Politics

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

Published

22 minutes 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.

News

Labour split over Brawdy defence project as Eluned Morgan calls for project halt

Published

3 hours ago

April 15, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Henry Tufnell backs DARC radar scheme as First Minister calls for plans to be halted over concerns about the USA

A LABOUR split has emerged over the proposed Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability project at Brawdy, with Henry Tufnell MP publicly backing the scheme after First Minister Eluned Morgan called for it to be paused.

Mr Tufnell said the DARC project could be a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” for Pembrokeshire, after Ms Morgan argued that the AUKUS-linked development should be halted while the United States is proving to be an unreliable ally.

The proposed Ministry of Defence scheme would see 27 large parabolic radar dishes installed at Cawdor Barracks, Brawdy, to track satellites and space debris in high Earth orbit. The Pembrokeshire site would form part of a wider joint programme involving the UK, the USA and Australia.

Ms Morgan, who is Labour’s candidate for Ceredigion Penfro as well as First Minister, had said the plan should be paused in light of what she described as Donald Trump’s hostility towards the UK and concerns over American foreign policy.

But Mr Tufnell, the Labour MP for Mid and South Pembrokeshire, has now struck a very different tone, saying the scheme could bring jobs, investment and long-term benefits to the county.

In a statement issued on Tuesday (Apr 15), he said: “I’m concerned that the First Minister appears to not want the local jobs and economic growth on a project that is unlikely to be operational until after the Trump administration.”

He added: “Our community here in Pembrokeshire has always played a pivotal role in the UK’s defence and the DARC project represents the next chapter in our proud heritage.”

Mr Tufnell said he was working closely with the MoD to make sure local views were taken into account as the plans move forward.

He said: “I am working closely with MoD officials to ensure that the views and concerns of local residents are fully heard and addressed. It is vital that any environmental and public health concerns are addressed, and the project must deliver genuine, tangible benefits for local workers and the wider community.”

The U.K. Government is resolute on using defence to keep our country safe and revitalise the industrial heartlands of our United Kingdom.

He also backed the wider UK Government position on defence investment, adding: “The UK Government is resolute on using defence to keep our country safe and revitalise the industrial heartlands of our United Kingdom.”

The differing positions expose a clear divide within Labour over one of the most significant proposed developments in Pembrokeshire in recent years.

The pre-application consultation on the Brawdy scheme has now ended, with the Ministry of Defence expected to submit a formal planning application to Pembrokeshire County Council.

News

Plaid vows to push ahead with St Clears station plan

Published

3 hours ago

April 15, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Senedd candidate Nerys Evans says west Wales has been left behind for too long as party renews call for rail investment

PLAID CYMRU has pledged to press ahead with plans to reopen a railway station in St Clears if it forms the next Welsh Government after the Senedd election on Thursday (May 7).

The proposal to restore a station in the Carmarthenshire town, which lost its rail link in the 1960s, was first announced in 2020. But despite years of campaigning and political pressure, the scheme has yet to be delivered.

Nerys Evans, one of Plaid Cymru’s candidates in Carmarthenshire, said communities in west Wales had repeatedly missed out on their fair share of transport investment.

In its manifesto published earlier this month, Plaid Cymru said it would improve rail links across the west of Wales. The party has also repeated its demand for rail powers to be devolved to Wales and for what it says is Wales’ full share of HS2 funding.

Plaid argues that Wales is owed £4 billion after HS2 was classified as an “England and Wales” project, despite no part of the line between Birmingham and London being in Wales.

Speaking near the proposed site of the new station, Ms Evans said Carmarthenshire had every right to feel overlooked.

She said: “There is often a feeling in Carmarthenshire that we are not getting our fair share of funding, and that is absolutely justified. Too often, Wales gets very little, and west Wales even less.

“Plaid Cymru has continuously campaigned for our fair share of rail investment in west Wales, and in government we will ensure fair treatment for communities like St Clears.

“We have outlined how a Plaid Cymru government would bring forward plans to develop our rail infrastructure in the west, including in St Clears, even as we fight for the funding and powers that Wales deserves.

“It is so important that Wales has a government after the election on Thursday (May 7) that is really willing to stand up for its people and communities in order to demand the money and powers that are owed to us, not only when it comes railways, but many other policy areas too.”

The pledge forms part of Plaid Cymru’s wider transport offer ahead of the Senedd election, with the party seeking to make improved rail links a key issue for rural and west Wales communities.

Photo caption:

Station pledge: Plaid Cymru Senedd candidate Nerys Evans near the proposed site of the new St Clears railway station (Pic: Supplied).

News

CPRW calls for action on pylons, pollution and rural Wales ahead of Senedd vote

Published

1 day ago

April 14, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Charity publishes eight-point manifesto urging next Welsh Government to protect countryside while delivering clean energy

THE CAMPAIGN for the Protection of Rural Wales has set out an eight-point manifesto ahead of the Senedd elections, calling on political parties to back stronger action to protect the countryside, restore nature and deliver renewable energy in a way that works for rural communities.

The charity, known as CPRW, published its proposals on Monday ahead of the Welsh election on Thursday, May 7.

It says the next Welsh Government must take practical steps to tackle climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution and growing pressures on rural areas, while also safeguarding landscapes, communities and Wales’ natural heritage.

Among its main demands are a major expansion of rooftop solar on homes and public buildings, a commitment to deliver most of Wales’ renewable energy by 2030 through offshore wind and rooftop solar, and new rules or legislation to favour underground electricity cables over pylons.

CPRW is also calling for greater backing for tidal energy, the creation of a Nature and Climate Change Commissioner, and more support for Natural Resources Wales to help expand protected areas in line with the UK’s 30 by 30 target.

Other proposals include a ring-fenced Welsh Government fund to maintain and improve public footpaths, along with legally binding action to tackle pollution in Wales’ rivers, lakes and seas.

Jonty Colchester, Chair of CPRW, said: “Wales has the opportunity to lead the UK in protecting landscapes while delivering a fair transition to clean energy.

“Our manifesto sets out practical steps to achieve both, supporting communities, safeguarding nature and strengthening the resilience of rural Wales.

“We urge all political parties to recognise that protecting the countryside is not a niche concern. It is fundamental to Wales’ economy, culture and quality of life.”

The charity, which will mark its centenary in 2028, said the next Senedd term will be critical in shaping the long-term future of Wales’ natural environment.

CPRW has published the full manifesto in both English and Welsh. For further information, the organisation has asked media to contact Caroline Conway.