Welsh Liberal blogs

Newly-elected Lib Dem MP Jane Dodds has called for an urgent meeting with Powys council bosses about school funding. She said it was a key issue raised by voters during the Brecon and Radnorshire by-election campaign. A Lib Dem councillor claimed schools would not be funded for extra pupils in September, but faced warnings if they did not balance their budgets. But council bosses said schools were only warned if they failed to explain how they would tackle ongoing deficits. Ms Dodds won Brecon and Radnorshire back for the Lib Dems last week after the constituency was held by Conservatives for four years. She said she wanted to meet the council's leader Rosemarie Harris and chief executive Caroline Turner, with school funding one of the issues she intended to raise. Despite a review of school funding in Powys to make it fairer, the group which set the new rules said it was £5.5m short of what was needed. Lib Dem group leader James Gibson-Watt said: ...

Yesterday Boris Johnson said: …too often there are parts of our country and parts of London still and other cities as well where English is not spoken by some people as their first language, and that needs to be changed… Jane Dodds responded brilliantly: Mae sylwadau di-glem Boris yn dangos pa mor allan o gyswllt yw e gyda Cymru ac ardaloedd fel ein rhai ni.

A by-election to choose an MP for Brecon and Radnorshire will be held on 1 August. Tory chief whip Julian Smith moved the writ in the Commons to trigger the contest after Conservative MP Chris Davies was unseated by a petition. More than 10,000 people signed the recall petition following Mr Davies's conviction for a false expenses claim. He had been the area's MP since 2015, when he ousted incumbent Liberal Democrat Roger Williams. His majority then was 5,102, which he increased to 8,038 at the 2017 general election. Mr Davies has been re-selected for the contest. He will face Jane Dodds, Welsh Liberal Democrat leader, and Labour's Tom Davies in the election. The Brexit Party is also expected to stand. Plaid Cymru has been considering whether it should agree to a pact with other pro-EU parties and not take part in the poll. The count will take place at the Royal Welsh Showground in Llanelwed. By-elections take place betwee...

Chris Davies tried to split the cost of photographs between two office budgets by faking invoices , when he could have claimed the amount by other means. Brecon and Radnorshire voters wanting to sign the petition will be able to do so until Thursday 20 June in six locations in the constituency. A by-election will be held if 10% of the electorate - 5,303 voters - sign. Mr Davies would be able to contest a by-election, if one takes place. House of Commons Speaker John Bercow confirmed the recall petition last month , after Mr Davies was given a community order of 50 hours unpaid work and a £1,500 fine, at Southwark Crown Court. In a statement, Mr Davies has apologised to his constituents for "making such an error", saying he very much hopes to continue serving Brecon and Radnorshire. Constituents can sign the petition at venues in Llandrindod Wells, Brecon, Presteigne, Ysytradgynlais, Hay-on-Wye and Crickhowell. Apart from Spring Bank ...

An MP convicted of a false expenses claim has been ordered to complete 50 hours unpaid work and fined £1,500. Conservative MP for Brecon and Radnorshire Chris Davies pleaded guilty to providing false or misleading information for allowances claims and attempting to do so in March. Davies, 51, made an "unreserved apology" following his sentencing at Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday. He now faces a recall petition amid calls for his resignation. Davies must complete the community order within 12 months and was also ordered to pay £2,500 in costs. Tom Forster QC, defending , said it was likely Mr Davies's career was in "tatters " Labour and the Liberal Democrats have called for him to resign, but in a statement,   Davies said he wanted to "move on and continue" his role as an MP. "I have accepted today's ruling and want to take this opportunity to make an unreserved apology," he said. "I would li...