victoriawinckler
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Putting Plaid on the spot: Andy Burnham’s £2 bus fares test devolution
Whatever you think of new PM Andy Burnham’s announcements in his first week in office, they have come at quite a speed and with a significant reach. £45 off your electricity bill might not be much for many, but for… Continue reading
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Memo to Andy Burnham: why Wales is not like Manchester in eight key ways
With Andy Burnham set to become Prime Minister next week, there’s been a lot of focus on what his experience as Mayor of Greater Manchester might mean for devolution. We can expect that English local authorities will see a change… Continue reading
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Ending child poverty: why a Welsh child payment is vital but not enough alone
Wales’s record on child poverty is dismal. Despite sixteen years of Welsh Ministers having a legal obligation to try to eradicate child poverty, three statutory child poverty strategies (2011, 2015 and 2024), regular progress reports and no end of champions,… Continue reading
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Better ways to spend £1 billion on solving poverty
A few years ago, Audit Wales published a report on how local authorities were attempting to reduce child poverty. Audit Wales’s headline conclusion was that: the scale of the challenge and weaknesses in current work make it difficult for Welsh… Continue reading
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On being awarded a CBE
I am surprised, moved and most grateful to be awarded a CBE for “public service” in the Kings birthday honours today. I have been fortunate to have been able to make made some real and lasting changes over my career, while… Continue reading
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Sign of the times: Brexit, austerity and public sector failure
Travel to Merthyr Tydfil town centre and you’re likely to pass the signpost pictured above without a second glance – some brown tourist signs and that’s about it. But on a closer look, the signpost tells the story of Merthyr… Continue reading
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Cynnal: pitfalls and priorities for the new Welsh child payment
The new Welsh Government has pledged to introduce a payment to families with children to help to reduce child poverty. This is an important milestone in the fight against child poverty in Wales. While it is by no means the… Continue reading
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What the King’s speech might mean for Wales, and why new Senedd Members must focus on the detail of legislation
In all the hoo-ha about a possible leadership challenge to Keir Starmer, the government’s proposed legislation, announced in the King’s Speech on 13 March 2026, has been overlooked. We ignore it at our peril. The King’s Speech is relic from… Continue reading
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Promises, promises: what manifestos say about poverty in Wales
With just days until the Senedd elections, as promised here’s a quick run down of what the main political parties have to offer on poverty in Wales. I’ve assessed each of the parties’ pledges to address the root causes of… Continue reading
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Local museums: from Stuart Cable’s drum kit to a Sheela-na-gig and Sir Kyffin Williams
Whenever I visit somewhere, I try to go to the local museum if there is one. I want to understand that place’s history, community and way of life and generally get a feel for the area. It’s more about being… Continue reading
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Poverty in Wales: the new stats are a wake-up call
The latest figures on poverty came out on 26 March to a fairly muted reaction. Yes, there are even bigger problems with the stats than usual; yes, relative income poverty is crude measure; and yes, in some ways there is… Continue reading
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For Wales do not see England: why comparisons of public spending and services are flawed
A new report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies has put a cat amongst the pigeons. It compares total public spending, and spending and performance on health and education, in Wales with England, and concludes that public services are worse… Continue reading
