:00:00. > :00:09.Welsh Labour distances itself from the UK party's leaked draft
:00:10. > :00:14.Party leader Tim Farron in Cardiff as the Welsh Liberal Democrats
:00:15. > :00:19.And creating power from local rivers - why many small,
:00:20. > :00:38.community energy schemes say they're in deep water.
:00:39. > :00:41.It's the document which is dominating the general
:00:42. > :00:43.election campaign tonight, but the Labour Party in Wales
:00:44. > :00:45.has distanced itself from the leaked UK manifesto.
:00:46. > :00:49.The party here says it will publish its own
:00:50. > :00:51.manifesto which will be - in their words -
:00:52. > :00:59.But how different can it be in a UK-wide election?
:01:00. > :01:03.Here's our political editor, Nick Servini.
:01:04. > :01:05.Senior figures from Welsh Labour heading to crucial talks
:01:06. > :01:13.There was supposed to be a week to go.
:01:14. > :01:17.Instead, the First Minister, Carwyn Jones, hit a wall of reporters
:01:18. > :01:22.And this is what is in it about Wales -
:01:23. > :01:26.Just a short statement saying it is proud of the Welsh Labour
:01:27. > :01:29.Government and it will work to protect public services.
:01:30. > :01:33.Welsh Labour quickly responded by calling it
:01:34. > :01:36.an old version and said a distinct manifesto for Wales would be
:01:37. > :01:41.published, that would be a completely different document
:01:42. > :01:46.And after the leak showed major rises in public
:01:47. > :01:51.spending across the UK, the Welsh party's statement took a different
:01:52. > :01:55.angle, saying it takes a responsible approach to finance.
:01:56. > :01:58.It says, we have made tough but fair spending decisions
:01:59. > :02:03.throughout the last decade of shrinking budgets.
:02:04. > :02:05.The Welsh party has been stressing its own identity
:02:06. > :02:11.Welsh Labour really have tried to distance themselves
:02:12. > :02:13.from Jeremy Corbyn's campaign on this.
:02:14. > :02:17.I think, if you look at the polling, Jeremy Corbyn is seen as a much less
:02:18. > :02:19.popular leader than Carwyn Jones among voters in Wales.
:02:20. > :02:23.This is an election that's being framed all about the leadership.
:02:24. > :02:27.Carwyn Jones will want to project authority, experience from
:02:28. > :02:29.his eight years in Government here in the Senedd.
:02:30. > :02:32.In the middle of an election campaign, when there are politicians
:02:33. > :02:35.all over the place, to get them to talk about most issues is,
:02:36. > :02:43.We've contacted most of the Labour candidates across Wales,
:02:44. > :02:47.and the vast majority didn't want to speak to us about this.
:02:48. > :02:50.The way this document has been leaked in chaotic fashion is clearly
:02:51. > :02:56.You haven't yet seen the Welsh version and that has
:02:57. > :03:00.That hasn't been leaked to the press, so there will be
:03:01. > :03:03.an opportunity next week for people to see the exact version
:03:04. > :03:06.Because, obviously, since devolution, we've had
:03:07. > :03:13.Plaid say the internal leak shows some in Labour were more focused
:03:14. > :03:16.on damaging Mr Corbyn than anything else.
:03:17. > :03:19.While the Conservatives called it a shambles.
:03:20. > :03:22.The leaked manifesto proposes the renationalisation
:03:23. > :03:26.of the railways, as well as removing the cap on public sector workers
:03:27. > :03:35.How did that go down in Gower, the UK's most marginal constituency?
:03:36. > :03:38.The housing benefit, yes, I think should be restored.
:03:39. > :03:44.They can't get mortgages, they can't get homes, they can't rent.
:03:45. > :03:49.I am in agreement with a lot of the things, but I don't think
:03:50. > :03:52.they are going to come about because they haven't said
:03:53. > :03:54.where the money is going to come from, have they?
:03:55. > :03:56.And tonight, after talks on the Labour manifesto came
:03:57. > :03:59.to an end, the First Minister again stressed that the Welsh
:04:00. > :04:04.But also stressed the areas of shared passions throughout Labour.
:04:05. > :04:08.Both men probably also agree that today would have been best
:04:09. > :04:14.A man's been arrested on suspicion of murder
:04:15. > :04:17.by police searching for a missing woman near Rhyl.
:04:18. > :04:20.43-year-old mother of two, Tracey Kearns, from Kinmel Bay, has
:04:21. > :04:25.Police are carrying out inquiries in the area,
:04:26. > :04:32.Tracey's mum reported her concerns to North Wales Police yesterday
:04:33. > :04:36.after Tracey failed to meet a friend as arranged.
:04:37. > :04:42.We have not found Tracy, and today we've arrested a 40-year-old man,
:04:43. > :04:48.who was known to Tracey, on suspicion of murder.
:04:49. > :04:50.The man tasked with turning around the health board
:04:51. > :04:53.which covers North Wales after it was put in special measures
:04:54. > :04:57.says supervision could be lifted later this year, after improvements.
:04:58. > :05:00.However, speaking exclusively to BBC Wales, the chief executive
:05:01. > :05:03.of Betsi Cadwaldr admitted performance in some areas
:05:04. > :05:09.There's a whole range of waiting times I think
:05:10. > :05:15.Whether it's infections that are avoidable, or patients that
:05:16. > :05:24.might have a fall in our care, or patients who might
:05:25. > :05:30.I think people shouldn't wait some of the lenghts that they're waiting.
:05:31. > :05:33.And when they're in our care, I don't think they should expect any
:05:34. > :05:37.Plans for a Swansea Bay tidal lagoon would be approved by
:05:38. > :05:40.That was the party's message as it launched its general
:05:41. > :05:44.Leader Tim Farron said the party can present a more
:05:45. > :05:48.From Cardiff Bay, Carl Roberts reports.
:05:49. > :05:51.Tim Farron and some of his Welsh Lib Dem candidates
:05:52. > :05:53.taking a stroll around Cardiff Bay this morning.
:05:54. > :05:57.Mr Farron fears that the general election will be
:05:58. > :06:02.And he told party activists today that he was in Cardiff to change
:06:03. > :06:06.the tone of the election and present a more hopeful future than,
:06:07. > :06:09.he says, the Conservatives are offering post-Brexit.
:06:10. > :06:14.Mr Farron's visit to Cardiff Bay today coincides with a pledge
:06:15. > :06:16.to build a tidal lagoon in Swansea Bay.
:06:17. > :06:19.The Lib Dems want to add to the one Welsh seat they hold at Westminster,
:06:20. > :06:24.His visit to Cardiff today comes a week after the Lib Dems lost
:06:25. > :06:29.The Liberal Democrats would approve the building of the Swansea Bay
:06:30. > :06:34.The scheme's developers say electricity generated
:06:35. > :06:39.by the six-mile lagoon would power 150,000 homes for 120 years.
:06:40. > :06:43.The party says it would then want to see tidal developments
:06:44. > :06:47.around the coast of Wales - in Cardiff, Newport and Colwyn Bay.
:06:48. > :06:51.Before the project can go ahead, though, UK Government ministers
:06:52. > :06:55.would have to agree a deal on the level of subsidy required
:06:56. > :06:58.And a marine licence would also need to be approved.
:06:59. > :07:01.Quite frankly, some of us are fed up with constantly reminding
:07:02. > :07:04.the Government that they need to take action on this.
:07:05. > :07:06.Such is the enormity of this project for the renewables
:07:07. > :07:09.sector in south Wales, we need to get on with it.
:07:10. > :07:12.Britain can be a better place than the place Theresa May
:07:13. > :07:18.Tim Farron hopes the electoral tide is turning for his party and wants
:07:19. > :07:20.the Liberal Democrats to protect Wales against the threat
:07:21. > :07:24.of a Conservative landslide not seen since the 1980s.
:07:25. > :07:28.Many of us in the north of England and here in Wales do not need
:07:29. > :07:34.We remember what it would be like to be taken for granted by that
:07:35. > :07:37.If you want someone fighting your corner,
:07:38. > :07:39.then you want someone with an alternative vision
:07:40. > :07:43.And as the only party that did not back Theresa May's extreme version
:07:44. > :07:46.of Brexit over Article 50, the Liberal Democrats offer Britain
:07:47. > :07:48.real hope of real change and a decent opposition.
:07:49. > :07:56.But one Welsh MP between them is not the Lib Dems' aim.
:07:57. > :07:58.They lost two of their three parliamentary seats
:07:59. > :08:01.The Liberal Democrats hope they have weathered
:08:02. > :08:03.the political storm, though, and can add
:08:04. > :08:07.to their solitary MP on June the 8th.
:08:08. > :08:09.The future of many small hydro schemes -
:08:10. > :08:11.which pump money back into communities -
:08:12. > :08:14.is in jeopardy due to a sharp rise in business rates.
:08:15. > :08:18.That's the warning from two industry bodies, who've told BBC Wales that
:08:19. > :08:22.some green energy projects have seen rate increases up to 900%.
:08:23. > :08:29.Our environment correspondent Steffan Messenger has more.
:08:30. > :08:33.For the last year, the villagers of Abergwyngregyn in Gwynedd have
:08:34. > :08:36.been using their local river to generate electricity
:08:37. > :08:42.They used to pay ?900 a month as a tax to the local council.
:08:43. > :08:46.But after a recent revaluation of business rates across Wales
:08:47. > :08:50.and England, their bill has shot up to over ?2,000 a month.
:08:51. > :08:54.It's mainly volunteers that run community energy projects like this
:08:55. > :08:59.Their profits ploughed back into the local area -
:09:00. > :09:01.the upkeep of the village hall, for instance, or grants
:09:02. > :09:06.So to see a big chunk of those profits disappear as a result
:09:07. > :09:09.of this hike in business rates is, for many, hard to take.
:09:10. > :09:14.I am extremely annoyed - I have done this in good faith
:09:15. > :09:18.all these years and I expect the money that the hydro produces
:09:19. > :09:24.This increase is just out of all proportion.
:09:25. > :09:29.Gwynedd, with mountains and rivers aplenty, has become a hub
:09:30. > :09:31.for community hydro schemes in recent years.
:09:32. > :09:34.In Bethesda, where theirs has only just started generating,
:09:35. > :09:36.they're now predicting they'll make a loss each
:09:37. > :09:39.month, with no money at all for the local area.
:09:40. > :09:42.These projects have been set up for community enhancement,
:09:43. > :09:46.community sustainability, and this is ripping
:09:47. > :09:51.In Scotland, they have done something about it,
:09:52. > :09:53.they are giving 100% business rates relief, because they
:09:54. > :09:56.know it's of benefit to the communities that they serve.
:09:57. > :10:01.In Wales, there is nothing really for these medium to larger systems.
:10:02. > :10:05.The British Hydropower Association say a quirk in the way
:10:06. > :10:08.the rates are worked out is hitting their members
:10:09. > :10:10.particularly hard, and ultimately a change in the law
:10:11. > :10:15.In the meantime, the support available to help businesses
:10:16. > :10:18.pay their way is in the hands of the Welsh Government,
:10:19. > :10:22.and they believe ministers here could do more.
:10:23. > :10:24.You have a strategy that sets out your green agenda,
:10:25. > :10:26.and yet you're standing by while not only hydro
:10:27. > :10:31.schemes are suffering, but small businesses.
:10:32. > :10:34.And those small businesses, at some stage, will say,
:10:35. > :10:36.we cannot afford to pay these rates and therefore, they will abandon
:10:37. > :10:39.the schemes, and that's the last thing we want.
:10:40. > :10:42.The Labour-run Welsh government says it is aware of the situation
:10:43. > :10:45.and is considering whether to offer specific assistance with business
:10:46. > :10:51.Plaid Cymru and the Lib Dems told us they would do that.
:10:52. > :10:54.While the Green Party said they'd scrap the taxes altogether
:10:55. > :10:59.Ukip and the Conservatives didn't respond.
:11:00. > :11:03.Meanwhile, the community energy sector, much favoured
:11:04. > :11:10.by politicians of all hues, says it's in deep water.
:11:11. > :11:12.Cardiff Castle looks a little different tonight
:11:13. > :11:15.as the city gets ready to stage the Champions League final.
:11:16. > :11:18.It's been taken over by a blue dragon, a giant trophy
:11:19. > :11:22.and photographs of players ahead of the clash between
:11:23. > :11:25.Real Madrid and Juventus on the 3rd of June.
:11:26. > :11:27.Work is well under way as the capital prepares
:11:28. > :11:39.A look at the weather now, Derek has the forecast.
:11:40. > :11:48.Greetings. As expected, we have seen a change in the weather today. The
:11:49. > :11:51.beautiful sunshine in the north this morning, and in Porthmadog, the
:11:52. > :11:57.temperature soared to 22 Celsius. But the humidity has been rising,
:11:58. > :12:01.and we've seen a few dark clouds and thundershowers as well. Tonight, a
:12:02. > :12:09.few scattered showers, rain in parts of South Wales, heavy in places. A
:12:10. > :12:13.much milder night, lowest temperatures around eight Celsius.
:12:14. > :12:17.Tomorrow morning, rain and showers around, but some places will try and
:12:18. > :12:23.brighten up with a little sunshine. Across the rest of the UK, low
:12:24. > :12:25.pressure will bring plenty of cloud. Rain and showers, heavy, thundery
:12:26. > :12:30.downpours in parts of England in the afternoon. Fewer showers in
:12:31. > :12:35.Scotland, some dry weather, the best of sunshine in the west. Top
:12:36. > :12:40.trumpeters in London, 19 Celsius, much cooler in northeast Scotland.
:12:41. > :12:47.Plenty of cloud in Wales tomorrow, thundery damp walls possible. A few
:12:48. > :12:52.miles around the road, next to no rain. Temperatures still feeling
:12:53. > :12:57.muggy. Tomorrow evening and overnight, longer spells of rain.
:12:58. > :13:01.Dry interludes as well, and another fairly mild night. Saturday and
:13:02. > :13:06.improving story, a few showers, heavy in the morning, clearing and
:13:07. > :13:10.brightening up through the day. Wind is picking up, more showers in the
:13:11. > :13:13.south west by evening. A spell of rain overnight on Saturday, that
:13:14. > :13:18.will clear leaving sunshine and showers by Sunday, becoming dry and
:13:19. > :13:23.feeling fresher. Much more changeable over the next few days
:13:24. > :13:24.compared to recently, but some sunshine over the weekend.
:13:25. > :13:27.We'll be back in Breakfast with updates from 6:25 tomorrow morning.
:13:28. > :13:30.For now, from all the late team, thanks for watching.