The Welsh Liberal Democrats have announced Rodney Berman as their candidate for Cardiff Central for the next General Election.

Cardiff Central is currently held by Labour but was previously held by the Liberal Democrats from 2005-2015.

Rodney Berman is a Cardiff Councillor in Penylan and served as Leader of Cardiff Council for eight years between 2004 and 2012, during which he oversaw a massive increase in the recycling rate and the money given to schools. He is proud to have been awarded an OBE for his services to local government and the community in Cardiff in 2013.

Rodney has lived in Cardiff for most of his life after taking up a research role at the university in the early 90s.

Currently working in health policy, Rodney represented the interests of doctors during Covid-19 and provides advice on public health issues and is passionate about reducing health inequalities.

Rodney Berman and the Welsh Liberal Democrats have stated that Labour has taken Cardiff for granted over recent years at all levels, presiding over failures in the healthcare system, the cladding crisis and public transport. The party believes that it can offer a positive alternative to both a Labour-dominated Wales and the chaotic mismanagement of the economy by the Conservatives.

Commenting on his selection Cllr Rodney Berman stated:

Having lived in this constituency for nearly thirty years, I know how important it is to have someone fighting our corner. Local people are fed up with governments and a council which takes them for granted. As a councillor in the area for many years, I have fought hard for many improvements to ensure the area is well served – from new crossings and other road safety schemes to make our streets safer, to a new library and new Welsh medium schools.

All too often I have seen local Labour representatives who have failed to listen and act on concerns from the community. Far too many people tell me they don’t think Labour is really listening to them on issues like tackling the increasing congestion we’re seeing on Cardiff’s roads, addressing cuts to local bus services or fighting to secure the re-opening of Pentwyn Leisure Centre. They despair at the quality of some of our local services like waste collections and the threat to reduce the frequency of black bin collections, while repeatedly being asked to pay more and more in council tax.

All too often I note that our current Labour MP and MS are silent on such concerns, so we really do need a local champion who will be more vocal and who will put this area first. That’s what I’d want to do if given the chance to serve as the area’s MP.

Commenting on Rodney’s selection to fight the Westminster seat, former Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for Cardiff Central Baroness Jenny Randerson said:

Rodney would be a fantastic advocate for the people of Cardiff Central and indeed he already has a proven track record of doing so.

With Labour dominant in so much of South Wales, we need an alternative progressive voice to hold them to account and to make sure local voices are heard.

With the Conservatives in complete disarray and crashing the UK economy, that alternative voice demanding better in Cardiff can only be Rodney Berman and the Liberal Democrats.