The Welsh Liberal Democrats have selected local campaigner Chris Twells as the party’s lead candidate for the North Wales region at the next National Assembly for Wales election.

North Wales elected a Welsh Liberal Democrat AM at every election until 2016, when UKIP won two seats.

Chris was selected by Welsh Liberal Democrat members living in Ynys Mon, Arfon, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire and Wrexham in an all-member ballot.

Chris was born in St Asaph and brought up in Rhosesmor, Flintshire, attending the Alun School in Mold before going on to study Law at the University of York. He has been an active Liberal Democrat member since joining the party as a student because of its strong pro-European stance and support for human rights.

Caradog Steffan John, a fluent Welsh speaker and former researcher at the Assembly was chosen as the second candidate for the North Wales list and Wrexham Councillor Rob Walsh secured third place. Donna Lalek, a Community Councillor from Flintshire and the second-placed candidate at the recent European election, will be the fourth candidate.

Lead Welsh Liberal Democrat candidate for North Wales, Chris Twells said:

It is an honour to be selected to lead the North Wales list and I look forward to campaigning across the region with our strong team of Welsh Liberal Democrat councillors and activists.

It would be an enormous privilege to represent North Wales, the place where I was born and raised, in our country’s Parliament. I also want to continue the legacy of my hugely-respected predecessor, Aled Roberts, who always stood up for our region in Cardiff Bay.

For far too long North Wales has been let down and forgotten by Labour decision-makers. This is something the Welsh Liberal Democrats are determined to change. Every vote for the Welsh Liberal Democrats is a vote to demand better for our communities and give them a strong liberal voice in the Senedd.

Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds commented:

Chris is an experienced campaigner who will bring his skill and passion to the role as our lead candidate for the Senedd.

At the European elections last week the Welsh Liberal Democrats enjoyed our best ever performance, receiving more votes than the Conservatives in every part of North Wales and finishing ahead of Labour in places like Conwy.

If these results were replicated at the next Senedd election we would see at least one hard-working Welsh Liberal Democrat AM elected to stand up for North Wales and demand better for the region.

I look forward to joining Chris and the team on the campaign trail so we can make this a reality.

* News Meerkat - keeping a look-out for Liberal Democrat news. Meerkat photo by Paul Walter