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Author Archives: Jane Dodds

Basic Income – sign the pledge!

By Jane Dodds | Mon 25th April 2022 - 12:20 pm

I want to encourage all Liberal Democrat candidates in the local election to sign this pledge of support for trials of universal basic income (UBI). If you are a candidate in London you can sign a London-specific pledge.

This initiative is being promoted by the UBI Labs Network, one of the leading organisations campaigning for UBI in the UK.

The Liberal Democrats made UBI official party policy in 2020 and this is a great opportunity to show that party members up and down the country support UBI.

It may seem like a small thing to sign a pledge like this. After all, councils by themselves could not put such an initiative into action: they cannot raise the revenue to pay for it or change the tax code in ways that support it. So why bother?

And yet, and yet… every big journey begins with a single step.

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Posted in Campaign Corner and Op-eds | Tagged basic income | 30 Comments

Dodds: Wales should be Green Battery of Western Europe

By Jane Dodds | Mon 14th March 2022 - 5:31 pm

The Welsh and UK Governments should work together to turn Wales into a renewable powerhouse that could help allies in Europe reduce their dependence on Russian oil and gas imports. Projects under construction or in the planning phase should be immediately fast-tracked. This will be a win-win not only helping to reduce UK and EU dependence on Russian hydrocarbons but boosting Welsh jobs and helping save the environment.

Wales currently exports over twice the amount of power it consumes and around 48% of electricity generation in Wales already comes from renewables. But with vast reserves of tidal power in the North and South of Wales, wind power in the West, the potential for Green Hydrogen facilities in former mining areas and hydropower potential throughout the country; Wales has some of the greatest potential for a green economy in all of Europe.

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged jane dodds and renewable energy | 4 Comments

Dodds: St David’s Day Should Be a Public Holiday

By Jane Dodds | Tue 1st March 2022 - 7:29 am

This St David’s Day, the Welsh Liberal Democrats have reiterated their calls for the day to become a public holiday in Wales.

St David’s Day is currently only a patron saint day and does not have any legal standing. Meanwhile, in Scotland and Ireland St Andrew’s Day and St Patrick’s Day respectively are already public holidays.

Almost every country on earth has a national holiday, why not Wales? We already know the UK only has one of the lowest numbers of public holidays in the developed world at eight, compared to 13 in Germany and Spain, 15 in Sweden and 16 in Japan.

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged Wales | 4 Comments

The Dodds Doorstep challenge

By Jane Dodds | Tue 18th January 2022 - 3:07 pm

We all know that without knocking on doors we just won’t get the election results in May.

Here in Wales every seat is up for election this May and that’s why I’ve made it my priority to lead from the front and set myself a challenge.

I’ve promised to canvass for at least 10 hours a week, every week, between now and polling day on 5th May. According to my quick calculations, I think I’ll be able to knock on around 2,500 doors before the election.

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Posted in Wales | Tagged jane dodds | Leave a comment

My visit to the home of the Welsh Wizard

By Jane Dodds | Thu 19th August 2021 - 8:33 am

I will admit to being in two minds about David Lloyd George. He was a great Liberal whose People’s Budget was the first real attempt by a government to meaningfully redistribute wealth, creating the first semblances of the welfare state. He was also the first Welsh Prime Minister. He also, however, used his power and influence over women, as has been documented in Ffion Hague’s book – The Pain and the Privilege.

This week I visited his birth place now museum in Llanystumdwy in North Wales. He came from very humble beginnings, living in a tiny cottage, sharing a bed with his mother – who was single – and two siblings.

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Posted in Liberal History | Tagged lloyd george museum | 18 Comments

Ending profit making from the care of vulnerable children in Wales

By Jane Dodds | Fri 16th July 2021 - 9:50 am

Before my election to the Senedd I was a child protection social worker. I worked with some of the most vulnerable children and young people in society and those staff dedicated to giving them every chance to thrive.

That is why I jumped at the chance to table a debate on legislative proposal in the Senedd on Wednesday, just weeks into the first term. I used the opportunity to shine a light on the work that we must do here in Wales to create a genuine care system based on the needs, hopes, and aspirations of children and young people.

I used my voice in our national parliament, to speak up for the children, young people, and staff who are waiting for the Welsh Labour Government to act.

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged care, children, featured and Wales | 8 Comments

Fifty days to the Senedd elections in Wales

By Jane Dodds | Wed 17th March 2021 - 9:15 am

In just 50 days time Wales will go to the polls.

It will be the first elections to our now renamed Welsh Parliament – Wales’ own Parliament.

It will be the first time the people of Wales have had their say on the parties since Brexit and the first time they’ll get to vote for parties on their taxation policies – an area only recently devolved to Wales.

No matter who you speak to in Wales, the number one priority that people have is what next after Covid? Our fantastic health service is stretched, our economy has stalled, and most people are frankly just a bit glum and fed up.

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Posted in News and Op-eds | Tagged jane dodds and Welsh Elections | 9 Comments

Welsh Liberal Democrat leader pledges to “Put Recovery First” at forthcoming Senedd election

By Jane Dodds | Sat 6th March 2021 - 12:01 am

Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds will today address her party’s Virtual Spring Conference, vowing to “Put Recovery First” by focusing on the economy, people’s mental health and the environment as Wales begins to emerge from the current pandemic.

Addressing the party’s virtual conference, she will say:

“At this critical moment in our future anything other than securing our recovery from Covid and the havoc it has reigned on every aspect of our lives would be foolish.”

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged welsh assembly elections | 1 Comment

Small businesses will be the engine of recovery say Welsh Lib Dems

By Jane Dodds | Fri 5th March 2021 - 9:49 am

The Welsh Liberal Democrats hold their on line conference this weekend – the last before the Senedd – Welsh Parliament – elections in May. The Party is ambitious in its aim to win seats across Wales in both urban and rural areas and the conference this weekend will focus on putting the recovery first through policies on the environment, mental health and rebuilding our economy. The party has focused on businesses and green economic growth.

Wales is a nation of towns and villages, and small businesses. We know our small businesses will be the engine of our recovery from Covid, and will be key to rebuilding a resilient, strong and sustainable economy, putting right the failures of decades of under-investment in Wales.

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Posted in Conference | Tagged 2021 spring conference and small businesses | 2 Comments

Domestic violence in Wales

By Jane Dodds | Wed 25th November 2020 - 9:03 am

November 25th is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Violence in the home has increased during Covid 19; contact during the lockdown period to Wales’ national helpline for women rose by 49% and call time trebled. During the national lockdown period, data from Counting Dead Women – a project that recalls the killing of women by men identified thirty-five murders with another twelve strongly suspected cases between March 23rd and the start of July.

Statistics in 2019 show that one in three women aged 16–59 will experience domestic abuse in her lifetime and that two women …

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged domestic violence and violence against women | 4 Comments

Jane Dodds writes: With a liberal basic income, we can invest in everyone

By Jane Dodds | Tue 25th August 2020 - 11:45 am

As conference season arrives we have a unique opportunity to pass a policy that in the 21st Century is part of the essential foundations of a more liberal future for our country – that policy is a Universal Basic Income.

Supported by both of our leadership candidates and pioneered by the late great Paddy Ashdown the time for the Liberal Democrats to take the step and be the main political party backing a Basic Income is now.

We know that Coronavirus has lifted the lid on the widespread financial insecurity that hardworking people and families have to deal within the UK. For many – from freelancers to those on zero-hours contracts – there is simply no meaningful safety net in place for times of crisis. This fundamentally undermines everything we believe in, and everything we want to achieve.

Our message is the Liberal Democrats can provide the basic financial security everyone needs in these testing times with a Basic Income. It would be a fair simple way to do what us liberal do best – empower people to dream big and reach their full potential.

As Liberal Democrats, we believe in the essential goodness of humankind – that, given the opportunity, in most circumstances, most people will choose to do good rather than harm. That’s why we believe putting power in people’s hands is the best way to a good society.

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged featured and universal basic income | 26 Comments

Jane Dodds writes: Status quo or independence aren’t the only options for Wales – a federal UK is possible

By Jane Dodds | Thu 11th June 2020 - 1:17 pm

The Coronavirus pandemic has thrown down some fundamental challenges to politicians about the future of our society, our economy, our healthcare system, and the nature of work.

Among those challenges, the pandemic has shown that we need fundamental political reform. The sight of MPs queueing around the Palace of Westminster to vote, when every other democratic Parliament – including our own here in Wales – functions remotely, has brought home the archaic nature of the Westminster system.

To face the challenges of the post-coronavirus world, we have to do so much better.

For us in Wales, managing coronavirus has posed some important questions about the functioning of devolution. Health is devolved, and we have our own lockdown rules, with the Government clear decisions about the future of those rules will be taken in Wales. However, the key funding decisions are largely taken in London.

There have been mixed messages from London, where the UK Government at times appears to have barely acknowledged that Wales (or Scotland and Northern Ireland for that matter) have their own administrations and rules.

Despite the best efforts of the Welsh Government to deliver a clear message, many people in Wales get their news from the London-based media. As a result, many people in Wales, and in England, have sometimes been confused about the fact that the rules are different here.

Liberal Democrats believe the relationship between Wales and Westminster has to be reset.

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged devolution and Wales | 12 Comments

Today marks the beginning of a new chapter for Wales

By Jane Dodds | Wed 6th May 2020 - 8:47 am

With the establishment of the Welsh Parliament, we are sending a clear message to people across our nation that our politics is changing. Now is the time for us to learn the lessons of the past and changing the way we do things.

For too long we failed to convey a clear message of what the purpose of the Assembly was and what it had the power to do. Instead, we let it be portrayed as ineffective, a barrier to change that was little more than a glorified talking shop.

We need to cut …

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Posted in Op-eds and Wales | Tagged Parliament, senedd and Wales | 4 Comments

After the virus: an economic future for Wales

By Jane Dodds | Tue 5th May 2020 - 9:04 am

Our economy in Wales was already facing difficulties. The Welsh economy’s long-term problems are well-documented; low productivity, a long-term lack of investment, a declining working-age population, significant public health issues. Add to that the likely effects of Brexit – especially a no-deal Brexit, which, on the basis of the OBR’s own figures, would be likely to deliver a severe productivity shock to the UK economy – and the effects of February’s floods, and even before the effects of lockdown are considered, it is clear that Wales was facing serious economic challenges. A recent report by the Centre for Towns and …

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Posted in Op-eds and Wales | Tagged economy and Wales | 3 Comments

Jane Dodds writes: No going back to business as usual

By Jane Dodds | Tue 21st April 2020 - 11:45 am

Covid-19 has caused the biggest economic shock of modern times. The Government has announced a range of measures to support businesses and the self-employed, in particular through putting in place strong incentives to keep staff on the payroll. Nearly a million people applied for Universal Credit in March – and the Welsh Liberal Democrats have called for the Government to scrap the five-week wait. We need to get money into people’s pockets now.

But we need to think beyond the emergency. Economic recovery could be slow and painful, and the most difficult time for families and businesses – especially the small businesses in the economic front line – may be when the lockdown is over and the short-term, time-limited measures announced by the Treasury fall away. Our family businesses are at the heart of our communities, and we need to ensure they bounce back stronger and more resilient than before. These shops and businesses will only recover if their customers have money to spend once the lockdown ends.

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged Covid-19, universal basic income, universal credit and Wales | 32 Comments

Jane Dodds writes: Why UBI is the only way forward

By Jane Dodds | Thu 19th March 2020 - 9:00 pm

Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen the spread of Corona Virus continue at a frightening pace. Countries around the world are taking increasingly more authoritarian steps to try and contain the spread before it is too late to stop it.

A consequence of this has been millions of people left in limbo, unsure of what they’re going to do as the lockdown increases. Across the UK schools have closed and many businesses are slowly shutting down due to concerns over staff/customer safety and lack of custom.

But as the UK grinds to a halt, people’s lives simply do not stop. People still have bills coming in, they still have a mortgage/rent to pay and they still need to be able to put food on their table. However, for many even funding these bare essentials will be difficult.

Many small and independent shops are having to lay off staff or close outright, this means for many thousands of people their source of income and livelihood disappears overnight. I welcome the recent moves by the UK, Scottish and Welsh Governments to support small businesses, but they simply haven’t gone far enough to support people themselves.

So, what happens if you lose your job due to Covid-19? You’re either forced to try and find a new job very quickly (almost impossible given the economic standstill) or apply for Universal Credit.

Universal Credit is an abhorrent system, one which lacks any compassion or grounding in reality. How is someone supposed to go five weeks without any support? How are they supposed to feed their families and keep up with their bills on just £80 a week?

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged ubi and universal basic income | 100 Comments

Where we go from here

By Jane Dodds | Thu 30th January 2020 - 11:01 am

Embed from Getty Images

On Tuesday I visited the European Parliament building for the first time.

I was awed by the beautiful modern glass buildings in the Place de Luxembourg, which merge together to form an impressive (and somewhat confusing) web of corridors and doorways.

The Parliament is the epicentre of the European Union and is where over 7,500 staff and 751 MEPs work. Sadly, from Friday, this will be reduced as our UK contingent leave Brussels – just 8 months into what should’ve been a 5-year term.

But my visit to the Parliament wasn’t just to marvel at the impressive architecture. I came to meet with our MEPs, and to represent Wales at an event entitled “Brexit: What next for the Nation States”. I was joined by the indominable Sheila Ritchie MEP, representing Scotland, and newly elected Alliance MP Stephen Farry, representing Northern Ireland.

I spoke of how there are so many people who feel behind in Wales, with little sense of being connected with the centres of power that made decisions.

Even though Wales received £680million per year from the EU, making it a nation that benefitted far more than it contributed, there is a huge disconnected between areas of high poverty and the actual financial advantages membership of the EU brought for their communities.

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged brexit and europe | 30 Comments

Three new things you can do in the next six weeks

By Jane Dodds | Mon 10th June 2019 - 12:58 pm

In Brecon and Radnorshire, we present you with a potential number of new campaigning experiences.

One is campaigning in a rural constituency covering the entire Brecon Beacons with endless accommodation for Liberal Democrats. A rural constituency with Young Farmers Clubs Rallies (for those aged between 10 and 26) with sheep shearing competitions, singing and dancing opportunities, and the infamous tug of war between warring clubs. A Welsh rural constituency with Eisteddfods for children and adults – competitions in the Welsh and English in recitation, choirs, duets and a unique Welsh cultural activity called Cerdd Dant. A Welsh rural constituency built …

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Posted in News and Parliamentary by-elections | 3 Comments

Jane Dodds writes…Loneliness in Wales

By Jane Dodds | Tue 30th October 2018 - 11:55 am

The Welsh Government has just announced a consultation on a Strategy to address loneliness in Wales. We know that 17% of the population in Wales are lonely, with 54% saying they have experienced loneliness at some time in their life. Research shows that loneliness is harmful to our health, and increases the likelihood of mortality by 26%.

Loneliness affects many parts of the population; single parents, those suffering from depression and anxiety, the homeless, young people and the elderly. Studies have found that loneliness peaks in the experiences of young people and then again in older people. For young people, we have seen severe cuts to youth services in local authorities in Wales, and loss of grants to Young Farmers Clubs. For older people, cuts to services such as day centres, and the Third Sector results in further isolation. .

Loneliness should be treated as a health issue, and integrated with our approaches to healthy living. For the Strategy in Wales, I would like to see funding targeted to ensure public transport is subsidised, if not free, to target groups, and that rural transport, particularly bus services, are not cut. This element should work in parallel with an integrated transport plan for Wales. We need to embed long term funding of community services, particularly from the Third Sector, and ensure that there are befriending services to young people and the elderly. Finally, Wales needs a new approach to staff and personnel working in this field. It is a scandal that those who look after our young people, elderly and vulnerable are treated so appallingly. For too long, the care and social sector has been seen as a ”twilight” service with zero hours contracts, poor working conditions and the minimum wage being paid. We need to see this valued group of workers having a more significant profile in our communities.

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Posted in News | Tagged featured, jane dodds, loneliness, Wales and welsh liberal democrats | 3 Comments

Defiant in the face of the storm, Welsh Liberal Democrats meet in Aberystwyth

By Jane Dodds | Mon 15th October 2018 - 8:15 am

When some of Aberystwyth beach is on the road outside the venue of the Welsh Party conference, you know things are not quite right. The rain and wind in Wales this weekend has been dire, with roads closed, train lines down and houses flooded. At least two of our party members experienced flooding of their houses, and those of us who travelled to and from the conference experienced delays, and many did not even get to us.

But, along with the exceptional weather, we had an exceptional Autumn conference. Vince Cable and Sal Brinton battled to get to us and we are so grateful. Two campaign Federal Party staff also endured bus replacement services to be with us to support us. Your Liberal Britain ran two workshops. Welsh superstars (the Williams’ trio) – Kirsty Williams, Roger Williams and Mark Williams were in attendance.

We had debates on protecting rural Wales, a more equal Wales, dumping of nuclear waste, prostate cancer. We had a Q and A with the only Liberal Democrat in the country changing lives of people from government, in Kirsty Williams, our Education Cabinet Secretary; she told us of the newly launched rural school scheme called ‘e-sgol’ (Welsh word for school is ysgol, which means ladder) – using IT to connect children in rural areas to teachers in specialist subjects.

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Posted in News | Tagged welsh liberal democrat conference 2018 | 3 Comments

Universal Basic Income and the Welsh Perspective

By Jane Dodds | Wed 29th August 2018 - 7:30 am

In Wales, like the rest of the UK, we are seeing increasing homelessness and food bank usage. The UK Government continues to roll out a Universal Credit system that will exacerbate this poverty. No compassionate politician can resign themselves to worsening poverty. We need to look for progressive solutions and to continue our opposition to government policies that demonise the poor.

One possible solution is a Universal Basic Income (UBI), an idea that has been the subject of much debate across the political spectrum, including within our own party. UBI is a conviction that people seek purpose, and – if given the opportunity and freedom – will usually make the best decisions about their lives – a great Liberal principle. It must be a conversation about how we live, not just how we earn.

Opponents of UBI argue that it would damage economic growth by leading fewer people to work, but I think this view underestimates people. Money is only one factor driving us to work. I suspect that most who work primarily for money would take UBI as an opportunity to make more money, rather than not work at all.

While many would likely choose to work less, this is not necessarily bad. They may do so to spend more time with their family, achieve a better (and healthier) work/life balance, upskill themselves, undertake charity work or care for loved ones.

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Posted in News and Op-eds | Tagged universal credit | 28 Comments

Jane Dodds writes….Wales has a by-election and we need your help

By Jane Dodds | Wed 17th January 2018 - 8:00 am

There is a by-election for the Welsh Assembly in the North Wales constituency of Alyn and Deeside on February 6th.

This is an opportunity for the Welsh Liberal Democrats to begin their revival and renewal after a challenging time.

The election is being fought in difficult circumstances following the suicide of the Labour politician, Carl Sergeant in November, and his son has been selected as the Labour candidate in the by-election.

We have a brilliant candidate in Donna Lalek, who joined the party just over a year ago, was born and brought up in the constituency,is a founder member of the Liberal Democrat inspired “Everyone Matters” movement and is a community councillor.

This is a plug for your support as we desperately need more help in every part of campaigning. Sal Brinton has been to support us, and Vince Cable comes up at the end of January.

You will be warmly welcomed if you can make it up to North Wales, so please think if you can join us.

The by-election is not only an opportunity for us to build capacity as a party, but is the first opportunity in a constituency election to consider how issues such as how the Brexit negotiations are beginning to impact on an area that voted out.

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Posted in News | Tagged alyn and deeside by-election, donna lalek and Wales | 3 Comments

Jane Dodds’ New Year Message: Welsh Liberal Democrats are fighting back

By Jane Dodds | Sun 31st December 2017 - 8:00 am

Dymuniadau Gorau i chi gyd dros y Blwyddyn Newydd/ Best Wishes to you all for the New Year.

2018 will be the year of the Welsh Liberal Democrat fight back, with renewed energy in our activists, key policies which will change the lives of Welsh people, and a focus on winning seats.

We want to see a Wales that has social justice as its backbone – rethinking a punitive benefits system which wages war on the poor. We want to see a Wales that looks out to Europe – leaving the EU would be a disaster for Welsh farmers and businesses. We want to see a Wales that welcomes refugees – building on its proud history of internationalism. We want to see a Wales that has a health system that is fair – English people have waiting times for planned operations that is half that of Welsh people. We want to see an economic plan for Wales that will breathe new life into its urban and rural areas – promoting innovation in green industries.

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged featured, jane dodds and welsh liberal democrats | 8 Comments

Reprise: What Jane Dodds wants for the Welsh Liberal Democrats

By Jane Dodds | Sat 4th November 2017 - 12:55 pm

This is a re-run of the article Jane Dodds wrote for us during the Welsh Lib Dems’ leadership campaign, setting out her hopes for the party.

I have to start by saying that I am not that happy to be standing against Liz Evans, a colleague for whom I have enormous respect. My only comfort is that the Welsh Liberal Democrats will have a Welsh speaking woman from mid-Wales as their next leader.

I believe that the Welsh Liberal Democrats have the talent, the drive, the enthusiasm and the ambition to start winning again, but we need to rebuild the party. We need more members, more councillors and to win seats in the Welsh Assembly elections in 2021 and in the next Parliamentary elections. The Welsh party needs to work with the Federal Party to forge a relationship that helps us to transform ourselves. And Wales needs the Welsh Liberal Democrats to offer real, meaningful, and Liberal solutions to the deep seated inequalities people face.

Progress has been too slow. As a social worker, I have seen at first hand the inequalities in our society and the hardship suffered by people as they face a lack of good quality homes and a paucity of well-paid and full time employment. People in Wales have health services which are well below the standards in England, and we need improved access to mental health provision. We need to sustain our support to our Education Cabinet Secretary in Kirsty Williams as she continues to deliver progressive policies to improve educational standards for Welsh children.

We need an economic plan that breathes life back in to Wales, and to put green policies and renewable energy developments at the forefront of our strategy. We need to be an outward looking Wales – welcoming refugees and helping those in need, as well as joining Vince and all other Liberal Democrats in challenging Brexit.

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged jane dodds and welsh liberal democrats | Leave a comment

Welsh Lib Dems’ Leadership: Jane Dodd writes “I want to lead a party that is radical and reforming”

By Jane Dodds | Tue 17th October 2017 - 11:55 am

I have to start by saying that I am not that happy to be standing against Liz Evans, a colleague for whom I have enormous respect. My only comfort is that the Welsh Liberal Democrats will have a Welsh speaking woman from mid-Wales as their next leader.

I believe that the Welsh Liberal Democrats have the talent, the drive, the enthusiasm and the ambition to start winning again, but we need to rebuild the party. We need more members, more councillors and to win seats in the Welsh Assembly elections in 2021 and in the next Parliamentary elections. The Welsh party needs to work with the Federal Party to forge a relationship that helps us to transform ourselves. And Wales needs the Welsh Liberal Democrats to offer real, meaningful, and Liberal solutions to the deep seated inequalities people face.

Progress has been too slow. As a social worker, I have seen at first hand the inequalities in our society and the hardship suffered by people as they face a lack of good quality homes and a paucity of well-paid and full time employment. People in Wales have health services which are well below the standards in England, and we need improved access to mental health provision. We need to sustain our support to our Education Cabinet Secretary in Kirsty Williams as she continues to deliver progressive policies to improve educational standards for Welsh children.

We need an economic plan that breathes life back in to Wales, and to put green policies and renewable energy developments at the forefront of our strategy. We need to be an outward looking Wales – welcoming refugees and helping those in need, as well as joining Vince and all other Liberal Democrats in challenging Brexit.

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged featured, jane dodds, Wales and welsh liberal democrats leadership election 2017 | 12 Comments

Congratulations to the Welsh football team

By Jane Dodds | Fri 8th July 2016 - 4:30 pm

Embed from Getty Images

So Wales did not get beyond the semi finals in Euro 2016. Or rather; Wales got through to the semi finals of Euro 2016. An awesome performance which highlighted real teamwork and courage. They had tenacity in the face of people expecting so little of them. They believed in themselves and gave it everything. They stood out as a team who felt privileged to be in the contest, wanted to make their mark and will come home to Wales with their heads held high having made it to the semi finals. Llongyfarchiadau Cymru/Congratulations Wales.

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged euro 2016, football, sport and Wales | 3 Comments

My highlights of the Hay Festival

By Jane Dodds | Mon 6th June 2016 - 1:30 pm

Embed from Getty Images

Living in mid Wales, we are able to pop along to the Hay Festival, and take in a day of culture, politics and new ways of thinking.

On Saturday June 4th, I did 4 contrasting bite size chunks of life – past and present. The day started with Erwin James, a convicted double murderer, sentenced to life imprisonment 32 years ago, and former Guardian columnist. He started his session by saying that for the first 12 months of his sentence, he was locked up for 23 hours a day, which forced him to think about whether he was made to be a criminal or life had made him that way. He produced no conclusions, save that he had a good childhood to 7 years old, and after his mother was killed, his life careered down the path of criminality, culminating in his conviction. He has chosen never to speak about his crimes in detail, respecting the families of the victims, and a constant theme in his talk was that he will never be able to make up for taking the lives of two people. He has a book out (as do most authors at the festival) called Redeemable, a title chosen because he feels all prisoners are redeemable. He even had a good word to say about Michael Gove, a Justice Minister who has commented on how society needs to value prisoners more and see them as assets to society.

Moving on to the next session and definitely not a good word to say about the Conservatives, nor any government of the past 20 years; Refugee Tales told the stories of refugees in the UK, experiencing multiple dawn raids, a dispassionate asylum system, and shocking treatment of children detained ( and we still do lock up child asylum seekers with their families in a place called Cedars – please don’t think that as Liberal democrats we have stopped this practice as this report explains.) A comment from a Welsh GP in the audience produced many nods when she stated that successive UK governments have aimed to have an asylum system that is as difficult and as incomprehensible as possible to deter people from seeking sanctuary. The aim of this session was to raise the profile of a campaign to limit the detention period of asylum seekers – currently indefinite – to 28 days – just as it is for any other UK citizen.

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged hay festival, literature and Wales | 3 Comments

A visit to Calais

By Jane Dodds | Mon 1st February 2016 - 11:26 am

Last week I left Welshpool with my car rather more heavily loaded than usual- with sleeping bags and tarpaulins, all donated by caring Montgomeryshire people wanting to help refugees living in the cold of a Calais winter.

I’ve reported in full on my visit to the Calais refugee camp last week in several posts and videos on my facebook site. Please click the link to have a look.

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged calais and refugees | 7 Comments

A Minister for Youth Affairs is needed to stop young people being driven out of rural life

By Jane Dodds | Fri 18th October 2013 - 12:34 pm

In our part of the world, rural Powys, driving is often the only practical way to get around, especially for young people. The proposals this week to improve young driver safety could have a severe impact on the job prospects and lifestyles of young people in rural areas like ours.

Montgomeryshire in mid-Wales is the least densely populated county in England and Wales; 59.3% of us live in isolated, rural hamlets and isolated dwellings. Getting access to health, education, housing and jobs is a challenge for anyone living in a rural community like this. Add on to that the challenge of being a young person and the barriers mount up.

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged rural communities and young people | 5 Comments