Big congratulations to Kirsty Williams, Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, who was voted ‘Assembly Member of the Year’ at the ITV Wales Welsh Politician of the Year awards ceremony in Cardiff on Tuesday.

Accepting her award, Kirsty Williams quoted Violet Bonham-Carter saying:

I often hear it suggested that women will bring gentleness into politics. I am not altogether sure that this is right.

Kirsty was commended for bringing politicians of all hues together, in Cardiff and in Westminster, for the benefit of Wales.

Earlier on in the year, the Welsh Liberal Democrat group in the Assembly, under the leadership of Kirsty, were also praised by the BBC Politics Editor, Vaughan Roderick, for being the most effective group in the Assembly despite only having five AMs. Writing on his blog about how ineffective the Tories are, the experienced hack said:

With Plaid Cymru having spent the year gazing at its own navel, at times, it has appeared that the Liberal Democrats with their five members are most effective of the three opposition parties. Some Conservatives are of the view that that cannot be allowed to continue.

Praise continued to flow but this time towards the Leader Kirsty Williams by a Labour, yes, a Labour Assembly Member. Talking about scrutiny and questioning in the Assembly on the weekly ITV Wales political debate programme, Sharp End, Mick Antoniw AM for Pontypridd said:

I’d say that the best person asking the questions in the Assembly at the moment is Kirsty Williams. She obviously has a certain degree of experience and does ask quite effective questions. And I think that is very important

Kirsty has been Assembly Member for Brecon and Radnorshire since 1999 and is this weekend celebrating her fourth year as leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats.

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