Welsh Liberal blogs

As my Presidency draws to an end on New Year’s Eve, I wanted to write to you with a final thank you for the extraordinary help that you have given the liberal cause over the last five years. To have faced three General Elections and the EU Referendum during these five years - as well as the snap European elections this year - has been unprecedented, draining for everyone who has worked in them. Our candidates and teams, party staff and the many members and supporters who have continuously found that extra bit of energy and effort kept fighting the liberal cause. Added to this, our local government teams, led by ALDC, have worked consistently hard in elections every year and their success has been rewarded with substantial growth in councillors and councils that we control or run jointly with others. And in Scotland our MSPs hold the SNP to account, and Kirsty Williams is a brilliant Education minister in the Welsh Assembly. I have been really proud to campaign ...

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have criticised the UK Conservative Government following its announcement showing Welsh farmers will receive less financial support than they currently get from the EU. At present farming subsidies from the EU, mostly distributed under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), amount to around £350million a year for Welsh farmers. This represents more than 80% of average farm incomes in Wales. The Government's new announcement outlined a £2.85billion funding package to replace EU funding, in which £231million is allocated to Wales. This represents a drop of up to £120million, roughly one-third of the money currently received from the EU, and only covers the next years funding. During the election, the Conservatives made numerous pledges to support Welsh Farmers and guarantee existing funding would be matched. Jane Dodds, Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats said: "Brexit is already threatening the livelihoods of our ...

T This Christmas I want to reiterate my thanks to you for all your hard work in 2019 and how important it is we hold onto a sense of hope as we move into 2020. 2019 has been an exceptionally busy year for the Welsh Liberal Democrats in particular; the European elections, the Brecon and Radnorshire by-election, and the recent General Election.  This has been a time of very mixed emotions, but it's been inspiring to see so many new people enthusiastically getting involved in our political system for the first time. I hope this will continue as it’s so important we all stand up and fight for what we believe in and the type of country we want to live in. But now is the time to relax. For us all to put up our feet, spend time with our friends and loved ones, and be merry. However, there is one thing we must never forget – and that’s just how lucky we are.  This Christmas hundreds of people across Wales will be spending this Christmas alone, wit...

Originally published by UK Liberal Democrats A happy and peaceful Chanukah to all Jewish people around the world! Chanukah is a special time of the year for so many reasons. It's about solidarity with friends and family. It's about overcoming adversity in impossible circumstances. Most importantly, it's about the power of faith and how it can make wonderful things happen. It's not an easy time for Jewish people at the moment - antisemitism is on the rise and terrible events like Pittsburgh remind us how important it is that people are allowed to practice their faith freely and openly . We will always fight for the rights of Jewish people. The right to be free. The right to be safe. The right to remain in a Europe that represents home to millions of Jewish people around the world. Times may be difficult but we will always be proud to stand side by side with Jewish people and say no to intolerance, division and hatred ...

The latest Queen's Speech shows that Johnson's government is prioritising all the wrong things. Boris Johnson’s government has set out a disastrous agenda which will force through a hard Brexit, undermine our public services, destroy opportunities for our communities and cripple living standards. Brexit will hinder our ability to safeguard our NHS and reduce our capacity to tackle the climate crisis. The fact that radical climate action has been ignored is a hallmark of a government which is setting all the wrong priorities. Boris Johnson has the votes to secure much-needed legislation to reduce emissions such as: 7 insulating our homes investing in renewables increasing uptake of electric vehicles But he clearly just  doesn’t care about our planet. The Liberal Democrats will continue to scrutinise this Conservative government, hold Boris Johnson to account and fight for the liberal, inclusive, compassionate society ...

The Welsh Government’s statistical bulletin on childcare shows that parents are too reliant on family and friends for childcare. It also showed that too many parents struggle to access appropriate childcare during early mornings, after school and at weekends.   The statistics showed that 76% of parents in Wales utilise free childcare from family and friends. 51% of these parents used between one and ten hours of free childcare from family and friends a week. 23% used between 10 and 20 hours a week. Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds commented: Affordable and accessible childcare is essential to building a fairer economy. Too many parents, especially mothers, are unable to go back to work even if they want to due to the exorbitant costs of childcare. This must change. We all value the huge help friends and family provide in helping care for our children, but we cannot take this help for granted. Our ageing population means that increasing num...

The Welsh Liberal Democrat leader has said her party would keep the Tories in power "over my dead body". Jane Dodds said she was "deeply ashamed" at the Lib Dems' role in the coalition government of 2010 to 2015. She told a BBC Radio Wales election phone-in the party should have "stood up to the cuts that were happening to the poorest of the poor". Ms Dodds said her time as a social worker meant she had seen the effects of poverty on families. Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson has apologised for backing cuts while serving as a junior minister in the coalition, but Ms Dodds was not an MP at the time.  "What we did in the coalition government was not acceptable when it came to benefit cuts," Ms Dodds said.  "The Conservatives have continued with that austerity agenda, introducing things like universal credit with a five-week waiting limit which makes sure that people sadly are pushed to food banks.  "I will...

Today we stand together as a global community to mark World AIDS Day. AIDS is a global health challenge and there are currently more than 100,000 people living with HIV in the UK.  As a nation, we have made great strides in minimising the physical, psychological and societal impact of HIV. And thanks to the hard work of researchers, our understanding of HIV has grown significantly. However, the shame, stigma, and isolation associated with HIV and AIDS has not gone away. No one should ever feel alone because of their HIV status, yet 1 in 5 people living with HIV in the UK say they feel this way. We must be clear; there is no shame in an HIV diagnosis. There is no shame in getting tested. And there is no reason why HIV should stop you from living a full and happy life. This year, the government committed to ending new HIV transmissions in England by 2030 yet support for people living with HIV has been eroded. Many people report feeling isolated and u...