Latest news with #Chadwick
Irish Examiner
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Luke Chadwick on facing up to abuse and lifts to Old Trafford with Roy Keane
Luke Chadwick racked up over 500 professional appearances and an immensely successful football career. But the majority of conversations he has - including this one - still revolve around his seven years at Manchester United and the 39 appearances he made under Alex Ferguson. 'I never get bored of it', Chadwick says. 'I'm not naive to think anyone would know who I am if I hadn't been lucky enough to represent the club and it's something I'm very proud of. I'm really grateful. The life lessons I learned helped shape the person I am today.' Chadwick can look back fondly now, but the scars from that period took a long time to heal. It was October 1999 when Ferguson continued his contempt for the League Cup and selected the youngest-ever side in club history for a trip to Villa Park, with wiry winger Chadwick handed his debut. The 3-0 drubbing saw Ferguson deliver a forceful post-mortem, reminding the novices that such a defeat was wholly unacceptable. Chadwick was dispatched to United's partner club Royal Antwerp and would wait an entire year before seeing first-team action again. But in Belgium, Chadwick's excellent performances stirred some media attention and after a major interview with one of the national papers, he raced to a newsstand later that week to proudly grab a copy. 'I couldn't understand Flemish but I skimmed the article nevertheless,' Chadwick recounts in his recently-released autobiography Not Just A Pretty Face. 'I froze when I saw a paragraph containing words and phrases that I could understand. 'Dentures a la Bugs Bunny'. 'Acne''. Read More Matheus Cunha completes move to Manchester United on a five-year deal Embarrassed and ashamed, Chadwick hoped that it would be the first and last time the media would target him because of what he looked like. It wasn't. After being summoned back to Manchester early in the 2000/01 season, Chadwick was frequently involved and found the net twice as United cantered their way to another Premier League title. He had earned Ferguson's trust, negotiated a lucrative new contract and should have been savouring every moment. Instead, he was struggling with his mental health, becoming reclusive and withdrawn and dealing with paralysing levels of anxiety. All because of an incident that occurred the night before a home fixture against Derby County. Chadwick, then just 20 years old, received a text from a friend, who congratulated him on his 'appearance' on the BBC's light-hearted sports panel show They Think It's All Over. In the pit of his stomach, Chadwick knew what was coming. He waited to catch a repeat and sat in horror as his picture came on screen and host Nick Hancock did the rest. 'This photo of Luke Chadwick was ruined…when Luke Chadwick showed up'. Zing. Chadwick writes in the book that despite being so embarrassed, he 'perversely' kept watching. And a few minutes later, Hancock delivered another insult. Luke Chadwick's book 'Iron Maiden's biggest hit is The Number of the Beast. And if you want to know the number of the beast, Luke Chadwick wears the number 36'. Chadwick's self-esteem started to unravel. He would turn down invitations from team-mates to head out and socialise, the numbing fear of abuse ensuring he'd order a takeaway and hunker down in his flat instead. He would even avoid shopping. But every Friday night, without fail, he would sit in front of the TV and tune into They Think It's All Over, agonisingly waiting for the inevitable mockery. Afterwards he'd sit in silence and wonder when it would all stop. Instead, it started to spread, from national television to magazines and newspapers. At one point, The Guardian described a blow-up between Ryan Giggs and goalkeeper Roy Carroll at a festive knees-up. 'Manchester United's Christmas party turned ugly on Wednesday night, though it had nothing at all to do with the presence of Luke Chadwick'. The media instigated the abuse and others were empowered. Chadwick was teflon on the pitch, unaffected by any verbals from the crowd. But, getting back on the team bus after away games now became a jarring experience. He avoids the specifics, but describes the toxic abuse from rival supporters as 'really awful stuff'. On trips back home to Cambridge - a consistently safe space for Chadwick - he started to hear the occasional smart comment. As a defence mechanism, he'd proudly boast about earning £12,000 per week. He admits the entire ordeal changed him as a person 'for a short period'. Years later, as the world grappled with the mental toll of isolation amidst persistent lockdowns, Chadwick finally opened up via social media, discussing his struggles during that period. Hancock apologised, as did Gary Lineker - one of the team captains on They Think It's All Over. 'I was never watching telly thinking, 'I hate these guys'', Chadwick says. 'There was never any grudge like that because I'm just not that type of person. All I wanted was for it to stop because it filled me with so much dread and shame. But I'm 100% responsible for how I feel. I didn't have the emotional intelligence to deal with it internally. I wasn't able to show vulnerability because I felt so embarrassed about it. So it wasn't about the TV show. It was about me and trying to stop how I felt and not knowing how to do that'. Chadwick is quick to admit his off-field struggles did not contribute to his subsequent exit from United in 2004, following loan spells with Reading and Burnley. Known for his pace, he'd begun to feel pain in his pelvis and hips. Surgery inevitably followed and when Chadwick returned for pre-season, he noticed a seismic change in his game: a substantial drop in his explosiveness. Roy Keane advised him to grin and bear it, that playing through an injury was part of the life of a Manchester United player. Ironically, Keane would be forced to retire because of a persistent hip problem. Keane provided plenty of counsel to Chadwick throughout his time at the club, putting him in touch with his solicitor Michael Kennedy during contract negotiations and acting as an unofficial chauffeur on plenty of occasions. Memorably, it was Chadwick in the passenger seat on the drive home following Keane's infamous retribution on Alf Inge Haaland in the Manchester derby in April 2001. PRESENTING: MUTV Presenter Luke Chadwick is seen prior to the Premier League match between West Ham United and Manchester United at London Stadium. Pic: Visionhaus/Getty Images 'That was a quiet car ride back to my flat', he says with a laugh. 'But he was the ultimate captain. Some players are just moaners, whinging about everything. And you never felt that way about him. It's hard in the moment, when he's shouting at you and telling you off. But you listened to him and understood why he was doing it. More than anything, you wanted to impress him because he was such an influence on the club.' Though there was plenty of advice on some things, few at United seemed interested in delving too much into the abuse Chadwick was still receiving. During a reserve game against Manchester City, he played poorly and was replaced. As he sat on the bench, confidence completely extinguished, the insults began from the City fans. The abuse was so bad, and so personal, that in an effort to quell the vitriol, Brian McClair - United's reserve boss at the time - turned around to chastise them. Chadwick describes it as 'probably the lowest point of my United career'. When he left the club and signed with West Ham, it was an escape from the goldfish bowl, the intensity of the spotlight. Chadwick never played top-flight football again but went on to enjoy an impressive career with Stoke, Norwich and most notably MK Dons. And he also developed the maturity to look back on his struggles with a fresh perspective. Read More Roy Keane: England players were having a chat like they were in Starbucks Chadwick is now director of the Football Fun Factory, a nationwide company specializing in using sport as a way for children to express themselves in a relaxed environment, and has developed the maturity to look back on his struggles with a fresh perspective. 'The understanding of self is the most important thing we can ever accomplish, really', he says. 'There should probably be more work done within that field when you're growing up to ensure you develop into a grounded young adult. My whole life was about football. And it's all you think about. But when something happens, do you have the emotional intelligence to handle it? With the abuse I received, I didn't know how to deal with it. And it's not just being about a footballer but on a wider scale. It's having a better sense of your emotions and feelings to lead a happy and fulfilling life.' Not Just A Pretty Face is out now and available via Pitch Publishing.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Yahoo
Cocaine, jail break, inmate death: Henderson city emails reveal new concerns
HENDERSON (KLAS) — A widely circulated release obtained by 8 News Now provides a timeline of events that ultimately led Henderson City Manager Stephanie Garcia-Vause to fire then-police chief Hollie Chadwick. The redacted City of Henderson emails reveal new details about several concerns with law enforcement and the fraught relationship between the city manager and police chief. More than a few of the emails are similar to public requests from 8 News Now that have gone unfulfilled for months. Ex-Henderson police chief blames mayor for abrupt dismissal, announces bid to run against her A Hollie Chadwick for Mayor campaign spokesperson told 8 News Now they have seen the report, and they allege several responses from the former police chief were not included in the release. The following are several excerpts from the widely circulated release. On Dec. 9, 2024, Garcia-Vause asked Chadwick to respond to several concerns raised, including cocaine found on police property. 'Regarding a narcotics detective found with cocaine in his desk in October 2024,' Garcia-Vause wrote. 'Was he ever drug tested? What is the policy when that happens?' Chadwick wrote in response that the incident was fully investigated by the police department's internal affairs bureau, which never drug tested the detective. 'No, the officer was not drug tested because he was not under the influence and there was no reason to test him,' Chadwick said. 'This was an unfortunate oversight from an officer who works long hours for our department. In addition, he is part of the narcotics unit, which is subject to random drug tests throughout the year per policy.' The narcotics detective was described by Chadwick as never failing a random drug test to the best of her knowledge. On Feb. 5, Garcia-Vause outlined a list of concerns she wanted addressed by Chadwick which ranged from OIS procedure to internal complaints. The city manager ended the email with a series of explanations of how different she would be from former city manager Richard Derick. 'I am hearing many of the same complaints, including – favoritism in promotions and specialized assignments, inconsistent or unfair discipline, inconsistent policy applications or ignoring policy altogether, and a culture of retaliation,' Garcia-Vause wrote. 'Just to name a few.' 'Make an appointment': Henderson city manager dodges questions about fired police chief Garcia-Vause drew parallels for Chadwick from a speech she watched delivered by LVMPD Deputy Chief Sasha Larkin in which she talked about how she wished she did more after leaving the scene of a battered woman, explaining she didn't 'close the loop.' 'You communicated to me that you do not feel supported by me,' Garcia-Vause wrote. 'Please do not misunderstand my concerns and desire to improve the operations and culture of the department as a lack of support. To the contrary, I am invested in ensuring that Henderson has the best police department in the state.' The city manager explained that as part of her effort to implement operational change and cultural reforms, she would place retired police chief Kristen Ziman to work with Chadwick on a daily basis to determine how to improve Chadwick's efforts. 'To be successful in leading the changes,' Garcia-Vause wrote. 'I need you to refrain from immediately getting defensive when I ask questions or whenever a problem is brought to your attention.' 'This is exciting and I look forward to meeting Kristen and collaborating for her,' Chadwick wrote in response. On Feb. 6, Chadwick responded to a request from Henderson Councilwoman Monica Larson regarding an inmate, J. Chrusch. She apologized to Larson for not responding within the 48 hours required and enforced by state law. 'My apologies that this notification is beyond the 48 hours,' Chadwick wrote. 'I take full responsibility and moving forward it will not happen again.' On Dec. 2, 2024, the City of Henderson Police Department received a public records request from the Las Vegas Review-Journal seeking names and other information for ICE detainees. Nine days later, the LVRJ allegedly received full names, inmate IDs, booking and release dates of ICE inmates during the requested timeframe. Garcia-Vause wrote in an email that she found the release to be 'problematic,' citing a law that she alleged barred Henderson from releasing any such material. 'ICE detainees cannot be treated the same as our other inmates,' Garcia-Vause wrote. 'Different laws apply, and we are under different obligations pursuant to our contract with ICE.' But the concern grew when Henderson was contacted by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department about the LVRJ story. 'Metro contacted us to inquire why we would release information about our ICE detainees when the law prohibits us from doing so,' Garcia-Vause wrote. 'I do not appreciate these types of surprises.' Following the release of information to the LVRJ, Garcia-Vause ramped up conversations to merge the police department's public information office (PIO) with the city's office. 'It is important that the City speak to the public with one voice and deliver a consistent message to members of the media and other community stakeholders,' Garcia-Vause wrote. 'Having a department PIO division outside of the City's Public Information Office is inefficient and leads to inconsistencies.' Garcia-Vause asked Chadwick to write up a draft of a transition plan for handing over all responsibilities to the city. Chadwick wrote in response that she was meeting with city communication director Karina Milani on Feb. 10 to discuss and identify a transition plan. On Feb. 6, Garcia-Vause and other city staff discussed the best way to solve a 'jail breach' at the detention center on Water Street by an unnamed inmate. 'All gates were secured,' Chadwick wrote. 'He was able to slide thru the razor wire and slide down. As soon as he got to the ground by the maintenance area the cameras spotted him and he was taken into custody.' Some staff suggested an improvement be made to the wall or the maintenance gates which would include razor wire. Garcia-Vause wrote she would need to see how the razor wire looked given it can be seen from Water Street. Chadwick also characterized the razor wire as a possible 'eye sore.' 'I'm interested in hearing more about the gates and whether or not they were secured,' Garcia-Vause wrote. Ultimately, a police captain at the detention center suggested a series of fixes, including raising the wall height and setting up a temporary chain link fence, but added the security addition would be an 'eyesore.' Garcia-Vause emailed Chadwick to clarify what happened during an Oct. 27, 2023, officer-involved shooting. The incident, at the 2300 block of N. Green Valley Pkwy, resulted in Chadwick taking two involved police officers off-site to a fire station. 'Will you please clarify the policy or procedure that governs this,' Garcia-Vause wrote. 'It has been stated that there were no body cams, or witnesses with you and that the two officers did not do their PBT (Preliminary Breath Test), nor were they drug tested or counted down before leaving the scene to use the restroom.' Chadwick emailed Garcia-Vause back that she was checking on the two officers who indicated they needed to use the restroom. The police chief noted the investigative units were not on scene yet, and the overall investigation could take hours. 'I made the decision to have them get in my vehicle and | took them to the nearest fire station, which was two blocks down the street,' she wrote. 'We were there approximately five minutes. We all walked in, they used the restroom, and we responded back to the scene.' The officers' body cameras were taken to download video from the incident prior to leaving the scene, according to Chadwick. 'This OIS (officer involved shooting) was investigated fully and there were no issues with their PBT results, drug test, or count down,' Chadwick wrote. 'To indicate otherwise is to discredit the integrity of the two officers involved in this critical incident and has zero merit.' Chadwick wrote that there were plans to purchase a motorhome for critical incidents so officers could use facilities. Garcia-Vause emailed Chadwick to explain what the response was after a June 2024 SWAT Team retreat in Utah saw a senior officer passing an unsealed alcoholic beverage to a less senior officer. Garcia-Vause emailed Chadwick asking her to explain the department's response regarding a senior officer who passed an unsealed alcoholic beverage to a less senior officer at a June 2024 SWAT Team retreat in Utah. 'This incident was fully investigated by our Internal Affairs Bureau while adhering to the officers NRS rights and their collective bargaining agreement,' Chadwick wrote. 'Officers did receive discipline, accepted the discipline, and continue to learn from their mistakes and move forward in a positive direction.' Garcia-Vause wrote that she found it unacceptable that Chadwick and members of the police command team were not attending celebrations involving the city council and city executive staff. 'Showing up for elected officials and colleagues shows respect and builds trust,' Garcia-Vause wrote. One of the celebrations which the police department did not appear to attend, according to Garcia-Vause, was a party held for an outgoing councilman. 'It was not acceptable that neither you nor anyone from your Command Team was present for the retirement celebration of Councilman Shaw,' Garcia-Vause wrote. 'Absolutely,' Chadwick wrote in response. 'Now that we know the expectations, we will ensure a presence at all these events.' The retirement topic shifted into apparent favoritism for specific police staff. One example included by Garcia-Vause included a special retirement gun purchased by a deputy chief (DC). 'Deputy Chief Boucher used his position and City email to request his subordinates donate to a retiring lieutenant who was a personal friend of his,' Garcia-Vause wrote. 'The department does not request donations to purchase gifts for all retiring officers, so Deputy Chief Boucher's email gave the perception of favoritism.' 'I have spoke with HR and DC Boucher and he understands that he will not use city email again for this type of request,' Chadwick wrote in response. 'DC Boucher did confirm he did not use any city purchasing power for the retirement gift.' In an email sent to Garcia-Vause, a Henderson Police Department retired sergeant wrote that they were the victim of continual workplace harassment supported by Chadwick. 'My retirement was a direct result of continual workplace harassment that was supported by Police Chief Hollie Chadwick,' the retired sergeant wrote. The retired sergeant alleged that they were the lead investigator who completed a 'DUI cover-up investigation.' 'Chief Chadwick inexplicably sustained the involved Officers with low level discipline even though the investigative report established that significant Officer misconduct occurred,' the retired sergeant wrote. 'The Officers involved met the threshold in our disciplinary matrix where they should have all been placed on a Brady list for untruthfulness and terminated.' Chadwick and the deputy chief were claimed to have turned a blind eye to significant misconduct and allegedly accused internal affairs of an excessive overreach. 'That could be the furthest from the truth,' the retired sergeant wrote. 'Yet it was fully supported by Chief Chadwick when she was asked to explain the decisions she made.' The email to Garcia-Vause ends with accusations of corruption and poor management, which the retired chief asks to be investigated. 'I am sincerely sorry you had to endure the workplace environment you described,' Garcia-Vause wrote in response. 'I would like to know more about the incident you shared and your experiences in the police department.' Garcia-Vause thanked the retired sergeant by email and wrote that she looked forward to meeting them. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Pembrokeshire Herald
06-06-2025
- Business
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Sex offender built patio illegally on ancient priory ruins
David Chadwick calls for rail powers to be devolved to Wales after confirmation East-West Rail brings no funding uplift WELSH Liberal Democrat MP David Chadwick has criticised the UK Government after it confirmed that Wales will receive no additional funding from the £6.6 billion East-West Rail scheme, which runs entirely between Oxford and Cambridge in England. Mr Chadwick uncovered the detail through a written parliamentary question answered by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, Simon Lightwood. The project has been classified as an 'England and Wales' scheme, despite not including any infrastructure in Wales — a classification that prevents Wales from receiving a proportional share of funding through the Barnett formula. Not happy over rail funding: Liberal Democrat, David Chadwick MP The issue mirrors the controversy over HS2, which was also designated as benefiting both England and Wales, even though the line does not extend into Welsh territory. Independent estimates suggest Wales could have received over £360 million in consequential funding from East-West Rail if it had been classified as 'England only.' Broader estimates indicate that similar misclassifications over the past decade may have cost Wales more than £4 billion in potential funding. In the House of Commons, Mr Chadwick described the decision as 'shocking,' and renewed calls for the devolution of full rail infrastructure powers to the Senedd. He argued that only through devolution can Wales prevent future misallocations and ensure investment in local lines such as the Heart of Wales Line. Speaking after the exchange, Mr Chadwick said: 'It is simply indefensible that Wales continues to be frozen out of hundreds of millions in rail funding for projects that do not lay a single centimetre of track in our country. We saw this with HS2, with Northern Powerhouse Rail, and now again with East-West Rail. Time after time, Wales is left behind.' He added: 'Wales must be able to invest properly in its own rail network. That includes delivering serious improvements to the Heart of Wales Line, which has been neglected for decades. This line is a lifeline for rural communities, supporting jobs, education and tourism, and it deserves the same level of ambition and investment as rail services elsewhere in the UK.' While critics point to a pattern of funding disparities, the UK Government maintains that major rail projects often bring broader economic benefits across the UK, including Wales — for example, through supply chains or job creation. However, Welsh politicians and transport experts have repeatedly argued that these indirect benefits do not match the level of direct investment seen in other parts of the union. The Welsh Government has long advocated for the devolution of rail infrastructure powers, which are currently reserved to Westminster. It has argued that devolution would enable more targeted investment in Wales's underfunded network — a view backed by a growing number of transport economists. Mr Chadwick and the Welsh Liberal Democrats continue to campaign for East-West Rail to be reclassified as an 'England only' scheme and for a fair funding settlement that reflects actual geographic delivery. They are also pressing for urgent investment in rural rail services, particularly the Heart of Wales Line, which connects Swansea to Shrewsbury via mid Wales.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Immigration enforcement at heart of divisive Chesapeake sheriff's race
CHESAPEAKE — One of the region's most divisive races in this election cycle is between two Republicans vying to be Chesapeake's fourth elected sheriff. At the heart of the division in the race is the city's immigration enforcement and cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. Sheriff Dave Rosado said the city is following all ICE best practices and has even expanded its partnership. But his opponent, Chesapeake police officer Wallace Chadwick III, argues Rosado only began to hold inmates in custody on ICE detainers after Chadwick criticized the sheriff's office for not doing so. Chesapeake Republican party members on the local, state and federal level are not a united front, and have split support among the two men. The Republican primary is June 17. No other candidates have filed to run as Democrats or Independents, so whoever wins the primary would be the presumptive winner in the fall and secure a 4-year term. The sheriff's office handles jail security, courthouse security, civil enforcement and the school resource program, among other duties. Rosado took the reins in November to fulfill the remaining term for former Sheriff Jim O'Sullivan, who retired after more than a decade. Rosado worked in the Chesapeake Sheriff's office for more than 20 years and became the city's first Hispanic undersheriff in 2022. In the office, he's overseen jail operations, expanded the school resource officer program for elementary schools and led anti-bullying initiatives for students. 'I've been with the office for 20 years, worked all sections of the jail, and I truly love what I do. And I want to continue serving the city,' Rosado said. 'There's no trying to get to know the job. I'm ready today because I've been doing the job.' Chadwick is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and currently serves as a lieutenant and executive officer of the police's Special Operations Division and oversees the maritime operations unit. He's thrown his hat in the race to push against what he said is a tradition in Chesapeake of grooming someone internally within a 'good ole boys' network to step up and take over. He said he was compelled to run to change the 'culture' of the sheriff's office and give deputies 'a voice.' 'We've only had three elected sheriffs since 1963 and those elected sheriffs have been generationally passed down to the next guy,' Chadwick said. 'So essentially, they're grooming someone to take over their position and doing everything they can to assure that that way of life goes on.' If elected, Chadwick said he also wants to boost recidivism and rehab programs in the jail as well as change and update data systems for more communication between the sheriff's office and the police department. At the heart of Chadwick's campaign, however, is his criticism of how he said the sheriff's office has failed to cooperate with ICE under Rosado's leadership. ICE detainers are requests to local law enforcement to hold a person in custody for 48 hours past their scheduled release to give federal authorities time to pick them up them for possible deportation proceedings. In the past, federal courts have found some local law enforcement agencies liable for unconstitutional detentions under ICE detainers. Last year, New York City agreed to pay $92 million in damages to immigrants who were unlawfully detained beyond scheduled release dates. 757 Votes: The Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press 2025 primary election guide Chesapeake sheriff is being challenged by a city police officer Youngkin directs Virginia State Police and prisons to cooperate with ICE Chadwick alleges the Chesapeake Sheriff's Office was not honoring ICE detainer requests under O'Sullivan or Rosado — at least until he pointed it out and made it a talking point of his campaign. Chadwick's campaign website includes a host of documents he said he received through Freedom of Information Act requests, including emails and memos regarding the city's immigration enforcement policies. Chadwick slams Rosado for releasing a 'convicted child sex predator' instead of holding him for 48 hours before releasing him into ICE's custody. 'The right thing for him to do would have been to take full accountability and say, 'You know what? This was pointed out. We are now changing our policy. We are now in full compliance,'' Chadwick said. 'I would not have had an argument after that, because he came out, took accountability and said, 'Yes, we're doing it.' Instead, he doubled down. He said, 'We've always complied with ICE.'' Rosado denies those assertions. He said he adopted all existing policy when he assumed the role in November, and then policy was reviewed and updated in March following an executive order from Gov. Glenn Youngkin in February requesting sheriffs certify compliance with ICE. The primary update was the implementation of a 48-hour detainer hold, which wasn't part of the policy in November. But after talking with other sheriffs about the executive order, Rosado said Chesapeake implemented the 48-hour hold, deemed an ICE best practice. He explained that when someone is jailed for a charge, ICE is contacted if it's an undocumented immigrant, then contacted again five days before release and each subsequent day until release. And as of this week, the city's ICE partnership was expanded to allow 72-hour holds, which Rosado said gives ICE extra time to process detainers without needing to travel hours away. Rosado said it was possible due to decreased restrictions under the federal administration. 'If (ICE) cannot come or make arrangements for transport at that time or prior, then legally, I cannot keep someone in our facility if the judge has released them, or their time is up, or if they make bonds,' he said. Rosado said when he took over in November, 24 people in the Chesapeake jail had ICE detainers. He said ICE has since picked up most of them, two were transferred to another facility, and four remain in custody. 'It doesn't happen a lot. We are very fortunate that Chesapeake doesn't have those issues,' Rosado said. 'We don't have illegal immigrants running (rampant) in the city … and we do not have dangerous criminal illegal aliens being released by me or this jail into our community. So that is not true, and we work closely and have a great partnership with ICE.' '] Rosado said he believes the attacks from his opponent are politically motivated. 'That's a narrative that someone who doesn't have their strategy is just to be negative when they have nothing to stand on or nothing to represent,' Rosado said. 'My opponent, he's a good cop, and I'm sure that in his role as traffic lieutenant, he's doing a good job, but I couldn't do that job. I don't know what makes him think that he can do my job.' Local, state and federal Republicans are split on who they're backing in the race. Rosado touts endorsements from U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans, Virginia Sen. Christie New Craig, Virginia Del. Barry Knight, Mayor Rick West, former Chesapeake Sheriffs John Newhart and O'Sullivan, the Chesapeake Fraternal Order of Police and council member Jeff Bunn. Rosado also boasts the endorsement of Tony Pham, assistant secretary for border and immigration policy in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Meanwhile, Chadwick has in his corner former Congressman Randy Forbes and wife Shirley, outgoing Virginia Del. Baxter Ennis, Virginia Sen. Bill DeSteph, Vice Mayor John de Triquet, former Commonwealth's Attorney Nancy Parr, council members Amanda Newins and Daniel Whitaker and the Chesapeake firefighters' union. As for money in the race, Rosado boasts a more powerful war chest of $218,131 in campaign donations as of March 31. Among his biggest donations are $2,000 from New Craig's campaign committee, $1,000 from Historic Greenbrier Farms owner Kent Basnight and $5,000 from Collins Machine Works. Chadwick has received $75,664 in donations as of March 31, including a $4,743 loan from himself. Donations include $1,000 from Newins' campaign and $1,000 from her individually, $1,000 from Whitaker, $300 from Triquet and a $7,500 in-kind donation from DeSteph. Natalie Anderson, 757-732-1133,
Pembrokeshire Herald
05-06-2025
- Business
- Pembrokeshire Herald
MP accuses government of rail funding bias as £6.6bn project excludes Wales
David Chadwick calls for rail powers to be devolved to Wales after confirmation East-West Rail brings no funding uplift WELSH Liberal Democrat MP David Chadwick has criticised the UK Government after it confirmed that Wales will receive no additional funding from the £6.6 billion East-West Rail scheme, which runs entirely between Oxford and Cambridge in England. Mr Chadwick uncovered the detail through a written parliamentary question answered by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, Simon Lightwood. The project has been classified as an 'England and Wales' scheme, despite not including any infrastructure in Wales — a classification that prevents Wales from receiving a proportional share of funding through the Barnett formula. Not happy over rail funding: Liberal Democrat, David Chadwick MP The issue mirrors the controversy over HS2, which was also designated as benefiting both England and Wales, even though the line does not extend into Welsh territory. Independent estimates suggest Wales could have received over £360 million in consequential funding from East-West Rail if it had been classified as 'England only.' Broader estimates indicate that similar misclassifications over the past decade may have cost Wales more than £4 billion in potential funding. In the House of Commons, Mr Chadwick described the decision as 'shocking,' and renewed calls for the devolution of full rail infrastructure powers to the Senedd. He argued that only through devolution can Wales prevent future misallocations and ensure investment in local lines such as the Heart of Wales Line. Speaking after the exchange, Mr Chadwick said: 'It is simply indefensible that Wales continues to be frozen out of hundreds of millions in rail funding for projects that do not lay a single centimetre of track in our country. We saw this with HS2, with Northern Powerhouse Rail, and now again with East-West Rail. Time after time, Wales is left behind.' He added: 'Wales must be able to invest properly in its own rail network. That includes delivering serious improvements to the Heart of Wales Line, which has been neglected for decades. This line is a lifeline for rural communities, supporting jobs, education and tourism, and it deserves the same level of ambition and investment as rail services elsewhere in the UK.' While critics point to a pattern of funding disparities, the UK Government maintains that major rail projects often bring broader economic benefits across the UK, including Wales — for example, through supply chains or job creation. However, Welsh politicians and transport experts have repeatedly argued that these indirect benefits do not match the level of direct investment seen in other parts of the union. The Welsh Government has long advocated for the devolution of rail infrastructure powers, which are currently reserved to Westminster. It has argued that devolution would enable more targeted investment in Wales's underfunded network — a view backed by a growing number of transport economists. Mr Chadwick and the Welsh Liberal Democrats continue to campaign for East-West Rail to be reclassified as an 'England only' scheme and for a fair funding settlement that reflects actual geographic delivery. They are also pressing for urgent investment in rural rail services, particularly the Heart of Wales Line, which connects Swansea to Shrewsbury via mid Wales.
