24/04/2017 BBC Wales Today

Welcome to Wales Today - our headlines tonight

a new election - some old faces - former Plaid Cymru

leader Ieuan Wyn Jones - the latest to throw his hat into

the ring to become an MP - again and teenager Ethan Matthews

waiting two and a half years for a kidney operation.

He used to be a big name in Welsh politics,

the Plaid Cymru MP who became leader of his party.

Now Ieuan Wyn Jones wants to make a comeback -

and stand once again in his old constituency of Ynys Mon

This comes as all parties are working frantically -

behind the scenes to choose candidates,

after last week's surprise announcement of a snap election.

Here's our political editor Nick Servini.

He's one of the big beasts of Welsh politics.

Ieuan Wyn Jones has been on the scene for many years.

Not only as the former MP and Assembly member for Anglesey,

but as the Welsh government's former Deputy First Minister.

It's been confirmed that he'll try to become Plaid's candidate

in June but he'll have to win the nomination against

a number of others within the party on Wednesday.

In these exceptional circumstances, and they are exceptional

circumstances, I believe we need people of experience,

people who know the political system,

you know how to campaign, who have got experience both in parliament

and the Assembly, the Welsh government and so on.

All that experience should be put to use.

If he wins, he'll be up against the current Labour MP,

Albert Owen, who has confirmed he is seeking re-election.

He retained the seat two years ago with a majority of just 229.

There is also likely to be a strong Conservative challenge.

After all, this was a Tory seat in the 1980s

The BBC will publish a full list of candidates

Big name or not, there's always the debate about whether people

vote for parties or personalities in general elections.

It's the parties behind their policies and what they represent

and what they have to offer instead of just a name.

It is going to be both but it depends on the strength

I'm still thinking about it but it's probably going to be the party.

The announcement by Plaid's former leader comes as the current

leader, Leanne Wood, said she would not be fighting her seat

Today the Liberal Democrats announced the former

assembly member, Lynette Parrott, will stand in Cardiff Central

against the current Labour MP, Jo Stephens.

This is a top target seat for the Lib Dems

Expect many more names to emerge in the coming days.

The parties have set procedures in place to choose candidates

but everything has been shunted forward because in a short campaign,

Also in a short campaign, there is no time to build up

a profile and that's why the parties,

if they can will try to select those who are already recognised names.

One leading academic says there's a big scramble going on behind

the scenes as no-one was expecting having to find candidates

for a number of years and now it has to be done within a matter of days.

Often parties will take weeks, if not months to select a candidate.

There will be a whole process involving hustings

meetings in different parts of the constituencies

and discussions and vetting and so on.

A lot of it will have to go by the board because parties

have to have people in place soon and ready to fight the election

and if that means short-circuiting some of the normal mechanisms.

There's a growing sense of urgency surrounding the selections.

Every day without a candidate will be considered a wasted day

The Prime Minister is due in Wales tomorrow.

It'll be Theresa May's first visit here -

since she announced a snap general election to be held in June.

She's expected to travel to a number of seats.

The Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn made his first campaign visit

to Wales last Friday, to the swing seat of Cardiff North.

A general election poll - commissioned by ITV Wales -

has predicted a surge in support for the Conservatives in June.

It could see the Conservatives replace Labour -

A thousand people were questioned in Wales last week by you go in this

poll for Cardiff University and ITV Wales.

And what it has put the support for the parties that is the

Conservatives 40%, Labour 30%, in Wales, Plaid Cymru 13%.

And if you project that onto the potential

numbers of seats that could be won, were looking at 21 seats in Wales

for the Conservatives, 15 for Labour, three for

So, it shows an unprecedented ten point

lead for the Tories in Wales, something no one has seen in modern

Professor Roger Scully from Cardiff University

has spoken about Wales, potentially, being on the brink of

We have the entirety of an, albeit short, general election

campaign still see and there are dangers in making its seat

predictions off the back of voting intention polls.

Nevertheless, this is a sensational prediction and

because of that, I think, it will create a lot of noise,

and indeed provide a dramatic backdrop to the

campaign in Wales over the next few weeks.

A patient with a serious mental health condition

and complex medical needs, has been waiting to be

discharged from hospital in the Hywel Dda Health Board area -

The patient is expected to leave hospital in around six months,

after arrangements were made for their care.

The Welsh Government says "delayed transfers of care"

are at their lowest level for 12 years.

Long-haul flights from Cardiff to the Middle East have been

Planes will start flying to Doha - Quatar's capital - from 2018.

Cardiff airport saw a 16% increase in passenger numbers last year.

The parents of a 14-year-old boy from Burry Port

have told this programme it's totally unacceptable their son

has had to wait two and a half years for a kidney operation.

Ethan Matthews was told in 2014 he needed to have his

left kidney removed because it wasn't working.

But he's still waiting for the operation and says,

without it, he can't live a normal life.

The family have been speaking to our reporter Aled Scofield.

Ethan Matthews looks like any typical 14-year-old.

But he can do the things most other teenagers do because

It has been really hard to cope in doing certain things.

I'm limited to do what I want and what I choose.

His problems started when a lump appeared

and he was left with a tract that wouldn't heal.

He was told his left kidney was no longer functioning

Despite being put on an urgent waiting list

he's still waiting to have this operation at the University Hospital

He has to take antibiotics on a daily basis

and have his dressings changed two or three times a week.

Ethan was given a date in January but the operation

was cancelled after he caught and affection.

His parents Ceri and Robert have complained about the delay.

They told me it has had a major impact on their son's life.

We can't go to the local swimming pool

because of the risk of infection on his side.

Contact sports, he's not allowed to perform in.

Do you think two and a half years is too long to wait?

The latest figures show there can be a delay for some.

77% of children start treatment within 26 weeks.

The Welsh government target is for 95% to be treated

13% start treatment with 36 weeks and 10% are waiting

This doctor is a retired paediatrician

and says the delay in Ethan's treatment is unacceptable.

This is very bad and if the University Hospital of Wales

then they should look for the service somewhere else.

The money from carrying out this procedure should

come out of the University Hospital of Wales' bank account.

For Ethan come his operation can't come soon enough so he can get on

The skies above the Brecon Beacons National Park are considered to be

but there are concerns that new streetlights are too bright -

and damaging its reputation as a stargazing destination.

The international body which granted the area the prestigious

dark-sky status in 2013 says it's investigating

after the lights were put in by the Welsh Government.

We can see our shadows now, whereas before we had to move around

We discovered last night that the sky is glowing.

We can see Brecon over the mountains,

The Welsh government installed the lights as

The Welsh Government says the lights are installed for road

safety and aren't intended to affect the environment.

But it will consider dimming the lights if it

Football and Swansea City have just four games left

League One champions Sheffield United

are set to resign Wales striker Ched Evans from Chesterfield.

The 28-year-old last played for the Blades in 2012 -

saw him serve two and a half years in prison.

and at a retrial last year, he was found not guilty.

Snow in the forecast - here's the weather with Sue.

Snow for some of us because it is turning colder for the first part of

the week with wintry showers and some sunny spells. This air mass

chart shows a cold front sinking southwards. Overnight, clear spells,

Frost forming in sheltered rural spots. Wintry in high ground. Cold

winds and temperatures hovering around freezing point or just above.

Tomorrow, a frosty start for some. Plenty of sunshine and more of a mix

of wintry sunshine and scattered showers. A greater chance of wintry

showers across north-east England, Northern Ireland and Scotland. A

warning of snow on high ground. A risk of hail and thunder, as well.

Cold, arctic winds. Highs of seven Celsius in some areas. The risk of

hail and snow on high ground. Feeling colder in the brisk

northerly winds. Wednesday, some early frosts, still feeling chilly

and further showers, could be wintry in the polls. Highs of 8-11dC. At

the end of the week, we lose the Arctic field, a return to milder

air. Into the bank holiday weekend. Thank you for watching -

from all of us on the