In Cardiff East

Pentwyn Leisure Centre Gym

It was exciting to join Councillor Jess Moultrie to see and try-out the newly reopened gym facilities at Pentwyn Leisure Centre. The state of the art 30-station facility has a full range of equipment, with fitness classes and sports hall activities also available.

The new facilities are part of Cardiff Labour Council's multi-million-pound investment plan to redevelop Pentwyn Leisure Centre in its entirety, including a new 25 metre pool.

Tackling Anti-Social Behaviour

The new UK Labour Government is investing in a team of wardens to work with South Wales Police and other partners to tackle anti-social behaviour in Cardiff City Centre.

I joined the Wardens, South Wales Police and local Councillors to see how they are working to prevent anti-social behaviour and ensure that Cardiff City Centre is a safe and pleasant place to live, work and visit.

Cardiff BMX Club

I had an amazing evening at Cardiff BMX Racing Club in Llanrumney. Funded and supported by Sport Wales, this centre is the largest of its kind in the UK and provides opportunities for people of all ages and skill levels to experience BMX racing. You can hire bikes and safety gear to try it out. Experienced coaches also provide expert tuition.

It has been built to international competition standard and so I’m hoping we’ll be hosting British championships and possibly even world championships in Cardiff East in the future.

With the upcoming plans for a new sports complex, Llanrumney is rapidly becoming a central hub for Welsh sports. This is good for Cardiff East and good for our community.

St Mellons Clean Up

The work of so many people who volunteer often goes unnoticed. It was a real pleasure to join the fantastic St Mellons Clean Up group, alongside local Labour Councillors Bernie Bowen-Thompson and Michael Michael. Together, sixteen volunteers collected more than 100 bags of litter and retrieved huge amounts of fly tipping dumped in verges, for collection.

Would you like to get involved with your local little-picking team? Visit Keep Cardiff Tidy to find your nearest event.

Cardiff Women's Aid Family Fun Day

It was great to join Claire and Keighley from Cardiff Women’s Aid at their Family Fun Day in Railway Gardens.

The event featured a wide range of activities for all ages and helped raise funds for the charity, which provides refuge, legal advice, and aftercare for women and their children.

Results Day in Cardiff East

The wait is now over for GCSE and A-Level students in Cardiff East. I know its been a nervous time for many families! I wish everyone who received their results this month all the best for their next steps, whether they chose further or higher education, an apprenticeship or to enter the world of work.

The UK Labour Government, which I am proud to serve is working closely with our partners in Welsh Government to ensure that every young person has the opportunity to get on in life. This includes the Young Person’s Guarantee which is committed to providing everyone aged 16 to 24, living in Wales, with support to gain a place in education or training or help to get into work or self-employment.

For more details on the advice and support available, click here.

Cardiff Music City Festival

We’re a nation famously known as the 'Land of Song,' and Cardiff has always been at the heart of Wales’s rich musical heritage. During September and October, Cardiff Music City Festival, will welcome over 20,000 visitors.

The festival will showcase a diverse lineup of emerging talent, established artists, and iconic performers. Audiences can look forward to unique experiences across various venues throughout Cardiff.

Discover more about the festival and its lineup here.

Fifty Years of Meals on Wheels in Cardiff East

Meals on Wheels is proudly celebrating 50 years of serving elderly residents in Cardiff.

A big thank you to everyone who volunteers to prepare and deliver over 8,000 meals each month to those in need. This affordable community service plays a crucial role ensuring the elderly and vulnerable have access to hot, nutritious meals that cater to a variety of diets and health conditions. We also know that for many, the service offers not just a meal, but often the only chance for some to speak to another person.

If you know someone who could benefit from this service, please call 029 2053 7080.

Support with School Essentials

The new academic year is almost here. This can be a difficult time for families with the related costs for school items.

The School Essentials Grant in Wales is a financial support program from the Welsh Labour Government to help low-income families cover the cost of school essentials like uniforms, sports kits, and school supplies.

It’s available to families with children eligible for free school meals and aims to reduce financial barriers to education. Families can apply through their local council before the school year starts.

Click here for more.

Across Wales

Eluned Morgan Becomes First Minister of Wales

Eluned Morgan made long awaited history this month as the first woman to become First Minister of Wales.

Bringing thirty years of extensive political experience to the role, Eluned is a compassionate, pragmatic leader who will listen with care and deliver with conviction.

I look forward to working with Eluned to realise a bright, ambitious future for Wales. Two Labour governments, working together, will deliver on the priorities of people across Wales.

Supporting Steelworkers and Steel Supply Chains in Port Talbot

The Tories didn't release a single penny of government money to support workers and the local community in Port Talbot. The new Labour UK government will not wait for a crisis to overtake us before acting. We are putting a safety net in place now to ensure we can back workers and businesses, whatever happens.

This month, in my role as Secretary of State for Wales and Chair of the Tata Port Talbot Transition Board I announced an initial £13.5m in funding to support workers and supply chain businesses in Port Talbot. This is coupled with the generosity of the local community, with over 50 businesses and organisations pledging practical support for workers, including guaranteed job interviews.

Working together with local businesses, trade unions and our partners in Welsh Government we will ensure that no one is left behind. Watch my latest interventions here.

Launching Pembroke Dock Marine Project

Wales is at the forefront of the UK Labour Government's ambitions for clean energy by 2030.

This month, I joined Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and First Minister Eluned Morgan to launch the Pembroke Dock Marine Project.

The project is supported by a £60 million investment through the Swansea Bay City Deal, which combines funding from the UK and Welsh Labour Governments and private investment from the Port of Milford Haven.

This project will revitalize the historic dock, turning it into a global centre for wind, wave, and tidal energy, and is expected to create 1,800 new jobs.

Ending the Digital Divide

Under the previous Tory governments, the UK's broadband roll out was far too slow leaving households in rural Wales behind.

The new UK Labour Government is acting with speed to fund improvements to the connectivity of 70,000 rural homes in Wales.

Boosting Rail Capacity on the North Wales Mainline

I was pleased to join Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates to announce plans to increase rail capacity by 40% on the North Wales Mainline. This will include 50% more timetabled services which will be supported by an £800m investment in brand new CAF trains and the recruitment of additional drivers and train crew.

Working alongside the Welsh Government we are determined to make major improvements to rail services right across Wales. The unlocking of increased rail capacity in North Wales is just the beginning and we will continue to work together to transform services for passengers for generations to come.

In Parliament

Fixing the Foundations

The Tories have left behind an unforgiveable inheritance. We already knew things were bad, but it is clear now that they covered up a much bigger mess. It now falls on us as the new UK Labour Government to clean up the mess they made and fix the foundations of our country.

After a decade of easy answers and populist solutions that solve nothing, we have to be honest with people about the tough choices we face and the difficult decisions we will need to make.

We will root out 14 years of Tory rot and reverse a decade of decline. We’ll fix the foundations, grow our economy, protecting taxpayers’ money and people’s living standards.