Welsh Liberal blogs

                                                Remain-supporting parties should discuss working together in a snap general election or second EU referendum, Plaid Cymru's leader said. Adam Price has written to the Liberal Democrats, Green Party, Change UK and the SNP.  He said they should work together for "as long as necessary" to deliver another vote on EU membership. His call comes after the Brexit Party took two Welsh seats in the recent EU elections. Plaid Cymru and Labour each took one of the country's four MEP seats in Brussels. Despite the Brexit Party's victory, Mr Price said the combined total votes given to anti-Brexit parties shows that Brexit "cannot be considered the settled will of the people". The Brexit Party gained 32.5% of the vote in Wales with UKIP taking 3.3% while Plaid Cymru received 19.6%, the Libera...

Council houses are being built in parts of Wales for the first time in decades in response to a shortage of affordable housing. The Welsh Government wants councils to take advantage of new rules allowing them to borrow more money. But Cardiff council said it could raise more cash if the Welsh Government allowed it to increase people's rent. More than 8,000 council homes were completed in 1976, compared to an annual average of 15 since 2000. Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Anglesey, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Wrexham, Powys, Pembrokeshire, Swansea and Vale of Glamorgan councils are among those now building their own homes again. Even with hundreds of homes being built or bought in some counties, the numbers are way below the huge council-house building programmes of the 1970s. Housing charity Shelter said 66,386 households were on waiting lists in Wales, according to 2018 figures. Councils have been able to borrow more to build homes since April ...

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have selected local campaigner Chris Twells as the party’s lead candidate for the North Wales region at the next National Assembly for Wales election. North Wales elected a Welsh Liberal Democrat AM at every election until 2016, when UKIP won two seats. Chris was selected by Welsh Liberal Democrat members living in Ynys Mon, Arfon, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire and Wrexham in an all-member ballot. Chris was born in St Asaph and brought up in Rhosesmor, Flintshire, attending the Alun School in Mold before going on to study Law at the University of York. He has been an active Liberal Democrat member since joining the party as a student because of its strong pro-European stance and support for human rights. Caradog Steffan John, a fluent Welsh speaker and former researcher at the Assembly was chosen as the second candidate for the North Wales list. Lead Welsh Liberal Democrat candidate for North Wales, Chris Twells said: ...

Welsh Liberal Democrat former Welsh Government Minister and Wales Office Minister, Baroness Jenny Randerson, discusses the past and future of Welsh devolution to mark of a House of Lords debate marking 20 years of devolution. Today I was pleased to take part in a debate in Westminster marking 20 years of Welsh devolution. Of course, this debate takes place two weeks after the actual 20 th anniversary of devolution and after the Senedd marked this anniversary. I suppose this is just another way Westminster follows the National Assembly for Wales. Today’s is an important debate marking an important moment in the history of Welsh politics and of our nation. We’ve come a long way in 20 years. The Welsh Parliament with direct law-making powers and the ability to levy taxes we have today is a far cry from the institution I was first elected to 20 years ago. The devolution settlement that followed the knife edge 50.3% vote for Yes in 1997 was certainly flawed. It...

In addressing the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) Wales Annual Conference today, the Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism, Lord-Elis-Thomas, announced that museums, archives and libraries in Wales will benefit from nearly £1 million Welsh Government capital funding to develop and enhance their facilities and services. The Transformation Capital Grant Programme is supporting, museums, archives and libraries to transform services for users, and ensure their future sustainability. The fund will modernise 4 libraries: Pwllheli Library Skewen Library Ferndale Library Flint Library. In Rhydypennau community well-being hub and Whitchurch community well-being hub in Cardiff, new community facilities will be created, supporting the establishment of wider ‘hubs’ where people can access library services alongside a range of other amenities. Funding is also provided for Scolton Manor Railway Garden...

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have launched their campaign for the European parliamentary elections. Lead candidate Sam Bennett said Brexit would leave Wales poorer, less free and less able to shape its own destiny. It is one of several parties on the ballot paper calling for a further referendum on Britain's membership of the EU. The Welsh Lib Dems said they were "the party of remain" and had been "from the start". The party is hoping its recent local election success in England will help win its first ever Welsh MEP in the vote, which takes place on 23 May. The leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Jane Dodds said she was "deeply ashamed" of her party's support for benefit cuts during the coalition years with the Conservatives . Mr Bennett, a former chairman of the Young Liberals who works for Swansea University Medical School, said Brexit would "leave Wales poorer, less free and less able to shape our own dest...

Concerns have been raised about the procedure for managing a recall petition to decide if a Welsh Conservative MP will keep his seat. An ex-clerk to the Commons and a former electoral commissioner said there was a degree of "public confusion" over the process and questioned its fairness . Brecon and Radnorshire MP Chris Davies pleaded guilty to two charges of making a false expenses claim in March. The Petition Officer said arrangements fully complied with legislation . The petition has been opened and voters in the constituency will be able to sign the petition until 20 June in six different locations in the area. Under the rules a maximum of 10 stations can be chosen within a constituency for signing in person. A by-election will be held if 10% of the electorate - 5,303 voters in this case - sign. Sir Paul Silk, an ex-clerk to the Commons, and Glyn Mathias, a former electoral commissioner, claim not enough provision has been mad...

candidate in Wales for the European parliamentary elections Jon Owen Jones said politics is "broken" and that both Labour and the Conservatives have both been taken over by the "extremes". He said Change UK is "effectively" a single-issue party for campaigning for a new EU vote. The elections take place on May 23. The party - originally known as The Independent Group - was initially formed at the start of the year by 11 MPs who quit Labour and the Tories. In March, the group applied to become a party with the name Change UK and was given approval in April, meaning they could field candidates in the European elections. Jon Owen Jones - the Labour MP for Cardiff Central between 1992 and 2005 - said it was an "enormously difficult decision" to leave his old party after 50 years of membership. "Both the right-wing and the left-wing hate Europe because it stands as an obstacle for their own far-fetched ...

leaving the European Union would threaten cooperation in tackling climate change, Plaid Cymru has said. In its European Parliament election manifesto, Plaid is calling on the EU to establish a deal that includes the aim of 100% self-sufficiency in renewable electricity by 2035. The party is also calling on the EU to develop an investment fund from 2020 to help boost the Welsh economy. Plaid is one of eight parties in Wales standing in the May 23 poll. The anti-Brexit party is calling for a further referendum on Britain's relationship with the EU - as are the Liberal Democrats, Change UK and the Greens. The party's leader Adam Price has said Wales should hold an independence referendum if Brexit happens without a further EU poll. During its election campaign launch in Cardiff , Mr Price said Plaid was targeting Labour voters in particular who felt let down on Brexit. All countries in the EU have committed to ensure that young people...

Chris Davies tried to split the cost of photographs between two office budgets by faking invoices , when he could have claimed the amount by other means. Brecon and Radnorshire voters wanting to sign the petition will be able to do so until Thursday 20 June in six locations in the constituency. A by-election will be held if 10% of the electorate - 5,303 voters - sign. Mr Davies would be able to contest a by-election, if one takes place. House of Commons Speaker John Bercow confirmed the recall petition last month , after Mr Davies was given a community order of 50 hours unpaid work and a £1,500 fine, at Southwark Crown Court. In a statement, Mr Davies has apologised to his constituents for "making such an error", saying he very much hopes to continue serving Brecon and Radnorshire. Constituents can sign the petition at venues in Llandrindod Wells, Brecon, Presteigne, Ysytradgynlais, Hay-on-Wye and Crickhowell. Apart from Spring Bank ...

Plans to close a number of primary schools on Anglesey could be put on hold after concerns were raised about the decision-making process. Education Minister Kirsty Williams is considering a complaint about closure plans for Ysgol Gymuned Bodffordd. Senior officers are recommending council leaders cancel two other school closures and reconsider the decisions. Ysgol Gynradd Beaumaris and Ysgol Talwrn would then be subject to new rules protecting rural schools. Council bosses have insisted they followed the proper procedure in deciding to close the school in Bodffordd, and merge it with Ysgol Corn Hir in brand new premises. But all three projects are now on hold pending a decision by senior councillors later this month on whether to re-run the process. Very challenging A spokesman for Anglesey council said: "The recommendation comes after a recent internal review of the statutory consultation process highlighted concerns regarding complian...

An MP has been accused of potentially causing "significant and lasting damage" to the reputation of a tech company's directors. David Davies suggested at the Welsh Affairs Committee that Blurrt bosses may have taken £179,000 of public cash. But Mr Davies was wrong and Nick Miller, the firm's chairman, has demanded an "immediate public apology". In response, the MP invited Mr Miller to discuss S4C's investment in the firm at the committee, which he chairs. S4C's commercial arm took a 22% stake in Blurrt in 2014. Blurrt, which was given £770,000 in public money, closed its only office in Wales in July and four people lost their jobs. The Welsh language channel has now restructured its commercial arm, including appointing chief executive Owen Evans as chairman of the board of the body, known as SDML. In December, S4C executives appeared in front of the Welsh Affairs Select Committee. Questioning the...

UK ministers have been accused of avoiding scrutiny by refusing to give evidence to assembly inquiries. Mr Cairns said he was accountable to the Westminster Parliament, while Welsh Government ministers were answerable to the assembly. Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liz Truss gave a similar response when she was invited as part of an inquiry into capital funding - money the Welsh Government spends on building projects. Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liz Truss gave a similar response when she was invited as part of an inquiry into capital funding - money the Welsh Government spends on building projects. In letters to the committee, Mr Cairns and Ms Truss said it would be more appropriate for Welsh Government ministers to give evidence. Mr Cairns added that this was the third invitation he had received in recent weeks. In letters to the committee, Mr Cairns and Ms Truss said it would be more appropriate for Welsh Government ministers to give evide...