"Paid a gofyn i fi, reit. I don't want to swear on the telly." This is our version of Brenda from Bristol.

University course enrolment changes over last 10 years: > Medicine, dentistry, physical sciences and engineering all down in Wales while growing across the UK.

What jobs are Senedd candidates doing before they run for election? I looked into the details for 173 declared candidates. People already working in Welsh politics are 1 in 4 of the candidates - despite only being maybe 0.1% of the Welsh workforce. (1/3) josephallen1.substack.com/p/the-narrow...

If you want to understand the financial mismatch between the top two parties contesting the Senedd election: - Reform got £9m in Q3 from one bloke in Thailand. - Plaid have received about £3.5m in total since reporting began in 2001.

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)

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...

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/

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.

🚨 Swydd ar gael! We're hiring! We're looking for a Policy Officer to deliver impactful policy, research and lobbying for TUC Cymru and workers across Wales. 📜 Permanent full time role 💷 58K 📍 Cathedral Rd, Cardiff 💻 50% WFH/Office split Apply by Tuesday 6th May.

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.

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.

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...

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)

Welsh Tories 🤝 Plaid 🤝 Reform on high-cost undergrounding.

Plaid, Reform & the Tories in Wales all have the same policy on undergrounding cables vs pylons. Despite all evidence on cost implications.

UK Gov: We want to see the biggest wave of insourcing for a generation. Caerphilly Labour: Time to turbo charge privatisation.

Lots to agree with in this. Welsh Government has been too hands-off while housing supply has collapsed. The article actually understates how historically low completions are. The current rate is by far the lowest since the war.

New TUC polling shows that voters in every constituency overwhelmingly support strengthening workers’ rights. Government must ignore the noise and deliver the Employment Rights Bill in full. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

This shouldn't be a bind! It should be liberating! Whatever you're going to do will upset some people, so just do what you want to do for 5 years and be judged on that! I find this overwrought overthinking just utterly bewildering.

Extraordinary finding.

Lots of interesting stuff in @instituteforgov.bsky.social interviews with ex/current Welsh ministers. Mark Drakeford on the Brexit ref & the impact of the "underpowered" Welsh remain campaign because activists were tired from the Senedd election. Was this really that big a factor? (1/2)

Why did the Welsh Government's push on the foundational economy have little/no impact? @waterslee.bsky.social suggests it was a combination of a lack of interest from his colleagues + Covid.

Cardiff is a fairly low density city at about 2,500 people per km². It'd be a better city if we made it denser.

You've just become leader of the 4th most popular political party in Wales. Is your priority: (a) Vote on Welsh Gov's budget in a knife-edge vote? (b) Fly off to the USA and cosplay as a foreign minister?

That Liberal-led, home rule-supporting nation-building circa 1870-1939 changed the course of the 20th century in Wales and while it did bump in the painful realities of war and subsequent UK statism, it set a course to the re-establishment of a Welsh Parliament in 1999. Alas agree with this now 👇

Scrutiny, what scrutiny? I’m astounded that in the week the higher education sector collapse hit the headlines, the national government’s minister whose sole responsibility is higher education refused to speak with the nation’s main broadcaster. Total and intolerable abdication of responsibility.

Peak example of utter absurdity of university management speak. Using language of ‘future generations’, ‘co-creation’ and ‘academic synergies’ in a ‘slide deck’ announcing 400 academic job losses at our institution 👌

Plaid made the right call in not giving sitting MSs preferential treatment in selection. MSs have the benefit of name recognition & track record (the latter not always an uncomplicated boost, obviously). I can't think of any justification for rigging the process in their favour.

Expect disillusionment with local government to grow when more and more of the services people can actually see disappear.

Wales currently has one mid-table and two bottom of the table cities on this productivity analysis. Too much discussion on economic development here is bald men squabbling over a comb stuff. This @centreforcities.bsky.social event next week looks like a useful corrective.

As part of my ongoing rant entitled "Britons would rather become a lossmaking slum landlord than invest their savings on the stock market", I've decided that the government needs to demand Homes Under The Hammer is taken off air for the good of the nation as part of the BBC licence fee negotiations.

James Williams on #WalesCast absolutely nailing the sense of incredulity that responsible Ministers have gone AWOL at a time of crisis in higher education. Truly shocking.

Great illustration how infrastructure and housing stuff is covered in Wales. New station announced after years of delays. Couple of lines from the developer. 8 (eight) paragraphs from Cardiff Civic Society saying it's an absolute disaster.