06/03/2016 BBC Wales Today

Good evening.

The leader of Labour's campaign to remain in the EU has told BBC

Wales it was "unfair" to think European economic aid money

would solve the problems of the poorest parts of the country.

Alan Johnson said Wales still needed to work towards its own destiny.

But opponents say we'd be better off if funds weren't

diverted through Brussels.

Rhodri Lewis reports.

He may not be in in power anymore, but the former

Home Secretary Alan Johnson is still one of his party's big beasts.

That's why he's been put in charge of Labour's campaign to stay

in the EU.

The question of whether so-called objective 1 money has done any good

is one which both sides of the debate hope to use

to their advantage.

West Wales and the Valleys are currently on their third

round of European structural funding.

Between 2002 and 2006, they were awarded more

than ?1.5 billion.

Between 2007 and 2013, ?1.8 billion was invested.

The current round, which runs to 2020 will see a further

?1.8 billion poured in.

Speaking to the Sunday Politics Wales programme,

Mr Johnson said it was unfair to expect this spending to have

solved those areas' economic problems.

I think to argue that yes, Europe has this ambition that

all parts of Europe should come up to the same level of prosperity

and you see that money come to you, but to somehow say begrudgingly,

oh, it hasn't created a land of milk and honey,

I think it is a bit unfair.

I think the principle is good, I think the money is allocated,

particularly for facilities like this, would be sadly and sorely

missed if it went.

His comments have been criticised by groups who want to leave the EU.

It is interesting because one of the main arguments

that the Remainers have as to why we should vote to stay in the EU

is that Wales gets money from Europe.

But, of course, as we have said all along, there is no such thing

as EU money.

It is our money which we send to Brussels, we get a small fraction

of it back, we then have to you match fund it,

we have to spend it on projects that they tell us to spend it on,

and we have to put in EU flag on it in order to say thank you very much

for giving us our money back.

Alan Johnson asked what would have happened to these areas had

they not had EU money.

That's going to be one of the critical questions

being discussed in the weeks and months before the referendum in

June.

A man has been charged with murder, after a 39-year-old

was stabbed in Cardiff.

Clint Sims was found in Glyndwr Road in Ely on Thursday morning.

Stephen Pike has been charged with murder and two counts

of possessing a knife in public.

The 58-year-old has been remanded in custody and is due to appear

before magistrates tomorrow.

Hospitals could be ranked using a new one-to-five ratings

system, with scores on public display, if the Welsh Conservatives

win power in May's Assembly election.

The party says cleanliness, infection rates and access

to treatment would all be assessed, to reach a final score.

The independent watchdog Health Inspectorate Wales would be

responsible for implementing the idea.

Plaid Cymru leader, Leanne Wood, has ruled out any kind of coalition

deal with Labour after the election, if the party pushes ahead with plans

for an M4 relief road around Newport.

The First Minister, Carwyn Jones, has said proposals for the one

billion pound project would be included in Labour's manifesto.

It's the first so-called 'red line' to have been set out by Plaid,

in any post-election negotiations.

I've been very clear since I've been leader of this party that we have

to spread wealth and prosperity throughout the nation and focus

spending like that on one small corner of the nation is completely

unacceptable to Plaid Cymru and so we would not support any

government that wanted to go ahead with that.

More than a thousand people have taken part in this year's

Anglesey half marathon.

The course started and finished on the Menai Bridge.

For the second year in a row, Alun Vaughan from Llanberis

won the race.

Hannah Oldroyd was the fastest woman.

Rugby, and in the Pro 12 the Cardiff Blues were beaten

by the Glasgow Warriors 27-20.

The Blues were 20-0 down at half time, but a late rally in the second

half saw Dan Fish, Elis Jenkins and Macauley Cook all cross the line

to secure a losing bonus point.

Meanwhile, the Dragons lost 26-5 at Munster last night -

their fifth straight defeat in the competition.

Football, and Swansea coach Alan Curtis says he believes

the side's back-to-back Premier League wins have given them

"breathing space" over their relegation rivals.

The Swans, led by Curtis in the absence of head coach

Francesco Guidolin who's in hospital, beat 18th-placed

Norwich 1-0 yesterday, to move nine points above the drop zone.

I thought everyone played their part and I was just delighted,

really, with the three points and it just gives us a little bit

more breathing space.

But, obviously, we know we have still got a lot to do.

Ice hockey, and the Cardiff Devils' Challenge Cup final match

against the Nottingham Panthers in Sheffield has gone into 20

minutes of sudden-death overtime.

The latest score, 0-0.

The game will now go on to penalties if no one scores

in the next few minutes.

Time for a look at the weather and there's a yellow Be Aware

warning in place for snow and ice across much of Wales tonight,

into tomorrow morning.

So, there's a cold night to come with a widespread frost and lows

of minus 2 degrees Celsius.

Tomorrow, a few wintry showers, but they will clear southwards

to leave a dry and bright afternoon

with highs of 7 degrees Celsius.

I'll have another update at 10.20.

Until then, from everyone on the weekend team,

enjoy your evening.