13/07/2016 BBC Wales Today

Tonight, a new Prime Minister is in place.

The First Minister says he's looking forward to meeting

with Theresa May And the Pontypridd MP Owen Smith announces he'll stand

If you Google Theresa May in Wales you find out what she has said in

the past but I am looking forward to meeting her to see what her view is

about the future of the UK, particularly with regards to Brexit.

against Jeremy Corbyn for the leadership of the Labour

against Jeremy Corbyn for the leadership of the Labour Party.

On another remarkable day in politics we'll

Also tonight, plans for a ?375 million race track above Ebbw Vale

Ben Brownhill can't get a drug for kidney disease on the NHS.

Now, a review of the way patients can apply for treatments.

And, braving the chill - for the first time, children

in Wales get access to a free scheme to teach them to stay safe

Theresa May is in Downing Street tonight after being appointed

Here in Wales the First Minister Carwyn Jones says he's looking

forward to meeting her, but admits he knows very little

In a momentous day at Westminster, there were also developments

in the battle to be the next Labour leader with the Pontypridd MP

Live to Westminster now and our Parliamentary Correspondent

We sometimes overuse the word historic in politics but today feels

like an historic day. Theresa May entered Downing Street

just over an hour ago as Britain's Before entering Number 10 she said

she would lead a one nation government, protecting

the United Kingdom, England, Wales, Scotland

and Northern Ireland. But what does her

appointment mean for Wales? What challenges will she face

as she prepares for her first Our political editor

Nick Servini reports. She's been in the Downing Street

many times before but Theresa May did so tonight for the first time as

Prime Minister. Before she's even had time to unpack her bags,

questions are being asked about what her priorities are here in Wales. As

Home Secretary Mrs May visited Wales several times to show the portal

David Cameron ahead of last year's general election. Here in Wales and

across the United Kingdom we are on the cusp of recovery, of new growth,

more jobs, better wages. Nice to meet you. She was a familiar face on

the campaign trail, helping her colleagues with support in key seats

like Cardiff North. Now as Prime Minister what are the challenges she

faces? First of all, the economy with growing uncertainty in the

background surrounding the UK's withdrawal from the EU. Confidence

is vital. We live in a changed world both politically and economically so

the leader of the country she has an absolute duty to promote certainty

and confidence amongst businesses. Businesses are slightly nervous but

perhaps not as nervous as you may expect them to be at the moment. We

are only a few weeks after the vote and there is a long way to go get.

Her role will be leading those Brexit negotiations. The UK

Government needs to give a clear undertaking on very clear picture of

quite what funds are going to be provided to Wales once Brexit

happens. Alongside that, whether any powers that are repatriated from the

European Union remain in Westminster rather than being devolved. What

about devolution at a time when powers over income tax, energy and

devolved elections are in the process of being transferred from

Westminster to Cardiff? Wales need a fair financial settlements, which we

haven't got. We need a fair settlement in terms of what powers

the people of Wales have through their own parliament here. Theresa

May is above all a cautious politician and those who know her

say that will apply to devolved matters as well. But they also say

she will be unlikely to get in the way of plans to devolve further

powers here. Remember, the constitution will be on her agenda.

She will look to try to keep the UK together. At a time when Scotland

could try to become independent again the call Brexit. Today's Prime

Minister's Questions were the last were David Cameron. Outside of the

Commons, in his time at Number 10, he came to Wales more often than

many previous leaders. He has been a regular in the Wales today studio

and as is the case with all politicians, he likes to come with

good news. The Nato summit that will take place in the autumn of next, 28

members of Nato, including the president of the United States, will

be coming here to Wales. Newport welcomes the world's most powerful

leaders. He was joined in Cardiff by Nick Clegg, to set out plans for

further powers for the assembly. This was mixed with hard political

attacks. The most striking was this. We are witnessing a national

scandal. The tone in what became a fractious relationship between the

Labour Welsh government and the Conservative lead UK Government

about the state of the NHS. He was also Prime Minister at a resurgent

time for the Welsh Conservatives as they took scalps in the general

election last year, including seats like Gower. There is no time though

for Theresa May to find her feet as well. With so many urgent matters to

deal with. And it's not only the Conservatives

that have been making the headlines today but Labour,

too, with Owen Smith entering The Pontypridd MP and former

Shadow Cabinet member says he can heal the party and turn

the page on internal strife. Here's our political

reporter James Williams. He's the Labour man from a Labour

family with his eyes firmly set But do the people of Pontypridd,

his home area, a Labour Have you had enough of Jeremy Corbyn

as Labour's leader? I just...he doesn't

have the support, does he? I think he's

a straight man. And I think he'd go

for the Conservatives. Well, you've got to give

the man time. He's been in it

for nearly 12 months. Owen Smith says he can

heal those wounds. Jeremy Corbyn is a good man

with good values and he's done a lot of good things to shift the debate

of this country but I don't think he realises the danger that is now

attached to him sticking in, forced perhaps to stick

in by some of his supporters. But, as it stands, he's not budging

as Labour leader. Last night, party officials ruled

Jeremy Corbyn will automatically be If he gets enough support

from Labour MPs and MEPs, The 46-years-old he has been

a Labour Party member since the age of 16, at which time he attended

Barry Boys Comprehensive School in the Vale of Glamorgan,

before leaving on to study history and friends

at the University of Sussex. A career at the BBC followed,

where he worked for a decade I think that is the best

way to describe Owen. Very bright, lots of enthusiasm,

very little self-doubt, but a very high standard

of what he expected. After journalism, Owen Smith's first

experience of professional politics was forged in the cauldron

of the Northern Irish peace process as a government special

adviser to Paul Murphy. He was brilliant in the peace

process. The help he gave me in hugely

difficult times, talking to both sides and knowing both sides,

going sometimes into very difficult parts of Belfast,

but also being very understanding of the complexities of the peace

process in Northern Ireland. Lobbying for the pharmaceuticals

company Pfizer was Owen's last job before entering

the House of Commons in 2010. He retained the Pontypridd seat

in last year's election. Owen Smith rose quickly

through the party's ranks, becoming Shadow Welsh Secretary

and then Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary,

a job he stepped down from a fortnight ago,

citing a seemingly unbridgeable divide between Labour

MPs and their leader. But Jeremy Corbyn enjoys

a lot of support among Labour grassroots members,

including here in Pontypridd. Although the chair of the local

party branch tells me he expects the majority of the roughly 600

Labour members in the area will back Owen Smith,

there is a contingent of Corbyn supporters, including the assembly

member for Pontypridd, Mick Antoniw. Owen Smith describes himself

as a combatant, not a commentator. Today, he's decided to embark

on a bloody internal battle that may He thinks he can win but it will be

difficult because he is facing not just Jeremy Corbyn, who won by a

landslide last you, but also Angela Eagle, another former Shadow Cabinet

man who was also challenged Jeremy Corbyn and there are fears among MPs

that having two antique Corbyn candidates will split the

anti-Corbin vote that could mean Jeremy Corbyn gets to keep his job

and all the problems that would cause for labour, given the split we

have seen over the last few weeks, so both Angela Eagle and Owen Smith

will come under pressure from MPs to agree that only one of them should

go forward into that at that. There may be hustings here next week and

so far neither of them shows any sign of wanting to back down that

Labour MPs fear that unless one of them agrees to back the other then

Jeremy Corbyn will stay on. We will get the official timetable for the

contest tomorrow and the result is expected to be announced in late

September. And the new Prime Minister is

forming a government tonight. We are expecting Theresa May the

night to name some of the big jobs in government, Home Secretary,

Chancellor, Foreign Secretary. We aren't expecting too much movement

in terms of the Wales Office, I think he expects to keep his job but

the lesson of the last few weeks here is expecting unexpected!

Let's join our political editor Nick Servini now.

What's your assessment of the challenges facing

In terms of the challenges and what people want I think it is clear.

Businesses want stability and confidence, the Welsh government

here want more money and possibly more importantly they want to be

directly involved in the Brexit negotiations. Also, a sense today of

how little people actually know about Theresa May. Carwyn Jones

saying earlier that if you Google the reason away -- Theresa May

Wales, not much comes up. On a broader range of subject areas they

don't know, the Conservatives, where she stands. At a turbulent time she

appears to be a solid presence. And what will David

Cameron's legacy be here? Supporters have his say he

understood Wales. There were some I catching announcements, such as the

Nato summit. He engaged in the constitutional debate about further

powers. Critics will point to stare at two and point to him setting the

benchmark, if you like, in terms of a poisonous debate about the

standard of the health service in Wales and England. The final legacy

will be down to the US referendum and the consequences of that, we

don't know. -- the E U referendum. The Circuit of Wales won't go ahead

until the company behind it makes sure less taxpayers' money

is needed guarantee it. That's according to the Welsh

Government's Economy Ken Skates told the Senedd Chamber

more private investment must underpin the regeneration

project in Ebbw Vale. The developers say they're already

working with civil servants on that, as our Economics Correspondent Sarah

Dickins now reports. The latest impression of the

developer's dream but five years since the Welsh government first

looked at proposals, it's still in question. The insurance giant Aviva

is putting in ?281 million but the developers had asked the Welsh

government to underwrite a proportion of the project cost and

in return the Welsh government would be paid more than ?100 million over

30 years. The Cabinet Secretary has said the level of underwriting,

nearly 75% of the total project cost, was too much. Despite the

efforts of the project backers this leaves around 17% being taken by the

private sector. That amount of risk falling on the Welsh taxpayer

through Welsh and support is unacceptable. At a time when we are

facing significant economic uncertainty from the UK exit from

Europe. He said the government would not underwrite more than 50% of the

project but he was criticised by other Assembly Members. Isn't it

true that his own government's due diligence shows that there is a

negligent scenario where the guarantee will be called in because

it is a strong project, that is why. It is a strong business case, in

which case all of this is academic and he should get on with the job

and actually support this proposal in an area of Wales that is crying

out for jobs and leadership. Where does that leave the circuit Wales

project? We looking for the message that was enthusiasm, excitement,

recognition of the investment. He is very cautious and he has given a

message about his criteria about what he would like to see in terms

of this project. We accept that and we will move towards delivering

that. We are working with officials to make sure that happens. As money

has become tight, there are many different ways in which the private

and public sectors have worked together to enable bid projects to

happen, for instance this shopping centre in Newport. They weigh about

hearing Newport is the council waste a load of ?90 million at a low

interest rate and lent that money to the developers at a higher rate so

the council got extra money from the developers, the developers got their

project. In the end it all comes down to an agreement about an

acceptable level of risk. That is still the question hanging over the

Circuit of Wales regeneration plan. The assert addicts then it is

subjective. How Britney is what it would bring to the area where that

risk? It is more about -- it is more than just Moto GP racing. It is

still working closely with officials to reach the government's demands.

Theresa May has become the new Prime Minister

and is tonight forming her new government.

And with the school summer holidays almost here,

the free scheme teaching children how to swim safely in the sea,

A mother from the Vale of Glamorgan says she's "petrified"

about her son's future, following a decision by the NHS

not to pay for a drug, which she says could help him live

Gemma Brownhill's son Ben has a very rare, and potentially

It comes as the Welsh Government announces a review of the way

patients can apply for drugs, that aren't deemed

Our health correspondent Owain Clarke reports.

Little do they realise, but their big brother is finding it

ever more difficult to keep up with them.

Three years ago when he was just 15, Ben Morgan Brownhill's kidneys

began to be destroyed by his own immune system.

I definitely think it would be a lot more fun for them to have

someone who can run around and play with them.

His health deteriorated to such an extent his own mother, Gemma,

donated one of her own kidneys, which was transplanted into Ben.

At first it worked, but just ten weeks later the family were left

Ben's body had started attacking that kidney, too.

There's not even much you can describe it.

There's not even much you can describe it.

Obviously I was aware of it being possible but actually it

actually coming back and being told that, it was a big

He has peaks and troughs, health-wise.

The best chance now, according to Ben's mother,

is the drug Eculizumab, used by the NHS to treat

a similar kidney disease, but just a six-month course

Because of a lack of evidence of the benefit,

funding was turned down, even though Ben's doctors

On a case-by-case basis, the NHS can decide to pay

for unapproved drugs if experts agree that a patient's case

is exceptional but there are concerns that the chances

of success could depend on where you live.

I want the review to be short and sharply focused.

But after coming to a deal with Plaid Cymru, the Health

Secretary Vaughan Gething yesterday announced that an expert panel

will now look at how the process could be made fairer.

There are many kidney diseases, many of them are rare and affect

small numbers of people, for whom, obviously,

the treatments may be very expensive.

Some of these things can be life-saving and therefore

it is vital that we find ways to get early access to treatment for people

affected by these serious, serious diseases.

Even if he wanted to live life in the fast lane, David Griffiths,

who works at this garage in Newport, can't.

His body is also attacking his own kidneys, meaning he has to fit

in work between frequent visits to hospital.

When you come off dialysis, it's a funny feeling,

it's like you've been riding in a washing machine for four hours.

You know, we are here once, we have to enjoy the time we are here,

Hopefully medical research will go forward with all the funding

and we will be able to get some sort of answers and some sort

of cure or something to suppress the disease.

To be able to move on with my life, get a job, do everything

an 18-year-old person should be able to do, really.

There's no certainty that the review or any changes that might come

in its wake will make a difference in Ben's case.

But, back in the Vale of Glamorgan, his biggest hope simply is this.

That one day, somehow, his life can get back to normal.

The former Shadow Welsh Secretary, Nia Griffith, has raised concerns

that the German steel manufacturer, Thyssen Krupp, could "hoover

up" Tata's Port Talbot plant and close it down.

The Indian steel conglomorate has stopped the sales process

for its Welsh sites as it continues talks with Thyssen

The emergency services are still tackling a fire

at a tyre recycling facility in Port Talbot this evening.

Thick smoke has been seen across the town for most of the day.

Up to 100 firefighters tried to bring the blaze under

Roads are still closed and people are being urged to stay away.

National Resources Wales say they've been concerned about this site

for some time, because waste was illegally stored

There's been a significant increase in the number

of online viewers of S4C, according to the channel's

Its programmes were requested more than eight million times

in the last financial year, up from 5.7 million a year earlier.

It comes as the number of viewers to the channel

The channel said changes in viewing habits would shape the kind

It's important for us to note exactly what sort of content

is being selected but what sort of content are people going to look

for and does that mean that our commissioning policies need

to be reviewed in order to make more programmes,

more of the sort of content that people are more likely

to look for online rather than just view passively.

For the first time, children in Wales have been given

access to a free scheme, to teach them how to stay

safe when swimming in the sea, rivers, or lakes.

The Swim Safe programme was launched today in the Menai Strait.

Chris Dearden went along to find out more.

Heading into open waters and yes, it's cold.

These children are learning what to do if things

That includes positions like the huddle and the crocodile,

where they line up and paddle to safety as a group.

We've been doing stuff in the sea with, like, huddles,

Learning about the sea and learning about lifeguards,

what they do and we've been doing a load of other stuff,

The organisers hope techniques like the crocodile will get a child

to safety when the instructors are not on hand to help.

What we're trying to encourage people to do is, yes,

they can swim in a swimming pool, but the swimming pool is completely

different to open water, whether that's the sea,

You've got hidden dangers underneath, you've got

It's all very familiar to one mother.

Debbie Turnbull lost her son Chris ten years ago while he was swimming

He went along this particular weekend with five friends, obviously

Very sadly, Chris sat on the edge of the waterfall, thumbs up

to his pals and the next thing we knew he was under water

And she's not the only one supporting today's lessons.

The Lifeboat Service says they're essential for children

Sessions like this will be going on throughout the week until Sunday.

Officials hope it will avoid an incident or an emergency call-out

Time for the weather forecast and Derek's here.

Showers in places again today but some fine weather

A lovely afternoon in Flint for a walk along the coast.

There's more dry weather and sunshine to come tomorrow.

Tomorrow the best day of the week but it's all change again on Friday.

This evening scattered showers in the north and west.

Heavy in places will spread southeast overnight.

Breaks in the cloud and another fairly cool night.

Temperatures inland falling as low as 9 Celsius.

Tomorrow's chart shows a ridge of high pressure over the UK

but these fronts over the Atlantic are heading our way.

So here's the picture for eight in the morning.

A few clouds and some lovely sunshine.

Feeling quite pleasant with a light to moderate breeze.

A few clouds but some blue sky and sunshine as well,

Top temperatures between 16 to 20 Celsius with a light

Fine tomorrow evening and dry overnight.

Some high cloud with temperatures in mid Wales falling

But clouding over with a little rain and drizzle.

The breeze picking-up as well and turning muggy.

Now the weekend doesn't look quite so promising as it did

On Saturday a cold front will move South East but the rain,

Followed by dry, brighter weather and some sunshine.

Dry with a mix of clouds and some sunshine.

Temperatures around the seasonal average.

So the changeable weather is set to continue.

A reminder of our main story tonight.

Theresa May has become Britain's new Prime Minister.

In a speech outside Downing Street, she said her mission was to make

Philip Hammond has been appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer. George

Osborne has resigned from government. The government I lead

will be driven not by the interest of the privileged view but by yours

will stop we will do everything we can to give you more control over

your lives. Let's return to our westminster

correspondent David Cornock David you've seen many

Prime Ministers come and go and Theresa May is facing

a number of challenges. Yes, very much so. The end of George

Osborne's career in government is the end of an Iraq for the Cameron

government. He is replaced by Philip Hammond, someone who has said it

could take up to six years to negotiate Britain's departure from

Europe -- it is the end of an era for the Cameron government. Theresa

May is trying to strike a different tone from David Cameron who will now

be a backbencher. So humble is his new role that he has had to evict

for Conservative MPs from their office at Westminster to take over

in his new job as a backbencher. I'm back with our next update

after an extended Ten O'clock News From all of us on the

programme, good evening.