The Welsh government announced an additional £55m to provide 3,300 new childcare places for two-year-olds, offering 12.5 hours weekly. This funding, part of Plaid Cymru's supplementary budget, aims to expand childcare access, with plans for a universal 20-hour offer by 2030.
The Welsh government will spend an additional £55m this year to expand childcare for two-year-olds, offering 12.5 hours per week and creating 3,300 new places. This funding is part of Plaid Cymru's flagship policy to provide universal childcare for children aged nine months to four years by May 2030, though specific timelines for younger babies and potential funding cuts remain unclear.
Villagers are appealing to the Welsh government against Lidl's plan for a supermarket approved by Vale of Glamorgan council. Opponents cite harm to the landscape, rural environment, and active transport goals, while the council argues it's a logical development. Lidl claims community support and benefits.
Rhun ap Iorwerth, Wales' new First Minister, announces his Plaid Cymru cabinet, marking a shift from Labour's 27-year rule, with Sioned Williams as Deputy First Minister and Elin Jones as Finance Minister.
Rhun ap Iorwerth of Plaid Cymru becomes Wales' first non-Labour first minister after historic election win, promising a government for all communities and vowing to address NHS waiting lists, education, and economic growth.
Rhun ap Iorwerth of Plaid Cymru becomes Wales' first minister after his party's historic election victory, promising a government for all communities
Rhun ap Iorwerth says he hopes to work with other parties and press the UK government for extra powersUK politics live – latest updatesThe leader of Plaid Cymru, Rhun ap Iorwerth, has vowed to form a stable minority government in the Senedd and said he would seek out mature cooperation from all opposition parties.Ap Iorwerth said his administration would press the UK government for extra powers over policy areas such as policing and justice and focus on results rather than engaging in political rows with Westminster. Continue reading...
Rhun ap Iorwerth confirms he will try to govern alone after his party's Senedd election triumph.
Rhun ap Iorwerth confirms he will try to govern alone after his party's Senedd election triumph.
Leader Rhun ap Iorwerth says he is ready to become first minister and form next Welsh governmentElection 2026 live: latest news updatesFull results from England, Scotland and WalesPlaid Cymru has won the Welsh Senedd elections, ending 100 years of Labour dominance in Wales and blocking the momentum of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.The leader of the centre-left Welsh nationalist party, Rhun ap Iorwerth, said he stood ready to become first minister and form the next Welsh government, taking over from Welsh Labour, who have governed in Wales since devolution began in 1997. Continue reading...
Senior Labour MPs urge prime minister to step down within year as party suffers loss of hundreds of English council seats and humbling in WalesElection 2026 live: latest news updatesFull results from England, Scotland and WalesKeir Starmer is under pressure to set out a timeline for his departure after a crushing defeat in elections across Britain prompted senior Labour MPs to call for him to step down within a year.In a disastrous set of results, Labour lost hundreds of council seats in England, many to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, which made big gains across the Midlands and the north as well as taking seats from the Tories in the South.Nigel Farage said a “truly historic shift in British politics” had occurred after Reform UK won hundreds of seats and control of more councils in England. The gains included Essex where the Tory leader, Kemi Badenoch, has her constituency and which the Conservatives held for 25 years.Plaid Cymru became the largest party in Wales, beating Reform into second place, after Labour admitted it was on course to lose control of the Senedd for the first time since devolution. Morgan, the first woman to lead the Welsh government, became the highest-profile casualty and called on Labour to “go back to being the party of the working class”.The SNP leader, John Swinney, declared victory in the Holyrood elections – though was expected to fall short of an outright majority. The Scottish Labour leader, Anas Sarwar, conceded defeat saying his party had failed to counter “national dissatisfaction” with Starmer.The Greens gained their first two directly elected mayors – in Hackney and Lewisham – although they missed out on some more ambitious targets in London, as their leader, Zack Polanski, declared Britain’s two-party politics “dead and buried”. They also won three councils: Norwich, Hastings and Waltham Forest.The Tories were on course to lose hundreds of seats – both to Reform and the Liberal Democrats – across the south of England. However, they won back the flagship Westminster council in central London, with Badenoch announcing it meant the party was “coming back”.Labour appeared to be struggling in its London stronghold, despite early indications that its vote was holding up, unexpectedly losing control of Brent. Party insiders were closely watching councils including Lambeth, Lewisham and Haringey. Continue reading...
European observers have seen incidents of confusion over ID requirements but problem is not regarded as widespreadInstances of voters being turned away from polling stations due to confusion over photo ID requirements have been recorded by European election observers watching voting in England on Thursday.While the problem is not regarded as widespread, it has been noted by the delegation from the Council of Europe, which will issue a report on the local elections in England as well as the Scottish and Welsh government elections. Continue reading...
All six parties contesting May's expanded Senedd election face criticism for failing to be upfront about fiscal challenges. Polls show Plaid Cymru or Reform UK will be the largest party, with Welsh Labour in distant third after nearly 30 years in power. The IFS warns the next Welsh government will face significant budget pressure from UK funding cuts and rising health and social care costs, but party manifestos contain virtually no detail on spending commitments.
