24/07/2016 BBC Wales Today

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Good evening.

Welsh Labour could separate from the rest of the UK party

if Jeremy Corbyn remains leader, according to a former

Welsh Government minister.

Leighton Andrews said the current Labour leadership election was "very

serious" for the party.

But Corbyn supporters have told BBC Wales that party membership

is high, and say talk of splits is unhelpful.

Here's our political correspondent, Arwyn Jones.

Wales has been at the heart of the Labour Party

throughout its history.

The party's first leader Keir Hardie represented Merthyr

and during the '70s and '80s, three leaders in a row represented

Welsh constituencies - James Callaghan, Michael Foot

and Neil Kinnock.

But as the current crisis facing the party continues,

this former Welsh Government minister says if Jeremy Corbyn

remains as leader, the party in Wales could go its own way.

I certainly think it would be an autonomous Welsh Labour Party,

but it could be a separate Welsh Labour Party and at this point

I wouldnt rule anything out.

I think this leadership election is potentially the last

opportunity for British Labour.

Labour has lost Scotland, it has gone down to one MP up there.

England is a different set of circumstances,

but I do think these times are very serious indeed.

Mr Andrews knows about the challenge facing Labour - he lost his seat

in May's election and says Jeremy Corbyn, even though he barely

appeared here during the campaign, was a vote loser in that election.

He supports Owen Smith for leader, but this former leader

of the party in Wales thinks, whatever happens next,

Labour will find it difficult to remain as a UK-wide party.

Certainly, a split would be sad and will be difficult,

because it is more difficult to put things back together again

when they have been broken than it is to try to maintain

a unity of purpose.

Whatever happens in these volatile times, we're going to have to go

back to the painstaking work of maintaining the unity

of purpose across every level.

There is a long summer ahead for the two rivals as they try

to win votes from the hundreds of thousands of party members

to become leader, but after the result is declared in September,

it's not certain if UK Labour will still include Wales.

Ukip Wales leader Nathan Gill says he will not stand

down from his MEP role, claiming those making the call

are doing it out of "malice."

Mr Gill, who is also now an Assembly Member, has been told

to stop "double jobbing" by Ukip's German Steve Crowther.

But Mr Gill says he can do the both jobs and doesn't take

home two pay packets.

The Government of Wales Act, section 21, states very clearly that

I cannot get two salaries.

I get the same salary that I got when I was just an MEP,

so it's not costing the taxpayer any more money at all.

In fact, I'm saving the taxpayer money.

A North Wales coach company are helping French police

with their inquiries after one of their buses crashed

in Eastern France.

13 teenagers from Cheltenham were injured - two seriously -

after the coach from Express Motors in Penygroes overturned

into a ditch yesterday.

The drivers are being interviewed by police.

Hundreds of people have gathered to celebrate the anniversary

of an historic bridge, which has played an important part

in linking communities in Wales and England

for 200 years.

The Grade One listed Chepstow Bridge is the longest iron bridge

of its age to survive, as Carys Notley reports.

Connecting two nations for two centuries, spanning 34 metres

across the River Wye, Chepstow Bridge, a fine art iron

structure built and designed by engineer John Rastrick in 1816.

-- five-arch.

Today, to mark the milestone, a procession, uniting

how it was first opened two centuries ago.

Chepstow Bridge is 200 years old today!

And it's stood the test of time - now grade one listed,

it's the oldest standing bridge of its kind.

It's the largest iron arch Road Bridge remaining for the first

50 years of iron in bridges and so it is incredibly important

to the world and we have a river that is really strange -

it flows four times in different directions everywhere

because of such high tides.

A bold initiative at the time, the bridge was built

for less than ?18,000.

In today's money, that's the equivalent

of around ?1.2 million.

It is maintained by two councils.

For residents, it has been both practical and provided some

particular memories.

One day I was coming to the English side and the river

and it was just red with tomatoes.

A lorry full of tomatoes had gone completely over the top.

Until the second bridge opened in the it played a vital

role in uniting Wales with the west Country.

The hope is it will continue to bring English and Welsh

communities together for another 200 years.

Welsh cyclists Geraint Thomas and Luke Rowe have helped Team Sky

team mate Chris Froome to victory in this year's Tour de

France, the first Briton to win three titles.

Geraint Thomas finished as Sky's second highest place rider, in 15th.

A quick look at the weather now.

A quick look at the weather now.

Rain in the east will die away during the evening, leaving a dry

night with some clear periods.

Tomorrow, there will be some sunshine, but also showers,

possibly heavy at times in the afternoon.

It will feel fresher - top temperatures, 19 Celsius.

That's all for now.

I'll be back with our next update at 10:20pm tonight.

Join me then if you can.

Enjoy the rest of your evening.

Goodbye.