Carmen Smith

I recently sat down with Politics Home, as part of their Women in Westminster series, to discuss my political journey

From how it all started for me as a working-class girl from Ynys Môn, my experience of entering the House of Lords & what drives my work today

www.politicshome.com/members/arti...

🤍 Every woman has a right to feel safe, equal and respected.

Ending violence against women and girls is an issue that we must address collectively as a society.

🚨 The #Caerphilly by-election is a straight fight between Plaid Cymru and Reform. Every vote counts.

Vote for a local champion who’ll always stand up for his community - not a party that divides it.

🗳️ On Thursday, vote Lindsay Whittle - Plaid Cymru to keep Reform out.

Plaid Cymru conference

1/2 We were delighted to hear Plaid Cymru's commitment to the right to adequate housing during leader Rhun ap Iorwerth's speech at their conference. Homes are the foundations of our lives. Thank you to everyone who came to our stall to discuss ending the housing emergency in Wales.

Noticed behaviour that's made someone feel uncomfortable or scared?

Attend our free bystander training to learn how to intervene and offer support.

Sessions run every week for 30-minutes 👉 www.suzylamplugh.org/Pages/Events...

🚨 BREAKING: A Plaid Cymru government will deliver 20 hours a week of free childcare for every child aged 9 months to 4 years.

Putting money back in families’ pockets, tackling child poverty and giving every child the best start in life 💚

📢 The most recent gynaecological cancer waiting time figures (July) show a worrying drop in early-stage diagnoses, now just 32.4%, down from 47% in June. Early diagnosis and timely treatment save lives. This backwards step is not acceptable.

Assisted dying services should be available in Welsh, Plaid peer says Assisted dying services should be available in Welsh, a Plaid Cymru peer has said. Baroness Smith Llanfaes said it was important for those discussing the service with their doctor to be able to speak ...

Assisted dying services should be available in Welsh, a Plaid Cymru peer has said

'This Bill legislates for people with a terminal illness and diagnoses, with six months left to live. Thankfully, there aren't many of us that face those circumstances.' Baroness Smith shares the words of Claire O'Shea, who died this year of terminal cancer. She was first misdiagnosed with IBS.

Labour’s plan to remove inactive peers is welcome, but the second chamber will still be undemocratic.

I’ve long called for scrapping the unelected House of Lords and replacing it with an elected second chamber that truly represents the people.

Government takes control of UK’s third-largest steelworks after collapse into administration Court ends Sanjeev Gupta’s control of Speciality Steel UK’s operations in South Yorkshire as ministers seek to save 1,450 jobs

First it was the nationalisation of steel in Scunthorpe, now it’s Yorkshire.

But where was the urgency of this Labour UK Government when thousands of jobs were on the line in Port Talbot?

Yet another example of Wales being treated unfairly. Our steel communities deserve more.

Bill to devolve Crown Estate to Wales passes report stage in House of Lords without opposition Emily Price A Bill that would transfer responsibility for the Crown Estate in Wales to the Welsh Government has passed the report stage in the House of Lords without opposition and is now set for its ...

Pob cyngor yn cefnogi.
Every Welsh council agrees.

Mae’n amser i San Steffan wrando.
Time for Westminster to listen.

Datganolwch Ystâd y Goron.
Devolve the Crown Estate.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

nation.cymru/news/bill-to...

View the voting record here: votes.parliament.uk/votes/lords/...

The worst result of last night…

The House of Lords voting in favour of a “wrecking amendment” that will allow current hereditary peers to continue as members & vote on new laws.

This defeats the whole purpose of the Hereditary Peers Bill.

Let the Ping Pong 🏓 commence…

Made the case for an elected house again this evening.

84 voted in favour and 263 voted against. Unsurprising result as unelected politicians voted on it…

Time for the people to have their say! ✊

Here is how everyone voted: votes.parliament.uk/votes/lords/... 🗳️

10 reasons why the hereditary peers bill should be amended to constrain Prime Ministerial patronage and the size of the House of Lords The government’s House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill reaches its report stage in the chamber this week – presenting a serious moment for possible amendments. Meg Russell argues that peers should…

NEW BLOG: 10 reasons why the hereditary peers bill should be amended to constrain Prime Ministerial patronage and the size of the House of Lords

Ahead of the hereditary peers bill's report stage starting in the Lords tomorrow, our Director, Meg Russell, sets out why peers should amend the bill.

APPG on SRH Officers Call for the Withdrawal of Police Guidance on Pregnancy Loss Investigations MPs and Peers have signed a letter to the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) calling for the urgent withdrawal of its new Practice Advice on Child Death Investigation.

The @appgsrh.bsky.social have urged the NPCC to withdraw new police guidance on pregnancy loss, which they say risks fuelling criminalisation around reproductive health.
The letter was supported by 45+ MPs & Peers and was sent ahead of the vote to decriminalise abortion.
www.fsrh.org//Public/News...

Yesterday our Officers @rupahuq.bsky.social, Baroness Barker, @mayaellismp.bsky.social, Baroness Sugg and 42 other Parliamentarians wrote to the Chief Constable to share their serious concerns with the recently released Guidance on Child Death Investigation. You can read it below 👇

The Israeli Government has blocked all aid shipments to Gaza for the past two months, creating a humanitarian catastrophe across the region.

@benlake.bsky.social made the case for the UK to airdrop humanitarian aid to help the thousands of Gazans who are being starved before our eyes.

Following Welsh Labour’s shocking poll result yesterday, I thought I’d do them a favour and help them out… by asking which of the First Minister’s asks they are actually going to carry out!

Look at the response, it is clear that this isn’t working for Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Tŷ'r Arglwyddi: 'Dim chwarae teg i Gymru' Carmen Smith sy'n rhannu ei phrofiad o'r ail siambr a pham ei bod hi'n angerddol dros ei ddiwygio.

"It is high time we distance ourselves from an old undemocratic system and build a new one that works for the majority, not just the few. After a year in the House of Lords, I am more determined than ever to campaign for change."

✍️ - @carmensmith.bsky.social

Tŷ'r Arglwyddi: 'Dim chwarae teg i Gymru' Carmen Smith sy'n rhannu ei phrofiad o'r ail siambr a pham ei bod hi'n angerddol dros ei ddiwygio.

"Mae'n hen bryd i ni bellhau oddi wrth hen system annemocrataidd ac adeiladu un newydd sy'n gweithio i'r mwyafrif, nid i'r ychydig rai yn unig. Ar ôl treulio blwyddyn yn Nhŷ'r Arglwyddi, rydw i'n fwy penderfynol nag erioed i ymgyrchu dros newid."

✍️ - @carmensmith.bsky.social

Delighted to be working with Baroness Smith on our amendments to the Employment Rights Bill🙌

If the government wants to deliver on its promise to halve violence against women and girls, it's imperative that there's a duty on employers to prevent gender-based violence at work.

Dear Secretary of State, I write to you in your capacity as the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, regarding your recent correspondence with the First Minister for Wales, Eluned Morgan MS, relating to welfare reforms in Wales. It is understood that the First Minister has written to you to request information on the impact of welfare reforms, announced on 18 and 26 March this year, on people in Wales. On BBC Wales’ Politics Wales programme on 30 March 2025, Kanishka Narayan MP suggested that a response had been provided to the First Minister. However, that response has not been made public. Considering the significant consequences these reforms will have on the people of Wales, I urge you to publish the response provided by your department to the First Minister in full, and without delay. I look forward to your response. Yours sincerely, Rt. Hon. Liz Saville Roberts MP Plaid Cymru Westminster leader

We need to understand what impact the Chancellor’s brutal welfare cuts will have on people and communities in Wales.

I've written to the Secretary of State urging her to publish her response to the First Minister.

Two Labour governments shouldn't shield each other from scrutiny.

DWP figures show two in five single parents are living in poverty Benefits policies sever the link between a family's needs and their support.

DWP figures show two in five single parents are living in poverty.

Children in single parent families face a 43% poverty rate.

Disability benefit cuts will plunge 50,000 more children into poverty.

Govt won't end the two child benefit cap.

Poverty is a political choice.

Reform UK could win next Welsh election, senior Plaid MP says Liz Saville Roberts warns party members that Nigel Farage could win the next Senedd election in 2026.

We must stop Reform UK from becoming the largest party in the Senedd in 2026.

They would sell off the NHS, strip away workers’ rights, and take power away from Wales.

Only Plaid Cymru has the energy to stop them and deliver new leadership 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

A graphic to advertise the Merched Plaid session at the Plaid Cymru conference, in conjunction with ElectHer. The graphic confirms that the session will include advice and discussion on standing for election and will be held at 10.10am on Friday 21 March.

Thinking about standing for @plaidcymru.bsky.social ?

Join us for a session with ElectHer at the Plaid Cymru conference.

10.10am Friday 21 March.
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Meddwl am sefyll dros y Blaid?

Ymunwch â ni am sesiwn gyda ElectHer yng nghynhadledd Plaid Cymru.

10.10am dydd Gwener 21 Mawrth.

From cutting winter fuel payments for vulnerable pensioners and refusing to scrap the two-child cap to lift children out of poverty, to now cutting £5bn of welfare support for disabled people...

Tory-style austerity is here to stay under Labour.

Diolch!

Deflection tactics won’t salvage Labour’s reputation in Wales We are now eight months into this UK Labour government in Westminster. So let’s ask ourselves, what has changed? Keir Starmer and his government have certainly made headlines, but all too often for th...

“While Labour continues to put party before country, Plaid Cymru has proven time and again that we are the only party that stands up for Wales, both in the Senedd and in Westminster.” @lsrplaid.bsky.social