Welsh Liberal blogs

Responding to reports that Holyhead and Fishguard ports saw a 30 per cent drop in traffic in 2021, the Welsh Liberal Democrats have accused the Conservatives of “doing half a job” with the UK’s Brexit deal and stated that failures in the agreement are continuing to risk Welsh jobs.   Ian Davies, the boss of Stena's UK ports has stated that he thinks it is now clear the impact on Welsh ports is down to the new post-Brexit trading relationship with the European Union rather than the pandemic.   At the start of January, new customs regulations came into effect requiring greater checks on goods coming into the UK, with the industry warning that even stricter checks due to come in over summer 2022 could prove even more disruptive.   The extra red-tape has led to numerous hauliers deciding to bypass the UK and Wales all-together, with direct ferry routes between France and Ireland increasing from less than 12 in 2020, to 44 as of October 2021.   Welsh p...

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have accused the Conservative Government in Westminster of levelling down Wales in yesterday’s budget, stating that measures announced by the Government do not even come close to replacing lost EU funding. The accusations come as a newly released impact study by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) showed that the UK economy will be 4 per cent smaller as a result of Brexit, in addition to the 2 per cent smaller it is set to be from the COVID-19 pandemic. The announcement from Chancellor Rishi Sunak yesterday also outlined that Wales will receive a £254 million cut in development funding after it was revealed Wales will receive just £121 million in funds from the so-called ‘Levelling-Up’ Fund in comparison to the £375 million a year it would have received if the UK had remained in the EU. Commenting Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader, Jane Dodds MS, stated: “We are now seriously beginning to feel the consequences of this Conservative Government’s ob...

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have accused the Conservative Government in Westminster of levelling down Wales in yesterday’s budget, stating that measures announced by the Government do not even come close to replacing lost EU funding. The accusations come as a newly released impact study by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) showed that the UK economy will be 4 per cent smaller as a result of Brexit, in addition to the 2 per cent smaller it is set to be from the COVID-19 pandemic. The announcement from Chancellor Rishi Sunak yesterday also outlined that Wales will receive a £254 million cut in development funding after it was revealed Wales will receive just £121 million in funds from the so-called ‘Levelling-Up’ Fund in comparison to the £375 million a year it would have received if the UK had remained in the EU. Commenting Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader, Jane Dodds MS, stated: “We are now seriously beginning to feel the consequences of this Conservative Government’s ob...

Ed Davey’s speech in full For the last four years, the Liberal Democrats fought to stop Brexit. We held street stalls, town hall meetings and we marched in our millions. Today we stand strong in the knowledge that we did everything we could. Tens of thousands of people got involved with our campaign. People who had never campaigned before. And old hands, campaigning harder than they ever had before. We fought with good humour and great energy. We fought because we love our country. Our pro-Europeanism is built on our patriotism. So I will always be proud of the campaigners, candidates, activists and members of our movement who had the courage to stand up for what we believe in. And though ultimately we did not succeed in stopping Brexit, I am immensely proud of all that we did achieve. We built the largest pro-European movement this country has ever seen. Prevented a catastrophic no-deal Brexit – not once, not twice but three times. ...

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have criticised Boris Johnson’s claim that his Brexit deal would mean zero tariffs or quotas for Welsh farmers exporting to the EU. NFU Cymru President John Davies said farmers had no certainty about access to EU markets until "the ink is dry" on a post-Brexit trade agreement. Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds said: Boris Johnson saying that Welsh farmers would face no tariffs or quotas under his Brexit plans shows he is either deliberately misleading people or does not know what his own Withdrawal Agreement entails. Under Johnson’s deal the UK would enter a year-long transition period, in which time negotiations will take place to determine our future trading relationship with the EU. It provides no guarantees about the end destination and fails to provide any safeguards in case a deal is not reached in time. Furthermore, due to the Conservatives ruling out any extension to this transition per...

here must be a new referendum on any Brexit deal, the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats has insisted. Jane Dodds said: "Brexiteers and Remainers will not have voted for what's being put to Parliament, the people must be given the final say." Ms Dodds also said Wales has the expertise to be the "green energy technology hub" for the whole UK.  She was speaking ahead of the party's spring conference, which got underway in Cardiff on Saturday. Ms Dodds became party leader in 2017 - taking over from former Ceredigion MP Mark Williams. The party's only AM - Welsh Government Education Minister, Kirsty Williams - will also be speaking at the conference to announce an additional £3.4m to extend the Pupil Development Grant. The grant helps families cover the costs of school uniforms and sports kits, as well as equipment for activities outside of school. Eligible families of year seven pupils will receive £200, instead o...