Llan voters put Labour leader on the spot

llanblogger joins Pavilion audience for live

TV Q&A session with Carwyn Jones 

* Carwyn Jones chats to audience members after the programme.

Labour’s leader in Wales faced a barrage of questions from a lively Llangollen audience at the Pavilion last night (Friday).

Carwyn Jones, the country’s First Minister until the May 5 Assembly Election began, was the latest party boss put on the spot by voters as part of BBC Wales’s Ask the Leader series.

First pre-arranged question of the live half-hour programme came from Laura Davies who asked why Labour had “screwed up” the NHS in Wales.

Mr Jones replied that despite the budget of the devolved Welsh service being cut by 10% by the Westminster Conservative government, Wales was spending “more than ever before” on its NHS.

He added: “Most people get a good service for most of the time. But when we see there's a problem we take action."

Mr Jones cited the case of the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, covering North Wales, which had been placed in special measures by the Welsh Government because people had lost confidence in it.

But he said: “We are making sure that it regains the confidence of the people of North Wales and it is beginning to regain that confidence.”

He also claimed that Wales was spending more on the NHS than England.

Asked by Dr Rhys Davies about the GP recruitment crisis currently affecting the health service, Mr Jones said that to take the pressure of family doctors it was essential that patients didn’t “default” to visiting their GP before trying other avenues for health advice, such as pharmacists and GP nurses.

Llangollen county councillor Stuart Davies claimed that the local health situation had not been helped by the closure of the town’s cottage hospital.  

Second question came from Mike Evans who referred to the “disconnect” between the Welsh Government and voters in the north of Wales, and challenged Mr Jones to explain why Cardiff felt “more remote” to people in this region than Westminster.

The Labour chief replied that there were more Assembly Members representing North Wales than there were MP’s for the region.

He went on to detail some of the money recently spent in the north, such as on new schools and hospitals and the face-lifting of the A55 trunk route.

Mr Jones was asked by an audience member what benefits the Northern Powerhouse, being promoted for the north of England by Chancellor George Osborn, would bring to North Wales.

“I don’t see it as competition,” he answered.  

Explaining that the suggested powerhouse would mean better transport links within its area, Mr Jones said that Welsh Labour had just announced plans for a North Wales metro link, adding there would be a metro summit called by Labour within 100 days if the party won the assembly election.

He also told the audience that Labour had already improved the country’s road and rail links, including the rail line from Holyhead to Cardiff, and was now improving broadband links in North Wales.

Third questioner Michael Stokes asked Mr Jones if he planned to work closer with UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn if his party won the election.

Mr Jones replied: “I welcome support from all colleagues elsewhere in the UK.”

There was no answer from him when asked by programme presenter Bethan Rhys Roberts if he thought that Mr Corby didn’t look like a Prime Minister.

Final question came from James Wallace who asked the leader whether he apologised for “taking his eye off the ball” when it came to education in Wales.

“I don’t think we have,” responded Mr Jones.

He said that schools were being built or rebuilt right across Wales while “nothing like that” was happening in England.

“We now have more young people sitting in facilities that are appropriate for the 21^st century,” he pointed out, adding that Wales now had better GCSE results than ever before and A Level results that were also improving.

Asked by an audience member about what cash support Labour was planning to provide for university students in Wales, Mr Jones answered: “We will maintain our support for students at a higher level than in England.”   

Friends of Earth put candidates in the frame

Llangollen Friends of the Earth has put candidates contesting Clwyd South in the May 5 Welsh Assembly election in the frame.

Spokesman for the group (pictured below) Warren Davies said: “We invited all of the candidates to take part in a 60 second video interview.

“We asked them to tell us about themselves, why they are standing, their priorities and what they are going to do about climate change.

“The candidates we invited to be filmed were Simon Baynes (Welsh Conservatives), Mabon
Ap Gwynfor (Plaid Cymru), Mandy Jones (UKIP), Duncan Rees (Wales Green Party), Aled Roberts (Welsh Liberal Democrats) and Ken Skates (Welsh Labour). Mandy Jones (UKIP) did not respond.”

* All of the videos are now available on the YouTube channel at:
(https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgYOeqWUDfr8Etl-Rcv6yLQ).

Triathlon is a family affair for Mike

* Mike Edwards outside Chirk Leisure Centre with one of the Wales Air Ambulance mascots, Huw HEMS.

Fundraising for a good cause has become a family affair for Llangollen’s Edwards clan.



For when dad Mike tackles the Chirk Triathlon this Sunday he’ll be doing it alongside his eldest son, Christian, 43, and his 30-year-old eldest daughter, Claire.



Mike is raising money for the Wales Air Ambulance, which is a cause close to his heart.



Following a heart attack five years ago he regained his fitness and took up the triathlon event. 



“I am a keen supporter of  the air ambulance, being well aware of the value of a speedy response in my sport,” he said.



Mike is also a long-term cyclist, regularly hitting the mountain bike trails at Coed Llandegla  and pounding the roads in the Wrexham and Llangollen areas. 



Sunday’s Chirk Triathlon starts and finishes at Chirk Leisure Centre where Mike has been  training for the big event. To sponsor him, go to his Virgin Money Just Giving page at:

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=MichaelEdwards262

Welsh Conservatives unveil tourism strategy

Welsh Conservatives have unveiled a policy which they say promises to deliver a tourism "boom” for Wales.

The Party is pledging to promote Wales to the rest of the UK and the world and put industry expertise in the driving seat.

The announcement follows statistics which Conservatives claim shows that under Labour day visits to Wales by British residents have fallen by one fifth.

They have announced a five-point plan for the tourism industry and outlined a commitment to introduce a Tourism Bill as a core tenet of their legislative programme should they win the May 5 Welsh Assembly election.

Visit Wales would be removed from government control and operate at arm’s-length.

A new fund would also be established, offering grants to small and medium-sized operators, helping them expand and grow.

Firms would be able to bid for the grants in exchange for up-skilling, or taking on new staff. 

Mark Isherwood, candidate in North Wales, (pictured) said: “A decline in visits to Wales by British residents highlights the need of a change of emphasis.

“Tourism contributes massively to t he North Wales economy.  The people who know best in attracting tourists to Wales are those in the industry itself - and it is time to put the experts in the driving seat.

“We’d remove Visit Wales from government control, freeing it both from the shackles of bureaucracy and Labour’s ‘safety first’ approach."

Welsh Conservatives Leader, Andrew RT Davies, said: "We know many tourist operators struggle with costs such as VAT bills, and a Welsh Conservative Government would provide a dedicated fund, helping small and medium-sized operators grow, expand, and meet costs.

“Meanwhile, our dedicated Tourism Bill will enshrine, in law, an independent, expert-led approach to boosting tourism into Wales, and deliver a mechanism that ensures local communities are involved in promoting visitor experiences. 

“We have so much to be proud of, and with a renewed emphasis on attracting visitors to Wales, we can see our seas swell, beaches throng and mountains move.

“Whilst the sector faces challenges, in Wales, we have tremendous potential to ensure Wales is a world-leader, promoting our castles, seaside towns, growing cities, stunning landscapes and industrial heritage. Under a Welsh Conservative Government, the industry would be freed from government interference, unleashing Wales’ potential as a world-leader in tourism, securing real change and delivering a boom for the sector." 

Welsh Conservatives say they will also safeguard Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Llan Operatic produce another hit with their latest show

* A scene from Springtime for Hitler.

Llangollen Operatic Society likes to break free from the mould of traditional am dram fare with its
big annual show.

And they’ve certainly done that again with their latest production.

While last year there were the singing nuns, gangsters and cops of Sister Act, this time the Town Hall stage is packed with dodgy Broadway Mr Fixits, showgirls, crazy Nazis and even a gang of libidinous dancing grannies as a multi-talented cast serve up the musical comedy version of Mel Brooks’ Academy Award winning movie, The Producers.

And apart from all that, there are also a couple of four-letter words and a bit of simulated sex thrown in for good measure.

But it’s all done in the best possible taste.

The story centres on two theatrical producers, Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom, who scheme to get rich by overselling interests in a Broadway flop.

Complications arise when the show unexpectedly turns out to be successful.

The humour of the show draws on ridiculous accents, caricatures of Nazis and many show business in-­jokes.

It also features the outrageous title song Springtime for Hitler.

Much of the action revolves around the crooked Bialystock, so the character is hardly ever off stage. But John Clifford proves he’s well up to the job of handling the gargantuan part, shining in every department – line delivery, singing and even some dancing.

Sidekick Leo Bloom is excellently portrayed by Ross Wilson who brings a neat touch of pathos to the role along with some rare acting and singing ability.   

Love interest is provided by the boys’ ultra-sexy Swedish secretary Ulla, played with plenty of va-va-va-voom by a blonde-wigged Louisa Jones.

Bialystock and Bloom go looking for the worst director on Broadway to ensure they get a flop which pays them a fortune. And they get him in the extravagantly gay Roger de Bris who finds his perfect embodiment in Nathan Lloyd.

Taking the part of Franz Liebkind, the outrageous old Nazi who pens  a musical called Springtime for Hitler on which the whole theatrical scam is based, is Joe Scatley. He goes deliciously over the top with the role, which is exactly what is called for.

The supporting team of around 30 people provide powerful and tuneful back-up for the main characters.

Particularly memorable are the team of nymphomaniac grannies who are Bialystock’s willing backers in more ways than one.

The whole crazy romp culminates in a grand finale piece of Springtime for Hitler which brings a spectacular touch of Broadway to Llangollen Town Hall, despite the straight arm salutes and swaztikas.   

Musical director Elen Mair Roberts shines as usual at the head of a versatile six-piece band.

It was Nia Pickering’s first time as artistic director but on this showing it won’t be the last.

The Producers is on at the Town Hall again tonight  (Wednesday) and also Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings with a matinee on Saturday.

I’m told tickets are becoming as scarce as honesty amongst Bialystock and Bloom, so if you want to see it you’d better make sure you grab some as soon as you can.

MP calls for government action on tax havens

Clwyd South Labour MP Susan Elan Jones (pictured) has written to Prime Minister David Cameron MP calling on the government to take action on the issue of tax havens.

She said: "The Panama Papers has rightly brought the issue of tax havens into focus and there are also real questions the Prime Minister and Chancellor need to answer on a personal basis.

"But we shouldn't be allowed to ignore the wider action that needs to be taken too.

"I was and remain very supportive of what former Labour Leader Ed Miliband MP proposed on this issue in the run up to the last general election when he warned that tax havens costing British families and businesses billions of pounds should be given just six months to put their house in order and open their books - or face being placed on an international blacklist.

"Ed Miliband highlighted figures that showed how despite David Cameron boasting more than 18 months ago that he had forced tax havens to open up, not one of the tax havens linked to Britain as Overseas Territories or Crown Dependencies had yet delivered on Cameron’s promise that they would publish a register showing who owns the companies registered there.

"We need action on this serious issue. Ordinary families and businesses from our area do not get away with this sort of behaviour, which as we have seen recently is quite shocking and unethical. It's vital we have tough action on this issue."

Skates tackles mobile phone companies over service

Ken Skates has urged people in Clwyd South to contact their mobile operators and report problems with loss of service.

Welsh Labour candidate Mr Skates recently wrote to phone companies and Ofcom to raise concerns about repeated signal issues in Wrexham and the Dee Valley.

He had reported problems in several areas throughout the constituency, and continues to press for better provision from providers.

He said: “People contacted me from Penley, Overton, Ruabon, Llangollen - where my office is - and a host of other areas in Clwyd South.

“This week I received an official response from EE which suggested there are 'no issues' in some of the areas I highlighted, which certainly doesn't tally with my experience - nor, I'm sure, with that of many other people in our area.”

Mr Skates added: “Strong, reliable mobile phone signals are crucial for our businesses and for people going about their day-to-day lives, so I wrote to mobile operators demanding urgent action to address the issues we are experiencing.

“I have also written to the Conservative UK Government, which should be enforcing the obligation for networks to provide 4G to 95% of customers by the end of next year. Sadly, they haven't responded yet.”

Mr Skates said he will continue to update people on progress made via his Facebook page www.facebook.com/kenskates4am.

He added: “Anyone who would like more information can contact me on 07526 742607 or email ken4clwydsouth@gmail.com.”