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South Wales Argus Author

South Wales Argus

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'She should have gone to Specsavers' says reader on Newport comments

'She should have gone to Specsavers' says reader on Newport comments

Eluned Deluded Morgan thinks that Newport is up & coming. She should have gone to Specsavers. Dave Woolven, Newport.

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South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

'Eluned Morgan needs to visit an optician if she thinks this about Newport'

'Eluned Morgan needs to visit an optician if she thinks this about Newport'

The first minister Eluned Morgan urgently needs a visit to an optician if she sees Newport as an up-and-coming city with an exciting future with...

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South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

'Up and coming Ms Morgan? Don't make me laugh', says resident

'Up and coming Ms Morgan? Don't make me laugh', says resident

Up and Coming? As a 76-year-old native of Newport, far be it for me to disabuse the comments of First Minister Morgan’s assessment of the city’s...

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South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Animal welfare charities say Wales' greyhound racing ban is 'big step forward'

Animal welfare charities say Wales' greyhound racing ban is 'big step forward'

The Welsh Government has announced plans for Wales to become the first nation in the UK to ban greyhound racing. Huw Irranca-Davies, the deputy...

previous day 4

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

MS on health care, local rugby club flooding and lifesaving

MS on health care, local rugby club flooding and lifesaving

On Friday, February 7, I held a joint advice surgery with Argoed Councillor Walter Williams at the Markham Community House and Centre. Numerous...

previous day 3

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

More than 1,600 former miner are better off after pension injustice 'put right'

More than 1,600 former miner are better off after pension injustice 'put right'

Thanks to our Labour Government more than 1,600 former mineworkers in Blaenau Gwent & Rhymney are now receiving an extra £29 a week in their pensions...

tuesday 2

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Senedd rejects call for child sex abuse inquiry, but agrees audit

Senedd rejects call for child sex abuse inquiry, but agrees audit

Senedd members rejected calls for a Wales-wide independent inquiry into child sexual exploitation by so-called grooming gangs, supporting plans for an...

15.02.2025 6

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

'We know that grooming gangs are operating in Wales', MS

'We know that grooming gangs are operating in Wales', MS

Child sexual exploitation is a heinous crime and it has been harrowing reading about and listening to details of the sickening abuse inflicted on the...

15.02.2025 5

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

‘Postcode lottery’ concerns over fertility treatment

‘Postcode lottery’ concerns over fertility treatment

Couples seeking fertility treatment in Wales face a postcode lottery in terms of access to services, a Senedd member warned. James Evans, the...

14.02.2025 6

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Senedd pays tribute to the late Dafydd Elis-Thomas

Senedd pays tribute to the late Dafydd Elis-Thomas

Senedd members paid tribute to Dafydd Elis-Thomas following the former Plaid Cymru leader’s death on Friday. Lord Elis-Thomas served as the first...

14.02.2025 5

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Welsh National Opera goes to the movies at Wales Millennium Centre

Welsh National Opera goes to the movies at Wales Millennium Centre

This was a light but very professional concert that used the movies as the way of presenting some of the most popular music from the operatic...

14.02.2025 5

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Council leader pledges to turn street lights back on and reopen public toilets

Council leader pledges to turn street lights back on and reopen public toilets

Street lights in Newport will be turned back on and public toilets will be reopened, the city council leader has pledged. Cllr Dimitri Batrouni...

13.02.2025 30

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Council leader thanks residents for budget engagement

Council leader thanks residents for budget engagement

I would like to thank residents across the Caerphilly County Borough who have taken the time to fill in our budget survey for 2025/26 or took part in...

13.02.2025 4

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

'All the cast shone' in WNO's The Marriage of Figaro

'All the cast shone' in WNO's The Marriage of Figaro

It was with some excitement that I attended the WNO’s production of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff on...

13.02.2025 7

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

National collections at risk due to chronic under-investment says MS

National collections at risk due to chronic under-investment says MS

A Senedd member accused the Welsh Government of failing to heed repeated warnings after the national museum was forced to close its doors. Heledd...

09.02.2025 3

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Westminster 'power grab' an 'affront to devolution’, say Senedd members

Westminster 'power grab' an 'affront to devolution’, say Senedd members

Senedd members criticised a “power grab” from Westminster, describing plans for UK ministers to make laws in areas already devolved to Wales as an...

09.02.2025 5

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

'Talking openly can be the first step towards better mental health'

'Talking openly can be the first step towards better mental health'

As regular readers of this column will know, I really believe good mental health is as critical to our wellbeing as physical health and key to that...

09.02.2025 4

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Catherine Fookes MP on rivers and water quality

Catherine Fookes MP on rivers and water quality

Cleaning up our rivers was one of my key promises when running for MP, and since being elected, I have made this issue one of my top priorities. I...

08.02.2025 7

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

UK Government has 'a decision to make' over Trump's 'tariff war'

UK Government has 'a decision to make' over Trump's 'tariff war'

As a supporter of Brexit, I am willing to concede that it has had a detrimental effect on UK's economic progress, though my reasons for wanting to...

07.02.2025 3

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

John Griffiths MS reflects on positive first month of 2025

John Griffiths MS reflects on positive first month of 2025

The seemingly never-ending month of January has finally come to a close, and we’ve welcomed in a new month of 2025. We have dived headfirst back...

06.02.2025 7

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Council unsure who will fund millions in extra National Insurance contributions

Council unsure who will fund millions in extra National Insurance contributions

Local authorities face ongoing uncertainty over who will fund increases to National Insurance contributions, councillors in Newport have heard. The...

04.02.2025 1

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

'The people have paid the price for Labour's neglect of our NHS'

'The people have paid the price for Labour's neglect of our NHS'

The recent comments by the finance minister and former leader, and former minister for health, Mark Drakeford, haven't gone unnoticed.  Mr...

03.02.2025 4

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Ruth Jones MP: Why not seize our moment and build a growth zone in Wales?

Ruth Jones MP: Why not seize our moment and build a growth zone in Wales?

THE biggest mission for this Labour government is growth. You might hear politicians use that word a lot and wonder what it really means for your...

02.02.2025 7

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Senedd members criticise ‘colossal’ cuts at South Wales university

Senedd members criticise ‘colossal’ cuts at South Wales university

Senedd members criticised Cardiff University’s plans to cut 400 jobs and courses including nursing. Members called for ministers to intervene to...

01.02.2025 6

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Pension triple lock: 'It’s more than about just living, it’s about living well'

Pension triple lock: 'It’s more than about just living, it’s about living well'

The Pensions ‘Triple Lock’ has been back in the news again recently, with stories suggesting it might be scrapped, followed by stories that seemed...

31.01.2025 4

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

The Grange Hospital not big enough to cope with demand, says MS

I don’t think any Argus readers are surprised anymore about negative coverage about the Grange Hospital. Despite the best efforts of the dedicated...

28.01.2025 5

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Concern council’s customer service issues are linked to home working

More council staff in Newport should return to the office to improve customer service levels, a councillor has suggested. Cllr Mark Howells said the...

28.01.2025 20

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

'We cannot allow this to continue,' why balloon releases could be a thing of the past

Councillors in Newport have backed calls to ban the release of helium balloons from public land, over concerns for wildlife and the environment. The...

28.01.2025 30

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

A guide to five of the best independent cinemas in South Wales

Award season has begun and many people are heading to the cinema to check out the films up for the biggest recognitions in the film industry. This...

25.01.2025 7

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Concern over ‘poor quality’ homes in private rented sector in Wales

Senedd members called for social housing standards to be extended to the private rented sector amid widespread concerns about poor quality homes. ...

22.01.2025 7

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Senedd debates UK Government’s ‘disastrous’ first six months

The Conservatives criticised the UK Government’s record six months on from the general election, accusing Labour of doing “not a dickie bird” to...

19.01.2025 8

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

A guide to the small venues bringing live music to South Wales in 2025

South Wales offers a number of fantastic venues for you to find your new favourite band. Located in the town centres and surrounded by transport...

18.01.2025 30

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Senedd member criticises ‘behind-closed-doors’ appointments

A Senedd member denounced his colleagues' "absolutely stupid, behind-closed-doors” decision to nominate themselves for positions on an...

16.01.2025 6

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Council agrees next steps towards changing 20mph roads across city

Newport City Council was thrown a “hospital pass” when handed responsibility for dealing with controversial speed limit changes, its leader has...

16.01.2025 9

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

MS column: Support is available for residents struggling, says MS

The start of a new year is an opportunity to reflect and look ahead. I am very grateful to all the community groups and schools that invited me to...

16.01.2025 4

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Calls for Government action following Farage's grooming scandal claim

Nigel Farage says people are angry that there has been no full public inquiry into the grooming scandal. There was a full public inquiry, which was...

12.01.2025 4

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Cash-strapped Welsh councils ‘facing £559m shortfall’

Councils in Wales face budget pressures of £559m next year, equivalent to a 26 per cent council tax rise or the loss of nearly 14,000 jobs, a...

10.01.2025 3

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Senedd members set for inflation-busting 6% pay rise

Senedd members’ basic pay could rise by more than £4,300 to £76,380 a year in 2025/26 while the country grapples with a cost-of-living crisis. ...

09.01.2025 2

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Miles of road could be returned to 30mph in this Gwent area

Dozens of stretches of road across Caerphilly County Borough could revert to 30mph speed limits, the Local Democracy Reporting Service understands. ...

09.01.2025 30

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Traitors’ Welsh contestant shocked at fellow contestant’s false identity

After being the second person banished from the Traitors’ Castle, leaving both the grounds and the show, Welsh contestant Elen Wyn was shocked at a...

09.01.2025 5

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Here are the roads earmarked to change back to 30mph in Newport

Newport City Council has proposed reverting 16 roads to a higher 30mph speed limit across the city. The proposed changes follow a public...

08.01.2025 9

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Catherine Fookes MP reveals priorities for the year ahead

It’s hard to believe that six months have passed since I was elected MP for Monmouthshire. I’m incredibly grateful for the trust my fellow...

08.01.2025 8

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Everyone Deserves a Christmas' campaign delivered hampers across South Wales

This year the 'Everyone Deserves a Christmas' campaign once again delivered hampers across South Wales in the run up to December 25, providing...

08.01.2025 3

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Tributes to former councillor who was ‘strong advocate for the people he represented’

Tributes have been paid to former Caerphilly county councillor John Bevan, who has passed away. Cllr Bevan, who grew up in Phillipstown, also...

04.01.2025 4

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Council Leader: 'Build fairer, more equal, peaceful and caring world in 2025'

I write this column still thawing out after a cold but uplifting Carols under the Arch service with Noddfa chapel and the community. Hundreds of...

30.12.2024 5

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Critics reveal what they thought of Gavin And Stacey finale

The Gavin And Stacey finale has been praised by fans and critics as a “comedy masterpiece” and an “extraordinarily poignant bonanza of...

27.12.2024 7

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

'Looking forward to the opportunities of 2025': Your MS writes

John Griffiths MS - Argus Column - Thursday 26th December (Boxing Day) Happy Christmas and no doubt Christmas Day would have been a busy day for...

27.12.2024 6

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

MS column: Hefin David MS shares support resources

It is that time of year again. Although it can be lovely - a time to reflect and be around loved ones, it can also be a time of increased stress,...

21.12.2024 6

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

Community groups may take over more council buildings in future

More council assets in Caerphilly could be handed over to community groups in an attempt to save money. But councillors stressed that interested...

20.12.2024 5

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author

New fees and licences confirmed for city tattoo and piercings

Newport City Council has adopted new Wales-wide regulations for tattoos and piercings, requiring practitioners to pay for new licences. The...

19.12.2024 8

South Wales Argus

South Wales Argus Author