Welsh Liberal blogs

Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds has urged the Welsh and UK Governments to work together to turn Wales into a “renewable powerhouse” that could help allies in Europe reduce their dependence on Russian oil and gas imports. The Mid & West Wales Senedd Member describes the outcome of doing so as a “win-win” not only helping to reduce UK and EU dependence on Russian hydrocarbons but boosting Welsh jobs and helping save the environment and has called on projects under construction or in the planning phase to be fast tracked. Wales currently exports over twice the amount of power it consumes and around 48% of electricity generation in Wales already comes from renewables. But with vast reserves of tidal power in the North and South of Wales, wind power in the West, the potential for Green Hydrogen facilities in former mining areas and hydropower potential throughout the country; Wales has some of the greatest potential for a green economy in all of Europe. Commenting Jane Do...

 The Welsh Liberal Democrats have stated their plans to tackle the cost-of-living crisis would save typical struggling family almost £1,000 this year.  Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds MS Party Leader and Senedd Member Jane Dodds has stated while the Conservatives scramble to save their reputation due to successive scandals, everyday families are being forgotten by the Government at one of the most challenging financial periods since the 2008 crash. Energy bills are forecast to soar by 50 per cent in April or an estimated £600 per household, forcing families to choose between eating and heating, while broadband bills are set to rise by 9.3%. The Welsh Liberal Democrats are calling for a rescue package of measures to help families cope with the cost-of-living crisis, taking around £975 off the bills of lower income households.  Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds MS said: “Welsh Conservative MPs are utterly missing in action and seem to be more ...

Holocaust Memorial Day is an opportunity to "reflect upon the tragedies and horrors of the past", Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds MS has said ahead of commemorations on January 27. She added that the commemorative day was a chance to "think about our responsibilities as individuals, citizens and nations to be tolerant of one another and respect others". Holocaust Memorial Day marks 77 years since the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp and serves as a time of remembrance and reflection of the unspeakable things Jewish people and others experienced in Nazi death camps and ghettos, from the torture to the mass exterminations. It is also now used to commemorate all those lost in genocides since World War Two, including Rwanda, Cambodia, Bosnia and many more. Jane Dodds stated: "In the last few years, we have seen a rise in the politics of division that is reminiscent of an old and ugly Europe. In this environment, we must continue to champion ...

  The Liberal Democrats have proposed new legislation to protect Welsh farmers from being undercut by food trade deals that do not meet the UK’s environment and animal welfare standards.   The plans, set out in a private member’s bill from Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Rural Affairs Tim Farron MP, would require the government’s Trade and Agriculture Commission to assess the impact of any new trade deal on UK farmers, and guarantee that MPs had the final say on trade deals initiated by the government.   This would include an assessment of the impact of new trade deals on farming communities in each region and nation of the UK.   Farron’s Bill comes after concern was raised by farmers unions and the Welsh Liberal Democrats that the Government’s new trade deal with Australia will not include a Welsh-specific impact assessment. Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds MS and Liberal Democrat Rural Affairs Spokesperson Tim Farron MP Commenting on his...

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 ...

Commenting on the decision by the Conservative Party to impose a three-line whip to stop MP Owen Paterson being suspended for 30 days and potentially being subject to a recall petition Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds MS stated:   “ While I understand Owen Paterson MP has faced a difficult few years, publicly elected members of the UK’s political system must be held to the highest of standards in order to maintain trust with the public and protect the integrity of our democracy.   “Today’s developments mark a shameful move by Conservative MPs to rewrite the rules to look after one of their own. It’s also sheer hypocrisy after ministers claimed they couldn’t change the rules retrospectively to allow Rob Roberts MP to be voted out by his constituents.   “This Conservative Government is continuously marred by sleaze and now is watering down the independent scrutiny we need to prevent more scandals dragging our politics through the mud.   “The p...

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have described Mark Drakeford’s decision to introduce the use of vaccine passports in Wales as ‘disappointing’ stating it is an example of government overreach that could set a worrying precedent. The party’s leader, Jane Dodds MS, stated that she will vote against the measures if it is brought to a vote in the Senedd. Commenting on the announcement Jane Dodds MS said:  “ I understand many people want to get back to a sense of normality, but vaccine passports are not the way to do this and we need to be careful about the precedent they set. They are medical ID cards in all but name and Welsh Liberal Democrats will lead the fight against their introduction. “The introduction of the cards would mean that for the first time, you will be asked to provide your private medical data to a stranger to enjoy certain freedoms in our society, yet it won’t actually help reduce transmission rates. “Vaccine passports are an infringement of our civil liberties, and they...

  The Welsh Lib Dems have continued their calls for the Welsh Government and local councils to rule out the illiberal and unworkable vaccine passports, with news that the Conservatives in Westminster are looking to bring them in.   The party’s leader in Wales, Jane Dodds MS said: “The Welsh Liberal Democrats continue to oppose any form of passport or certificate for accessing services or venues. The introduction of these would not only be divisive and discriminatory but unworkable and illiberal.   "If we truly want to keep people safe, then we must ensure that we have a strong test and trace system to protect vulnerable people - but a national ID system for vaccines does not help with this.   "Introducing these passports will leave many businesses on their knees, facing reduced custom and struggling with the extra cost of enforcement.   "I call on the Welsh Government and local councils to rule out introducing these burdensome vaccine passports...

Wales is never going to get a fair deal under the Conservatives The Welsh Liberal Democrats have slammed the Conservatives for voting against a motion to explore the devolution of powers over justice to the Senedd. Tonight, in a vote at Westminster, the Conservatives have voted down a cross-party motion which was aimed at forcing the UK Government to explore the impacts of the devolution of justice within six months. The devolution of justice powers to Wales has long been recommended, including in the Silk Commission in 2014 and in the Commission on Justice in Wales in 2019. Justice is devolved in both Wales and Northern Ireland. The Welsh Liberal Democrats put fighting for justice to be devolved to Wales at the heart of their recent Senedd manifesto and have long campaigned for a fairer, federal UK. Jane Dodds MS, Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, said: “Tonight, the Conservatives have chosen to put their quest for power and control ahead of the best interests of Wale...

  The review comes as Natural Resources Wales warned that the proposed new rules will have the perverse outcome of making water quality worse.   Jane Dodds MS said: “ Everyone agrees that we must take urgent action to protect our natural environment, including tackling water pollution. We need a proportionate, sustainable and targeted approach to water pollution in Wales. But the proposed plans fail to do that.   “I have heard many farmers say that their cattle will have to go if these regulations are fully implemented. The consequences for our environment and rural economy will be catastrophic.     “There is an irresponsible spreading of slurry and poultry manure near watercourses and the gradual leaching of nitrate and phosphate into groundwater is a long-term problem. But there are other solutions, including ensuring Natural Resources Wales have the resources it needs to adequately police pollution incidents and prosecute offenders.   ...

  Welsh Lib Dem Education Minister announces Christmas travel plans for students Welsh Lib Dem Education Minister Kirsty Williams has announced Christmas travel plans for students. Universities across Wales will also end face-to-face lessons in the week ending 8 December, allowing anyone who tests positive for coronavirus to self-isolate for 14 days before traveling home for the Christmas break.  New covid-19 lateral flow tests, designed to diagnose people without symptoms, will be provided to students who are planning to travel home for the holiday. Students at universities in Wales who plan to travel home for the holidays will be asked to: minimise their social contacts in the run up to the end of term; get an asymptomatic test, ideally within 24 hours of their intended travel time. New asymptomatic testing facilities will be available at participating universities in Wales within the next few weeks; Plan to travel no later than ...

  We must invest in our green infrastructure to support sustainable transport. The Welsh Liberal Democrats have this week called on both the Welsh Government and local councils to work together along with industry to ensure Wales is not left behind in the roll-out of electric vehicle charging points. Sales of electric vehicles grew by over 130% in the year to May 2020, with sales expected to grow further in the coming years. Consultancy Capital Economics last year estimated that the UK will need 25.3m charge points by 2050 if we are to hit the legislated target of net zero carbon emissions. This news coupled with a report from the Senedd’s Economy Infrastructure and Skills Committee could indicate that Wales has the potential to fall behind in our bid to become carbon neutral by 2050. Jane Dodds, Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, said: “The lack of charging points is clearly as issue for people all over Wales. “Many homes, especially those in built up urban areas...

  Eligible pupils are guaranteed free school meal provision for all school holidays up to and including Easter 2021, thanks to £11m confirmed today Liberal Democrat Education Minister Kirsty Williams.   Making the announcement ahead of the October half term  through a video released on her Twitter channel , the Minister said she hoped the confirmation would provide ‘some reassurance in these times of uncertainty’. The Minister also confirmed that more than £700k had also been allocated to support colleges with the equivalent provision for eligible learners.   When Kirsty announced she would close schools on Wednesday, March 18 she quickly confirmed that  £7 million would be made available  to local authorities to put in place measures to ensure that children eligible for free school meals would continue to benefit from this scheme. Then on April 22 Wales became  the first country in the UK to guarantee ongoing funding for ...

level, AS, GCSE, Skills Challenge Certificate and Welsh Baccalaureate grades in Wales will now be awarded on the basis of Centre Assessment Grades, Education Minister Kirsty Williams confirmed today (Monday 17 August). The Minister said: Working with Qualifications Wales and WJEC we have sought an approach which provides fairness and balances out differences in the standards applied to judgments in schools. Given decisions elsewhere, the balance of fairness now lies with awarding Centre Assessment grades to students, despite the strengths of the system in Wales. I am taking this decision now ahead of results being released this week, so that there is time for the necessary work to take place. For grades issued last week, I have decided that all awards in Wales will also be made on the basis of teacher assessment. For those young people, for whom our system produced higher grades than those predicted by teachers, the higher grades will stand. Maintaining standards is n...

    A Welsh Liberal Democrat Senedd candidate has expressed huge disappointment at the announcement by Wales’ First Minister that plans for a new law which could improve bus service provision in Wales won’t now go ahead during the current Senedd term.   Plans for the new law have been shelved as the Welsh Government has reassessed its legislative  programme  for the remainder of the current Senedd term in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.   Councillor  Rodney Berman , lead Welsh Liberal Democrat candidate for South Wales Central for the 2021 Senedd elections, said: “It’s hugely disappointing that these plans can’t go ahead at the present time. Many communities across Wales have been badly hit in recent years by the loss of local bus services, and the proposals for a new law which could allow local councils to determine where bus services need to run by franchising routes could make a huge difference.   “The new law could also help by allowing ...