Labour will not drag away 'safety net' from the vulnerable, says Starmer
Sir Keir Starmer has said that "everyone agrees" the welfare system needs fixing, but assured that Labour will not "take away the safety net" depended on by vulnerable people.
In a speech delivered at the Welsh Labour conference, following a major reversal on reforms due to backbench opposition, he emphasised that mending the "broken" system must be achieved in a "Labour way".
"We cannot take away the safety net that vulnerable people rely on, and we won't, but we also can't let it become a snare for those who can and want to work," the Prime Minister declared.
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"Everyone agrees that our welfare system is broken: failing people every day, a generation of young people written off for good and the cost spiralling out of control.
"Fixing it is a moral imperative, but we need to do it in a Labour way."
He praised Welsh First Minister Eluned Morgan as a "fierce champion" and "the best person to lead Wales into the future", earning applause and cheers from the audience.
Baroness Morgan had publicly criticised the welfare plans and called for Sir Keir to change tack on restrictions on winter fuel payments, which he also eventually reversed.
Sir Keir Starmer told the BBC she was "right to raise concerns" and promised to "deliver on those as far as we can".
Farmers gathered outside the conference in Llandudno to protest ahead of Sir Keir's speech, with about 20 tractors parked on the promenade in the north Wales resort town by late morning.
Sir Keir also said any deal between the Tories, Reform UK and Plaid Cymru at next year's key elections in Wales would amount to a "backroom stitch-up".
The elections to the Senedd will use a proportional system for the first time, meaning coalitions are likely.
The Prime Minister said it would risk a "return to the chaos and division of the last decade" and risk rolling back the progress his party is starting to make.
He told the Llandudno conference it would be "working families left to pick up the bill".
"Whether that's with Reform or with Plaid's determination to cut Wales off from the rest of the country, with no plan to put Wales back together," he said.
"I know that these are the parties that talk a big game, but who is actually delivering?"
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has not ruled out making deals with Plaid Cymru or Reform at the next Senedd election.
Reform UK is eyeing an opportunity to end Labour's 26 years of domination in the Welsh Parliament.
Labour performed poorly in this year's local elections in England, which saw Nigel Farage's party win a swathe of council seats.
Sir Keir also took aim at Nigel Farage, calling him a "wolf in Wall Street clothing" who has "no idea what he's talking about".
He said the Reform UK leader "isn't interested in Wales" and has no viable plan for the blast furnaces at Port Talbot.
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Inside the election where everyone has 38 votes
Heading to the polls voters often have in mind who or which party they plan to vote for - but what if there are 82 candidates and you have up to 38 votes? This was the issue for Guernsey voters last week as they decided who would run their government - the States of Guernsey - for the next four years. First-time voter Harry Snell, 19, said he chose to use all 38 of his votes as it was important to vote for the selection of candidates "that you want". While voting itself took "five minutes", Mr Snell, who is home from studying theatre at university, spent three nights deciding who to vote for. Two of those nights were spent reading the 276-page manifesto booklet, a process he described as a "real drag". He also listened to interviews and podcasts with candidates as well as researching issues he cared about. Mr Snell brought a handwritten list into the polling booth of the candidates he planned to vote for, but felt having so many on the ballot was "just ridiculous". While some chose to use all 38 of their votes like Mr Snell, the average number cast was 22 - down from 26 at the last election. Businessman Doug Perkins, 82, said he used 23 of his votes. Mr Perkins co-founded opticians Specsavers in the island in 1984 with his wife, Dame Mary Perkins. He felt the process was "clear" and "efficient" but he had to do "a lot of reading" to inform his choices. "I was wondering how well the election would be delivered, but I don't think it could be delivered better than it has been," said Mr Perkins. International observers backed up Mr Perkins' assessment of the election process, describing it as "smooth, efficient and calm". Until 2020, Guernsey elected its deputies to represent seven districts - with each voter getting six or seven votes for the candidates that chose to stand in their distrcit. Counting the votes under island-wide voting takes "an army of people", according to Keith Bell, Guernsey's returning officer. He said the votes were counted by four automated scanning machines - each counted batches of 100 votes in just a over minute. Observer Alvina Reynolds, from St Lucia, said: "While no election is perfect, this one had no major faults – remarkable for a state that has only recently undergone a major change in the way it votes." However, observers drew attention to declining voter registration, with 52% of eligible voters registered before the election, the lowest since 2020. The rising cost of living, an acute housing shortage and the long-running debate about whether to introduce tax reforms based on a goods and services tax (GST) were among key issues for voters. Without traditional political parties facing off - only six candidates stood under the banner of new party Forward Guernsey - some voters found it hard to work out what candidates stood for. French-born wine expert Aurelia, 42, said while it was her first time voting in Guernsey she would like to see a party system established to improve representation. She said: "It would be easier if people could choose what sort of decisions they want to make and what the focus of each party is. "I worry [politicians] lose focus and there's a lot of people arguing over decisions and it slows down the decision-making process." At 38 choices per person, voters in Guernsey may have the most votes per ballot of any nationwide general election, according to political marketing expert Dr Christopher Pich. Dr Pich, from the University of Nottingham, has studied Guernsey's political system since 2017 and said island-wide voting had changed the public's relationship with politicians as there was less "direct contact". He said an "interesting new feature" of this election was the "number of creative ways candidates tried to stand out from the crowd". "But this time there were battle bikes, speed dating, a stand up comedy night, even a 'Plunge and Politics' event where people could swim with candidates and ask them questions," he said. Dr Pich said podcasts had also become "important" this election. "Politicians in the UK are always looking for ways to increase engagement with politics - I think they could learn a lot from Guernsey." Political scientist Prof Thomas J Scotto, from the University of Strathclyde, said nation-wide constituencies like Guernsey's were "rare". Other countries - such as Israel and the Netherlands - also have nation-wide votes, but Guernsey stood out because voters can select so many individual candidates, he said. Prof Scotto said voting was a "demanding task" with so many choices. "Without those labels, voters must work hard to understand where candidates stand on key issues," he said. "With so many names, it can be overwhelming." Prof Scotto said voters often expressed "distrust" in political parties, but "from a political science perspective parties play a crucial role". "They help simplify complex choices and allow voters to hold elected officials accountable as part of a shared programme." For Prof Scotto, Guernsey's system means "success may rely more on personal ties than policy positions", compared to other countries. It is something Forward Guernsey leader Gavin St Pier said he wanted to see change. Candidates for the party agreed to share positions on six key policies, like housing and GST, but are free to vote how they choose on other issues. Three of its six candidates were elected. St Pier said: "The electoral system is a reflection of our history and experience, but the reality is we have produced something that is extraordinarily difficult to navigate. It requires real tenacity from the electorate. "How do we get more people involved in the democratic process? 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"If you only vote for one [candidate in Guernsey] you only get one vote. I don't like it at all and I don't think it's as democratic," Mr Fisher said. "There's too much to read." Deputy Lindsay De Sausmarez has been a States member since 2016 and topped this year's poll with more than 10,000 votes - the only candidate picked by more than half of voters. She said Guernsey's politics could work better "under a party system", but the "transition to it" would be challenging. De Sausmarez said: "On the plus side it gives everyone who is on the electoral role the opportunity to vote, or not, for every single candidate. "But on another when it comes to the quality of information to inform your decision it is a little bit disenfranchising." Deputy Yvonne Burford was also re-elected after she came second the polls. She said island-wide voting made traditional canvassing, such as door knocking, difficult. 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Roman road to tunnels: History of town's bypasses
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Proposed changes to divorce law could end blame game
A consultation on the divorce process has been launched by the Executive that could see changes to the way people legally separate in Northern Ireland. The current law requires couples to either go through a lengthy separation before a divorce is granted, or proceedings can begin straight away if one person is at fault either through desertion, adultery, or unreasonable behaviour. Joan Davis, CEO of counselling service Relate NI, said the current law is "outdated and not in keeping with modern society and how relationships come and go - it's just the reality of life". The biggest issue, she said, is the length of time that a couple must be separated before being able to begin the process. Currently, a couple is unable to apply for a divorce, or in the case of a civil partnership - a dissolution, within the first two years of marriage. Once that time period has been reached, a divorce petition must be based on at least one of five reasons: two years' separation with the consent of the other spouse to divorce five years' separation unreasonable behaviour adultery desertion The same grounds apply for the dissolution of a civil partnership, with the exception of adultery. The most recent figures for Northern Ireland show that the majority of people who filed for divorce in 2023 list separation as the reason. "Why would a legal system and a society want to persecute people more when a relationship is broken down by keeping them tied together and increasing that level of anxiety, adding to an already huge mental health crisis?," Ms Davis told BBC News NI. "Divorce numbers aren't going to change, and if they do change the legislation there's not going to be a rush of people running to the courts for divorce." Ms Davis said blaming one person for the end of the marriage can have a negative impact on the wider family unit. "Is that a good thing for a parent to be doing, you know? So the children then know how bad that other parent is? "If mum or dad has spent so much time explaining how bad they are, and it's all their fault, it's really not good for family life." Finance Minister John O'Dowd said the options being put forward "could reduce the conflict that can arise from divorce or dissolution". "Many marriages and civil partnerships are loving, happy and last a lifetime, but unfortunately some don't and break down for a number of reasons," he said. "This can have a devastating effect on those families, especially where children are involved, and can lead to additional and unnecessary conflict." Clare Curran, Director at Curran Bowles family law, said Northern Ireland's divorce laws are "very antiquated", adding that they should "fall in line with the English system". She said the two systems used to be similar, but after many Stormont collapses Northern Ireland has fallen behind in terms of "modernising the application for divorce process". "It doesn't work. It's slow and arduous, so everybody just gets into this blame game, which is really contentious and actually expensive." Ms Curran said it's about "striking the right balance, making sure that it's not too easy". "You don't want to dilute the meaning of marriage and the importance of the consequence of marriage by making it super easy to be able to dissolve a marriage. "Since the reform in England, it's only been a positive thing. It makes the process easier, more accessible, quicker and cheaper. "So, what's not to like about that?" The alternative options included in the consultation are largely based around how divorce works in the Republic of Ireland, England and Wales. The first is for the current law to remain the same with no change. Second, is the introduction of an administrative, no-fault divorce, similar to what is offered in England Wales. This means that one person can apply for a divorce and does not need to prove a reason why beyond the breakdown of the relationship. Supporters say it allows for a quicker, less contentious divorce with the process typically taking around 6 months. The third option is also a no-fault divorce, but closer to what is in place in the Republic of Ireland. Like option two, this means that no specific reason has to be provided to instigate proceedings, and no-one has to take blame for the end of the marriage. However, it's a lengthier process, as the couple does have to show they have lived apart for at least two out of the three previous years and that there is no possibility of reconciliation. The consultation will run until 26 September. End of blame game in divorce laws
