Joe Allen

Furthermore, a huge vindication for Mark Drakeford here, on two fronts:
1) UK Labour have been salivating at the prospect of a devastating Welsh Labour loss in the new PR list system coming in next year, so they can create a cautionary tale about PR and further argue the merits of FPTP. Well… (1/6)

The crumbling seaside palaces at the centre of Britain’s asylum crisis [FREE TO READ] How one hotelier built an empire from beloved community assets — and a government struggling to cope with a surge in migration

FT mag piece from me: Spent a long time looking into the Britannia hotel chain, beneficiaries of a vast amount of taxpayer money via the asylum system

on.ft.com/47HEE46

Hard to disagree with ex-Plaid MP Cynog Dafis' assessment of the party's approach to energy policy.

"...loitering in its historic comfort zone of easy opposition."

nation.cymru/news/plaid-c...

Just read the second part and it's much worse.

I am writing a policy pamphlet. Here are all the ways to demonstrate I don't really have a policy answer, that I need to avoid:

a. You call for a "national conversation or debate"
b. You suggest that what is needed is “a change in culture”
1/

The best album is, of course, Up. But no one wants to face up to this.

Data is from London, but a useful insight for the never-ending argument in Cardiff about holding gigs in public parks.

2,430 Romanians in Wales voted in their presidential election at polling stations in Swansea and Cardiff yesterday.

And (thanks to Romania's excellent election website) we can see that they favoured the defeated populist candidate George Simion (53%-47%).

My bet is that under-estimation of the Reform vote also applies to all Welsh (and perhaps also Scots) polling ahead of next year’s national election.

Conversations with friends here in the valleys suggests many can’t wait to vote Reform to give Labour etc a bloody eye. Lot of unhappiness about.

Who in Labour is currently making the case for a stronger devolution settlement and what is their plan?

Where would 18% put Welsh Labour in the history of Senedd list votes? Marginally more popular than Rod Richards' Welsh Tories in 1999.

DSIT has responded, and so I have written a very hasty blog about whether we can find £45bn of savings from AI being implemented in government.
freethinkecon.wordpress.com/2025/04/30/t...

There is a broad consensus in Wales against energy infrastructure between Reform-Plaid-Tories that will command 70ish Senedd seats (out of 96) next year.

So this is most likely where we'll end up too👇

A spluttering economic system desperately looking for growth? A society flirting with a Christian revival?

This is the UK's Francis Spufford era.

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Buses in Wales to be brought under public control Ministers have promised a

Happy Bus Services (Wales) Bill day to all who celebrate! 🚌

...we've been waiting a while for this piece of legislation. The lucky buggers in south west Wales will be the first to see the new franchise system rolled out in 2027.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

This is really interesting and wide-ranging (downplaying indy; sceptical on Future Gen Act impact; narrower idea of Nation of Sanctuary).

Bit below caught my eye - suggesting Welsh Labour has gone too far in tackling second homes.

Yesterday: New research shows Ceredigion is least affordable place in the UK for first time buyers.

Today: "Save New Quay Car Park" campaign is seeking to stop 30 new affordable homes being built on a car park.

There is, of course, no link between these stories.

Looking at the Mahmood/Sentencing Council dispute, regardless of the merits, it looks like an example of a Minister asserting power and saying "I don't like this output from the system. Change it or I will change how the system works".

Does this ever happen in Welsh Gov?

Hard to listen to this series and not reach the conclusion that Welsh devolution needs a hard reset.

It is perfectly reasonable to expect the Prince of Wales to speak fluent/near fluent Welsh.

Similarly, it should be expected of any candidate for First Minister.

Listening back to last week's episode of Gwleidydda on the potential impact of Reform on next year's Senedd election. Its worth looking at the where those 2019 Labour voters went last year

🟢 20% went to PC and the Greens

❌ 7% didn't vote

🟦 less than 7% went to Reform

The exodus from the Senedd is ultimately a healthy thing.

Opportunity now:

- Broaden candidate base beyond usual suspects so the Senedd better reflects working life in Wales.

- Set out a more ambitious Welsh policy platform freed from lingering inter-personal dynamics that inhibit discussion.

Gwynedd and Pembrokeshire took action against locals being priced out in favour of second home owners.

And it's working.

Gwynedd house prices plunge as council acts on second homes House prices in a Welsh county have fallen by more than 12% year-on-year, according to new figures.

This is great news. Making homes more affordable to locals is a good thing. Houses are homes not investments www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

My biases are in the other direction (I *do* generally think that we've created restrictions on building that go beyond what we can afford).

But this is a good read on the Wylfa controversy and the risks associated with excessive YIMBY glibness.

backofmind.substack.com/p/the-only-g...

No, political is here is lobbyists, political researchers and people in political roles at charities.

'Other' breakdown below.

A reminder that the current Senedd is dominated by a handful of middle class professions.

Every party that cares about Welsh devolution should be trying to broaden their recruitment and give us a Senedd that looks more like Wales. (2/2)

Sneering comments like this about a politician having previously had a normal job is why Senedd candidate selection over the next few months is so important.

Parties can't keep disproportionately selecting people with no working background beyond politics (1/2)