Questions the parties face in Preseli

Standing in an election you learn a lot about the strengths and weaknesses of your opponents. Most of the candidates first met each other in the hustings across Pembrokeshire during the campaign, from Newport to Neyland. For all of us the experience highlighted fundamental questions we face, including myself in Plaid Cymru. 

In the campaign Stephen Crabb, freshly elected Conservative MP, declared that the future of Withybush was the number one concern. He put out a special leaflet calling for the restoration of the Special Care Baby Unit. All the candidates agreed on this. But what would restoring the Special Care Baby Unit mean? It would involve returning a consultant-led maternity service at Withybush, including gynaecology, obstetrics and paediatrics specialities.

The Hywel Dda Health Board and Welsh Government argue that it is financially unsustainable to have this level of cover at both Haverfordwest and Carmarthen. Advised by doctors our reply is to say that it is vital for all mothers in childbirth to be within 20 minutes of a consultant gynaecologist in case anything goes wrong, otherwise lives will be lost.

But does Stephen Crabb fully appreciate the extent and financial implications of what he is calling for? And will he use his position as Secretary of State for Wales to make this essential demand a priority in his regular meetings with Carwyn Jones the Labour First Minister in Cardiff Bay? 

Labour candidate Paul Miller fought a decent campaign. His role as leader of the Labour Group in toppling chief executive Bryn Parry-Jones as chief executive of the council meant he had a good record to defend. He also demonstrated initiative with his ‘Plan for Pembrokeshire’ and its emphasis on creating new jobs. However, Paul was hampered by his party. This showed in the campaign by the way it was he who was projected by Labour rather than Labour itself.

Labour has retreated into its southern redoubt around Neyland and Milford and finds it difficult to appeal across the county as a whole. There is an anti-Tory majority in Pembrokeshire but it is split across the progressive parties. The question for Labour is whether it can bridge the gap. 

Like the Greens elsewhere Frances Bryant suffered from her effort to broaden her party’s appeal. In the process her central message about climate change tended to get lost. But can the Greens avoid being other than a one track party? 

The question for the Liberal Democrats concerns its fielding a phantom candidate. Nick Tregoning did not appear in this election. He didn’t attend any of the hustings and even failed to turn up for the count. 

Plaid Cymru’s challenge is similar to Labour’s. How can Plaid build a coalition across Preseli to unite the progressive majority that is out there to be mobilised? We wondered whether Chris Overton and his independent campaign for Withybush might lead the way this time. The relative success of Howard Lillyman in putting UKIP third in the Preseli election demonstrates the hurdle we have to overcome. But we have to strive to do better in the Assembly elections next year. The future of our public services in Pembrokeshire depends on it.