Welsh Liberal blogs

  Today we remember every single life cut short during the Holocaust - the Jewish lives and the countless others who suffered at the hands of the Nazis. It is vital that we remember these innocent victims and tell new generations of the unspeakable things people experienced in Nazi death camps and ghettos, from the torture to the mass exterminations. It’s vital because we must never forget the lesson - that every human life should be valued and cared for. The theme of this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day -  be the light in the darkness  - is the lesson we can all choose to live out. That as we struggle with what the world confronts us with - we can all choose to be a force for good. And that choosing to be a light in the darkness will always be a necessary choice. There can be devastating consequences if we choose to turn a blind eye to hate and injustice. For as we say again, “never again”, we must recognise that the depravity, evil and lies that led to th...

  I would like to send my warmest wishes to Tamils around the world celebrating Thai Pongal, the four day harvest festival. It’s been a huge privilege to come to know many Tamil people in my constituency and across the UK since being elected to Parliament back in 1997, and I can therefore say with total certainty, that the contribution of British Tamils to our country and society has been exemplary, with the hard work, intelligence and dedication of so many amazing British Tamils. Celebrations like this are an opportunity to remember the exceptional contributions we witness everyday from entrepreneurs, public servants and of course our frontline workers. Thank you for all you do. Current lockdown measures mean this year’s Pongal celebrations will feel distinctly different as so many of us remain separated from friends and loved ones. Despite these challenges, let us look to the future with hope and let us strengthen our collective efforts to beat this virus. To everyone c...

Liberal Democrats will vote against Boris Johnson’s threadbare deal because it is bad for jobs, business, security, and our environment. is clear that this is a bad deal that will make people’s lives poorer. Liberal Democrats will vote against this deal So the Liberal Democrats will vote against it. This  botched deal  leaves the services sector in limbo and is the only ‘free’ trade deal in history to put up barriers and increase red tape, bringing long delays and higher costs. We all are desperate to move forward, to see our country united again, to restore our economy and our communities after a terrible year.

Yesterday (Mon 14th Dec) in The House of Lords, The Labour Party failed to stand up for Wales and devolution when the abstained in a key vote regarding the State Aid in the Internal Market Bill.The key amendment which had the support of the Welsh and Scottish Governments was defeated by 99 votes - after 170 of Labour’s 177 peers, including all Welsh Labour Peers failed to vote Speaking following the defeat Lord German said: “With just 16 days until the end of the transition period the Labour Party has abandoned Wales and other devolved governments. This amendment was designed to continue discussions with Devolved Governments on the application of State Aid rules across the UK for 18 months. This is important since it gives the power to the Welsh Government to provide help by paying for support to companies and providing skills training, in the way it does now under EU spending rules.  “EU money doesn't count as State Aid - who knows what rules we will now be stuck w...

Welsh Liberal Democrats have today called for an upfront premium grant to small and micro-businesses in Wales, as well as to freelancers, to help them through the next few months  in light of  the latest lockdown measures.   Small and family-owned businesses are set to suffer significantly with the double whammy of Brexit and the new  Covid  lockdown, with experts are predicting closures could extend into the spring.   Many small and micro-businesses in Wales are either ineligible for Welsh Government support or are receiving so little it prevents them from becoming financially stable in these uncertain times.   Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds said:   “Each successive lockdown hits business harder, with few having recovered their resilience from the last lockdown. The effect is cumulative - recovery from each closure takes longer. Much of the support business receives has so far been in the form of loans, which will need to be repaid even...

Government’s failure to secure land at Holyhead for border checks is a shocking show of unpreparedness With just 16 days until the end of the transition period the UK Government has admitted it has failed to secure land at Holyhead to carry out the extra checks on vehicles entering the country leading to fears of gridlock in the area. In answer to a question from Lib Dem Peer Roger Roberts the UK Government admitted that  “No land has yet been purchased [and that] two potential sites have been identified in partnership with the Welsh Government and commercial discussions are under way.” Speaking following his parliamentary question Lord Roger Roberts said: “This just shows how unprepared the United Kingdom is for Brexit and how little most Ministers in London care about the impact. “The government need to admit that they’ve messed up here. They are actively pursuing a course that is utterly at odds with the wellbeing of the nation.”   Welsh Liberal Democrats cand...

The Brecon & Radnorshire Liberal Democrats have selected William Powell as their candidate to contest the Brecon & Radnorshire constituency at the Senedd Election due to be held on 6 th  May 2021 Cllr Powell, who grew up and lives in the constituency, has served as the Welsh Liberal Democrat County Councillor for Talgarth since 2004 and was Assembly Member for the Mid and West Wales region from 2011-2016. During this period, he was the Welsh Liberal Democrat Spokesperson on the Environment, Sustainable Development and Rural Affairs and chaired the Assembly Petitions Committee. Before entering politics, he was a secondary modern languages teacher and has been a partner in the family farm in the Black Mountains for over 30 years, where he still lives with his wife and sons today. His selection as Senedd candidate marks a remarkable end to a year which he may not have survived, having spent several weeks unconscious and on a ventilator in Nevill Hall Hospital, Abergavenn...