Nick Ramsay, former Conservative Shadow Finance Minister in the Senedd, has joined the Welsh Liberal Democrats. He will stand as a Liberal Democrat in the Monmouthshire Council elections this coming May.
Nick lives in Raglan. He served as a Monmouthshire County Councillor before his election to the Senedd in 2007.
He held many shadow ministerial roles in the Senedd. He chaired the Enterprise and Business Committee and, more recently, the Senedd’s influential Public Accounts Committee.
He is a keen fundraiser for local charities such as Love Zimbabwe, and was appointed as a Vice President of Chepstow Mencap.
After he joined the Liberal Democrats he said:
I have thought long and hard about the future of politics in Wales and the UK. The Conservative Party is not the party I once joined. They have lost the trust of the people, and are unable to manage our country. They have failed the fundamental test of competence. I can think of little of them with which I agree.
I have spent a long time examining the Liberal Democrats, and I find their underpinning values of fairness, community, and internationalism match my own. The Welsh Liberal Democrats are the best way to achieve a new village hall for Raglan, support for struggling local businesses and sustainable development for Monmouthshire, and I am pleased to be able to join them in their campaign to provide a better future for our county.
Liberal Democrat leader in Monmouthshire Cllr Jo Watkins welcomed Nick:
I am delighted to welcome Nick on board. He brings experience of working for a better Monmouthshire at both a national and local level. He shares our values and he will be an excellent addition to our strong team as we take on the challenge of building a greener future, supporting our local businesses and creating sustainable communities here in Monmouthshire.
Welsh Liberal Democrat leader, Jane Dodds MS, added:
Nick’s journey reflects that of many life-long compassionate Conservative voters across Wales are fed up with the mindless populism represented by Boris Johnson and are turning to the Liberal Democrats for serious policies and for plans that will help tackle the problems in their lives. From spiralling energy costs, to unfair tax hikes the Conservative Party has utterly lost sight of what matters to everyday people.
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4 Comments
And before anyone shouts yellow Tories we also have a number of former Labour Party members who are contesting seats as Welsh Liberal Democrats elsewhere in Wales who have joined us citing exactly the same reasons as Nick does here.
@ Pete Roberts
There was a time when liberals could find a comfortabl(ish) home in the Conservative Party. For Labour that time ended (approximately) on 25 January 1981. It is an enormous opportunity for the Liberal Democrats that liberal values can only find expression with us.
Luke 15:7.
Nick Ramsay. Well-known locally, for sure. And experienced. Hope his fresh start works out well.
Although Wales does not have a “blue wall”, Monmouthshire is as near as possible to that description that can be found in Wales. The Tories have only held the Westminster seat since 2005. However they have held the Assembly seat since 1999 and the Council is the only one in Wales under Conservative control. It looks as if the headline in May will be Tories lose Monmouth to NOC.