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Senedd image of Thatcher ‘an insult to Wales’

PLANS to install a huge image of Margaret Thatcher inside the Senedd building were yesterday condemned as an “insult to the people of Wales”. Read

I am the right leader for these difficult times, Brown insists

GORDON BROWN yesterday dismissed speculation that he faces a leadership challenge as “gossip”, promising to restore his reputation by focusing on the economy and the future of the Union. Read

Murphy’s devolution comments ‘based on false assumption’ – Wigley

FORMER Plaid Cymru president Dafydd Wigley says Welsh Secretary Paul Murphy’s apparent bid to put a brake on the devolution process following the recent council elections is based on a false assumption. Read

Brown’s pat on the back for Cardiff City boss

PRIME Minister Gordon Brown has praised Cardiff City boss Dave Jones for his “great job” in taking the Bluebirds to tomorrow’s FA Cup final. Read

Angry AMs liken new blog blocks to Communist-era censorship

NEW rules about what politicians can say on their Assembly-funded websites have been compared to Communist-era censorship. Read

China opens up to give quake survivors a fighting chance

The Chinese earthquake has triggered devastation on an unimaginable scale, and, in turn, a vast aid effort. Tomos Livingstone reports on the complicated logistics of sending aid to China Read

Gordon won’t acknowledge this big change

“I am looking forward to building a stronger economy in Britain,” Gordon Brown told the Commons last week, writes Tomos Livingstone. Read

Project marks a new chapter for libraries

A NEW chapter in the history of Cardiff’s libraries will begin as part of a £10.5m project to transform the nation’s services. Read

Heads call for talks

HEADTEACHERS want to discuss concerns about the “woeful” funding of the foundation phase with Assembly Members. Read

Westminster’s stopping Wales working for children’s rights, says commissioner

THE Children’s Commissioner for Wales yesterday described his frustration at Westminster’s refusal to support Welsh efforts to ban smacking. Read

Common ground sought for NHS constitution

TALKS between Whitehall and the devolved administrations on “common denominators” that can be included in a single UK-wide constitution for the NHS are in the pipeline. Read

Rights hope for agency workers

New rights for agency workers could finally be introduced after a long campaign by unions and Labour MPs. Read

Brown sets out vision for ‘fairer, more prosperous Britain’

GORDON BROWN stepped up his political fightback yesterday with a plan to help first-time buyers onto the property ladder and a claim his struggling administration was still best placed to build a “fairer, more prosperous” Britain. Read

WAG invests record £7.5m in Airbus

DEPUTY First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones has today announced the Welsh Assembly Government's largest ever investment in research and development with a £7.5m contribution to a £103m Airbus-led programme to make the next generation of aircraft wings. Read

Jack Straw: English parliament would split Union

SETTING up an English parliament would be a disaster as Wales and Scotland would demand independence, Justice Secretary Jack Straw said yesterday. Read

Darling rewrites Budget to give basic rate taxpayers £120 each

CHANCELLOR Alistair Darling threw a lifeline to Gordon Brown yesterday with a £2.7bn giveaway aimed at ending the 10p tax row. Read

Lib Dems and Plaid set for a coalition in Cardiff

THE Liberal Democrats and Plaid Cymru are entering into “full negotiations” towards a coalition to run Wales’ largest council. Read

Tory says business rate relief in Wales is ‘measly’

A former Tory Assembly candidate has accused Plaid Cymru of breaking its election promise to help small businesses. Read

Call for weekend power referendum

LABOUR AM Lesley Griffiths has called for a referendum on lawmaking powers for the National Assembly to be held on a weekend to maximise voter participation. Read

Wales making a success of law-making powers, says Elis-Thomas

ASSEMBLY Presiding Officer Lord Elis-Thomas, pictured, insisted yesterday that the devolution settlement was working well in Wales, a year after controversial new arrangements were introduced. Read