AM urges UK government to back EU scheme to protect Welsh businesses

A Member of the Welsh Assembly is urging the UK Government support a decision by the European Parliament which aims to offer increased protection of bank deposits of Welsh companies and councils. Under the proposal, from 2010 onwards, bank deposit guarantees across Europe, would rise from the current level of €20,000 to €100,000 (or £18,690 to £93,450 in Sterling).

Wrexham AM, Lesley Griffiths made her call following a decision reached last week by the European Parliament that could mean that 90% of deposits by European small and medium enterprises, local authorities as well as to individual savers, will be protected against the failure of financial institutions in the future.

AM reveals: Lord Coe did not want unified GB football team for London 2012 Olympics

A Labour Member of the Welsh Assembly has revealed that the organisation set-up to prepare the bid for the London 2012 Olympics - headed by Sebastian Coe - did not envisage a unified GB football team playing at the Games.

The revelation has been made public by Wrexham’s Assembly Member, Lesley Griffiths, who has discovered a copy of a press release published by Lord Coe’s London 2012 bid team, dated May 2004, which reveals his organisation did not anticipate nor plan for a unified Team GB side contesting for medals at London 2012.

“Wrexham is the powerhouse of solar energy in Europe” says Griffiths

Wrexham is Europe’s powerhouse when it comes to the production of cutting-edge green solar cells, the town’s Assembly Member has claimed, following the publication of a new report that shows that production of the technology continues to grow across the European Union.

Lesley Griffiths AM, was commenting following publication of the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) annual ‘Photovoltaics Status Report 2008′, which refers to the high-tech production undertaken at the Sharp Manufacturing UK factory at Llay, Wrexham.

Photovoltaic (PV) is a technology which uses a device such as a solar panel to produce electricity when exposed to light. Solar energy works by generating electricity using semiconductor devices known as solar cells…

AM urges Wales to “stand firm” on opposition to Team GB

A prominent opponent of Wales participating in a Team GB football side in the London 2012 Olympics, has called on the Football Association of Wales to stand firm against any pressure it receives, to participate in the competition.

Wrexham’s Assembly Member, Lesley Griffiths, made her comments ahead of a meeting of FIFA’s Executive Committee in Tokyo on Friday and Saturday of this week.

The Committee is expected to discuss the participation criteria for the Olympic football tournament at London 2012 - criteria which could accommodate a one-off Great Britain team taking part in the competition…

Taxpayers funding Tory candidate’s PR firm to promote Tory AMs in West Wales

Welsh Labour has revealed that two Conservative Welsh Assembly Members have paid nearly £5,000 within a ten month period to a PR firm linked to a Tory parliamentary candidate for undertaking “constituency press work” on their behalf.

The company, Hart Media Services is registered at Companies House with the name of the Conservatives’ Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire for the next General Election, Simon Hart, as a director. He is also the Chief Executive of the influential rural affairs lobby group, the Countryside Alliance.

The company has been paid a total of £4,615 by Angela Burns, AM for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire and Paul Davies, AM for Preseli Pembrokeshire between July 2007 and April 2008…

Welsh Labour’s First Minister congratulates Kirsty Williams’ election as Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats

Welsh Labour’s First Minister, Rhodri Morgan AM, commenting on Kirsty Williams’ election as Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats said:

“I congratulate Kirsty on her victory in the Lib Dem leadership election. Not only is she the first woman to be elected as a party leader in Wales, she has already shown her abilities as a feisty campaigner back in the referendum campaign in 1997, and in the Assembly over the past 9 years.

“I also take this opportunity to pay tribute to Mike German both for his contribution to Assembly politics since May 1999, and for his hard work as a Cabinet colleague during the course of the Labour/Lib Dem coalition.”

Euro 2016: Scotland and Wales talks “a very positive move” says Griffiths

A Labour Member of the Welsh Assembly, Lesley Griffiths, has welcomed confirmation that discussions are to take place between the Welsh Football Association of Wales (FAW) and the Scottish Football Association (SFA) concerning a possible joint-bid to co-host the European Championships in 2016. The AM described the news as “a very positive move forward”.

Ms. Griffiths - who has led the political campaign in Wales for the two nations to submit a joint-bid - had recently aired her concerns that Wales and Scotland risked losing momentum to rivals France to host Euro 2016, unless they made a firm indication on their intent in the near future.

Welsh Lib Dem Councillor joins the Labour Party

Welsh Labour has today announced that Brent Carter, a Lib Dem Councillor on Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council, has joined the Labour Party.

The defection comes two days after national press reports quoted Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg describing his most senior party colleagues as “useless”, and a week before the Lib Dems’ in Wales announce their new leader.

With the defection of Councillor Brent Carter, who represents the Plymouth ward, and the Lib Dems’ loss of a seat in the Town ward in Merthyr Tydfil following Labour’s dramatic by-election victory in October, the Lib Dems’ have now lost a third of their seats in less than six weeks – after winning six seats in local elections earlier this year.

Labour is acting now to help Wales through tough times

Alun Davies AM, a Labour member of the Assembly’s Finance committee, responding to today’s budget and strategic capital investment announcement said:

“The announcements made today by the Finance Minister Andrew Davies clearly demonstrates that this Labour-led Assembly Government is acting now to help the people of Wales through difficult times in the fairest way possible.

“The final budget announced today takes spending on Wales’ public services from £7bn in 1999/00 to over £16bn in 2010-11. This shows the level of investment the Labour governments both here in Wales and in Westminster have made in Wales over the course of the last eleven years…

Davies: Fairness at the heart of student fees announcement

Welsh Labour’s Education Minister Jane Hutt has today announced a consultation on proposals to refocus the student support system in Wales to make it fairer.

In a statement to AM’s the National Assembly, Ms Hutt announced that the Labour-led Assembly Government will consult on redirecting resources currently devoted to the tuition fee grant into an enhanced system of Assembly Learning Grants, which will significantly benefit students from low income households.

Commenting on the announcement, Welsh Labour’s AM for Mid and West Wales Alun Davies AM said:

“The Labour-led Assembly Government is determined to achieve social justice by providing fair chances for all students in higher education in Wales…