Dear John,

Thank you for reading my newsletter. 

 Local Elections – May 5^th 

On 5^th May, you decide who represents you on Cardiff Council. I hope you will use all your votes and vote for Welsh Labour candidates across Cardiff Central. Since the beginning of the year, I’ve been out across Cardiff Central with our Welsh Labour candidates and existing Councillors who are seeking re-election, listening to residents, taking up issues and getting them resolved.

Our Cardiff Central Labour Councillors have worked extremely hard for their communities over the last 5 years – and our Labour Council working with our Welsh Labour Government and Welsh Labour MPs across our city worked as a team to get Cardiff through the pandemic. Our Labour Council has also begun the transition to net-zero, transformed our schools and ensured Cardiff is building council homes once again.

Please give all your votes on 5^th May to your hardworking local Welsh Labour candidates. 

 Make a Plan to Vote 

Polling day is Thursday May 5^th. If you vote by post and you haven’t yet received your postal vote, it should be on its way to you very soon. Here’s a few things to remember:

·       You can return your postal vote in person at any polling station in Cardiff up until 10pm on Thursday 5^th May.

·       You can request an emergency proxy vote up until 5pm on polling day if you’re self-isolating with COVID-19, away with work at the last minute or if there’s a medical emergency. More information about emergency proxy votes can be found here: https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter/apply-vote-proxy

·       You don’t need a polling card to vote- and you can find your polling station online here: https://wheredoivote.co.uk/

·       Polls are open from 7am – 10pm. If you’re in a queue at 10pm, you can still vote.

 Cardiff Labour Manifesto 

Our Cardiff Labour Manifesto was officially launched at the Maelfa, Llanedeyrn. It’s a really bold plan for an even stronger, fairer and greener capital city – including new train stations, £1 bus fares and plans for 1,500 new council homes. Our 5 key pledges are above, you can read the manifesto in full here:  https://www.cardifflabour.wales/manifesto/

 In Parliament 

 Boris Johnson's Law Breaking and   Lying 

It’s disgraceful that Boris Johnson is the first Prime Minister in British history to receive a criminal sanction and the first to have been referred by the House of Commons for investigation into whether his lying to Parliament was deliberate or unintentional.

Both the Prime Minister and the Chancellor Rishi Sunak broke laws they made and told the public to comply with, to help save lives and protect the NHS. The police are still investigating another eleven events and Downing Street is already the biggest law-breaking workplace in the UK. Already, 50 fines have been issued and many more are expected.

When I think back to those daily press conferences during the pandemic with the PM and Chancellor standing there telling everyone to follow the law and I think of the severe hardship people suffered and the impossible decisions people made in order to comply with the law - when all the time Johnson and Sunak both knew they had broken the law. Their hypocrisy and lack of integrity is appalling. They are not fit to govern and should resign.

I spoke to BBC Wales about our decision in Parliament to refer the Prime Minister for investigation into his lying – you can watch that in the video above.

 Tory Cost of Living Crisis & Spring   Statement 

Households across the country are seeing the numbers on their bills going up and the numbers on their payslips going down.

The Conservative Government has decided to raise taxes and make a real-terms cut to the state pension and social security whilst presiding over record inflation and the largest fall to disposable income for 70 years. Households, pensioners, students and families across Wales are having to make impossibly difficult choices.

I really don't think the Chancellor has grasped the level of fear most households have at the cost-of-living crisis they are facing. Gas, electricity and oil bills have gone through the roof and will rise again in October.

Labour’s plan is to impose a windfall tax on oil and gas producers who have made unexpected and enormous profits which would mean up to £600 for every household, now. A boss at BP said the company has “more cash than it knows what to do with” but the Chancellor instead decided to go ahead with a rise in national insurance contributions putting even more pressure on people.

I spoke to BBC Wales Live about Rishi Sunak's threadbare Spring Statement - and how measures like  Labour’s plan for a windfall tax on oil companies with record profits would provide immediate help.

Wales Live clip: https://fb.watch/c59br0T5B0/

BBC Wales Today RE: Windfall tax: https://fb.watch/c59Skgt4OE/

 P&O Ferries Scandal 

It has emerged that the UK Government had advance warning of 800 British workers being sacked via pre-recorded video message. A memo was sent to the Prime Minister - but he did not lift a finger to stop it. It’s yet more incompetence and laziness from him and his Government.

We forced an emergency vote in parliament to demand the government takes action to outlaw fire and rehire of workers. The UK Government halted a previous Labour bill to outlaw fire and rehire. This time, the Tories didn’t even turn up to vote.

Whilst Tory Ministers and Tory MPs focus all their efforts on defending indefensible behaviour by the Prime Minister and his Chancellor, they dismiss and ignore the real issues that people are facing. It’s clear where the priorities of this Tory Government lie.

 Tories Push Ahead with Plans to   Privatise Channel 4 

Channel 4 is a hugely successful and important national public service broadcaster that belongs to us all. It has helped sustain and grow our renowned creative industries, especially the independent production sector - and the hundreds of thousands of skilled jobs that rely on them.

For the Tories to push ahead with this unnecessary privatisation, purely out of ideology and spite, is totally wrong and Labour will oppose it.

 Help for Ukraine 

Substantial parliamentary time in recent weeks has been rightfully dedicated to the continuing human and democratic catastrophe in Ukraine as Putin’s illegal and unprovoked war continues.

For weeks, the UK Government lagged far behind the US and the EU on the number of oligarchs and entities sanctioned. It should not have taken ministers 16 days to catch up with Europe on sanctioning members of the Russian parliament. We’ve already heard stories of ‘sanctioned’ oligarchs boasting of how they had time to rearrange their affairs to escape.

We also continue to press the UK Government to get a grip on the scheme to help Ukrainian refugees come to Britain. The progress is shamefully slow.

So many people across Cardiff Central have contacted me expressing outrage at Putin’s appalling attack on Ukraine and their deep concern for the Ukrainian people.

I wrote this message from us in the UK Parliament book of solidarity which will be sent to the Ukrainian Parliament - I hope it encapsulates what you told me.

 Shadow Wales Update 

 Wales Questions 

At Welsh Questions I took the Welsh Secretary to task on the UK Government’s shameful lack of support for people during the cost-of-living crisis.

69% of the Welsh public say the UK Government’s buy now pay later energy support package is not enough to help them - and 67% support Labour’s windfall tax plan to reduce bills by up to £600 this year.

I asked the Welsh Secretary why he was on the side of oil and gas companies making enormous and unexpected profits - and not families across Wales in desperate need of help.

His answer seemed to suggest some help was on the way in the Chancellor’s Spring Statement, but as we all saw, he did almost nothing to help.

You can see my questions, and the responses here: 

 Visiting Roath Park Primary School 

I enjoyed a great visit to Roath Park Primary School – during their Roath COP26 - a whole school event to look at a range of environmental, sustainability and future generation topics.

I spoke to Year 6, who are focusing on ‘Our Future World’ and Year 5, who are looking at Renewable Energy. Both classes asked excellent questions and had creative ideas for tackling the climate crisis.

Pupils from Roath Park will soon be leading a virtual climate summit event with over 400 year 6 pupils across Wales!

Thank you to Mr Keohane, the brilliant staff and pupils for a great visit.

 Visiting the Dementia   Research Institute at   Cardiff University 

I made a fascinating visit the UK Dementia Research Institute based at Cardiff University.

Led by Professor Julie Williams, the Institute in Cardiff forms 1 of 6 research centres across the UK - and the work here focuses on helping to find new ways to diagnose, treat, prevent and care for people with dementia.

Already, the UK DRI has played a pivotal role in the discovery of more than 40 genes which contribute to the risk of Alzheimer’s - the fact that this ground-breaking work is taking place right here in Cardiff Central is something we can all be proud of.

Thank you to Professor Julie Williams, Olivia Marshall and Ed Bridges for showing me around.

 Celebrating 51 Years of   Bangladesh   Independence 

I joined the Bangladeshi Association Cardiff and Bangladeshi Women’s Association at Cardiff Castle for the flag raising ceremony to mark the 51st anniversary of independence in Bangladesh.

It was also an opportunity to catch up with many old friends and new in the spring Cardiff sunshine.

 Roath Rec Footpath   Consultation 

Plasnewydd's Labour Councillors have campaigned for several years for improvements to the path around the Rec and have secured the investment to make them happen!

Have your say on Roath Rec footpath improvements and new cycle lane in the consultation here: 

https://www.cardiff.gov.uk/ENG/resident/Parking-roads-and-travel/transport-projects/Consultations/Documents/RP%20cycle%20route.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0laVVUhh-jyva8e9HzXcwijP2BfcFA1XrhlSlj5z-gsVlW13gX_3Cz69g

Share your views: https://wh1.snapsurveys.com/s.asp?k=164640367985

 Advice Surgeries 

Now COVID-19 restrictions have concluded in Wales – I have resumed my face to face advice surgeries across Cardiff Central for the weeks and months ahead.

They’ll be spread across each ward of the constituency – and are now required to be run on an appointment basis.

If you’d like an appointment, please contact me using [email protected] or by calling my office on 02921 3329736.

You can see a list of my future advice surgery dates on my website here: https://www.jostevens.co.uk/get-help/surgeries/ 

 Free Rail Travel for  Refugees in Wales 

Refugees in Wales will now able to travel on Transport for Wales services for free for 6 months.

Ukrainian nationals can also claim free travel by showing a passport to conductors or station staff.

The six-month scheme, for all Transport for Wales rail services, is to help refugees while they are settling in. Thank you Transport for Wales for this extremely helpful action to support those seeking sanctuary here in Wales.

https://bbc.in/3OOdtJ1 

 Bute Park Community   Orchard 

I was delighted at the news that plans for a community orchard were given the go ahead. It was a pleasure to work alongside Melissa Boothman from the Secret Garden Café in getting this project accepted and underway.

Bute Park belongs to the people of Cardiff and the produce from the orchard will be given back to the community. It will be a great asset for outdoor learning and boosting engagement in growing.

 6 Music Festival 

After our community campaign to Save Womanby Street, Our Cardiff Labour Council has put live music at the heart of our city’s economy. Music Tourism continues to thrive in our city after hosting the 6 Music Festival for the first time ever. This has brough an international audience and revenue to live music venues and hospitality businesses across our city.