Welsh Liberal blogs

rresponding to the news that Aneurin Bevan University Health Board has declared a ‘black alert’, the Welsh Liberal Democrats have stated the Welsh Government must make getting to grips with the crisis in Welsh healthcare its top priority. Commenting Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds MS said:   “This news is extremely concerning, black alerts are always serious but this has happened on a weekday night, typically a time of lower demand.   “Our NHS staff are working their absolute hardest to provide the care people deserve, but the Welsh Labour Government has so far failed to get to grips with this crisis.   “We know COVID has added sustained pressure to the healthcare system in recent years, not least with large backlogs but A&E services have been struggling for the best part of a decade.   “Labour must make reforming and fixing A&E services their absolute priority and of course, improve health care services at a local level which would g...

  Welsh Liberal Democrats Leaders Jane Dodd's  The Welsh Liberal Democrats have stated that questions still remain after the Welsh Government’s announcement that it will deliver a programme to address building safety issues. Commenting Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds MS said: “I welcome the fact Labour finally seem to be paying attention to this issue and it is good to finally get some indication of the number of buildings affected and the level of failure from property developers in Wales.   “However, we still need clarity from Labour on a number of issues. Most importantly the legal leaseholder protections in England need to be extended to Wales immediately. Based on the announcement today that will not be the case.   “While funding for remediation work and surveys are of course welcome, many leaseholders have already had to contribute to surveying out of their own pocket, we need to know if these leaseholders are now entitled to be reimburse...

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have hit out at the UK Government after it emerged that Wales will not receive any of the UK's ‘Innovation Accelerator’ investment funding, despite the fact regions in both England and Scotland are set to receive funding. Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds MS The ‘Innovation Accelerator programme, outlined in the UK Government‘s Levelling Up’ White Paper is designed to catalyse innovation clusters and spread the wealth and new industry outside the South East of England. The UK Government confirmed Wales would not be part of the innovation accelerator programme following a question to Lord Callanan by Welsh Liberal Democrat Peer Baroness Jenny Randerson.                                                              Baroness Jenny Randerson The scheme will see £100 million of investment fr...

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have continued to call on Priti Patel to withdraw the Nationality and Borders Bill in light of the war in Ukraine and the ensuing refugee crisis.   MPs are set to debate some of the Bill’s most controversial aspects in the House of Commons today [Tuesday 22nd March], including Government plans to:   Criminalise refugees simply for coming to the UK to seek asylum. “Offshore” asylum seekers by sending them to another country while their claims are processed. Create a second class of refugees with fewer rights and only temporary protection. The Liberal Democrats worked with others in the House of Lords to pass amendments that would remove these laws from the Bill, highlighting that they would criminalise people fleeing Ukraine who come to the UK seeking asylum.   So far, 3.5 million people have fled Ukraine since Vladimir Putin unleashed his war, according to the UNHCR. More than 150,000 people across the UK have offered to hos...

  The Welsh Liberal Democrats have called on the Conservatives to drop planned tax rises as the cost-of-living crisis continues to bite. According to the Welsh Lib Dems, the Conservatives have become the party of high tax and are unfairly targeting working people at precisely the moment they are struggling the most. Liberal Democrats have hit out at the Chancellor after he refused to scrap planned increases to national insurance tax, despite the ongoing cost of living crisis.   People across Wales will now be facing a 1.25 per cent increase in their national insurance contributions. This decision makes Rishi Sunak the only Finance Minister in the G7 to raise taxes this year.   Commenting Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds MS said:   “It is totally ridiculous that the Conservatives are plowing forward with this tax increase at a time where so many families are struggling just to make ends meet.     “The national insurance tax isn’...

  The Welsh Liberal Democrats have hit out at Priti Patel and the Conservatives after it has emerged that up to half of Welsh trainee GPs this year could be lost due to what they describe as the Home Office’s “archaic immigration policies”. As reported by the Welsh BMA GPs committee today, it takes three years for trainee GPs to achieve their Certificate of Completion of training (CCT). But current Home Office rules implemented by Priti Patel and the Conservatives mean that individuals must have worked for 5 years under a Skilled Workers Visa in order to be able to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILTR).   As a result of this rule, 80 out of this year’s 160 GP trainees in Wales will not be eligible to stay in the country under (ILTR) because of limited work opportunities at Welsh GP practices that serve as established Skilled Worker visa sponsors.   Commenting Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds MS said:   “It is unbelievable that the Conserva...

Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds has urged the Welsh and UK Governments to work together to turn Wales into a “renewable powerhouse” that could help allies in Europe reduce their dependence on Russian oil and gas imports. The Mid & West Wales Senedd Member describes the outcome of doing so as a “win-win” not only helping to reduce UK and EU dependence on Russian hydrocarbons but boosting Welsh jobs and helping save the environment and has called on projects under construction or in the planning phase to be fast tracked. Wales currently exports over twice the amount of power it consumes and around 48% of electricity generation in Wales already comes from renewables. But with vast reserves of tidal power in the North and South of Wales, wind power in the West, the potential for Green Hydrogen facilities in former mining areas and hydropower potential throughout the country; Wales has some of the greatest potential for a green economy in all of Europe. Commenting Jane Do...

  he Welsh Liberal Democrats have reiterated their opposition to the expansion of Aberpergwm Coal Mine in Neath Port Talbot Council. Addressing a protest in front of the Senedd Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds stated that if we are to stand any hope of tackling climate change before it’s too late, the coal must be left in the ground.   The protest in front of the Senedd in Cardiff saw multiple Welsh climate groups attend.   The expansion of Aberpergwm Coal Mine has been at the centre of a row between the UK and Welsh Governments, with the Welsh Government claiming it does not have the legal authority to block the mine’s expansion, while the UK Coal Authority has insisted that the Welsh Government could in fact stop the development.   The new license, which was approved by the Coal Authority in January will allow Aberpergwm Mine to extract another forty million tonnes of coal. The development could release up to 1.17 million tonnes of very strong g...

    Leader of  Liberal Democrats  Ed Davey MP Speech   Conference, we meet today under the heavy cloud of war, on our continent.   European skies raining death.   We’ve all watched in horror as Putin has unleashed his missiles on innocent Ukrainians.   As Russian bombs rip through schools and hospitals.   As children huddle in bomb shelters, hearing their homes shatter above them.   As millions of families are forced to flee for their lives, leaving everything behind.   Fathers hugging their children goodbye, not knowing when they will hold them again – or if they ever will.   Our hearts ache with the horrors being inflicted on the people of Ukraine.   But our hearts have also swelled for the incredible heroism we’ve witnessed.   The soldiers, bravely fighting for their homeland.   The unarmed civilians, boldly facing down Putin’s tanks.   President Zelenskyy, ...

  Jane Dodds MS, Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader. ·        Party calls on the Chancellor to slash VAT from 20% to 17.5% for one year to tackle soaring bills.   ·        The move would save families an average of £600 as the cost-of-living crisis hits hard.     ·        Slashing VAT would boost struggling local high streets and the economy while keeping spiralling inflation down.   ·        The Welsh Liberal Democrats have demanded an emergency cut to VAT to protect families from soaring bills and the worsening cost of living crisis.   The Party has proposed reducing the standard rate of VAT from 20% to 17.5% for one year, a move that would put an average of £600 back into the pockets of Welsh families. It comes amid warnings that the war in Ukraine will worsen the cost-of-living pressures facing households, with energy, f...

Lib Dems demand Cardiff Council removes Russian investments Following the horrific news of Russia invading Ukraine, Local Liberal Democrat Councillor Rhys Taylor has written to Cardiff Council to ask that it’s pension fund sell any shares it may hold in companies that have invested in Russia. “Like so many other local people, I am sickened by what is happening on the streets of Ukraine and our own pension fund should make its feelings clear by divesting any assets it holds in companies with Russian investments. “I believe our council’s pension fund should also take a stand, and if it does hold any shares in Russian companies – or those who have invested in Russia - to divest without delay. “Others have taken action – the Church of England is divesting its £20 million in shareholdings in Russian companies and BP is selling its 19.75% stake in Russian oil giant Rosneft, and Shell is divesting from Gazprom. I encourage local government pension schemes to divest any shares they hol...

Responding to the news that the UK Government has concluded the signing of a trade deal with New Zealand, removing trade barriers between the two countries, the Welsh Liberal Democrats have said the deal will cause damage to rural communities and the Welsh agricultural industry. Commenting Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader and Senedd Member for Mid & West Wales Jane Dodds said: "The UK Government has negotiated a trade agreement that will actively damage Welsh farming communities and will bring next to no tangible benefits to our local economies.   "The Conservatives have proven that they are utterly unable to negotiate trade deals that boost the UK economy and unfortunately this agreement is no exception. The economic benefits are a drop in the ocean, and they will do nothing to mitigate the damage from the red tape and paperwork caused by Boris Johnson's shambolic EU trade deal. "Instead of delivering Global Britain, this Government is selling Welsh farmers...