Three months ago, there was a real sense of excitement in the Welsh Lib Dems. We were poised to make big gains in the third elections to the National Assembly, held on 3rd May.
The evident frustration of four years previously, in 2003, when we had stagnated on six seats out of 60 was sure to vanish this time, we thought, with the potential to win three or four extra seats in the Senedd. But, in what was a heart-breaking night for the party in Wales, we missed out on even one extra seat yet again.
Inevitably, the resulting frustration and anger, not to mention the carnage over coalition negotiations that followed, has led to the party wondering exactly where it is that we can go from here.
Much has been made of the need to reposition ourselves in Wales, to speak up, and show exactly what it is that we stand for. In my view, events outside the party have presented us with a golden opportunity to show what we are for.
Last week, Labour and Plaid Cymru finalised their coalition government, with Plaid gaining three cabinet seats. Many old-fashioned socialists have rejoiced at the prospect of what they see as a red-flagged paradise run from Cardiff Bay. They cheer at the prospect of policies free from Blairism, Brownism and Alun Michaelism. For them, Rhodri Morgan and Ieuan Wyn Jones will lead Wales into a socialist century that they have long dreamed of. However, what is clear to me is that this is a government that is doomed to fail the people of Wales.
As a liberal, and a Liberal Democrat, my natural distrust of nationalists has so far been proved correct.