Welsh Liberal Democrats Launch Gwynedd Maldwyn Senedd Campaign in Newtown

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have launched their Senedd election campaign for Gwynedd Maldwyn (Gwynedd and Montgomeryshire) in Newtown this weekend, as they seek to elect Llanidloes County Councillor Glyn Preston to represent the region in Cardiff Bay.

The campaign was launched by Welsh Liberal Democrat MP for Brecon & Radnorshire David Chadwick.

Cllr Preston is joined on the party’s regional list by Welshpool councillors Richard Church and Carol Robinson, forming a strong local team with deep roots across Montgomeryshire and north Powys.

Gwynedd Maldwyn is one of the Welsh Liberal Democrats' top five target seats in the Senedd elections, being considered a historic heartland for the Party. The Welsh Liberal Democrats regained the seat of Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe in the South of Powys at the last general election and also have the highest number of councillors across Powys.

Changes to the Senedd’s electoral system mean that candidates now require roughly 12% of the vote to secure a seat, increasing the likelihood of representation for smaller parties and giving voters a greater chance to elect local champions. It also means it is almost impossible for any party to win outright and govern alone.

Among the local priorities outlined by Cllr Glyn Preston at the launch were tackling high waiting lists in the region, fixing social care, which now accounts for almost 40% of Powys Council's budget, improving high streets through the reform of business rates and tackling the high rates of rural depopulation.

The party also wants to further progress the North Powys Health and Wellbeing Hub in Newtown, which will allow more patients to be treated closer to home in North Powys, rather than travelling to Shropshire. The project was given a major boost last year when Welsh Lib Dem Leader Jane Dodds secured £450,000 of capital funding to progress the project.

Across Wales, the Lib Dems' main focuses are fixing social care, tackling sewage pollution in rivers and tackling the high cost-of-living through improving access to affordable childcare.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats say the political landscape in Wales is shifting rapidly, with the collapse in Conservative support leaving many voters in the centre and centre-right looking for a new political home.

They argue that Labour has let Wales down after more than two decades in power, pointing to poor outcomes in key public services and a failure to properly support rural communities.

The party has also criticised proposals for Welsh independence backed by Plaid Cymru and the Greens, warning they would be deeply damaging for border counties like Montgomeryshire, hitting local businesses, farmers and schools, while making cross-border healthcare even more complicated and costly. They also argue such plans would waste taxpayers’ money at a time when public services are already under pressure.

Commenting Cllr Glyn Preston said:

“I’m incredibly proud to be standing for Montgomeryshire, the place I grew up and a place with a strong sense of community and huge potential for the future.

“This campaign is about delivering real, practical improvements to people’s lives, cutting NHS waiting times, fixing social care, supporting our high streets and making sure young people can build their futures here instead of feeling they have to leave.

“I will make sure Montgomeryshire has a strong, positive voice in Cardiff Bay, one that focuses on getting things done and delivering for local people.”

Adding his comments David Chadwick MP said:

“There is a real opportunity here for the Welsh Liberal Democrats to win in Gwynedd Maldwyn and restore strong local representation for Montgomeryshire.

“Whilst I’m already fighting for Powys in Westminster, more Welsh Liberal Democrat colleagues in the Senedd will help challenge ministers in Cardiff Bay, who too often forget Mid Wales exists.

“Glyn Preston will be a tireless advocate for this region, working closely with me to ensure that people here are no longer overlooked and that we finally see progress on the issues that matter most, from healthcare to local economic growth.”

ENDS