under his leadership is intensely relaxed about assaulting those least able to defend themselves - the very poorest and most vulnerable.
Keir Starmer says that the Labour Party under his leadership is intensely relaxed about assaulting those least able to defend themselves – the very poorest and most vulnerable.
Nigel Farage reminds you that he's the man that brought you Brexit and asks what could possibly go wrong.
Nigel Farage reminds you that he’s the man that brought you Brexit and asks what could possibly go wrong.
Continue ReadingMorning Star Editorial: Attention turns to Wales: Labour’s long-term control under threat

Wales Greens announce full slate of candidates for Senedd elections

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Wales Green Party Leader Anthony Slaughter. Image: NoBeefKieth, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Wales Green Party Leader Anthony Slaughter. Image: NoBeefKieth, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.

The Wales Green Party has today announced that it will be standing a full slate of candidates in all 16 constituencies on 7 May 2026.

Wales Green Party Leader Anthony Slaughter said:  

“I am very proud to be offering every person in Wales an opportunity to vote for a candidate that will make a real difference to their lives. Someone who will take the cost of living seriously by introducing rent controls, start cleaning up our rivers by holding Dŵr Cymru/Welsh Water to account, and stand up for international law and human rights in the face of government complicity in genocide and illegal wars. 

“Since the election of Zack Polanski last September, the Green Party has seen rapid growth – with support surging the polls and in our record membership numbers followed by last month’s decisive by-election result in Gorton and Denton.  

“With Greens surging in the polls, and the new proportional voting system, we can elect candidates across Wales ready to work hard for the changes we urgently need.” 

Wales is the first nation in the UK to scrap the First-Past-The-Post system and the election in May will be the first under the full proportionate representation voting system that was introduced when the Senedd Reform Bill was approved on 9 May 2024. 

Continue ReadingWales Greens announce full slate of candidates for Senedd elections

The only target for the number of people killed on the road should be zero, say Greens

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Green Party MP for Brighton Pavilion Siân Berry. Image by Kelly Hill, Wikimedia CC BY-SA 4.0.
Green Party MP for Brighton Pavilion Siân Berry. Image by Kelly Hill, Wikimedia CC BY-SA 4.0.

Responding to the government’s new Road Safety Strategy, which was announced on 7th January, Green MP, Siân Berry, said

“The only target for the number of people killed on the road should be zero. With this strategy, the Government has massively overlooked key actions to cut traffic and achieve safer and slower vehicle speeds, which are truly effective at saving lives and essential to reaching this goal.

“The Government should follow the example of Wales, where the national default 20mph limit reduced road casualties on 20mph and 30mph roads by 26 per cent in the first 12 months of its introduction. That represents 630 people in Wales who made it home safely.”

Continue ReadingThe only target for the number of people killed on the road should be zero, say Greens

Towns may have to be abandoned due to floods with millions more homes in Great Britain at risk

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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/oct/14/millions-more-homes-in-great-britain-at-risk-of-flooding-investigation-finds

Flood waters surrounding houses in Wraysbury, Berkshire in January 2024. Greater London and Yorkshire and the Humber are two regions at particular risk in the coming years. Photograph: Daniel Leal/AFP/Getty Images

Every constituency projected to be at greater risk, with many areas likely to be uninsurable, Guardian investigation finds

Millions more homes in England, Scotland and Wales face devastating floods, and some towns may have to be abandoned as climate breakdown makes many areas uninsurable, a Guardian investigation has found.

New analysis from the insurance industry, seen by the Guardian, reveals the extent of concern in the sector, with bosses warning that large swathes of housing and commercial property in densely populated areas will be at greater risk.

Separately, experts have said that some towns may need to be abandoned as homes and businesses struggle to get insurance in areas repeatedly battered by storms and rising sea levels.

Densely populated areas including London, Manchester and parts of north-east England, are likely to be worst hit. Experts also say London’s flood defences need to be updated urgently to protect the capital from devastating floods.

Orcas comment on killer apes destroying the planet by continuing to burn fossil fuels.
Orcas comment on killer apes destroying the planet by continuing to burn fossil fuels.
Neo-Fascist Climate Science Denier Donald Trump says Burn, Baby, Burn.
Neo-Fascist Climate Science Denier Donald Trump says Burn, Baby, Burn.
Nigel Farage urges you to ignore facts and reality and be a climate science denier like him and his Deputy Richard Tice. He says that Reform UK has received £Millions and £Millions from the fossil fuel industry to promote climate denial and destroy the planet.
Nigel Farage urges you to ignore facts and reality and be a climate science denier like him and his Deputy Richard Tice. He says that Reform UK has received £Millions and £Millions from the fossil fuel industry to promote climate denial and destroy the planet.

Continue ReadingTowns may have to be abandoned due to floods with millions more homes in Great Britain at risk

Morning Star Editorial: It is time for our government to finally sanction Israel

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This is only two small parts of the Morning Star editorial at https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/it-time-our-government-finally-sanction-israel

 Israeli soldiers sit on the top of tank parked on an area near the Israeli-Gaza border, as seen from southern Israel, August 18, 2025

THE call for sanctions against Israel becomes louder and louder each day. As we witness hourly reminders of Israel’s brutal occupation of Palestinian land and the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people, the letter from politicians in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales is the latest in a long line of demands for the British government to step up to its responsibilities under international law.

While Keir Starmer and David Lammy may claim to disapprove of Israel’s genocidal suppression of the Palestinian people, even extending at times to strong criticism, if they actually wanted to see an end to Israeli action, they could take decisive steps to end British complicity in genocide and isolate Israel within the international community.

The British people are overwhelmingly opposed to the genocide taking place in Palestine, and for once, our government should seek to represent us on the international stage, be a voice for peace, joining South Africa and many other countries in their case at the International Court of Justice.

However, as we saw with decades of British government support for apartheid in South Africa, we cannot rely on politicians and the work to shift their support for repressive regimes must be carried out through mass pressure.

It is the job of the trade union movement, the peace and anti-war movement, and the progressive left to mobilise the British people on an increasing scale to oppose genocide and to defy the use of repressive legislation against those raising their voices.

Together, we must struggle to end our government’s complicity with genocide and in solidarity with the Palestinian people.

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/it-time-our-government-finally-sanction-israel

Experiencing issues with this image not appearing. I suspect because it's so critical of Zionist Keir Starmer's support of and complicity in Israel's genocides.
Genocide denier and Current UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is quoted that he supports Zionism without qualification. He also confirms that UK air force support has been essential in Israel’s mass-murdering genocide. Includes URLs https://www.declassifieduk.org/keir-starmers-100-spy-flights-over-gaza-in-support-of-israel/ and https://youtu.be/O74hZCKKdpA
UK Labour Party government ministers Keir Starmer, Angela Rayner and Rachel Reeves explain that they are partners complicit in Israel's Gaza genocide. The UK has provided Israel with arms, military and air force support. They explain that they don't do gas chambers but do do forced marches, starvation, destroy hospitals, mass-murders of journalists and healthcare workers.
UK Labour Party government ministers Keir Starmer, Angela Rayner and Rachel Reeves explain that they are partners complicit in Israel’s Gaza genocide. The UK has provided Israel with arms, military and air force support. They explain that they don’t do gas chambers but do do forced marches, starvation, destroy hospitals, mass-murders of journalists and healthcare workers.
Vote Labour for Genocide.
Vote Labour for Genocide.
Continue ReadingMorning Star Editorial: It is time for our government to finally sanction Israel