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Vaughan Gething to fight for action on coal tips as first minister

27 Jan 2024 3 minute read
Vaughan Gething

Welsh Labour leadership candidate Vaughan Gething has pledged to do everything in his power to finally tackle the scourge of unsafe coal tips if he becomes First Minister.

There are nearly 2,500 disused coal tips across Wales, overwhelmingly in the South Wales Valleys. One in seven coal tips in Wales are classified as category D, a high risk tip rating.

Experts warn they can become unstable during intense rainfall – which is more likely because of the increasing frequency and intensity of storms fuelled by climate change.

Nearly 58 years after the Aberfan disaster, a totemic moment in Wales’ history in which 116 children and 28 adults were killed when a colliery tip slid down a mountain and engulfed Pantglas Junior School and a row of houses, some coal tips are still yet to be removed.

While the Welsh Government has been pushing for action and is ready to legislate on this issue, the Tory UK Government has so far refused to fund the long-term costs – washing its hands of the responsibility to clean up after our shared industrial past.

Manifesto

Outlining his manifesto at Coleg Cambria, Wrexham, Mr Gething vowed to take action if he succeeds Mark Drakeford as FM.

Speaking before the manifesto launch, he said: “No one should have to live with the entirely preventable fear and anxiety that these tips cause for families in coalfield communities. This issue should be tackled as a matter of urgency.

“It is indefensible for the Tories to argue that this is not a burden to be shared by the UK community as a whole.”

In what he calls his blueprint for power, Mr Gething says: “I would do all I can to ensure the UK Government works with us – especially if we have a constructive Labour administration in Westminster – to bring about overdue action on unsafe coal tips, which are only likely to be made more dangerous by more frequent and intense storms.”
The pledge comes amid a host of promises Mr Gething unveiled focused on protecting Wales’ environment – one of the jewels in the country’s crown and loved by residents and tourists alike.

Plans include bolstering flood and coastal erosion protections and beefing-up penalties for breaches of environmental laws, including river pollution.

Enforcement action

“Wales has some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world, from coastlines to mountain ranges, enjoyed and cared for by people across the country,” says Mr Gething’s manifesto.

“A Welsh Labour Government with my leadership would strengthen enforcement action to protect our environment, starting with the creation of a fully-functioning environmental governance body, filling the gap left post-Brexit.

“The pollution of our rivers and watercourses has been one of the great scandals of the last 14 years of Tory rule, and we would introduce stricter penalties for those who break environmental rules.

“We would also invest to protect communities from flooding, coastal erosion and other impacts of the climate emergency.”

Gething’s candidacy for Welsh Labour leader has been backed by the GMB, Unite, Unison, Usdaw, CWU and Community unions, in addition to a host of MSs, MPs and Constituency Labour Parties, and a majority of Labour Group leaders on local councils across Wales.

The ballot of Labour members to elect a new Welsh leader opens on Friday, February 16 and closes on Thursday, March 14. The winner will be announced on Saturday, March 16.


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Linda Jones
Linda Jones
10 months ago

In my opinion Gething does not have the vision, calibre or charisma to be first minister.

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
10 months ago
Reply to  Linda Jones

And Smiles does !

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
10 months ago

If the man is serious about this, coal tips, river pollution and the environment in general, he should be given a hearing. I object to more nuclear but apart from Mabon and the Greens, everyone else including Rhun appears to be for it so we’ll have no choice…

Another disaster is a matter of when not if and it could be any day so no more time wasting. We are lucky up here, slate tips seem to be much more stable…

Welshman28
Welshman28
10 months ago

Yet again he says he will get central government to work with him to clear the coal tips in South Wales WHAT A JOKE. They have don’t nothing about it for years and now they blame the central government for no funding. Will some explain the previous funding agreed for this was excepted by Welsh Government and now it seems forgotten. Where is that money. MP Bryant ask a major question on this in Parliament demanding money the answer he got shut him up to the point he’s never asked again. Research will show this money was involved in a… Read more »

G Williams
G Williams
10 months ago

We should despair for Wales if this man ever becomes Welsh First Minister.

David
David
10 months ago

What would VG do if KS tells him to shut up?

Emma Catherwood
Emma Catherwood
10 months ago
Reply to  David

He won’t tell him to shut up. Gething’s job will be to repeat to people that thanks to Net Zero, energy and transport costs are getting cheaper and cheaper when in actual fact, these costs will be costing us more and more.

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