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Liberal Democrats looking to rebuild presence in Wales
In the last Senedd Elections, Kirsty Williams was the only Liberal Democrat elected.
Ms Williams stepped down as leader of the party following the election, but went on to become the Welsh Government’s Education Minister, due to the fact Labour, the largest party after the last election, didn’t have enough seats to form a government.
But in October last year, Ms Williams announced she would not be standing for re-election in her Brecon and Radnorshire constituency, having served as its representative in Cardiff Bay since the beginning of devolution in 1999.
Jane Dodds, who has led the party since 2017, has been tasked with rebuilding the party’s fortunes in Wales.
She told BBC Wales: “We want more in terms of the devolution settlement. We want to see more powers here in Wales.
“That includes the devolved powers which are with Scotland, and that includes the police and criminal justice system that’s currently with Scotland.
“Scotland have not got that through independence. We believe that through further powers here in Wales, we can do everything that we want.”
At the 2016 election, the Lib Dems finished fifth with 1,122 votes in Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney, fifth with 597 votes in Islwyn, and sixth with 386 votes in the Caerphilly constituency.
The party’s candidate for Caerphilly at the last election, Aladdin Ayesh, lived across the border in England, but this year, Machen resident Steve Aicheler will be contesting the seat.
Meanwhile, charity worker Oliver Townsend will contest the Islwyn seat and Monmouthshire councillor Jez Becker is standing in Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney.
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