Where now for Liberalism in Wales?

The floundering Welsh Lib Dems need to become the heirs of David Lloyd George:- radical, empowering communities, inspiring leadership, a movement in defence of liberalism

What on earth is the point of the Welsh Liberal Democrats? The meagre percentage points in polling for the Westminster voting intention suggests that the same question flashes through the mind of the Welsh electorate.

The presumed successor of David Lloyd George’s Liberal Party, which, through its inspired and radical policies based around community empowerment, once dominated Welsh politics, the Lib Dems in Wales have not only lost their way but show no sign of wanting to find the path again.

The party has not a single representative at Westminster from Wales, is unlikely to change that at the next U.K. general election (whenever that might be) and has only a smattering of local councillors.

Its drab leader, its sole representative in the Senedd, is clearly devoid of original ideas.

Void

Wales has a Liberal sized void in its political discourse. Conservatism and Socialism continue to fail in empowering people and communities to tackle the alarming issues of; child hunger, the need to build quality new homes, working family poverty, returning control of policing and justice to Cardiff, drug abuse, the climate crises, the collapse in council funding, energy independence, crumbling education and farming.

“I am a liberal because liberalism seems to mean faith in the people, confidence that they will manage their own affairs far better than those affairs are likely to be managed for them by others.” – Millicent Garrett Fawcett, suffragist and education reformer

Of the 74,000 Liberal Democrat members across the United kingdom, only 3,000 are members of the Welsh Lib Dems. This is similar in size to the Welsh Green Party and certainly small when compared with Plaid Cymru’s 10,000 or Labours 18,000 members.

All four of these parties clamour for the progressive centre-left voter. For this reason alone, it is incumbent on the Welsh Lib Dems to seek out policies, ideas and candidates who will help define the party, differentiate it, energise it and turn it from an ‘also ran’ into a winner.

A disturbing question for Welsh voters of a liberal and centrist disposition is that despite the obvious need for a Liberal Party in Welsh society today, the Lib Dems have failed to express and present the historical Liberal position in the spirit of David Lloyd George.

Funding

Instead of radical and thought provoking solutions, the party plays the tunes directed from the federal party, ever fearing its funding being cut by London. And, in this it mirrors many other political parties, government bodies, institutions and organisations in Wales.

Ironically, this lack of bravery and ambition from the Welsh branch of the liberal family is pushing the party in Wales ever closer to irrelevance. Ed Davey’s vision of a Tory-lite party may play well with the voters of southern England but it is the death knell of the Lib Dems in Wales.

For a party which claims to be a bulwark against conformity, to stand up for ‘fundamental values of liberty, equality and community’, the fear of change is driving many creative and energetic members away from the Welsh Lib Dems – who find themselves reliant on inexperienced student labourers, talentless personnel and a repetitious clique of candidates and party offices – all perpetuating the stagnant thinking and stale imagery of 1990s political campaigning.

Values

Under attack from every side, Liberalism must have its voice represented in Wales. We know that it is present in our communities. The values which came to the fore during the 2020 pandemic are Liberal: solidarity, community support, a realisation of the importance of a modern healthcare system, and the necessity for an international response to solve the problem.

We also know that there are large swaths of the electorate who are liberal minded but currently politically homeless. The Welsh Liberal Democrats have to decide if they are the party to hold the Liberalism touch aloft or leave that job to others and resign the party to the annals of Welsh history.

There is still an opportunity to rebuild a shattered Welsh Liberal brand, to make it a party once again in the spirit of David Lloyd George. The Tories, who have never been at home in Wales, are tarnished for at least a generation, with the age of voters choosing them over Labour rising from 39 to 70.

Welsh Labour has chosen a sordid new leader who, already, less than three months into leading that party, is embroiled in scandal. And, Labours bland and cautious U.K. figurehead inspires little enthusiasm. Now is the time to set Welsh Liberalism free of London’s influence. Now is the time to find the ambition, bravery and creativity for innovative policies focused on the people of Wales. Now is the time to welcome the ‘New Welsh Liberals’.

Perhaps the spiritless Welsh Liberal Democrats should heed the warning of David Lloyd George, that Liberals would be used like oxen to drag Labour’s wagon “over the rough roads of parliament…and… when there is no further use for them, they are to be slaughtered”.

Simon has been a member and activist for the Liberal Democrats for 20 years and is an approved Westminster parliamentary candidate for the party.