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Jane Dodds' conference speech




Hear from the leader of the Welsh Lib Dems and one of our newest MPs, Jane Dodds!

Jane started by thanking everyone who came to help in Brecon and Radnorshire...

Whether you came during the recall petition or the by-election or even both – thank you.  Without all of you, and the wider party and beyond, I would not be standing here today as the MP for Brecon & Radnorshire.

She moved onto our recent wins:

This victory was a team effort, and one which signalled to both Wales and the UK, that the Liberal Democrats can win. 

This victory was a team effort, and one which signalled to both Wales and the UK, that the Liberal Democrats can win.

Winning council seats.

Winning our largest ever group of MEPs.

Winning Parliamentary seats across the country.

Conference, there has never been a better time to be a Liberal Democrat.

She talked about some of our recent recruits...

One week after I was elected, we were joined by Sarah Wollaston. The day I took my seat in Parliament Phillip Lee came to sit alongside me, and shortly after that both Luciana Berger and Angela Smith joined too, before Sam Gyimah joining us at the rally last night.

Jane reached out to the millions of disaffected people abandoned by the Conservatives and Labour...

If you’re fed up of the endless back and forth, the empty rhetoric and the hollow promises of the other parties… then why not come make your home in the Liberal Democrats, as so many others are doing?

As Jo Swinson said, “if you’re fed up of shouting at the TV, then get up and do something about it”.

As Jo Swinson said, “if you’re fed up of shouting at the TV, then get up and do something about it”.

Jane celebrated our victories in Wales...

Kirsty Williams is cutting class sizes, protecting our rural schools and, overhauling our curriculum to make it fit for the 21st century, including making sure relationship education is LGBT inclusive.

She slammed the Conservatives...

And isn’t there another irony that the Conservative and Unionist Party is acting in a way that can only undermine the union they claim to value so dearly.

They seemingly fail to recognise that two of our four nations actually voted to Remain, they’ve all but dismissed the Good Friday Agreement, which has helped keep Northern Ireland at peace for 20 years. And they continue to ignore the Scottish and Welsh Governments, actively undermining the authority of the devolved administrations.

We must not be silenced. We must not give up fighting for what we believe in.

Jane reaffirmed our commitment to a federal UK...

I want us to be the champions of a federal UK, a truly equal family of nations – ensuring that every part of this union has a voice, backed up by real, meaningful devolution.

And she wrapped up with a call to action...

We must not be silenced.

We must not give up fighting for what we believe in.

Mae angen ar y Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol, nawr yn fwy nag erioed.

Liberal Democrats, we are needed now more than ever. Let’s get out there and let’s change the future of our country.




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Location: Bournemouth, UK

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