In 2011, one of the most heartbreaking results in Wales was losing Jenny Randerson’s former constituency of Cardiff Central by just 38 votes Losing by such a small amount is horrible. Welsh Liberal Democrats hope to win it back in 2015. They’ve now chosen their candidate, South Wales Central list AM Eluned Parrott, who has made a significant impact since she was elected in 2011.

In 2012, she wrote about her experience of Post-Natal Depression for Time to Change Wales as one of four AMs who decided to be open about their own experiences. A year later, she followed that up with an article about the impact that decision had had on her life:

It is never easy to admit to what many in our society, sadly, still view as a personal weakness and I can only applaud the hundreds of people who have written blogs and bared their soul to help end stigma against people with mental ill health.   In my case, it was also something that I had very deliberately concealed from friends, colleagues and even family members in the past, partially because I had found it such an emotionally difficult thing to talk about and, if I am honest with myself, partially because I was ashamed of it. I had taken society’s stigmatisation of metal ill health on board and deep down inside, I believed it.  The decision to speak about my own experience forced me to challenge the deeply flawed perceptions that had made me feel that I was in some way to blame.  I am so delighted that I have done so.  It has freed me from a hidden but deeply-seated source of personal anxiety and allowed me to move on in my life with much more confidence and happiness.

I believe that the decision to speak and be honest about my own experiences has made me a better politician because it has made me a more empathetic person.

On her selection, she said:

It’s a huge honour that local people have backed my record of delivery and promise of more and selected me as their Prospective Cardiff Central Assembly Member. I will keep working hard over the coming months to stand up for Cardiff, supporting Jenny Willott MP and our fantastic team of councillors and campaigners.

I know that if we want Cardiff to thrive and prosper, we must make our city an enjoyable and accessible place to live, work and visit. I’ve already fought to secure funding for the Bay Eastern Link Road which will go a long way to reduce traffic in the city centre and our residential streets. Having also secured planning work for the South Wales Metro, as Cardiff Central’s AM I will fight tooth and nail to make sure this vital public transport project becomes a reality.