Welsh Liberal blogs

Former Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for Cardiff Central and Deputy First Minister of Wales Jenny Randerson has slammed the Conservatives for trying to push through the “dangerous & draconian” Police Bill.   The 300 page Bill would see sweeping powers given to the Home Office to restrict the right to protest, giving police new powers to disrupt protests, marches and assemblies, make it easier to criminalise organisers and participants and increase prison sentences for them. This morning Baroness Camilla Cavendish, Crossbench Peer and Former Head of Policy for Number 10 under David Cameron warned that if the House of Lords does not amend the Police Bill today, “we will be sleepwalking into a police state”. Commenting Baroness Randerson said: “These new Conservative laws to crackdown on protests are dangerous and draconian. The right to peaceful assembly and protest is a fundamental human right. It has always been a crucial part of our democra...

Yesterday (Mon 14th Dec) in The House of Lords, The Labour Party failed to stand up for Wales and devolution when the abstained in a key vote regarding the State Aid in the Internal Market Bill.The key amendment which had the support of the Welsh and Scottish Governments was defeated by 99 votes - after 170 of Labour’s 177 peers, including all Welsh Labour Peers failed to vote Speaking following the defeat Lord German said: “With just 16 days until the end of the transition period the Labour Party has abandoned Wales and other devolved governments. This amendment was designed to continue discussions with Devolved Governments on the application of State Aid rules across the UK for 18 months. This is important since it gives the power to the Welsh Government to provide help by paying for support to companies and providing skills training, in the way it does now under EU spending rules.  “EU money doesn't count as State Aid - who knows what rules we will now be stuck w...

Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Wales Baroness Christine Humphreys has applauded Lord Nick Bourne’s principled decision to resign as a Wales Office Minister in opposition to the UK Government’s pursuit of a no deal Brexit. Lord Nick Bourne was a Wales Office and Housing, Communities and Local Government Minister and had been asked to continue in government. Lord Bourne was the leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the National Assembly between 1999 and 2011. Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Wales Baroness Christine Humphreys commented:  I applaud Lord Bourne’s principled decision to resign as a Wales Office Minister because of his opposition to a no deal Brexit. Lord Bourne has put his principles above his career. It is disappointing colleagues like Alun Cairns aren’t willing to do the same. We know a no deal Brexit would be catastrophic for Wales, devastating our economy, pushing more people into poverty and threatening our ability to access vita...