Welsh first minister calls for halt to Pembrokeshire space radar project over Trump’s “contempt for our country”

Morgan, who is also Welsh Labour leader and the party’s lead Senedd candidate in the Ceredigion Penfro constituency where the site is located, made the intervention in a Facebook video ahead of the Senedd election on 7 May.

The Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability (DARC) programme — announced jointly by the UK, US and Australia in 2023 — would see 27 radar dishes installed at Cawdor Barracks in Brawdy, with the site becoming the UK’s main contribution to the international scheme. As Swansea Bay News previously reported, the project was expected to create up to 100 long-term jobs and keep the barracks open beyond its planned closure date of 2028.

Morgan said the project should be “halted,” adding that the United States under Trump was “not the partner it once was.” She said talk of targeting civilians, undermining allies and diminishing the sacrifices of armed forces personnel was “not the conduct of a reliable ally.”

She drew a distinction between standing with partners and “giving a free pass to a US president who has threatened war crimes and shown contempt for our country,” and said the UK should pause its involvement in the radar project “until we can be confident those partnerships reflect our values and our security interests.”

Her intervention immediately drew criticism from across the political spectrum. Plaid Cymru accused Morgan of making a “last ditch attempt” to save her Senedd seat, while Reform said she was trying to distract from her record in government.

The Welsh Conservatives went further, alleging that Morgan was willing to put the UK’s national security at risk. Henry Tufnell, the Labour MP for Mid and South Pembrokeshire, also broke ranks, saying he was concerned that Morgan apparently did not want the jobs the scheme had promised for the area.

Downing Street declined to say whether the prime minister agreed with the first minister’s position. A No 10 spokesperson said the programme “will secure long-term jobs in Pembrokeshire and Wales, and help protect essential satellite communication.”

The Ministry of Defence has been progressing plans to refurbish an airfield at Cawdor Barracks to house the UK’s DARC infrastructure. The scheme has faced opposition from local campaigners, who have raised concerns about its proximity to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.

The campaign group PARC Against DARC, which launched in May 2024, has been at the forefront of local opposition. The group — which counts CND, Stop the War Coalition and Extinction Rebellion UK among its national supporters — has raised concerns about the visual impact of 27 large radar dishes on the Pembrokeshire coastline, potential health risks from radiofrequency signals, and damage to tourism in an area that includes the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.

A petition against the plans gathered more than 16,000 signatures, and the campaign has drawn significant cross-party political backing — with Plaid Cymru voting unanimously at its 2024 conference to officially oppose DARC, and an Early Day Motion tabled in Westminster attracting cross-party support.

The campaign also draws a direct parallel with a successful predecessor. Pembrokeshire Against Radar Campaign — known as PARC — was formed in 1990 to oppose a proposed over-the-horizon radar installation on the Dewisland peninsula. After 2,000 people marched from St Davids Cathedral to the proposed site, the Conservative government cancelled the project in 1991. Some of the original PARC campaigners are now active in the new fight against DARC.

The group has also specifically targeted Henry Tufnell over his silence on the issue, accusing the Mid and South Pembrokeshire MP of ignoring hundreds — possibly thousands — of constituent emails on the subject. That makes his public criticism of Morgan’s position all the more striking: having said nothing while his constituents demanded answers, Tufnell chose the first minister’s intervention as the moment to speak up — in defence of the scheme.

The DARC programme is designed to detect and track objects in deep space up to 22,000 miles from Earth, operating as a global network of three ground-based radar systems run jointly by the UK, US and Australia. The unique geographic spread of the three nations was cited as key to providing continuous global coverage, including the ability to detect potential threats to defence and civilian space systems.

Morgan’s comments place her at odds not only with opposition parties but with her own Labour colleagues in Westminster, creating an unusual internal divide just weeks before the Welsh Parliament election.

The Ceredigion Penfro seat, which covers the area around Brawdy and Cawdor Barracks, is expected to be one of the more competitive constituencies on 7 May, with Plaid Cymru also fielding a strong candidate in the area.

The UK government has not indicated any intention to pause or review the DARC project. No formal response has been issued by the Ministry of Defence to Morgan’s comments.

Whether Morgan’s intervention resonates with local voters — who were promised significant economic benefits from the scheme — or is seen as a political gamble in a tight election race, remains to be seen.

What is clear is that a project announced with cross-party support as a landmark moment for Pembrokeshire’s defence economy has now become one of the most politically charged issues of the Welsh election campaign.

PEMBROKESHIRE: The seal pup who swam 120km from Cornwall to Pembrokeshire in four days — and lived to tell the tale

The pup, affectionately named Muse by staff at RSPCA West Hatch Wildlife Centre in Taunton, was found on the rocks at St Brides Bay in Pembrokeshire on December 11 last year. RSPCA Animal Rescue Officer Ellie West said she had concerns about him immediately — he was dehydrated, in thin body condition, with obvious rolls of skin that should have been filled with fat and blubber, and was passing dark loose faeces.

But it was only when Ellie noticed unusual spray marks on his back — similar to those used to identify assessed seals — that the full story emerged. The colour was different from those typically used in the area, so she contacted British Divers Marine Life Rescue. They confirmed they had checked on the same pup just four days earlier — on December 7, at Port Gaverne in north Cornwall, some 120km away.

Ellie said: “Muse’s story is such a fascinating one. When I initially assessed him, little did I know that he had travelled such a long way in such a short time.”

At the time of the Cornwall sighting, Muse had been deemed a borderline case — feisty enough to be given another chance in the wild without intervention. But in those four days he had lost more weight, developed mouth ulcers, and made his way all along the south Wales coastline to Pembrokeshire.

Ellie removed him from the beach and gave him tube feeds of electrolyte fluids and fish before transporting him to RSPCA West Hatch, where he was found to have a possible respiratory infection and was given a course of antibiotics.

What followed was a remarkable recovery. Muse self-fed throughout his entire stay at the centre — a strong sign that he was fighting to survive. By Christmas Eve he had gone from 16kg on admission to 19kg, gaining weight consistently each week.

He paired with another seal and moved to shallow outdoor pools in early January, before graduating to the main pre-release pool with 11 other seals at the end of February — competing well for his share of the fish.

Wildlife Supervisor Ryan Walker said: “He’s consistently gained weight each week over the past few months showing he can compete well with the other seals for his share of the fish.” His final recorded weight before release was 41.5kg — nearly tripling in size since he was plucked from the Pembrokeshire beach.

Muse was released at a location in Devon on Wednesday 8 April alongside five other seals rescued by British Divers Marine Life Rescue — all named in keeping with this year’s musicians-and-bands theme at the centre: Jimi Hendrix, Lewis Capaldi, Run DMC, Kate Nash and Oxford Comma.

Ryan said: “It was absolutely wonderful to see Muse along with the group of seals going back to where they belong. They had all been admitted either with injuries, were unwell or were underweight and we have spent the time needed to get them back to full health.”

Each seal pup rehabilitated at West Hatch costs around £1,400 a week in fish and veterinary care during seal season, which typically runs from September to March — underscoring the significant resources required to give animals like Muse a second chance.

Ryan added that Muse’s success was down to a team effort from rescuers, vets, staff, volunteers and supporters. “Their success stories are down to a real team effort — and to our supporters who generously help us so we can continue what we do,” he said.

The RSPCA is urging anyone who spots a seal on a beach to observe from a distance and not to approach — seals have a nasty bite if threatened, and dog owners are advised to keep pets on leads on beaches with seal colonies. If a pup appears distressed, injured or unwell, or is on a busy public beach and the mother has not returned after 24 hours, the RSPCA emergency line should be called.

Ellie added that in west Wales, grey seals are the most commonly seen species, and that pups with a long white coat of fur are likely still dependent on their mother. Those who have lost this fur are at the weaned stage — and are the most common casualties the RSPCA receives calls about. “Our main message is if they look in distress or unwell please call it in,” she said.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Elvis has left the building: rescued seal pup returns to the wild after months of rehab
Another RSPCA seal rescue story from our archive.

Chaos, heartbreak and toothbrushes: RSPCA heroes look back 30 years after the Sea Empress disaster
How RSPCA volunteers helped rescue wildlife in the wake of Wales’s worst oil spill.

Llanelli Wetland Centre to get £400k makeover
Major investment planned for one of west Wales’s best-loved wildlife sites.

RSPCA call on public to help save wildlife from hazardous football nets
How discarded nets pose a deadly threat to birds and other animals.

#FotoVorschlag: „Schlösser und Burgen“
Photo suggestion: 'Castles and palaces'

Carew Castle
#Pembrokeshire #Wales #Cymru

The Ice Cream from Pointz Castle Farm, on the road from Newgale to St David's in Pembrokeshire.

We had Mint Choc Chip and Salted Caramel double on a medium waffle cone 😋

https://www.pointzcastle.com/

#Wales #Pembrokeshire #PointzCastle #IceCream

Blodyn Llefrith (Milk Flower), Lady's Smock, in the rhos pasture field by the #HopeGarden in #Pembrokeshire #SirGar #Cymru

I love them, a member of the cabbage family (Cruciferae), the stem feels very much like a broccoli stem, and the flowers are classic cabbage flower shaped

#NativePlants #BloomScrolling

‘FINAL PUSH’: Pembrokeshire’s Paternoster Farm smashes £25k target — but race is on to shape next chapter

The team behind Paternoster Farm are now urging supporters to back a final funding push as they prepare for a dramatic new start at The Old Point House.

From crisis to comeback

The latest milestone marks a remarkable turnaround for a business that faced an uncertain future just weeks ago.

As previously reported, Paternoster Farm announced it would be closing its original site, blaming what it described as “exhausting uncertainty” linked to council policy — sparking a public backlash and even a petition calling for change.

Now, with the move to Angle underway, the team say they’re building something even bigger.

New target revealed

Having passed the £25k mark, the campaign has now set its sights on a stretch goal — funding a large polytunnel at the new site.

That would allow the team to grow their own produce on-site far sooner than planned, doubling down on the field-to-fork ethos that made the restaurant a hit in the first place.

Founder Michelle Evans said the support so far has been “amazing”, adding that every extra pledge will help shape the future from day one.

Work already underway

Behind the scenes, preparations are moving fast.

Work has already begun at The Old Point House, with plans to transform the coastal pub into a year-round destination ahead of a planned May opening.

The crowdfunding cash is being used to upgrade the space — making it warmer, improving seating and bar flow, and getting the kitchen ready for what could be a busy summer season.

New rewards — and some unusual offers

In a bid to keep momentum going, the team have launched a final wave of rewards — ranging from foodie experiences to something far more unusual.

Supporters can snap up everything from a summer sauna-and-brunch experience to an intimate private dining night.

But perhaps the most eye-catching offer is a 19th-century threshing sledge — a historic agricultural tool that has been a talking point at the restaurant — now up for grabs as a one-off reward.

End of an era — and a new beginning

Paternoster Farm’s journey began as a small lockdown farm shop before growing into one of Pembrokeshire’s standout destination restaurants.

Its closure marked the end of a chapter — but the move to Angle is being billed as a fresh start, one that could secure a more stable and permanent future.

A closing party is already planned for April — but all eyes are now on what comes next.

With the funding target smashed and the clock ticking, the message from the team is clear:

This story isn’t over yet.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Award-winning Paternoster Farm restaurant to close blaming council for ‘exhausting uncertainty’
The original closure story that sparked concern over the future of the popular Pembrokeshire restaurant.

Petition over Paternoster Farm eviction triggers council debate
How the restaurant’s eviction row escalated into a wider political debate.

600-year-old pub goes viral with behind-the-scenes YouTube series
Another Welsh hospitality story capturing attention with a fresh approach to survival.

Heartbreak for diners as popular Gorseinon restaurant closes
A reminder of the challenges facing independent restaurants across the region.

18.4°C outdoor shade temperature at the moment, on my ancient crusty digital thermo meter 🙂🤷‍♂️🌡️

#Wales #Pembrokeshire #UK #Weather