Politics

Ynys Mon: The island constituency where it’s all to play for in the general election

Published

2 days ago

June 30, 2024

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In the Gwelfor Community Centre in Holyhead, it’s bingo night. Dabbers in hand, players are poised to win.

But there’s another competition brewing here.

Anglesey – and the constituency of Ynys Mon – is one of the most hotly contested seats in Wales.

The Conservatives are desperate to keep hold of it after their narrow win in 2019, but it’s a three-way split, with Plaid Cymru and Labour both vying for victory. All are in with a chance of winning.

In fact, there are double the number of parties running this time, eight in total, compared to the last election.

But every politician in this remote part of Wales has a battle on their hands to convince disillusioned voters.

“Just because we’re out in the middle of nowhere, doesn’t mean to say we’re absolutely forgotten,” bingo caller Margaret Pratchett tells me.

I ask whether she thinks politicians in Westminster care about North Wales.

“No. Not one little bit. They’ve got no idea what we need around here. We need work. We need doctors. We need care assistants. All things like that.”

Trade ‘drop off’

Holyhead is a busy working port.

Five times closer to Dublin than London, it is a major freight route between Britain and Ireland.

But since Brexit, trade remains 14% lower – and that impact trickles down to the smallest of businesses.

At the Boathouse B&B, owners Claudia and Chris have seen footfall decline. From port workers to tourists, they’re having to work harder to fill rooms.

“I think trade overall has gone down, but you can see that with the number of people, the number of freights, everything going through the port that has dramatically dropped off,” Claudia says.

The couple say they’ll vote Plaid Cymru – but Claudia isn’t happy with any of the choices: “It’s more a tactical vote. If you’ve got to pick a rotten tomato, you’re going to pick the least rotten.”

Mix of opinions

In Breakwater Country Park, 30 or so mums are busy painting, singing and reading with their babies and toddlers.

There’s a mix of opinions here on who to vote for.

“I will vote Plaid Cymru because they’ve got Wales’s priority in mind, I think. And I think the Conservatives haven’t done much for Wales in the last couple of years,” one mum tells me.

Another – happy with the PM’s performance.

“I saw what Rishi Sunak had to say and I supported everything he said to be honest. I think the Conservatives have done a good job since they’ve been in power and I think they deserve a chance to continue,” she said.

While some are decided, the majority are not.

Mum of two Ffion Edwards says she’s been approached by all the big parties.

“Yes. From Labour, Conservative, Plaid Cymru – they’ve each been knocking at the door trying to gain our support,” she tells me.

“I’m still very undecided, so – I will be voting for sure, but I’m just not sure which party to vote for at the moment. I’m feeling a little bit nervous. It’s difficult to anticipate what’s going to happen and how that’s going to affect us locally and nationally.”

‘Despondency’

Like everywhere in this election, jobs and the economy are often front and centre.

Plans to build a new nuclear power station on the north coast of Anglesey would bring thousands of jobs, but it’ll be decades before it’s powering the lights across the Menai Strait.

On the south of the island and fresh from the riverbank is Shaun Krijnen – who for decades has farmed oysters in Anglesey.

They’re shipped to London’s finest restaurants, but he’s not happy about the capital’s political offering.

“I’ve been voting in every election since I was 18. I’m 53 now. I don’t think I’ve felt a level of despondency for an election as I have at the moment,” he said.

“Anglesey’s been Labour. Then it’s been Conservative but it’s also, I would say, one of Plaid’s heartlands really. But for me, I don’t even know…I might make up my decision when I see the names on the ballot paper.”

While polls show the general election result may be a foregone conclusion, in battleground constituencies like Ynys Mon, there is all to play for.

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Here is the full list of candidates standing in Ynys Mon:

Virginia Ann Crosbie (Conservatives)
Leena Sarah Farhat (Lib Dem)
Emmett Jenner (Reform UK)
Llinos Medi (Plaid Cymru)
Martin Schwaller (Green Party)
Sir Grumpus L Shorticus (Monster Raving Loony Party)
Ieuan Mon Williams (Labour)
Sam Andrew Wood (Libertarian Party)

Politics

Bahamas wants to force banks to support its ‘Sand dollar’ CBDC

Published

1 hour ago

July 2, 2024

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Bahamas wants to force banks to support its ‘Sand dollar’ CBDC

The Bahamas was one of the first countries in the world to launch a central bank digital currency — the “Sand Dollar” in 2020 — and is now looking for ways to boost its adoption.

Politics

Tory minister says there should be ‘no space’ for Nigel Farage in his party – and hints at leadership bid

Published

3 hours ago

July 2, 2024

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Tory minister says there should be 'no space' for Nigel Farage in his party - and hints at leadership bid

A government minister has said there should be “no space” for Nigel Farage in the Conservative Party – as he hinted he may run for Rishi Sunak’s position after the election.

Steve Baker, the minister for Northern Ireland, acknowledged the troubles currently facing the Conservative campaign and that he did not want to pre-empt Rishi Sunak standing down after the election.

But speaking to the Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge, Mr Baker said that while his party would “love to win”, people would “guffaw if they looked at the polls and then saw me come on here and say that I thought we were going to win”.

Asked if he harboured his own leadership ambitions, Mr Baker said he would “like to be on the government benches with Rishi as prime minister.”

‘I wouldn’t rule it out’

But pressed on whether he would rule out a leadership bid, he added: “I wouldn’t rule it out.

“The reality is that my colleagues have sent for me before the referendum, after the referendum, during COVID and over net zero.

Election latest: Farage told to ‘shut down Reform’ if he wants to lead Tories

“And on all four occasions, I’ve led actual MPs to a great degree of success – and I wouldn’t mind the chance to do it again”.

Mr Baker is one of a number of Tories who are likely to run to replace Mr Sunak in the event the polls are proved correct and he loses the keys to Downing Street.

A fresh debate raging in the Conservative Party is whether it should embrace Reform leader Nigel Farage into the Tory fold – an idea Mr Baker rejected but that other leadership hopefuls, including former home secretary Suella Braverman, have welcomed.

Reform setbacks

Some recent polls have put Reform ahead of the Tories – but over the last week Mr Farage’s party has become embroiled in its own scandals – with two of its candidates accused of antisemitic social media posts and another caught making racist comments about Mr Sunak.

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Mr Baker said the Conservative Party must always be “moderate and temperate”.

He said there should be “no space for Nigel Farage in the Conservative Party”, arguing: “A person who has deliberately set out to destroy the Conservative Party cannot subsequently be welcomed into it.”

“Unfortunately, his parties attract a number of people who I would absolutely not allow in the Conservative Party. I’m afraid, you know, Nigel can’t have it both ways. If he wants to be a Conservative, he should shut down his party and join us.”

Earlier today the prime minister insisted he had “absolutely not” given up on winning the election despite repeated repeatedly warning about a Labour “supermajority”.

Speaking while on a visit to the safe Tory seat of Staffordshire, Mr Sunak said: I’m fighting hard for every vote. I don’t take a single place or person for granted.”

Mr Baker, who is standing as the Conservative candidate in Wycombe, told the Politics Hub that parts of the Tory campaign had been “embarrassing”.

He cited the scandal that has unfolded over bets placed by Conservatives on the date of the election – something that has resulted in an investigation by the Gambling Commission – as well as Mr Sunak’s much-criticised decision to leave D-Day commemorations early.

‘Embarassing campaign’

The Conservatives subsequently dropped support for the candidates caught up in the scandal.

“Elements of the campaign have been embarrassing,” Mr Baker said.

“There’s no point denying that. Yes. Certainly nobody with inside knowledge should be placing a bet. I mean, they bring shame on themselves by doing it.

“He added: “D-Day – I think it was very unfortunate.”

Jonathan Ashworth, Labour’s Shadow Paymaster General, said it was “incredible that less than 60 hours until polling booths open, Tory Ministers are undermining the Prime Minister by boldly flaunting their leadership ambitions on national television”.

“From COVID cronyism to trips to the bookies, these Tories always put self-interest and their own ambition ahead of serving their country. What this shows is that if the Conservatives are given another five years, the chaos will just continue.”

Politics

‘Roaring Kitty’ fraud lawsuit over GameStop drops after 3 days

Published

5 hours ago

July 2, 2024

admin

‘Roaring Kitty’ fraud lawsuit over GameStop drops after 3 days

A GameStop investor who accused Roaring Kitty of committing securities fraud has voluntarily dropped the complaint “without prejudice” meaning he can file another similar lawsuit again in the future.