Latest news with #PlaidCymru
BBC News
9 hours ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Show 'courage' to sanction Israel, Plaid Cymru tells Starmer
Leading Plaid Cymru politicians have called on the prime minister to sanction the Israeli government "without delay" over the conflict in ap Iorwerth and Liz Saville Roberts said "moral courage" was needed by Sir Keir Starmer's United Nations has warned mass starvation across Gaza is causing a "dire situation". The Israeli government rejected a statement from the UK and 27 other countries earlier this week that called for an immediate end to the war. The UK government has been asked to respond. The letter, addressed to Sir Keir Starmer and Foreign Secretary David Lammy, said "history will judge" politicians who did not do everything in their power to stop the unfolding situation in Gaza. Ap Iorwerth, Plaid's leader, and Saville Roberts, the party's Westminster leader, said sanctions must include a complete arms embargo, and said they were deeply frustrated the "UK government's deeds are not following its rhetoric".Earlier this week the Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, called the situation in Gaza "grotesque" and pledged to take further action if a change in behaviour was not seen from Plaid leaders urged the UK government to put pressure on other foreign powers so the UN takes "urgent and robust action", and called for the recognition of Palestine as a week, more than 100 international aid organisations warned of mass starvation in Gaza, blaming an Israeli "siege" on food trucks carrying at least 1,054 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli military while seeking food since 27 May, according to the said 150 food trucks were collected by the UN and other agencies in Gaza on Wednesday with a further 800 waiting collection – but aid workers have said Israel has obstructed them from doing and the US say the system is necessary to stop Hamas from stealing aid, something the UN has not Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr Labour MP Steve Witherden, alongside Plaid Cymru MPs, were among 56 politicians who have written to cabinet politicians calling for an arms embargo on Israel and more transparency around what military parts were being exported abroad.
Sky News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Sky News
Conservative Senedd member Laura Anne Jones announces defection to Reform UK
Conservative Senedd member Laura Anne Jones has joined Reform UK, the party has announced. The announcement was made on Tuesday at the Royal Welsh Show in Builth Wells, Powys. The annual event is Europe's largest agricultural show and attracts thousands of visitors every year. The defection comes with less than a year to go until the Senedd election, when voters in Wales will elect 96 members to the Welsh parliament for the first time - an increase of more than 50%. Recent opinion polls have shown Reform UK and Plaid Cymru vying for pole position, with Labour in third and the Conservatives in fourth. Please refresh the page for the latest version.
South Wales Guardian
3 days ago
- Politics
- South Wales Guardian
Remembrance Sunday rules changed to protect NI peace process
Papers released by the National Archives show Northern Ireland secretary Paul Murphy said there were 'pressing political reasons' why the leaders of both the main unionist parties, David Trimble and the Rev Ian Paisley, should be able to take part in the ceremony. However other ministers warned of an 'adverse reaction' from the SNP and Plaid Cymru, who were restricted to laying a single joint wreath. Under rules drawn up in 1984, the leader of any party which secured six seats at the previous general election was entitled to lay a wreath during the ceremony led by the monarch. After the 2001 general election that meant Mr Trimble, whose Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) secured six seats, could take part, but Mr Paisley, the leader of the Democratic Unionists (DUP) with five, could not. But after Jeffrey Donaldson defected from the UUP to the DUP in 2003, the balance was reversed, and the DUP complained they were being treated unfairly compared with the UUP. In the run up to the 2004 ceremony, Mr Murphy told the constitutional affairs secretary, Lord Falconer, there would be 'real difficulties' if the 1984 formulation continued to apply to the Northern Ireland parties. 'We will undoubtedly face renewed pressure from the the DUP this year given that they are now not only the largest NI party but also have six Westminster MPs (and had done resoundingly well in the assembly and Euro elections),' he wrote. 'But we are now involved in intensive dialogue over the political future in Northern Ireland in which the DUP, and the UUP, are the key players. I fear, therefore, there are now pressing political reasons for amending the 1984 formulation.' He suggested it could be tweaked so both parties which had six MPs at the last election, and those with subsequently passed that threshold through by-elections or defections, could take part. Lord Falconer expressed concern that there was 'a certain awkwardness' in the proposal, which involved overturning a clearly established formula. 'There is a further difficulty in the Scottish Nationalists, like the Official Unionists currently have five seats at Westminster. If Mr Trimble continues to lay a wreath, they might argue that they should be allowed to do so also,' he wrote. 'However, it is in fact Plaid Cymru's turn to lay the wreath in 2004 on behalf of the joint parliamentary group. The result will be, apparently, that Northern Ireland lays two wreaths while Scotland lays none.' Nevertheless, the plan was agreed by No 10.
Rhyl Journal
3 days ago
- Politics
- Rhyl Journal
Remembrance Sunday rules changed to protect NI peace process
Papers released by the National Archives show Northern Ireland secretary Paul Murphy said there were 'pressing political reasons' why the leaders of both the main unionist parties, David Trimble and the Rev Ian Paisley, should be able to take part in the ceremony. However other ministers warned of an 'adverse reaction' from the SNP and Plaid Cymru, who were restricted to laying a single joint wreath. Under rules drawn up in 1984, the leader of any party which secured six seats at the previous general election was entitled to lay a wreath during the ceremony led by the monarch. After the 2001 general election that meant Mr Trimble, whose Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) secured six seats, could take part, but Mr Paisley, the leader of the Democratic Unionists (DUP) with five, could not. But after Jeffrey Donaldson defected from the UUP to the DUP in 2003, the balance was reversed, and the DUP complained they were being treated unfairly compared with the UUP. In the run up to the 2004 ceremony, Mr Murphy told the constitutional affairs secretary, Lord Falconer, there would be 'real difficulties' if the 1984 formulation continued to apply to the Northern Ireland parties. 'We will undoubtedly face renewed pressure from the the DUP this year given that they are now not only the largest NI party but also have six Westminster MPs (and had done resoundingly well in the assembly and Euro elections),' he wrote. 'But we are now involved in intensive dialogue over the political future in Northern Ireland in which the DUP, and the UUP, are the key players. I fear, therefore, there are now pressing political reasons for amending the 1984 formulation.' He suggested it could be tweaked so both parties which had six MPs at the last election, and those with subsequently passed that threshold through by-elections or defections, could take part. Lord Falconer expressed concern that there was 'a certain awkwardness' in the proposal, which involved overturning a clearly established formula. 'There is a further difficulty in the Scottish Nationalists, like the Official Unionists currently have five seats at Westminster. If Mr Trimble continues to lay a wreath, they might argue that they should be allowed to do so also,' he wrote. 'However, it is in fact Plaid Cymru's turn to lay the wreath in 2004 on behalf of the joint parliamentary group. The result will be, apparently, that Northern Ireland lays two wreaths while Scotland lays none.' Nevertheless, the plan was agreed by No 10.
Powys County Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Powys County Times
Remembrance Sunday rules changed to protect NI peace process
Tony Blair's government changed the rules on party leaders laying wreaths at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday to protect the Northern Ireland peace process, according to newly-released official files. Papers released by the National Archives show Northern Ireland secretary Paul Murphy said there were 'pressing political reasons' why the leaders of both the main unionist parties, David Trimble and the Rev Ian Paisley, should be able to take part in the ceremony. However other ministers warned of an 'adverse reaction' from the SNP and Plaid Cymru, who were restricted to laying a single joint wreath. Under rules drawn up in 1984, the leader of any party which secured six seats at the previous general election was entitled to lay a wreath during the ceremony led by the monarch. After the 2001 general election that meant Mr Trimble, whose Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) secured six seats, could take part, but Mr Paisley, the leader of the Democratic Unionists (DUP) with five, could not. But after Jeffrey Donaldson defected from the UUP to the DUP in 2003, the balance was reversed, and the DUP complained they were being treated unfairly compared with the UUP. In the run up to the 2004 ceremony, Mr Murphy told the constitutional affairs secretary, Lord Falconer, there would be 'real difficulties' if the 1984 formulation continued to apply to the Northern Ireland parties. 'We will undoubtedly face renewed pressure from the the DUP this year given that they are now not only the largest NI party but also have six Westminster MPs (and had done resoundingly well in the assembly and Euro elections),' he wrote. 'But we are now involved in intensive dialogue over the political future in Northern Ireland in which the DUP, and the UUP, are the key players. I fear, therefore, there are now pressing political reasons for amending the 1984 formulation.' He suggested it could be tweaked so both parties which had six MPs at the last election, and those with subsequently passed that threshold through by-elections or defections, could take part. Lord Falconer expressed concern that there was 'a certain awkwardness' in the proposal, which involved overturning a clearly established formula. 'There is a further difficulty in the Scottish Nationalists, like the Official Unionists currently have five seats at Westminster. If Mr Trimble continues to lay a wreath, they might argue that they should be allowed to do so also,' he wrote. 'However, it is in fact Plaid Cymru's turn to lay the wreath in 2004 on behalf of the joint parliamentary group. The result will be, apparently, that Northern Ireland lays two wreaths while Scotland lays none.'
