Politics

Welsh Lib Dems promise childcare boost, social care reform in manifesto launch

Published

4 weeks ago

April 15, 2026

Jane Dodds says party will focus on NHS pressures, child poverty and keeping Wales out of independence debate

JANE DODDS launched the Welsh Liberal Democrats’ 2026 Senedd manifesto on Tuesday (Apr 14), unveiling a platform built around childcare, social care, health reform, economic growth and opposition to Welsh independence.

The manifesto, titled A Stronger Wales in a Stronger UK, argues that Wales is at a political crossroads, with the party seeking to present itself as a practical alternative focused on public services and living standards rather than what it describes as constitutional distraction and political anger.

In her launch speech, Dodds said many people across Wales now feel furious, ignored and increasingly doubtful that meaningful change is even possible. She warned that nationalism grows when hope fades, and argued that political debate must return to fixing everyday problems rather than simply finding new people to blame.

A major centrepiece of the manifesto is childcare. The Welsh Lib Dems say they would offer free, high-quality childcare for children from nine months old, providing 30 hours a week for 48 weeks a year. The party says the move would improve children’s life chances, help parents return to work and make a serious impact on child poverty.

Dodds also used the launch to push her long-standing focus on early years support, pointing to the first thousand days of a child’s life as crucial in shaping future outcomes. The manifesto builds on that message with a wider pledge to give every child what it describes as a fair start.

The party is also proposing a School Leavers’ Guarantee aimed at preventing young people from drifting after leaving education. Under the plan, every school leaver would receive an offer within three months of further or higher education, a paid apprenticeship, a job with recognised training, or tailored support into work.

On universities, the Welsh Lib Dems say they would protect what they describe as the most generous student finance system in the UK. They are also promising continued support for Taith and backing for renewed access to Erasmus-style international opportunities, arguing that Welsh students should be able to study, volunteer and work abroad.

Health and social care form another major strand of the manifesto. The party says it would invest in up to 5,000 new or refurbished nursing-care placements to help reduce delayed hospital discharges and relieve pressure on the NHS. It also promises action to improve access to GPs, dentists and cancer treatment, alongside a broader workforce strategy for health and care staff.

Dodds placed particular emphasis on social care during her speech, drawing on her own experience of caring for parents with dementia and Alzheimer’s. She said the care system had been fragmented and overstretched for years, and argued that its failure now reaches far beyond individual families, contributing to hospital bed shortages, ambulance delays and growing pressure on council budgets.

The manifesto includes a proposal to support the creation of a Royal College of Care Workers, aimed at improving professional recognition, career progression and standards within the sector. It also commits to giving families faster support when relatives are discharged from hospital and to strengthening support for unpaid carers.

In one of its more eye-catching pledges, the party says it would consider raising the Welsh rate of income tax by 1p in the pound for an emergency period if funding reform does not come from Westminster and if the money is needed to protect social care. Dodds said the public should be dealt with honestly about the cost of repairing essential services.

Economically, the Welsh Lib Dems are pitching a Welsh Industrial Strategy designed to build on sectors where Wales already has strengths, including high-value manufacturing, creative industries, financial technology and cyber. The party says this would be paired with procurement changes aimed at ensuring more public money supports Welsh firms, jobs and supply chains.

The manifesto also includes support for small and medium-sized businesses, investment in apprenticeships and technical skills, and a £400 million town centres fund intended to help revive struggling high streets. Business rates relief for retail, leisure and hospitality would also be extended under the plans.

On the cost of living, the party says it wants to make homes warmer and cheaper to run through a ten-year programme of insulation and energy-efficiency upgrades. It is also calling for the UK Government to explore zonal electricity pricing, including the possibility of a separate Welsh zone, so that households and businesses in energy-producing parts of Wales could benefit from lower bills.

The manifesto also contains strong environmental pledges, including action on sewage discharges, protections for rivers and seas, and support for renewable energy such as floating offshore wind, hydro and tidal power. In housing, it promises 30,000 social homes and measures to tackle homelessness and poor-quality housing.

On constitutional matters, the party adopts a firm anti-independence line, saying Welsh Government money should not be used to pursue separation from the rest of the UK. At the same time, it calls for further devolution in areas including rail, policing and justice, as well as a stronger Welsh voice within a federal UK.

Dodds used the closing section of her speech to argue that the election would not simply be about which party came first, but about who holds influence in what is expected to be a fragmented Senedd. She said the Welsh Liberal Democrats intended to use any balance-of-power role to push for practical reforms in health, childcare, education and the economy.

With the Senedd election set for Thursday, May 7, the manifesto launch marks the party’s attempt to present itself as a voice for voters who are frustrated with the state of public services but wary of both Welsh nationalism and the rise of Reform UK.

Climate

Pembrokeshire council to hear anti-net zero petition

Published

10 hours ago

May 10, 2026

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A PETITION call to Pembrokeshire councillors, which raises concerns at the “hefty funds” needed to support its commitment to net zero, will be heard at full council next week.

Last July, councillors agreed to set up a group to review its own decision to declare a climate emergency some seven years ago.

In May 2019, the council declared a climate emergency following a notice of motion by Cllr Joshua Beynon calling on the authority to back the global consensus that climate change poses a risk to the well-being of future generations.

He had urged county councillors to back a motion to take “bold, decisive action” to fight “truly, catastrophic” climate change, with the council to committing to becoming a zero-carbon local authority by 2030.

At the July 2025 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council, a successful notice of motion by the late Cllr Mike Stoddart called for the establishment of a working group to review that decision.

That led to a recent petition, by Lynda Duffill of West Wales Climate Coalition, which attracted 725 signatures, calling on the council to reaffirm its Declaration of a Climate Emergency, and retain the ambition to deliver Net Zero Council operations by 2030.

That petition was considered at the October 2025 meeting of full council; members agreeing the working group be asked to ensure the petition is included as evidence in its consideration of the matters referred to it by the council resolution in July 2025.

That has now led to a further petition, concerned at a potential increase in council tax from a re-affirmation of a Declaration of a Climate Emergency.

The latest e-petition, on the council’s own website, created by Carolyn Ellis, read: “We call upon all elected members of Pembrokeshire County Council to support and to take seriously the working group tasked with the review of the ‘climate emergency’ called in 2019 (by the-then 21-year-old councillor Joshua Beynon) and to question the hefty funds needed to spend on ‘net zero’.

“We refer to the recent petition by the West Wales Climate Coalition which purports to speak for the residents and council tax-payers of Pembrokeshire.

“There is potentially a far higher number of residents who do not share this unsubstantiated view and who are extremely concerned about the potential for huge hikes in council tax, especially if this tax is linked in future to the carbon efficiency of homes and businesses.

“This was hinted at as a possible lever for encouraging ‘compliance’ with decarbonising homes in the ‘Better Homes, Better Wales, Better World’ report. Therefore, not only could we be faced with more taxes, but also inevitable deterioration in service provision by PCC.”

The current petition ran to March 26 and attracted 753 signatures; any petition of over 500 triggers a debate at full council, the petition due to be heard at the May 14 meeting.

Local Government

Eluned Morgan resigns after losing Ceredigion Penfro Senedd seat

Published

10 hours ago

May 10, 2026

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

WELSH First Minister Eluned Morgan has resigned as leader of the Labour Party after she lost her seat in a catastrophic Senedd election for the former ruling party.

Baroness Morgan was defeated in the Ceredigion Penfro constituency with Labour failing to pick up any of the six seats available in the new ward.

Plaid Cymru gained three, Reform two, and the Welsh Conservatives one as Labour trailed in fourth place in the seat.

Baroness Morgan had previously said she was at risk of losing her seat in this election, and Labour sources were reported showing a sense of unease as counting took place.

She has now stood down as First Minister and Welsh Labour leader.

The First Minister was one of 44 candidates for the Ceredigion Penfro, seven of them Labour, with a total of six seats up for grabs.

Plaid Cymru and Reform have topped opinion polls throughout this election campaign, but polls have indicated one single party may not be able to gain enough votes in the now 96 seat Senedd to govern.

During the count, unconfirmed rumours said Eluned Morgan was in danger of losing her seat.

Baroness Morgan first became an MS in 2016, becoming the sixth First Minister, and the first woman to hold the post, in 2024.

During the 2026 campaign trail, on the issue of a potential coalition or working closer with another party like Plaid Cymru, she said: “I’m not making promises on anything until after the election, what I will say is we won’t under any circumstances work with Reform, it’s important our values are clear and we wouldn’t work with them.”

The First Minister entered the count at held at Llandysul’s Ysgol Bro Teifi to a media scrum, the results for the party seeing it only slightly ahead of the Green party.

Out of 89,402 votes cast, Plaid Cymru gained 31,943; Reform 23,003; Welsh Conservatives 14,789; Labour 6,495; Green 6,324; Liberal Democrats 4,613; Gwlad 802; Heritage Party 442; Aaron Carey 368; George Alexander Chadzy 286, and Paul Haywood Dowson 88.

The six candidates elected were: Elin Jones Plaid Cymru, Susan Claire Archibald Reform, Kerry Ferguson Plaid Cymru, Welsh Conservatives Paul Windsor Davies, Paul Marr Reform, and Anna Nicholl Plaid.

Community

Fishguard astroturf ‘long overdue’ for new surface

Published

10 hours ago

May 10, 2026

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL for clarity on if and when “long overdue” works on Fishguard Leisure Centre’s astroturf surface will take place is to be heard by councillors.

In a submitted question to be heard at the May 14 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council, Bro Gwaun county councillor Delme Harries will ask: “I have received representations regarding the condition of the astroturf surface at Fishguard Leisure Centre which is reported to be a heavily-used facility supporting a range of local sports clubs and community activity.

“Concerns have been raised that the surface is now approaching 20 years old, and that resurfacing is now considered long overdue.

“In light of the council’s recent reviews and investments at other leisure centres in the south of the county, which are much welcomed, can the Cabinet Member please clarify: What formal assessments have been carried out on the condition and remaining lifespan of the astroturf at Fishguard Leisure Centre?

“How this facility is currently prioritised within the council’s wider leisure and sports investment programme?

“What consideration has been given to future upgrade or replacement at Fishguard, particularly in comparison with leisure facility investments made elsewhere in Pembrokeshire?”

Cllr Harries’ question is expected to be answered by the appropriate Cabinet member.

At the March meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet, members backed a leisure investment programme including feasibility funding for new leisure centres in Pembroke and Milford Haven, along with works at Tenby leisure centre, with the aim of extending the lifespan of the trust-run swimming pool by at least 10 years.

For Pembroke this includes a detailed feasibility study for a new-build Leisure Centre in Pembroke, on the current school site, providing a feasibility budget of £195,000 from reserves.

For Milford Haven, members backed £1.2m (at risk) in the capital programme to develop a high-level leisure brief into the tender of the new English Medium primary and secondary school project in Milford Haven, and the pre-construction services to develop the project designs (to RIBA 4, Detailed Design) for a new leisure centre at the same time as the school.

For Tenby, members backed a grant of £4,606,667 to the Tenby and District Swimming Pool Association, as owner of the asset, for works to extend the lifespan of the current swimming pool by at least 10 years.

Members also backed other recommendations including £50,000 from reserves to procure external funding consultants to identify and secure as much funding as possible towards the delivery of the investment programme, and to establish a leisure operations review board to undertake a formal review of the leisure services operating model.