CHILDCARE FOCUS: Welsh Liberal Democrats pledged at their spring conference in Cardiff this weekend to offer 30 hours of free childcare weekly for children aged nine months to four years old.

Party leader Jane Dodds has already secured £30 million from the Welsh government’s budget for her help getting it through the Senedd. The money will extend the Flying Start programme to deliver childcare to all two-year-olds and increase support to childcare providers.

[EMBARGO 0.01, 7.4.25 ] TEACHERS FUND: It was announced today that schools in Wales will be able to use a £900,000 Welsh government fund to increase the numbers of teachers from  September.

The Welsh-medium grant allows secondary schools to increase the number of Welsh-speaking teachers and teaching assistants.

Education Secretary Lynne Neagle said: “Developing a workforce to teach Welsh and deliver education through the medium of Welsh, is essential in creating more Welsh speakers.

DISGRACED COP: Dyfed Powys Police sacked Superintendent Gary Davies after a hearing for inappropriate and misogynistic behaviour towards female colleagues between 2017 and 2020.

Mr Davies was found to have breached standards of professional behaviour and is banned from re-entering the police service after being added to the College of Policing’s barred list. 

Deputy Chief Constable Ifan Charles apologised to former and current staff victimised by Davies and thanked them for their courage in reporting him.

TRUMP’S TARIFFS: The Welsh government committed to involving trade unions in its response to US President Donald Trump’s 10 per cent tariff on British imports. 

Economy Secretary Rebecca Evans said she had engaged with trade unions, the Westminister government and businesses and established a Tariff Intelligence and Response Group. 

The US is Wales’s second-largest goods export partner, accounting for 13.5 per cent of total goods exports and trade in 2024 was worth £6.4 billion.