Welsh Lib Dems promise ‘grown up politics’ at Senedd elections

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have promised “grown-up, grownup” politics forward of subsequent yr’s Senedd election.

Their chief Jane Dodds stated her deal to go the Welsh authorities’s finances final month confirmed she wouldn’t “play politics” with individuals’s lives.

Dodds additionally refused to rule out Ed Davey-style stunts through the election marketing campaign.

She instructed BBC Radio Wales Breakfast that voters must “wait and see”.

Sir Ed led the Lib Dems to a document 72 seats ultimately yr’s Westminster Common Election, having paddle boarded, free-wheeled down a hill in Knighton on a motorbike and bungee-jumped through the marketing campaign.

Dodds is the only Liberal Democrat MS within the Senedd.

Final month she agreed a cope with the Welsh authorities to go its £26bn finances, having secured an additional £108m for social care, little one care, a pilot scheme for £1 bus fares for beneath 21s and a ban on greyhound racing.

“We had a accountability to ensure that the finances went by, as a result of if that finances didn’t undergo the individuals of Wales would have misplaced 5 billion kilos right away,” she stated.

“Now that is not a spot I need to be. I do not need to play celebration politics with individuals’s lives.”

Dodds stated that the method was paying off with voters.

“Final evening I used to be knocking on doorways… individuals had been saying we wish grown-up grownup politics,” she stated.

“We need to ensure that individuals, our flesh pressers, ship for Wales. That is what we have accomplished earlier than, and that is what we’ll do sooner or later.”

Had the finances not handed, then the Welsh authorities would have reverted to a share of the earlier yr’s finances, which means a lack of billions of kilos.

There will likely be a brand new system for subsequent yr’s Senedd election with 16 new constituencies every returning six Senedd Members in an expanded 96-seat Welsh Parliament.

It’ll use a system of proportional illustration which means events will likely be rewarded for the proportion of vote share that they win.

Dodds additionally stated that her celebration could be “pro-business” with out elaborating on the main points.

It comes at a time when companies in Wales are coming to phrases with elevated Nationwide Insurance coverage contributions and the fallout from President Trump’s tariffs.

She repeated her declare stated that her celebration would “paint Wales gold” on the Senedd election subsequent Might, however polling suggests the Lib Dems will win two or three of the 96 out there seats, and even face a wipe-out.

Dodds stated that “a great deal of individuals” had requested her about replicating Sir Ed Davey’s escapades, however added: “I am not going to say something on Radio Wales this morning about that, however you may have to attend and see.”

The Welsh Liberal Democrats collect in Cardiff this weekend for his or her spring convention.

They obtained a lift on Thursday evening, profitable a by-election in Cwmllynfell and Ystalyfera on Neath Port Talbot Council, forward of Plaid Cymru, Reform and Labour.