Ynys Mon: The island constituency where it’s all to play for in the general election
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.
Bingo caller Margaret Pratchett says politicians in Westminster don’t care about the plight of people in North Wales.
“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.”
Since Brexit there has been a 14% drop-off in trade at Holyhead
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.
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“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.”
Ynys Mon is one Welsh constituency where it is all to play for.
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.
Ffion Edwards remains undecided about whom she is going to vote for
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.”
The Menai Suspension Bridge
‘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.
Oyster farmer Shuan Krijnen says he is experiencing unprecedented levels of despondency
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.”
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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)
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Sir Keir Starmer continues to face the threat of a major rebellion during a key vote on welfare reforms later – despite making last-minute concessions to disgruntled Labour MPs.
Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall has confirmed that all existing claimants of the personal independence payment (PIP), the main disability benefit, will be protected from changes to eligibility.
The combined value of the standard Universal Credit allowance and the health top-up will rise “at least in line with inflation” every year of this parliament.
And an additional £300m for employment support for sick and disabled people in 2026 has been announced, which will rise every year after.
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Welfare cuts ‘needed to be made’
Ms Kendall has also promised that a consultation into PIP – “co-produced” with disabled people – will be published next autumn.
She said the U-turn on welfare cuts will cost taxpayers about £2.5bn by 2030 – less than half the £4.8bn the government had expected to save with its initial proposals.
Modelling by Ms Kendall’s own department, released yesterday, suggested the proposals would push 150,000 more people into poverty by 2030, down from the 250,000 estimated under the original plan.
But after announcing the U-turns, Labour MPs were still publicly saying they could not back the plans as they do not go far enough to allay their concerns.
Disabilities minister Stephen Timms would not say he was “confident” the proposals would pass the Commons when asked on Sky News’ Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge.
“We’ve got a very strong package, I certainly hope it passes,” he replied.
Read more: What are the concessions to the welfare reform bill?
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‘Disabled people thrown under the bus’
A total of 86 charities united yesterday to call on MPs to reject the reforms, saying they will harm disabled people and calling it “a political choice”.
The likes of Oxfam, Child Action Poverty Group, Mind and Shelter said the bill has been brought to a vote without consulting disabled people and without any assessment “of its impact on health and employment outcomes”.
When asked to name “a single” disability organisation in favour of the reforms, Ms Kendall declined to do so.
Several Labour MPs indicated they would still vote against the changes, leaving the government in the dark over how big a rebellion it still may face.
Ms Kendall tried to allay their fears, telling MPs: “I believe we have a fair package, a package that protects existing claimants because they’ve come to rely on that support.”
Richard Burgon presented a petition to parliament yesterday evening against the cuts, signed by more than 77,000 people.
Several Labour MPs questioned why the vote was going ahead before the review into PIP is published – including Rachael Maskell, who said she could not “countenance sick and disabled people being denied support” and added: “It is a matter of conscience.”
Connor Naismith said the concessions “undoubtedly improve efforts to secure welfare reform which is fair”, but added: “Unfortunately, I do not believe these concessions yet go far enough.”
Labour rebel Nadia Whittome said the government was ‘ignoring’ disabled people
Nadia Whittome accused the government of “ignoring” disabled people and urged ministers to go “back to the drawing board”.
Ian Byrne told the Commons he will vote against the “cruel cuts” to disability benefits because the “so-called concessions go nowhere near far enough”.
The vote will take place this evening, with coverage on Sky News’ Politics Hub live blog and on TV.
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