:00:00. > :00:09.So how might the Prime Minister's decision change the political
:00:10. > :00:13.We'll have reaction from across the country.
:00:14. > :00:33.The cavity wall insulation causing rot, damp and heartache.
:00:34. > :00:37.The Prime Minister said she made the "reluctant" decision to call
:00:38. > :00:40.an election while walking in Snowdonia last week.
:00:41. > :00:43.Tonight politicians representing Wales have been reacting
:00:44. > :00:48.Speaking from Downing Street, Theresa May said a general election
:00:49. > :00:51.is the only way to guarantee certainty and stability
:00:52. > :00:59.From Westminster, our parliamentary correspondent David Cornock.
:01:00. > :01:04.It was on this break in Snowdonia last week that the Prime Minister
:01:05. > :01:09.changed her mind and decided to call a snap general election.
:01:10. > :01:11.It was with reluctance that I decided that the country needs
:01:12. > :01:16.this election but it is with strong conviction that I say
:01:17. > :01:21.it is necessary to secure the strong and stable leadership we need
:01:22. > :01:29.The announcement caught everybody here at Westminster by surprise.
:01:30. > :01:34.The pundits, even the bookmakers and the politicians too.
:01:35. > :01:38.The First Minister Carwyn Jones said the timing was odd.
:01:39. > :01:44.But tomorrow, most Labour, Plaid Cymru and Conservative
:01:45. > :01:49.MPs will vote to hold a early general election.
:01:50. > :01:55.The Tories are using the means of a no-confidence vote
:01:56. > :01:59.This is what is going to happen whether we are in
:02:00. > :02:04.Labour see it as a chance to regain power in Westminster.
:02:05. > :02:08.We've released policies in the last few weeks we are proud of,
:02:09. > :02:13.such as raising the minimum wage to ?10 by 2020.
:02:14. > :02:16.We have put them into a manifesto and we are ready to go.
:02:17. > :02:19.We are totally behind Jeremy and we will be out there fighting
:02:20. > :02:21.for a Labour victory on the 8th of June.
:02:22. > :02:24.The Welsh Secretary was among Cabinet ministers briefed by Mrs May
:02:25. > :02:29.This will strengthen the government's hand to get
:02:30. > :02:33.the right deal for Wales and for the UK to also deliver
:02:34. > :02:35.on that plan for Britain which is so important.
:02:36. > :02:39.It's not just about Brexit but improving standards of education
:02:40. > :02:43.and health care and delivering for a country
:02:44. > :02:48.Voters in Wales will send 40 MPs to Westminster.
:02:49. > :02:51.The proposed boundary changes which would have cut it to 29
:02:52. > :02:58.That may come as a relief to Labour, who feared losing seats.
:02:59. > :03:00.Ukip will hope to build on their breakthrough in last
:03:01. > :03:07.It is pure opportunism on Theresa May's part
:03:08. > :03:11.It's an opportunity to clear out a bit of dross.
:03:12. > :03:16.If the election occurs, I've got to stand in it, haven't I?
:03:17. > :03:18.It remains to be seen whether my branch wants me
:03:19. > :03:26.The Lib Dems, reduced to one Welsh MP last time,
:03:27. > :03:29.hope their opposition to Brexit will fire a political comeback.
:03:30. > :03:32.The Labour Party, there is no positive strong opposition,
:03:33. > :03:36.so at this coming election, we Liberal Democrats will have
:03:37. > :03:42.It's a long way to go but we have already done it in local
:03:43. > :03:48.But Theresa May says that after last year's vote to leave the EU,
:03:49. > :03:54.The Prime Minister said Britain needed certainty,
:03:55. > :03:58.stability and strong leadership following the EU referendum.
:03:59. > :04:01.Wales, of course, voted to leave the EU.
:04:02. > :04:04.So what's at stake here in a general election?
:04:05. > :04:08.Let's see how the political map in Wales currently looks.
:04:09. > :04:13.The party with most of Wales' 40 seats is Labour, with 25,
:04:14. > :04:19.followed by the Conservatives with 11, Plaid Cymru with three, and
:04:20. > :04:28.One of the closest run constituencies in the 2015
:04:29. > :04:30.general election was Bridgend, where Labour beat the Conservatives
:04:31. > :04:42.British politics is proving to be quite the ride.
:04:43. > :04:46.The latest twist, the unexpected announcement of June's snap
:04:47. > :04:50.election, has thrown Westminster into another spin.
:04:51. > :04:53.The announcement was quite a turnaround from Theresa May.
:04:54. > :04:56.She denied there would be a snap general election.
:04:57. > :05:00.These things are normally held on the same issues which come
:05:01. > :05:03.around time and again, the economy and taxes,
:05:04. > :05:05.but she has made it clear there will only be one issue
:05:06. > :05:11.This is going to be very tricky for Labour at this general election
:05:12. > :05:14.because they are going to be talking about a Brexit that they did not
:05:15. > :05:18.want but their traditional voters in the Valleys backed.
:05:19. > :05:21.For the other parties, Plaid Cymru and the Liberal Democrats,
:05:22. > :05:24.this may be an opportunity to pick up seats across Wales but that
:05:25. > :05:30.Westminster might be back from its break,
:05:31. > :05:34.but the holidays continued here in Porthcawl.
:05:35. > :05:36.Fairgoers were seeking thrills of another kind and many
:05:37. > :05:42.There is going to be a general election on June the 8th.
:05:43. > :05:49.It was a massive surprise but I can see her reason for it.
:05:50. > :05:51.I think fair play to her, strong women.
:05:52. > :05:55.If it was me, I would want to be voted in and not just given the job.
:05:56. > :05:59.There is a lot of confusion with Brexit and what is going
:06:00. > :06:09.If I thought the Brexit would change, I would change
:06:10. > :06:14.But I do not think that will be the case.
:06:15. > :06:18.Brexit is done now and we need to move on and focus on issues that
:06:19. > :06:23.This will be one of the constituencies to keep an eye on.
:06:24. > :06:27.It has been a safe Labour seat for decades but at the last general
:06:28. > :06:31.election, Labour only had around a 2000-vote majority
:06:32. > :06:35.over the Conservatives, and in June it voted for Brexit.
:06:36. > :06:40.What way will it turn in this unprecedented general election?
:06:41. > :06:43.There aren't any obvious seats that the Conservatives
:06:44. > :06:48.are close in contention for, but as the couple of years
:06:49. > :06:51.in politics have shown us, anything can happen.
:06:52. > :06:53.The Conservatives will hope they can wrestle Bridgend and other
:06:54. > :06:57.pro-Brexit seats like Wrexham and Newport West off Labour
:06:58. > :07:00.if their current lead in the polls hold up.
:07:01. > :07:02.And Labour is likely to face tough fight
:07:03. > :07:05.in Cardiff Central and Ynys Mon, where the Liberal Democrats
:07:06. > :07:08.and Plaid Cymru are looking to cash in on the
:07:09. > :07:13.Ukip will hope they can too, after success at
:07:14. > :07:19.Theresa May has taken the gamble of her poltical career.
:07:20. > :07:23.Polls suggest she is odds-on favourite to win, but with seven
:07:24. > :07:27.weeks until the election and the current unpredictability
:07:28. > :07:34.of politics, even she must know anything can happen.
:07:35. > :07:36.Some of the views of people from Bridgend.
:07:37. > :07:38.But how might this election change the wider political
:07:39. > :07:48.Let's talk to our political editor Nick Servini in Cardiff Bay.
:07:49. > :07:58.A central question that we will return to again and again is the
:07:59. > :08:04.fundamental strength of labour. They are likely to come under real
:08:05. > :08:09.pressure in places like Bridgend and north-east Wales, so why expect them
:08:10. > :08:14.to run a defensive damage limitation campaign and even if they neutralise
:08:15. > :08:20.any issues in relation to Brexit, they still have questions over the
:08:21. > :08:25.leadership of Jeremy Corbyn. In an assembly campaign may be Labour
:08:26. > :08:29.could insulated themselves against that but it will be difficult in a
:08:30. > :08:33.general election. The Conservatives will campaign on the basis that
:08:34. > :08:40.people have made up their minds and to reason may should get the mandate
:08:41. > :08:45.to continue, Ukip will look to recreate the passions of the
:08:46. > :08:50.referendum campaign and a sense of optimism today from the Lib Dems and
:08:51. > :08:56.Plaid Cymru. Leanne Wood tweeted that she felt it was game on but
:08:57. > :09:00.there is a real degree of unpredictability, the parties will
:09:01. > :09:05.not have had time to prepare for this so those who can think on the
:09:06. > :09:10.hoof will be most effective and it is all down to the public mood, who
:09:11. > :09:16.have been affected by all sorts of elections in recent years, will they
:09:17. > :09:23.feel the debate especially in relation to Brexit has moved on to
:09:24. > :09:24.another or are we simply running the referendum campaign again and
:09:25. > :09:26.reopening old wounds? It's supposed to make homes
:09:27. > :09:29.more energy efficient, but thousands of properties
:09:30. > :09:31.across Wales could be at risk of developing rot,
:09:32. > :09:33.damp and structural problems because of cavity wall installation
:09:34. > :09:37.that's been incorrectly injected. The MP for Arfon, Hywel Williams,
:09:38. > :09:40.is calling on He says it's quickly
:09:41. > :09:47.developing into a scandal. I want the Government
:09:48. > :09:49.to take some responsibility for this dreadful mess,
:09:50. > :09:52.something that's quickly developing There seems to be no information
:09:53. > :09:57.about the number of cases of cavity wall insulation that
:09:58. > :10:00.have gone wrong. People who are suffering are not
:10:01. > :10:09.being helped to come forward. The UK Government says it's
:10:10. > :10:13.committed to ensuring consumers are protected when choosing cavity
:10:14. > :10:18.walls insulation. Dyfed-Powys Police are searching
:10:19. > :10:21.for a woman who has gone missing 32-year-old Rebecca was last seen
:10:22. > :10:27.on Saturday carrying a baby in a back harness
:10:28. > :10:31.and pushing a trolley. A police spokesperson said
:10:32. > :10:34.they were very concerned about her, and an urgent appeal has been
:10:35. > :10:39.launched to find her. The jury in the trial
:10:40. > :10:42.of a psychiatrist accused of sexually abusing some
:10:43. > :10:44.of his patients in South Wales will continue deliberating
:10:45. > :10:48.its verdicts tomorrow. 77-year-old Dr Brian Harris
:10:49. > :10:50.is standing trial He denies 13 counts of sexual abuse,
:10:51. > :10:56.including rape, against five men The Welsh theatre director
:10:57. > :11:04.Michael Bogdanov has died. He was 78 and had a heart
:11:05. > :11:07.attack on Easter Sunday. He was best known for directing
:11:08. > :11:10.Shakespeare, but his pioneering style meant he courted controversy
:11:11. > :11:15.too. Very passionate about Wales,
:11:16. > :11:19.very passionate about the arts and very knowledgeable
:11:20. > :11:21.about the arts He could be cantankerous and funny
:11:22. > :11:28.and witty and challenging, but you could always guarantee
:11:29. > :11:45.having a great time with him. It's looking largely dry unsettled
:11:46. > :11:50.over the next few days with some patchy rain at times and it will be
:11:51. > :11:51.warmer by day but also quite chilly by night.
:11:52. > :11:52.Overnight some cloud, but largely clear skies
:11:53. > :11:57.Light winds allowing a frost to form in sheltered rural spots.
:11:58. > :11:59.Lows of 3-7 Celsius in towns and cities
:12:00. > :12:05.High pressure in charge tomorrow keeping things settled but this weak
:12:06. > :12:10.cold front slowly edges closer to the north and west of Wales.
:12:11. > :12:13.Tomorrow some early rural frost, a chilly, bright start
:12:14. > :12:22.And across the UK, the Midlands and the south of England holding on
:12:23. > :12:25.to the brightness for longest, but as that front edges
:12:26. > :12:26.closer, cloud will thicken across Northwest Scotland,
:12:27. > :12:28.Northern Ireland and northern England in the afternoon.
:12:29. > :12:33.Some patchy rain and drizzle here and highs of 11-15
:12:34. > :12:35.in south-east England in the sunshine.
:12:36. > :12:38.For Wales later, turning increasingly cloudy.
:12:39. > :12:41.Could be the odd spot of drizzle but staying dry for most.
:12:42. > :12:47.Highs of 11 Celsius in Swansea, 13 in Conwy.
:12:48. > :12:50.Thursday - some early drizzle but most places will stay dry,
:12:51. > :12:52.more cloud around but some sunny spells too.
:12:53. > :12:55.Light westerly winds and feeling pleasant in any
:12:56. > :13:01.For the end of the week, a cold front will move
:13:02. > :13:06.A dry start but patchy light rain or drizzle later on and behind that
:13:07. > :13:17.Winds turn more northerly so a chillier start to next weekend.
:13:18. > :13:20.But we will see some sunny spells at times as well.
:13:21. > :13:29.We're back tomorrow at 6:25am with more news and sport.
:13:30. > :13:32.From all of us on the programme, good evening.