Welsh Liberal blogs

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have hit out at the UK Government after it emerged that Wales will not receive any of the UK's ‘Innovation Accelerator’ investment funding, despite the fact regions in both England and Scotland are set to receive funding. Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds MS The ‘Innovation Accelerator programme, outlined in the UK Government‘s Levelling Up’ White Paper is designed to catalyse innovation clusters and spread the wealth and new industry outside the South East of England. The UK Government confirmed Wales would not be part of the innovation accelerator programme following a question to Lord Callanan by Welsh Liberal Democrat Peer Baroness Jenny Randerson.                                                              Baroness Jenny Randerson The scheme will see £100 million of investment fr...

It is with sadness that we announce that Former Assembly Member Aled Roberts has passed away aged 59. Aled was the Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for North Wales from 2011 to 2016 and served his community both as an Assembly Member and previously as a Councillor for Ponciau Ward from 1991-2012, in addition to his roles as former Council Leader and later Welsh Language Commissioner. He will be deeply missed by all of us in the Welsh Liberal Democrat family and our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends at this difficult time     Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds paid tribute to Aled stating: “I am devastated to hear of the passing of Aled. Aled was a committed liberal and was known for his extraordinary hard work as both an Assembly Member for North Wales and as a senior councillor, and former Council Leader on Wrexham County Borough Council. This news is a deep blow to the Welsh Liberal Democrat family and my thoughts and prayers are w...

Our priority should be on getting police tackling crime on our streets.     The Welsh Liberal Democrats have called for Police and Crime Commissioners to be scrapped, after FOI requests reveal PCCs have spent almost £9million on PR and staffing costs in the last four years.   The FOIs reveal that the PCC for Dyfed  Powys  increased their PR spend by over 280% in one year and the PCC for South Wales has nearly doubled their staffing budget over five years.   With Gwent Police unable to provide staffing costs for the four-year period and North Wales Police unable to provide the costs for the 2016-2018 period, it means the overall expenditure will well exceed the current £8.9 million total.   In response, the Welsh Lib Dems have said the priority should instead be on police tackling crime on the streets and called for scrapping the role of Police and Crime Commissioners and for the full devolution of justice and policing to Wales.   Jane  Dodds ...