Welsh Liberal blogs

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...

The Liberal Democrats claim Wales would gain an extra £560m a year due to their election pledges on education. The party has unveiled a £10bn boost to schools in England in its manifesto. Education is devolved, so more spending in England triggers extra cash for the Welsh Government to use as it sees fit. Pledging to stop Brexit if it wins a majority , the party says it would herald a wider remit for the assembly with powers over policing and prisons. "The election of a Liberal Democrat majority government on a clear stop Brexit platform will provide a democratic mandate to stop this mess, revoke Article 50 and stay in the EU," the manifesto, launched Wednesday, said. "We are unashamedly fighting to stay in the European Union, and we are the strongest party of Remain." Welsh Lib Dem leader Jane Dodds said she would urge ministers in Cardiff to spend the extra money promised on schools, to give children "the best start in life...

Leader of the Liberal Democrats Jo Swinson will be making a speech to business leaders at the CBI annual conference. She will be making the case that the Liberal Democrats are the natural party of business. Jo Swinson is expected to say: In an interview last week, Carolyn asked who the party of business is today. The answer is clear. The Liberal Democrats are the natural party of business. With the Conservatives in the pocket of Nigel Farage and Jeremy Corbyn stuck in the 1970s, we are the only ones standing up for you. Because we believe that any form of Brexit, whether it’s hard or soft, blue or red, will be bad for jobs, business, and our public services. We believe that being part of one of the most successful economic blocs in the world is the best guarantee we can have for the future success of our businesses and of our country. We believe that our best future is as members of the European Union. …… I know that recent years have been challengin...

Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds has responded to the Government's plans to ask the Queen to suspend Parliament from mid-September. Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds said: Boris Johnson cannot be allowed to silence Parliament to drive through a catastrophic no deal Brexit he knows Parliament will block. I was elected to be the voice of my constituents in Parliament. By shutting down Parliament, he is shutting out the public and their voice. It’s an insulting, disgraceful and anti-democratic scheme to impose a devastating no deal Brexit on the Welsh people. Boris Johnson will find it’s much harder to silence me than he realises. Alongside my Liberal Democrat colleagues in Parliament, I will do all I can to fight this outrageous move, to block no deal and to stop Brexit. Liberal Democrat Leader Jo Swinson commented: By suspending Parliament to force through a No Deal, Boris Johnson and the Government would remove the voice of...

Hear from newly elected Liberal Democrat MP for Brecon and Radnorshire, Jane Dodds. We did it! We won the Brecon and Radnorshire by-election! We won the Brecon and Radnorshire by-election! I am so incredibly grateful to every person that got me here. Thank you to everyone who traveled, from near and far, to get here and campaign with us. Thank you for the thousands of doors you knocked on, for the tens of thousands of leaflets you delivered, the letters you wrote and stuffed, the leaflets you bundled. Thank you to the members in Brecon and Radnorshire, and in nearby constituencies, who opened your homes to host campaigners. Thank you to the hundreds of people who helped us by making calls to voters. Thank you to everyone that donated to this campaign, with money or food or office supplies - to make sure we could run the biggest operation possible. Thank you to the core campaign team of staff and activists. They have gone above...

Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds has welcomed Jo Swinson’s election as the new leader of the Liberal Democrats. Jane has hailed Jo Swinson’s vision for a liberal UK at the heart of the EU, a UK that leads the way in fighting climate change. Jo Swinson won the leadership election with 47,997 votes, compared to Ed Davey’s 28,021. As Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane remained neutral throughout the leadership campaign and looks forward to continuing to work with both Jo Swinson and Ed Davey to create a more liberal Britain. Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds commented: I’m thrilled to see Jo Swinson elected as our new Liberal Democrat leader. Jo is the right person to lead our party and our growing liberal movement through these turbulent and dangerous times. Jo Swinson has long been a friend of the Welsh Liberal Democrats and of Wales. I look forward to working with Jo to fight injustice, rebuild our broken social safety net and build a th...