Welsh Liberal blogs

 Responding to ambulance response times figures published today, the Welsh Liberal Democrats have stated ambulance waiting times are unacceptable and dangerous and stated that addressing the issue must be at the forefront of the Welsh Government’s priorities. According to the figures, just 51% of red calls are being met within their 8-minute target time. Commenting, Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds MS stated: “ These figures are a tragedy. Targets aren’t even close to being met and ambulance response times have deteriorated further. We all understand the severe pressure the pandemic has placed on NHS, but these problems are not new.  “If we are to reduce pressures on our ambulance services and A&Es, we must invest more in community healthcare and GPs. If people could get a GP appointment in reasonable time there would be far less pressure on emergency services. “We also need action on social care, both to prevent high numbers entering emergency departments an...

  The Welsh Liberal Democrats are calling for the introduction of free public transport for all under 25s in Wales in a move that they say will help fight climate change and boost social mobility. The Party has also launched a petition   to gather public support for the move. Ahead of her debate in the Senedd later today (scheduled for 18:15), Party Leader Jane Dodds has stated that Wales needs radical solutions to shift large sections of the public towards sustainable transport and in order to cut poverty levels. The Party argues that public transport is being neglected by both the Conservative Government in Westminster and the Labour-Plaid Cymru Administration in Wales and that the policy would help those groups reliant on public transport get ahead, provide an uplift to young people as we come out the pandemic and cut CO2 emissions and dangerous levels of air pollution. Between 2009 and 2019 (pre-pandemic) there was a 22 per cent decline in the number of journeys by b...

  Commenting on the budget, Party Leader Jane Dodds MS said:   “It can only be a good thing when politicians work together to find areas of common ground. That is when we can deliver tangible change to people’s lives.\\   “The Welsh Liberal Democrats’ priority at the election was a fair and green recovery after the pandemic. Ensuring our NHS and care services were supported, providing opportunities for children and young people, supporting workers and small business, and putting the climate crisis at the heart of our economy.   “I will continue to hold the Welsh Labour Government and Plaid Cymru to account on their record of delivery for people and our communities.”   Commenting on priority issues for budget discussions, Dodds said:   “The pandemic has been difficult for young people the length and breadth of Wales. That is why the Welsh Liberal Democrats used our influence in the Senedd to champion children and young people.   ...

Ahead of today’s Senedd debate on a cladding safety Bill, the Welsh Liberal Democrats have reiterated their calls that the Welsh Government must protect people first and pursue developers later when it comes to tackling the cladding crisis.   Under current plans, the Welsh Government is pursuing developers to force them to pay for the removal and replacement of unsafe cladding, but the Welsh Liberal Democrats have argued that citizens cannot continue to live in unsafe accommodation or front up the bill while the Welsh Government wrangles in legal loopholes with developers.   The Party is calling on the Welsh Government to front the cost of the changes as soon as possible and pursue the developers for costs at a later date in order to ensure no one is living in unsafe accommodation.   Commenting Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds MS said: “The cladding scandal has been a long and drawn-out nightmare for leaseholders. I cannot imagine what it feels like ...

  Responding to the news that Labour and Plaid Cymru have signed a 3-year cooperation deal in the Senedd, Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds MS responded by reiterating that the Welsh Liberal Democrats will remain an independent opposition party, working with the Government to achieve common goals, but also holding them to account in areas in which they are failing or not achieving enough in. Jane Dodds MS - Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Jane Dodds MS responded to the deal saying:   “ Now more than ever it is important that parties are able to work together to confront the big issues affecting Wales. I look forward to seeing the detail but be assured that as leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats I will continue to demand better people across Wales and hold both Labour and Plaid Cymru to account.   “On the surface, there are a number of issues which have been covered in the announcement that were part of our manif...

The Wales BBC Report : The Liberal Democrats are "seriously in discussions" with Plaid Cymru to agree a pact at the next general election, Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson has said. A poll is expected before Christmas because Boris Johnson's government has no majority in the House of Commons. The Liberal Democrats won the recent Brecon and Radnorshire by-election after Plaid agreed not to stand.  Opposition MPs have twice rejected the government's attempts to trigger a general election, insisting they want to ensure the UK does not leave the EU without a deal at the end of October before they vote for an election. Conservative m Asked how that was progressing, Ms Swinson told BBC Sunday Politics Wales: "There are constructive discussions underway…but those discussions will take their course and announcements will be made as that happens." Speaking ahead of her party's autumn conference, beginning in Bournemouth this weekend, the Lib Dem leade...

A call for every school pupil in Wales "without exception" to be taught the history of the country will be debated in the Senedd later. Plaid Cymru's Sian Gwenllian said she wants Welsh history to be central to a new curriculum introduced from 2022. Ms Gwenllian and Tory AM Suzy Davies have proposed a motion on the issue. A Welsh Government spokesperson said " learning about the histories of Wales will be essential to achieving the purposes of the curriculum" . Arfon AM Ms Gwenllian, her party's spokesperson on education and the Welsh language, said teaching Welsh history was a "key component of helping the next generation to become informed and engaged citizens of not only Wales but of the world and the new curriculum for Wales is a real opportunity to do just that". "Currently it is history, rather than Welsh history, that is in the list of subjects to be taught under humanities, " she said. ...

Plaid Cymru assembly members are opposed to Neil McEvoy's application to re-join the party, BBC Wales understands. New details have emerged of allegations that led the party's AMs to expel him from their Senedd group last year. A document seen by Newyddion 9 alleged Mr McEvoy had accused a colleague of racism based on an untrue allegation and made staff feel uncomfortable. Mr McEvoy said he could not reply to the claims because of confidentiality. The South Wales Central AM was expelled from the party's assembly group in January 2018. He was later expelled from Plaid for 12 months following an investigation into his conduct. It is understood that his former colleagues in the party group oppose his bid to be reinstated as a Plaid member, although leader Adam Price has not been involved in any discussions between the assembly members. One AM said it would be "impracticable" for Mr McEvoy to rejoin the party and not the Welsh Assembly...

ssembly members have backed a call for a new referendum on whatever terms are proposed for Brexit, with the option of staying in the EU on the ballot paper.  Labour AMs supported the successful Plaid Cymru motion against Tory, Brexit Party and UKIP opposition. Plaid Cymru's Delyth Jewell told the Senedd: "The most democratic thing is to give the people a final say." But Tory Darren Millar said "you cannot call for another vote because you don't like the outcome" of the 2016 poll . he vote on the motion, which is purely symbolic, came as contenders to replace Theresa May as Conservative leader and prime minister set out their Brexit positions, with the UK due to leave the European Union on 31 October. It follows a decision by the Labour Welsh Government to support a further vote, after an EU election result where the party came third in Wales. A total of 36 AMs backed the Plaid motion, versus 16 against. Mrs May ha...

                                                Remain-supporting parties should discuss working together in a snap general election or second EU referendum, Plaid Cymru's leader said. Adam Price has written to the Liberal Democrats, Green Party, Change UK and the SNP.  He said they should work together for "as long as necessary" to deliver another vote on EU membership. His call comes after the Brexit Party took two Welsh seats in the recent EU elections. Plaid Cymru and Labour each took one of the country's four MEP seats in Brussels. Despite the Brexit Party's victory, Mr Price said the combined total votes given to anti-Brexit parties shows that Brexit "cannot be considered the settled will of the people". The Brexit Party gained 32.5% of the vote in Wales with UKIP taking 3.3% while Plaid Cymru received 19.6%, the Libera...

leaving the European Union would threaten cooperation in tackling climate change, Plaid Cymru has said. In its European Parliament election manifesto, Plaid is calling on the EU to establish a deal that includes the aim of 100% self-sufficiency in renewable electricity by 2035. The party is also calling on the EU to develop an investment fund from 2020 to help boost the Welsh economy. Plaid is one of eight parties in Wales standing in the May 23 poll. The anti-Brexit party is calling for a further referendum on Britain's relationship with the EU - as are the Liberal Democrats, Change UK and the Greens. The party's leader Adam Price has said Wales should hold an independence referendum if Brexit happens without a further EU poll. During its election campaign launch in Cardiff , Mr Price said Plaid was targeting Labour voters in particular who felt let down on Brexit. All countries in the EU have committed to ensure that young people...

People could then choose between an independent Wales at Europe's "heart" or a "forgotten second-class region in a dying British state," he said. The independence call goes further than his party conference speech in March. Polling for BBC Wales has put support for independence at less than 10% since 2011. Mr Price said Wales should hold a "new national conversation" about the country's future whatever happens with the UK's departure from the European Union. In last month's speech to party members, in Bangor, he called for an independence referendum if a series of post-Brexit demands were not met . His demands included a call for European funding for Wales to be guaranteed, cuts in VAT for tourism and construction, the devolution of powers over air passenger duty, and control over migration policy. But now Mr Price has gone further by making a Welsh independence referendum dependent on whether Brexit goes ...