11/03/2017

:00:15. > :00:19.The battle lines are drawn for the council elections in Wales and today

:00:20. > :00:32.the Welsh Liberal Democrats make the pitch.

:00:33. > :00:39.Good morning and welcome to the second of spring party political

:00:40. > :00:43.conference programmes. I'd come with the first out of the blogs this week

:00:44. > :00:49.and today it's the turn of the Welsh Liberal Democrats are meeting in

:00:50. > :00:53.Swansea. We will also bring you coverage of Welsh Labour and the

:00:54. > :01:02.Welsh Conservatives. You can join in the debate on twitter. Joining me

:01:03. > :01:07.throughout today's programme is Welsh affairs editor. The Welsh Lib

:01:08. > :01:11.Dems are meeting in each school in Swansea, what conclusions can be

:01:12. > :01:17.dropped from that? That Swansea is one of their target seats, perhaps.

:01:18. > :01:24.This is a party that is short of money and short of organisation.

:01:25. > :01:29.They lost all that assembly seats apart from one and the party

:01:30. > :01:33.organisation has had to downscale. Very few professional organisers

:01:34. > :01:42.these days, not really new Welsh Secretary. Basically, the parties

:01:43. > :01:45.being run by volunteers, but the juicy and opportunity coming in May,

:01:46. > :01:52.because this is traditionally a party that has built a base from

:01:53. > :02:01.local government upwards. They've lost in a disastrous set of local

:02:02. > :02:10.elections five years ago. Our eyes and ears at the conference reserve

:02:11. > :02:17.reporter. The conference is under way in the hole behind us. They are

:02:18. > :02:29.discussing the 2017 local government manifesto at the moment, they will

:02:30. > :02:35.be defending 75 council seats. They had 160 before, the thing we can win

:02:36. > :02:39.some of them back. The leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Mark

:02:40. > :02:48.Williams will be speaking later, as is one assembly member, the

:02:49. > :02:54.Education Secretary Kirsty Williams. It is not a full hall at the moment.

:02:55. > :03:00.We had the former leader of Swansea Council welcomed members to the

:03:01. > :03:06.confidence earlier. He welcomed them to Wales' premier city, I don't know

:03:07. > :03:13.how that will go down from people -- with people from Newport and

:03:14. > :03:17.Cardiff. They will be debating the right to buy. We expect the

:03:18. > :03:21.government in the next week or so may introduce legislation to scrap

:03:22. > :03:26.the right to buy. The proposal from the party here today is that the Lib

:03:27. > :03:30.Dems oppose that, so it will be easy just -- interesting to see how that

:03:31. > :03:35.will go down later. We will be speaking to cancel candidates and

:03:36. > :03:39.you will be speaking to Kirsty Williams over the next couple of

:03:40. > :03:45.hours. We will have plenty from the conference for you. We will be

:03:46. > :03:52.speaking to Kirsty Williams later. As he mentioned, the conference was

:03:53. > :03:58.opened by the leader of the Liberal Democrat group on Swansea Council

:03:59. > :04:03.and he was keen to draw on some sporting inspiration. Good morning

:04:04. > :04:13.delegates and welcome to the premier city of Wales. I was encouraged by

:04:14. > :04:21.colleagues from Cardiff, seeing we have a city with a real bed, as a

:04:22. > :04:27.pause to one that is manufactured. Welcome to Bishop Gore School. This

:04:28. > :04:30.is a typical example of what Liberal Democrats is about, coming back into

:04:31. > :04:35.the community and using the community, which is what we should

:04:36. > :04:42.be doing. Bishop Gore School is a school built in their early 1950s,

:04:43. > :04:49.and as a result, the architecture is quite stunning. I hope you enjoy the

:04:50. > :04:54.visit here, and I hope we have a very good confidence. I think one of

:04:55. > :04:59.the things I would say is that when you come into Swansea, the results

:05:00. > :05:11.of the coalition I led a very, very clear. The LC was closed under

:05:12. > :05:16.Labour and we reopened it and made it the most popular paid attraction

:05:17. > :05:22.in Wales, something and all of us are very proud of. I mentioned

:05:23. > :05:28.earlier on about us being the premier city of Wales and that is

:05:29. > :05:32.due largely to the fact of the new stadium, which, again, under the

:05:33. > :05:41.administration I had the great pleasure to run, finished off that

:05:42. > :05:46.stadium and made it my into a class venue for first-class football and

:05:47. > :05:52.rugby. And talking about rugby, what a victory last night. Every pundit

:05:53. > :05:59.said we were going to lose and what happens? The Welsh came forward.

:06:00. > :06:02.That's the sort of spirit we need in the Welsh Liberal Democrats. That is

:06:03. > :06:08.the sort of spirit we need. We did take a beating, let's be blunt about

:06:09. > :06:14.it, in the assembly and that the general election. But we are coming

:06:15. > :06:19.back. 85,000 members, doubled our membership. We are coming back. And

:06:20. > :06:24.that spirit that was shown by that rugby team yesterday is the spirit

:06:25. > :06:29.that will lead us on again and get back to the numbers of councillors,

:06:30. > :06:35.the number of AMs and MPs that they enjoyed before. Have a very good

:06:36. > :06:43.conference, I hope everybody enjoys Swansea and with is a bit of luck,

:06:44. > :06:47.it would rain. It welcome to Swansea from the leader of the Lib Dem group

:06:48. > :06:52.on Swansea Council. Let's talk a little bit about the current state

:06:53. > :06:57.of play, as far as the council elections go. We do the Lib Dems

:06:58. > :07:03.stand at the moment in Wales? 75 council seats at the moment, it was

:07:04. > :07:09.72 at the last election and they have picked up a few in by-elections

:07:10. > :07:15.since then. That's out of a total of 1200, so it's a small base, but is

:07:16. > :07:18.concentrated in particular areas. It's not impossible for the Lib Dems

:07:19. > :07:22.to reach a position where they could be leading some councils after me.

:07:23. > :07:27.None of them they good when I write, but where they could emerge as a

:07:28. > :07:34.leader of the coalition. The great prize in that is undoubtedly

:07:35. > :07:40.Cardiff. The parties pretty confident of regaining most if not

:07:41. > :07:45.all of the council seats in Cardiff Central, their traditional

:07:46. > :07:49.stronghold. If they did that, then almost certainly Labour would lose

:07:50. > :07:55.overall control, and because of the dysfunction in the Labour group, is

:07:56. > :08:02.highly likely the Lib Dems would end up leading cadre. Other areas they

:08:03. > :08:05.want to make progress is in rural areas, where there are persuading

:08:06. > :08:10.independent candidates to stand as Lib Dems. And the establishing a

:08:11. > :08:13.presence on councils where they were wiped out. Before the last

:08:14. > :08:16.elections, there were very few councils were they didn't have at

:08:17. > :08:21.least one Lib Dem on them. They lost a lot of those little groups, and

:08:22. > :08:27.are concentrating on individual wards to get those toll holds on

:08:28. > :08:32.authorities back. Since the Grexit vote, they have had noticeable gains

:08:33. > :08:40.and a notable victory in Westminster by-election. Do they see an for

:08:41. > :08:49.themselves here, as a party which is staunchly Remain? Indeed. We have

:08:50. > :08:54.two conflicting pieces of data, the UK wide opinion polls which suggest

:08:55. > :08:59.the party flat-lining at around 9% with it has been since they went

:09:00. > :09:06.into coalition with David Cameron. But that individual elections, the

:09:07. > :09:12.party has been doing very well. And what it has been doing is to appeal

:09:13. > :09:16.to the core Remain vote in the referendum. They don't have the

:09:17. > :09:20.problem that Labour has, of trying to please to different

:09:21. > :09:24.constituencies. We think that is round about 25% of the electorate

:09:25. > :09:29.that not only voted Remain, but still feel very strongly about it.

:09:30. > :09:35.They want to see a second recommend them. 25% is almost three times what

:09:36. > :09:40.they are getting in the polls, so that is the rule we are fishing in.

:09:41. > :09:43.I think you will see them doing well in areas that voted very strongly to

:09:44. > :09:50.remain and that includes places like Cardiff, but also some of the other

:09:51. > :09:56.places, more in England and Wales, that have that university vibe,

:09:57. > :10:02.Bristol, Brighton, Cambridge, Oxford. Those are the sort of places

:10:03. > :10:10.they are looking to get back. One man looking to "Assembly seat is

:10:11. > :10:19.current former assembly member Peter Black. We are effectively over the

:10:20. > :10:23.next two months entering one of the most important paydays for the Welsh

:10:24. > :10:30.party, after the trauma and ups and downs of the last couple of years.

:10:31. > :10:36.As you know, we were reduced to one MP in 2015, to one assembly member

:10:37. > :10:41.in 2016, and in 2012, we've lost a large number of councillors. Going

:10:42. > :10:46.into these elections on May the force with just over 70 odd

:10:47. > :10:52.councillors in Wales, looking to build on that, to take advantage of

:10:53. > :10:56.the fact that first we started to climb back in the polls, secondly as

:10:57. > :11:01.Chris has already mentioned, our membership has doubled in the UK and

:11:02. > :11:06.increased substantially in Wales. A lot of new members we have here in

:11:07. > :11:10.this confidence and also around Wales, who are keen to get out there

:11:11. > :11:16.and do something to start bringing seats in again and get that Liberal

:11:17. > :11:23.Democrat message across in local government elections. It is

:11:24. > :11:29.interesting, in terms of that doubling of membership. 40% of our

:11:30. > :11:34.members actually joined in the last year, and that's how new we are the

:11:35. > :11:38.party. We are renewing ourselves as a party and we need to renew

:11:39. > :11:42.ourselves in local government as well. I am very optimistic as to

:11:43. > :11:48.what we can do on May the force. That is potential not only to gain

:11:49. > :11:57.seats, but to get influence on a number of councils around Wales. I

:11:58. > :11:59.certainly will be trying to focus on that in Swansea and offering what

:12:00. > :12:04.supporter can elsewhere. But the challenge is in terms of local

:12:05. > :12:07.government is wider. The Welsh government has just published a

:12:08. > :12:13.White Paper that I'm putting together a response to. It is very

:12:14. > :12:20.typical New Labour in a sense that they have copped out of difficult

:12:21. > :12:27.decisions. We are looking at setting up bodies that are unaccountable.

:12:28. > :12:32.But also in that White Paper, then this talk about voting at 16, a

:12:33. > :12:46.policy that has long-standing way been a Welsh Lib Dem policy. And

:12:47. > :12:50.also a policy of being able to opt into STV. As a party, we should be

:12:51. > :12:57.pressing for that to happen. We also need to press the Welsh government

:12:58. > :13:02.to say, you have now conceded the principle of voting, maybe we need

:13:03. > :13:06.to say that we should be having that proportion across Wales and also

:13:07. > :13:14.have all councils elected through fair voting. The Welsh assembly now

:13:15. > :13:20.has control over its own destiny, is able to determine how it selected

:13:21. > :13:25.and how many members it has got. And a member of a reference group on the

:13:26. > :13:29.Assembly, which is looking at what legislation is needed for that. We

:13:30. > :13:35.could potentially in 2021 befriending those Assembly elections

:13:36. > :13:41.with electing anything between 80 and 100 AMs instead of 60, and using

:13:42. > :13:45.STV or better fair reporting system than we have at the moment. That

:13:46. > :13:49.means that not only do we have to change the way we campaign, but that

:13:50. > :13:55.is an opportunity for us to pull back losses that incurred last year

:13:56. > :14:00.at the Assembly elections. I think this is an exciting time for

:14:01. > :14:03.everybody in local government. There are opportunities everywhere for

:14:04. > :14:07.Liberal Democrats to build on what we have done. If we get out there

:14:08. > :14:12.and work hard on the doorsteps, get the leaflets out, knock on doors,

:14:13. > :14:15.top to people and get our act together in campaigning, we can come

:14:16. > :14:20.out of these elections with clear evidence of the Liberal Democrat

:14:21. > :14:26.revival in Wales, and I urge you all to go back and do that now. In a

:14:27. > :14:34.sense, I'm disappointed we haven't got a lot of people who should be

:14:35. > :14:37.here, but they are getting on with the job in the communities of trying

:14:38. > :14:46.to get elected. After today, we all need to focus on precision and

:14:47. > :14:52.intensity to make sure we get those Liberal Democrats elected councils

:14:53. > :14:57.around Wales. That is my brief introduction, I'm happy to take any

:14:58. > :15:05.westerns on the opening or anything like that. Our united response to

:15:06. > :15:12.the White Paper from the Welsh Assembly on the local governance.

:15:13. > :15:17.Are people reading this on the doorstep? I went to a meeting on

:15:18. > :15:20.Monday about it, yes. The first thing you couldn't we would see from

:15:21. > :15:24.Pembrokeshire is the White Paper doesn't threaten the existence of

:15:25. > :15:30.Pembrokeshire. You will think that is very important and I can

:15:31. > :15:36.understand that. The second thing is that in a sense, it's about delivery

:15:37. > :15:41.of those services, those bigger services. Pembrokeshire is already

:15:42. > :15:48.part of the larger education Consortium. The White Paper suggests

:15:49. > :15:51.that will be provided on a more provisional basis in future. I have

:15:52. > :15:59.concerns about that, because it gloss of controlled by local

:16:00. > :16:01.councillors and I have concern about how the decisions by bigger

:16:02. > :16:08.authorities are going to be accountable and how they will be

:16:09. > :16:11.questions and scrutinised. And overturning decisions, there are

:16:12. > :16:15.clear dishes about that. I think you should be saying to them that this

:16:16. > :16:20.is not a liberal document, this is a document that has some good things,

:16:21. > :16:25.in that Pembrokeshire stays. It also has some bad things, as well, in a

:16:26. > :16:28.sense that we think there are issues around the accountability and

:16:29. > :16:32.delivered a baby to be questions we need to be asking the Welsh

:16:33. > :16:36.government about that. I think there is concerned that once this new

:16:37. > :16:39.structure comes in, the Welsh government can start dictating more

:16:40. > :16:47.from the centre, so we need to question where that is going. What

:16:48. > :16:52.the right way forward is is debatable, because I don't think we

:16:53. > :16:58.have a consensus on the organisation restructuring, but any structure put

:16:59. > :17:02.in place has to have proper accountability and scrutiny and if

:17:03. > :17:06.it hasn't got that, it's not a democratic structure. As Liberal

:17:07. > :17:23.Democrats, we should be making those points very clearly the people on

:17:24. > :17:28.the doorstep. Mike Powell. First ball on housing, Peter, currently we

:17:29. > :17:32.have over 26,000 long-term empty properties in Wales. Would you like

:17:33. > :17:38.to tell the members present what our policy is to actually start bringing

:17:39. > :17:41.them back use, please? We have always advocated that there should

:17:42. > :17:45.be a national strategy on empty properties around Wales, which the

:17:46. > :17:49.Welsh government has never accepted, and I think that's wrong, because

:17:50. > :17:54.there's a lot of good practice going on around Wales in terms of bringing

:17:55. > :18:04.those empty properties back into use. When you have a huge waiting

:18:05. > :18:08.list for social housing, when you have growing homelessness, it is

:18:09. > :18:12.absolutely imperative that you make the best use you can the housing

:18:13. > :18:16.stock you haven't bring as many of those properties back use as

:18:17. > :18:20.possible. So the first thing we need is a national strategy to deal with

:18:21. > :18:25.empty properties, which make sure that every local authority is doing

:18:26. > :18:28.with it to a proper standard. The second thing is to look at the

:18:29. > :18:32.powers local authorities have, in terms of being able to bring those

:18:33. > :18:34.properties back into use. Carmarthenshire has a very good

:18:35. > :18:40.record on this and some local authorities have as well, in working

:18:41. > :18:46.with owners to bring these properties back. But the empty

:18:47. > :18:50.dwelling management orders are not very effective. Compulsory purchase

:18:51. > :18:55.is expensive and bureaucratic, and I think that the Welsh government

:18:56. > :18:59.needs to do a proper review of what powers local government have to

:19:00. > :19:05.force owners of long-term properties to make sure of those -- make use of

:19:06. > :19:10.those assets and let the community use them, because every single empty

:19:11. > :19:14.property is a blight on the community it isn't with costs that

:19:15. > :19:17.community money, it cost that community a lot in terms of the

:19:18. > :19:25.social fabric of that community, and we need to be investing in them.

:19:26. > :19:28.Certainly, one of the homeless acts in last Assembly gave local

:19:29. > :19:33.authorities the power to tax those properties up to 200%, and I think

:19:34. > :19:37.every local authority should be making use of that, because as well

:19:38. > :19:41.as the carrot of grants being available to orders, that also needs

:19:42. > :19:47.to be a stick to make sure you take advantage of those bands. That was

:19:48. > :19:52.Peter Black and he has made his way in double quick time by way of

:19:53. > :19:59.conference magic to keep Carol Roberts company. Yes, Peter Black,

:20:00. > :20:06.Swansea council member and former AM. And a councillor in Wrexham here

:20:07. > :20:13.as well, both of whom were Lib Dem councillors when they are parties

:20:14. > :20:18.were in charge of their councils. But the case any more. Peter Black,

:20:19. > :20:22.it is the whole conference for you. Not that long ago, the Lib Dems ran

:20:23. > :20:28.Swansea Council. It is that likely again this time round? I don't know,

:20:29. > :20:35.to be honest. We'll do our best, but Swansea is still benefiting from

:20:36. > :20:39.when the Lib Dems were in charge. We did a lot of work in a city and

:20:40. > :20:42.invested in schools and we have a good case to go to the people of

:20:43. > :20:49.Swansea about why they should give us a second chance to run Swansea

:20:50. > :20:53.again. We can tell you been making up your leaflets listing your

:20:54. > :20:58.successes. Carroll, Cuba after the Lib Dem group when you run Wrexham

:20:59. > :21:05.Council. What are your chances, do you think? With fielding a strong

:21:06. > :21:12.field of candidates. We have a proud record in Wrexham of campaigning on

:21:13. > :21:14.community issues. We have a strong record of representing our

:21:15. > :21:19.communities, so that is everything to play for, and I am quietly very

:21:20. > :21:25.confident. How difficult hasn't been to be a Lib Dem councillor? New

:21:26. > :21:32.one-year seat again in 2012, but have fewer colleagues lost theirs.

:21:33. > :21:37.Has it been difficult being a Lib Dem councillor in the last five

:21:38. > :21:40.years? Politics is always a challenge. I wouldn't say it has

:21:41. > :21:48.been difficult, because we have a very strong group on Wrexham Council

:21:49. > :21:53.and we have carried out the role of councillors as we always have, which

:21:54. > :21:57.is to make their views known, to represent our board members and to

:21:58. > :22:01.make their voice heard on Wrexham Council. BP is accessible at doing

:22:02. > :22:10.that and our record goes before us and that sort will be campaigning

:22:11. > :22:16.on. Peter Black, we've been talking in the studio about the importance

:22:17. > :22:20.of the Lib Dem grassroots to galvanise the party. With fewer

:22:21. > :22:28.councillors, has that affected the ability to win our lamented

:22:29. > :22:33.receipts? We've always been a party that has relied on our members. Our

:22:34. > :22:38.ownership has doubled in the UK and increase substantially in Wales. We

:22:39. > :22:45.have a lot of new members who are getting involved in campaigning.

:22:46. > :22:50.Some are standing as candidates and we are renewing ourselves as a

:22:51. > :22:54.party. As a councillor, you can make a difference. When I first got

:22:55. > :23:02.elected in 1984, I was the only Liberal councillor in Swansea. We

:23:03. > :23:08.have a very effective opposition group in Swansea, so we are very

:23:09. > :23:11.important to help galvanise the grassroots, but the grassroots also

:23:12. > :23:16.galvanise themselves. But new blood coming through the party is very

:23:17. > :23:19.important. From my experience of covering politics, I know the Lib

:23:20. > :23:26.Dems love campaigning more than any other party, they would tell us.

:23:27. > :23:30.Mark Williams in his notes says he wants you to campaign like you have

:23:31. > :23:35.never campaigned before, which is a bit of an ask for a Liberal

:23:36. > :23:39.Democrat. What more do you do? The bad is in very good heart. You have

:23:40. > :23:43.a lot of people who are already working hard, and as the elections,

:23:44. > :23:49.Naylor, we have a lot of new members in North Wales. I think they are

:23:50. > :23:54.ready to go out and fight back. We have a strong programme to sell, we

:23:55. > :24:00.have a strong message to work on and I'm confident we will go forward in

:24:01. > :24:06.good heart. What is different about the Lib Dems compared to five years

:24:07. > :24:14.ago? Will there be a different message? No, I think the message is

:24:15. > :24:17.the same. We are very much community politicians, representing the views

:24:18. > :24:23.of local residents, but we've also got very strong policy statements

:24:24. > :24:29.around public transport, around schools and education, around

:24:30. > :24:32.building viable and vibrant town centres. We have always been

:24:33. > :24:41.traditionally very strong on environmental issues, so I think we

:24:42. > :24:48.work at both levels, really, we work at policy level and community

:24:49. > :24:56.politics. We know that Kirsty Williams will be speaking later.

:24:57. > :25:00.She's a member of the government now. She's the Cabinet secretaries

:25:01. > :25:09.and education. How has that gone down within the party ranks? That

:25:10. > :25:14.she's part of a Cabinet made up of exclusively Labour assembly members,

:25:15. > :25:18.apart from her. Does the party still support? Yes, because she's putting

:25:19. > :25:24.forward a Lib Dem agenda. The party has always been a party of education

:25:25. > :25:28.and the environment. Kirsty is putting forward distinctive Liberal

:25:29. > :25:32.Democrat policies, smaller class sizes, investing in the pupil

:25:33. > :25:38.premium for the most deprived pupils. And also, distinctly and

:25:39. > :25:42.around rural and small schools, a distinctly Lib Dem agenda. Not only

:25:43. > :25:46.do we have a voice in government as liberal Democrats, but we have a

:25:47. > :25:52.Liberal Democrat taking forward those policies and that's important

:25:53. > :25:59.to the party. Do you think being a member of the cabinet is to looting

:26:00. > :26:04.the Lib Dem message? She is part of a Labour Cabinet. Now, I don't think

:26:05. > :26:08.it's though missing the message, if anything, I think our education

:26:09. > :26:13.policies are hitting home and people are aware that in Kirsty Williams,

:26:14. > :26:19.we have a Lib Dem as a secretary for education. Now, I don't think it's

:26:20. > :26:24.though missing the message, quite the opposite. Thank you very much

:26:25. > :26:28.for your time this morning. The conference will continue and we will

:26:29. > :26:32.speak to mark Williams, the party leader in the next hour or so, but

:26:33. > :26:38.for the moment, we'll hand back to you. You mentioned the qualities of

:26:39. > :26:44.the Lib Dems when it comes to campaigning. If Philip Hammond is

:26:45. > :26:49.the spread sheet Chancellor, the Lib Dems must be the spreadsheet party.

:26:50. > :26:53.Pretend to know where they are locally. The Lib Dems and almost

:26:54. > :26:57.addicted to campaigning and they are very good at it. They're very good

:26:58. > :27:01.at targeting wards and figuring out how to win them. The one thing that

:27:02. > :27:05.unites all the other parties is that they really don't like the Lib Dem

:27:06. > :27:13.campaigning techniques, because the work. It's squeezing the fort, is in

:27:14. > :27:16.encouraging people to vote tactically. It's pointing at holes

:27:17. > :27:23.on the road and overflowing litter bins. They do it because it's

:27:24. > :27:27.effective. Without doubt, I think, we will see Lib Dem gains in me,

:27:28. > :27:33.because they will be working towards that they lost last time, trying to

:27:34. > :27:35.get them back. Without the burden of the coalition with the

:27:36. > :27:41.Conservatives, it's going to be much easier for them. In one sense, the

:27:42. > :27:46.fact that Kirsty Williams is now part of a Labour Cabinet is helpful

:27:47. > :27:51.to them. The sort of Labour voters who used to vote tactically for them

:27:52. > :27:55.to keep the Conservatives out, this is a clear signal that there still a

:27:56. > :28:00.party of the centre-left. I think that in a good place going into

:28:01. > :28:06.local elections, but the bar is quite low. A good result for the Lib

:28:07. > :28:10.Dems would be to see them going back above 100 seats. I think that's a

:28:11. > :28:16.realistic, achievable aim for them, but that's still a long way off from

:28:17. > :28:19.where they were ten years ago. On Kirsty Williams, resounding support

:28:20. > :28:24.from the guess there, the fact she is now a member of the Labour led

:28:25. > :28:30.Welsh government. My understanding was that not every Lib Dem was fully

:28:31. > :28:35.on board with this. Is it a tricky issue for the party? I think there

:28:36. > :28:40.were concerns about it. Let's look at the opportunities and the dangers

:28:41. > :28:45.involved. The opportunity is all about profile. In political terms.

:28:46. > :28:52.As well as achieving things we want to achieve, of course. The danger

:28:53. > :28:57.was that with just one Assembly Member, that the Lib Dems would fall

:28:58. > :29:05.off the radar into one. You can see that with how many times the pier on

:29:06. > :29:11.the news or question Time. But someone with his job is going to be

:29:12. > :29:16.on the radio and television, so it does mean profile. That's the

:29:17. > :29:21.opportunity. The danger, of course, if you're not in a formal coalition,

:29:22. > :29:26.you are just one in AM, you look like Labour's little helper. If

:29:27. > :29:31.Labour is unpopular, that the impact on you and people who might be

:29:32. > :29:36.unhappy with their Welsh government and who might otherwise have voted

:29:37. > :29:40.for the Lib Dems, might vote for Plaid Cymru, because they regard the

:29:41. > :29:45.Lib Dems as being equally guilty with the Welsh government. There are

:29:46. > :29:49.dangers and opportunities involved. My own opinion is that it was

:29:50. > :29:52.probably the correct decision, given where the party was when Kirsty

:29:53. > :29:55.Williams made that decision. Whether it was still the right decision by

:29:56. > :30:02.the time we come to the next assembly elections, I'm not sure. Is

:30:03. > :30:08.she on shaky ground when it comes to Brexit? The Lib Dems are more

:30:09. > :30:12.hardline about it than Labour. Then there's the debate about the right

:30:13. > :30:16.to buy, the Welsh Lib Dems have a different policy on that to the

:30:17. > :30:20.Welsh government. This unit difficult position, balancing the

:30:21. > :30:27.party and our responsibilities as a minister? The danger is of a

:30:28. > :30:30.confused message. On Brexit, very interestingly, Kirsty Williams did

:30:31. > :30:36.break the government in a recent Assembly Fort, and Carwyn Jones was

:30:37. > :30:40.relaxed about that. She is being given a certain amount of wriggle

:30:41. > :30:48.room, particularly on European issue. The dangers confusion. Let's

:30:49. > :30:53.take right to buy. If the party is saying we oppose right to buy,

:30:54. > :30:56.Kirsty Williams is bound by Cabinet responsibility to support it. What

:30:57. > :31:01.sort of message does that send to the voter? That the party is saying

:31:02. > :31:06.one thing in its leaflets were doing something else in government. The

:31:07. > :31:09.truth of the matter is that most voters would be to pay much

:31:10. > :31:14.attention to any of these things, but it does make the messaging more

:31:15. > :31:19.difficult. Thanks for the time being. The Lib Dem conference would

:31:20. > :31:25.be a Lib Dem conference without them discussing PR, and voting reform was

:31:26. > :31:29.on the agenda today. In an earlier session, a motion was proposed at

:31:30. > :31:38.the conference on proportional representation.

:31:39. > :31:52.We have an opportunity to debate one of the Liberal Democrats' favourite

:31:53. > :31:59.topic - electoral reform. I'm not the only person in this room to be

:32:00. > :32:05.disappointed by the white paper that came from the Welsh Government.

:32:06. > :32:09.Local Government reform has been a political hot potato for years. I

:32:10. > :32:13.have lost count of the different merger proposals that have been and

:32:14. > :32:19.gone because none of them have managed to get to grips with the

:32:20. > :32:25.problems. This White Paper has missed an opportunity for more

:32:26. > :32:31.radical change in many areas within local Government. There was a

:32:32. > :32:37.glimmer of light in that paper and matter is an opportunity to

:32:38. > :32:45.implement, albeit on a council basis, to long-standing Liberal

:32:46. > :32:49.Democrat principles. What the motion before you today does is not only

:32:50. > :32:57.give us an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to both, we implement

:32:58. > :33:04.them where we may find ourselves able to do so. Let me turn to number

:33:05. > :33:13.16. The principle is tested not just abroad but in Scotland. We know it

:33:14. > :33:17.leads to a young electorate that is engaged for life. It has been tried

:33:18. > :33:22.and tested and we have an opportunity to put that in practice

:33:23. > :33:31.in Wales. I would like us to put that in practice so we can build up

:33:32. > :33:33.the evidence base to extend that as far as we can in different

:33:34. > :33:42.elections. Onto the electoral system, STV ensures the result is

:33:43. > :33:45.far more reflective of the wishes of the electorates themselves. It

:33:46. > :33:50.provides us with opportunities to make inroads in places where we may

:33:51. > :33:54.not have been able to under the present system. There is the fact

:33:55. > :34:05.that in some areas we will lose seats. I am fighting for a four

:34:06. > :34:10.member ward and a march on all the many years. First past the post

:34:11. > :34:15.means despite marginality we end up with all four seats going to one

:34:16. > :34:20.party or the other. I'm hoping all four seeds will come our way but

:34:21. > :34:24.under STV, winning four seats would be nigh on impossible. If I'm

:34:25. > :34:29.successful in May, despite the risk it may post my own council seat, I

:34:30. > :34:35.will walk into Cardiff City Hall and my vote in favour of a fairing voter

:34:36. > :34:40.system as will my colleagues. That is not what the Lib Dems do. We

:34:41. > :34:45.don't do the easy thing, we do the right thing. I want you to take the

:34:46. > :34:49.opportunity to do the right thing. Take this chance to put our

:34:50. > :34:55.principles into action, to inject fairness into our local Government

:34:56. > :35:04.system and back this motion. APPLAUSE

:35:05. > :35:12.Can I call the chair of the policy committee to speak for the motion as

:35:13. > :35:16.a whole? We haven't had a great number of cards for this motion. If

:35:17. > :35:25.there are any more, could you hand them in now? I am not speaking

:35:26. > :35:31.formally for the policy committee but expressing its views in away

:35:32. > :35:36.from a position of chair. My first reaction was do we really need to

:35:37. > :35:48.say we are in favour of STV? Of course, we are. Then I thought

:35:49. > :35:53.clearly this is a key issue for us. A key issue about empowering local

:35:54. > :35:58.communities. This is an opportunity this consultation has brought to us.

:35:59. > :36:07.It is a topical issue, an opportunity for us to reemphasise

:36:08. > :36:11.our commitment to reform of local Government electoral processes. An

:36:12. > :36:15.opportunity to campaign locally on the fact that the consultation looks

:36:16. > :36:22.at putting the power to make these changes more in local hands and we

:36:23. > :36:27.are about to have an election. My conclusion is to say to you clearly

:36:28. > :36:37.go further motion, support the motion. This is an opportunity for

:36:38. > :36:42.us to come together and talk to each other and discuss our campaigns at

:36:43. > :36:46.the local Government election. Talk about it, be prepared for the

:36:47. > :36:51.campaigning that would be required to make the most of this

:36:52. > :36:55.opportunity. Thank you for bringing the motion forward and it gives us

:36:56. > :37:08.work to do and an opportunity. Thank you. Now I have no more cards on

:37:09. > :37:16.this so I am going to point out that we will have a vote. Can I call Pete

:37:17. > :37:19.Roberts? He didn't put in a cardboard like to speak on this

:37:20. > :37:24.motion. Sun-macro the problem is you get asked questions and you miss

:37:25. > :37:38.planning -- putting in cards that you wish to speak on. Look to

:37:39. > :37:45.Scotland. It works. We as a party need to stand firm and be proud of

:37:46. > :37:52.the heritage of fair voting that we have advocated. People say, what

:37:53. > :38:01.about the rural areas? Rural areas at the moment like my own county of

:38:02. > :38:07.Powys, we are inundated with an unchallenged, it independent

:38:08. > :38:11.councillors. Most of whom are ashamed to show the political

:38:12. > :38:17.colours they sign their membership checks for every year. STV and

:38:18. > :38:23.multimember constituencies does mean more villages in the same ward. It

:38:24. > :38:28.does mean a larger area that individual councillors cover but it

:38:29. > :38:37.means three, four, five councillors covering that area. Giving people

:38:38. > :38:44.actual choice and doing away with once and for all the job alive type

:38:45. > :38:51.approach that the rural thief Government and the old, he's a nice

:38:52. > :38:57.bloke we wouldn't stand against him, that is so prevalent in some of our

:38:58. > :39:05.rural areas. It is beyond belief. It doesn't lead to good governance. It

:39:06. > :39:12.leads to lack of direction in local authorities, it leads to alienation

:39:13. > :39:18.from the electorate and it leads to stagnation in our rural economies.

:39:19. > :39:24.We as a party should be proud to stand up for our heritage. We should

:39:25. > :39:30.not fudging our responses and we should actively campaign for STV for

:39:31. > :39:42.every person and every ward within Wales.

:39:43. > :39:54.Can we make the motion? Can I call Joseph Carter, please? You have got

:39:55. > :40:03.five minutes and then we will have a vote. You need to be sitting down

:40:04. > :40:11.and in the room in order to vote. I am grateful for the opportunity to

:40:12. > :40:18.Sa made this motion. My view may ask why have this? It does send a

:40:19. > :40:22.powerful message and bind us together as council candidates and

:40:23. > :40:34.potential councillors. This is something we wouldn't just talk

:40:35. > :40:38.about. It is looking at the Weibo stats are playing out there is a

:40:39. > :40:42.good chance we could be in positions in lots of different authorities.

:40:43. > :40:50.This is a major opportunity for us to influence change. As has been

:40:51. > :40:53.said today, we are liberals. This is not about holding power for the sake

:40:54. > :41:02.of holding power. What message would it send if we did make gains? We

:41:03. > :41:06.have gained free seats. If we then turn around and say we don't believe

:41:07. > :41:13.in this, we want to keep our wards as our own, this means we have to

:41:14. > :41:19.give up some power. We have to give up power to the electorate. I

:41:20. > :41:29.represent a ward which is currently for the general councillors. I

:41:30. > :41:34.accept as part of moving towards STV, we would be looking at holding

:41:35. > :41:41.two of those. That is a sacrifice I will be willing to make as liberals.

:41:42. > :41:47.It is not about holding power for the... It is about power to the

:41:48. > :41:53.community. I am conscious of the wards that we lost in 2012. If we

:41:54. > :41:59.had had STV, we could have kept one out of three councillors and carried

:42:00. > :42:05.on serving communities. This is important. It is not just about Cos

:42:06. > :42:12.all looking to become the largest party. It is about being in a

:42:13. > :42:18.position to influence that county. I pay tribute to Kirsty in this

:42:19. > :42:28.because if it wasn't for her pushing forward this liberal agenda, being

:42:29. > :42:32.an influential person being in the Cabinet as Education Secretary. She

:42:33. > :42:36.is pushing us forward and driving us and is influencing colleagues behind

:42:37. > :42:43.the scenes and we have to be very grateful to have the best. Whilst it

:42:44. > :42:48.is optional, it is us being liberal. If we were the Conservatives and

:42:49. > :42:53.push this through we would make everybody do it. Because we are

:42:54. > :42:58.liberals, we are saying this is up to local people and councillors to

:42:59. > :43:03.decide. This is a positive thing for us to do and it keeps true to our

:43:04. > :43:07.liberal principles. We have had a good debate and I hope going forward

:43:08. > :43:15.it will make those council gains in order to make this possible up and

:43:16. > :43:20.down the land. That was a discussion on changing the voting system. There

:43:21. > :43:24.are some proposals by the Welsh Government to bring it in in local

:43:25. > :43:28.elections. The last contributor made the point that Kirsty Williams might

:43:29. > :43:35.be in charge of education but influence on this point within the

:43:36. > :43:44.Welsh Government is there for everybody to see. It is a big topic

:43:45. > :43:49.for the Lib Dems, isn't it? Forming the voting system, you are talking

:43:50. > :43:52.about the two issues that really push the button for the Liberal

:43:53. > :44:03.Democrats. They feel passionately about it. Ukip support PR as do

:44:04. > :44:07.Plaid Cymru. It is not just a Lib Dem issue but one they feel

:44:08. > :44:14.particularly strongly about. What the Government has said is they

:44:15. > :44:19.would enable local authorities, if they chose, to move to STV. Why is

:44:20. > :44:23.the Government fudging that? It would have been difficult for them

:44:24. > :44:29.to say nothing about the voting system because of Kirsty Williams'

:44:30. > :44:35.presence in the Cabinet. There are many things that Labour control and

:44:36. > :44:41.they know STV came in, they would be hung councils. You looking at

:44:42. > :44:45.Caerphilly and so on. There is a lot of resistance to changing the voting

:44:46. > :44:49.system from Labour councillors. The Labour Party said they are in favour

:44:50. > :45:00.of it but it wouldn't work in their favour. -- would work. It doesn't

:45:01. > :45:15.matter what the voting system is, if you don't feel any candidate.

:45:16. > :45:54.There are places where they find real difficulty at the moment.

:45:55. > :46:05.One-man is going to talk to us now. Mark Williams joins us now. You have

:46:06. > :46:10.a good chunk of time with them now and you will go through the speech

:46:11. > :46:13.line by line. The main line that jumped out from the conference guide

:46:14. > :46:20.is you are going to call on people to campaign like you have never

:46:21. > :46:23.campaigned before. What will that mean in practice? A vigorous

:46:24. > :46:33.campaign across the country. There is a necessity there after what we

:46:34. > :46:36.admit has been pretty bad elections in 2015 and 2016. These elections

:46:37. > :46:41.are pretty important and critical to the communities in which we are

:46:42. > :46:45.fighting the critical for the party as well. Fighting to gain more

:46:46. > :46:58.Liberal Democrat can -- councils across the country. You have won one

:46:59. > :47:04.Assembly Member. Nine MPs overall. The House of Commons has 650. Why do

:47:05. > :47:07.you think these council elections will be any different? Why will

:47:08. > :47:14.people turn to the Lib Dems when they haven't in the previous two

:47:15. > :47:20.years? They are important elections and it is important they vote. The

:47:21. > :47:27.West Minster elections -- the Westminster elections were very

:47:28. > :47:31.painful. As was Kirsty losing her four colleagues. People should vote

:47:32. > :47:36.because of a renewed clarity of message. When you see the work

:47:37. > :47:43.Kirsty is undertaking as Education Minister, active work, working with

:47:44. > :47:49.Labour colleagues, maybe that is a good thing. Working to reduce class

:47:50. > :47:53.sizes, working to get the progressive system of student

:47:54. > :47:59.support in the UK. They are important reasons to vote Lib Dem.

:48:00. > :48:03.What we are saying about social care and house-building in our community

:48:04. > :48:08.as well. I also think this has to take place against the backdrop of

:48:09. > :48:15.Brexit and what we are saying about Brexit. How we are standing up

:48:16. > :48:21.fighting for Wales within these uncertain periods. That is very

:48:22. > :48:26.important if you represent a farming constituency, and objective one area

:48:27. > :48:30.where we have had money from Europe. There is clarity from the leader on

:48:31. > :48:39.these matters and I hope they will be more clarity for me also. The

:48:40. > :48:42.party's position as a referendum, another referendum. The first

:48:43. > :48:49.referendum was lost. Respect the decision. I do respect the decision.

:48:50. > :48:54.Wales voted to withdraw and I understand that will stop I was

:48:55. > :48:59.gutted by the results as some do that is committed to Europe and I

:49:00. > :49:02.see the benefits in my constituency. People wanted to leave but people

:49:03. > :49:11.didn't know the destination of travel and that's why we have

:49:12. > :49:15.constantly pressed to Reza's may Government -- Theresa May's

:49:16. > :49:18.Government. That is why we should have an opportunity when the deal

:49:19. > :49:24.has been concluded and it would be a long way off. There should be an

:49:25. > :49:29.opportunity for the people of Wales to look at the deal that is offered.

:49:30. > :49:34.Is it good for the economy of Wales? What if we don't have unfettered

:49:35. > :49:42.access to the single market? What is the impact that will have on Wales?

:49:43. > :49:51.Wales' voice needs to be heard. It won't just be a referendum in Wales,

:49:52. > :49:58.it will be UK wide. It would be a UK wide referendum will stop Theresa

:49:59. > :50:05.May will carry on ignoring you, won't she? She will press for hard

:50:06. > :50:11.Brexit. Is she going to be more measured and responsive to the

:50:12. > :50:17.legitimate concerns that farming unions and businesses are raising? I

:50:18. > :50:23.will praise the First Minister and the principal opposition party the

:50:24. > :50:27.coming up with a concrete plan. The Assembly Government, the white paper

:50:28. > :50:33.they produced. It is imperative that Theresa May listens and acts on what

:50:34. > :50:44.First Minister and others have been telling her. You mention Brexit.

:50:45. > :50:52.With people more interested in the councils dealing with dog mass when

:50:53. > :51:00.it comes to these elections? It is about bigger issues across the UK.

:51:01. > :51:05.People are constantly raising Brexit at the moment. They are fearful of

:51:06. > :51:13.what happens next. People use any election as an opportunity to raise

:51:14. > :51:18.this. People will be reflecting on a whole range of issues, local ones,

:51:19. > :51:33.electing local champions. The bigger picture as well. The comeback starts

:51:34. > :51:39.now. You have been in charge in the past. Cardiff, Swansea, Bridgend.

:51:40. > :51:48.Those days must seem like hundreds of days ago now will stop you are

:51:49. > :51:52.right. I used her four colleagues in the House of Commons. We are where

:51:53. > :51:59.we are and the party is determined to move forward, to build up. That

:52:00. > :52:03.is happening on the ground. Council Danes in Newport, Cardiff. Building

:52:04. > :52:11.up to our strongest position for weirs. It will take that take time.

:52:12. > :52:16.Of course it will take time. We came to a great low and it will take

:52:17. > :52:20.time. No one can doubt the fact that the sincerity of the Lib Dems, we

:52:21. > :52:26.will build up. It has happened before and it will happen again.

:52:27. > :52:33.Politicians have a right to project numbers that they might win. You

:52:34. > :52:42.have defended 75 -- you are defending 75 seats. Do you think you

:52:43. > :52:49.can get back up there? I will agree. I will not give you a figure. Are

:52:50. > :52:53.you struggling to find candidates? We're finding candidates in new

:52:54. > :52:58.areas. I was down in Carmarthenshire where we have not had councillors or

:52:59. > :53:05.candid as the years. A very active group working hard there. You will

:53:06. > :53:12.get an answer to that question later down the line but I will be bitterly

:53:13. > :53:15.disappointed were we not to end election day in May with more

:53:16. > :53:20.Liberal Democrat councillors. The aspiration should be a high one. It

:53:21. > :53:28.has to be moving in the direction we were in 2004 when we had a lot of

:53:29. > :53:33.control across a lot of the country. That is the aspiration and we have

:53:34. > :53:37.to get to it. You have been an MP for 12 years. It is possibly the

:53:38. > :53:42.worst time in the party's history. Is this the biggest job you have had

:53:43. > :53:45.in politics? It is frustrating because you can see the potential

:53:46. > :53:54.out there. You talk to people and they agree with the course -- cause.

:53:55. > :53:59.It is about motivating people. I have had higher and lower points in

:54:00. > :54:06.my career. There is also a question of responsibility to Wales and the

:54:07. > :54:13.party and that is why I do what I do. Thank you for speaking to us

:54:14. > :54:18.today. That is Mark Williams and his speech begins at 3:45pm. You will

:54:19. > :54:23.hear the best bits of that later this evening.

:54:24. > :54:28.That didn't sound like a leader that has been decimated in recent

:54:29. > :54:32.elections. He sounds positive. Are they starting from such an open it

:54:33. > :54:37.-- pace that they are anticipating a relatively good night in May? I

:54:38. > :54:43.think they will probably get one. It is more than that. This isn't the

:54:44. > :54:48.first time this party has been in the position it is in now. There

:54:49. > :54:53.have been two previous occasions where they have been down to one

:54:54. > :54:59.seat in Wales will stop this is a party that knows how to go into

:55:00. > :55:05.survival mode. They are back where they were 25 years ago in terms of

:55:06. > :55:08.organisation, in terms of parliamentary representation, in

:55:09. > :55:15.terms of local Government. What the older hands will tell you is we have

:55:16. > :55:20.done it before and we can do it again. There is little doubt in my

:55:21. > :55:23.mind that they will make some progress in May. It won't take them

:55:24. > :55:27.back to where they were ten years ago but it may take them back to

:55:28. > :55:33.where they were 15 years ago. That is the way the Liberal Democrats

:55:34. > :55:36.think. Something the former Chief Executive said committed membership

:55:37. > :55:41.as a matter for the Welsh party but I lost count of the times an e-mail

:55:42. > :55:44.about an English matter was sent to our members despite being entirely

:55:45. > :55:48.irrelevant. Even in an Assembly election year, I suppose he means

:55:49. > :55:54.Welsh council elections, our members were targeted with requests that

:55:55. > :55:57.cash from HQ that undermined our fundraising efforts. What does that

:55:58. > :56:01.say about the interaction between the party centrally and its

:56:02. > :56:07.relationship with a party in Wales? There is an awful lot of tension.

:56:08. > :56:14.Part of the problem is the Lib Dems on paper, unlike the Conservatives

:56:15. > :56:17.or Labour, are a federal party. The party in Wales is semi --

:56:18. > :56:24.semi-autonomous. It is largely financed from the centre. If you

:56:25. > :56:27.talk to people in the party, they will say everything around Liberal

:56:28. > :56:31.Democrat HQ is aimed at the number of seats sitting on the green

:56:32. > :56:39.benches in Westminster. Come the general election, there is plenty of

:56:40. > :56:42.help for us. We have new campaigning techniques but come an Assembly

:56:43. > :56:47.election, that help isn't there. There is a lot of frustration and

:56:48. > :56:54.tension. Not just with the party in Wales will stop if you go to the

:56:55. > :57:00.website, Liberal Democrat voice you will see a huge argument there by

:57:01. > :57:06.one of their site's editor. Why am I getting all this stuff about England

:57:07. > :57:11.all the time from the head office? There are tensions between what they

:57:12. > :57:16.call the state parties, which is the Welsh party, Scottish party and

:57:17. > :57:20.English party and the Federal party. They have lost quite a bit of

:57:21. > :57:24.funding and we know a lot of political parties use the status of

:57:25. > :57:29.the group in an Assembly to fund other activities because it gives

:57:30. > :57:34.them a profile, it gives them reach. How difficult has it been since

:57:35. > :57:42.losing those Assembly members? It is difficult. There was no suggestion

:57:43. > :57:46.that used public money in any way improperly. It is impossible to do

:57:47. > :57:50.things like employing someone that three days a week to work for the

:57:51. > :57:55.group but you are giving them a full-time income. You are getting

:57:56. > :58:00.some help from the party. Nothing illegal, improper, wrong about doing

:58:01. > :58:08.that. It does mean that now they have had to fall onto their

:58:09. > :58:12.voluntary work. If the Government announces something, the group would

:58:13. > :58:16.respond and the group press officer would respond. Now with the

:58:17. > :58:20.Government announces something, the responses haven't come from outside

:58:21. > :58:26.the Assembly, particularly if the response is different from what

:58:27. > :58:33.Kirsty Williams would say. You will see e-mails that would have come

:58:34. > :58:38.from within, now coming from various places around Wales as they respond

:58:39. > :58:43.to various activities going on. The Kirsty Williams herself, as the move

:58:44. > :58:48.into the Welsh Government been a good move? She's saying that they

:58:49. > :58:53.have won concessions on education. To what extent could they have had

:58:54. > :58:58.these anyway had they have struck a budget deal with the Welsh

:58:59. > :59:04.Government? Did she have to be within the Government to have done

:59:05. > :59:15.the things that she's done? Some of them. She could have achieved some

:59:16. > :59:20.of them from outside. What would her position be as being a single

:59:21. > :59:29.Assembly Member on the backbenches? She wouldn't be a recognised group.

:59:30. > :59:39.Herbert would be important. -- her vote. There was a personal element

:59:40. > :59:45.here. She has been in the Assembly since the beginning, since 1999. The

:59:46. > :59:50.opportunity for a politician, an ambitious politician, to be in

:59:51. > :59:58.Government and in the Cabinet table dealing with an issue like health

:59:59. > :00:00.and education, I don't see how on a personal level she could have turned

:00:01. > :00:13.that opportunity down. Is there a danger she should be the

:00:14. > :00:19.first one to go? I think she is probably the safest member of the

:00:20. > :00:29.Cabinet, given the mathematics. They are not as desperate for her

:00:30. > :00:35.support. Thomas is not the reliable of votes if you talk to people. They

:00:36. > :00:41.don't know which way he is going to vote on any particular issue in

:00:42. > :00:48.advance. I think Kirsty Williams is fairly safe. I think she will be

:00:49. > :00:55.there in that job. Certainly while Carwyn Jones is First Minister. If

:00:56. > :01:02.Carwyn Jones stands down in the year or so before the election, that will

:01:03. > :01:07.give Kirsty Williams a chance to reconsider and whoever the First

:01:08. > :01:11.Minister, whether she wants to go into an election in Cabinet or

:01:12. > :01:15.whether she should step back so she can differentiate between the

:01:16. > :01:24.Liberal Democrats and Labour. One of Kirsty Williams' legs in Cardiff Bay

:01:25. > :01:29.is keeping company to Carl. I am joined by William Powell.

:01:30. > :01:37.Deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats on Powys council. Good

:01:38. > :01:42.morning. You will be speaking later on in the conference. What is your

:01:43. > :01:49.main message is going to be? The Lib Dems are back in business. Are they

:01:50. > :01:54.really? If you look at the three council election wins we have had in

:01:55. > :02:01.recent times at local Government level, also across the UK. We have

:02:02. > :02:07.surged to 85,000 members. We are the party that given people a sense of

:02:08. > :02:11.hope and the rebuilding of trust that is all too lacking in some of

:02:12. > :02:18.the other parties. The single biggest engine for that is our

:02:19. > :02:24.commitment to making the best deal of the Brexit situation which we

:02:25. > :02:30.find ourselves. Brexit is going to have some impact. Who knows if it

:02:31. > :02:36.will be positive or negative? It will have an impact in Wales. We

:02:37. > :02:41.need to make sure the maximum number of environment options and the

:02:42. > :02:46.maximum level of support is still in place for our rural communities. The

:02:47. > :02:51.landscape which we have, one of our great assets, is not there by

:02:52. > :02:56.accident. It is the result of the wider economy, the intervention of

:02:57. > :03:01.farming over time and we need to ensure we are there standing up

:03:02. > :03:04.strongly with farming union representatives and other key

:03:05. > :03:10.representatives of our rural heartlands because there is no doubt

:03:11. > :03:15.that there is a real danger that Brexit represents a major threat to

:03:16. > :03:20.the survival of our economies. We need to be there for them and we

:03:21. > :03:26.need to make sure we make the best of the situation in which we find

:03:27. > :03:35.ourselves. I imagine you will be campaigning. Is Brexit coming up? It

:03:36. > :03:40.is coming up and it is increasing and I have noticed a shift where

:03:41. > :03:44.people are opening up and talking about it and talking not so much

:03:45. > :03:49.about their sense of optimism, but their concerns and they want that

:03:50. > :03:54.reassurance. Particularly members of the farming community that feel they

:03:55. > :03:55.have been sold short by the promises that have been made that are

:03:56. > :04:07.evaporating. Can the Lib Dems position on Brexit

:04:08. > :04:12.attract voters? It's clearly attracting members, because we've

:04:13. > :04:18.picked up thousands of members. It is a main engine for us, because

:04:19. > :04:21.people can identify clearly what our position is and that ultimately we

:04:22. > :04:26.are committed to there being a second thought and a vote on the

:04:27. > :04:34.terms of the referendum. But given there was no clarity on destination,

:04:35. > :04:38.we are there to provide that second opportunity, so that people can

:04:39. > :04:42.endorse the terms on the bench or otherwise. Few would introduced as a

:04:43. > :04:49.former Assembly colleague of Kirsty Williams. She sits in the Cabinet

:04:50. > :04:52.now. Few are a member of the Liberal Democrats in Brecon. I would be

:04:53. > :04:58.interested in your views, but also people who are members of the

:04:59. > :05:02.constituency party about Kirsty's position or the party to back Kirsty

:05:03. > :05:08.to go into government. Is it a popular one? I must say it is,

:05:09. > :05:13.because people continue to judge Kirsty by what she has achieved at a

:05:14. > :05:19.local level but also nationally. It is a wonderful opportunity that we

:05:20. > :05:22.now have, even in challenging circumstances, to deliver their

:05:23. > :05:29.priorities, such as commitments on class sizes for the first time ever.

:05:30. > :05:33.Dedicated and customised rural schools policy. And the upcoming

:05:34. > :05:39.leadership academies, so that we have quality leadership across

:05:40. > :05:43.schools and colleges in Wales, and a whole host of other areas. These are

:05:44. > :05:48.not in areas where we are standing on the sidelines making noises, we

:05:49. > :05:53.had in there, shaping things in government. We are intervening by

:05:54. > :05:56.people to advance them and put them in a better place for their quality

:05:57. > :06:01.of life and their futures. Don't you think it dilutes or is the minimal

:06:02. > :06:08.Liberal Democrat presence in the Assembly, then? No, I think to the

:06:09. > :06:14.contrary. The fact is we were elected with a single member. I am

:06:15. > :06:18.sure viewers will understand that if you have a single Assembly Member,

:06:19. > :06:25.you have no group structure, you have very little opportunities to

:06:26. > :06:29.contribute as a single freestanding member. Being able to be at the

:06:30. > :06:34.heart of the governments at the Cabinet table, shaping things, and

:06:35. > :06:40.not only within the education portfolio, but across the piece in

:06:41. > :06:45.policy terms. And crucially, from my perspective, advancing the cause and

:06:46. > :06:47.understanding of rural communities and the importance that their voices

:06:48. > :06:54.heard loud and clear that the of government. Thank you for your time.

:06:55. > :06:59.William Powell will be speaking to the conference later. Back to the

:07:00. > :07:02.studio. Earlier this morning, Bob Griffin,

:07:03. > :07:10.the party's economic spokesman, addressed the conference. Our stance

:07:11. > :07:15.on staying in the European market is clear. As a public sort out fact and

:07:16. > :07:21.fiction in the discussion on Brexit, the real life impact on their jobs,

:07:22. > :07:24.on the industries and on their areas and communities will be apparent,

:07:25. > :07:31.and our view becomes more and more credible. I've also got to see that

:07:32. > :07:35.we have a whole debate on this later on in confidence, so we can all

:07:36. > :07:44.voice our concerns and our opinions on that at a later time this

:07:45. > :07:48.weekend. In terms of statistics, in Wales, it's nice to see our

:07:49. > :07:54.unemployment is falling and wages are rising faster than in England.

:07:55. > :07:59.But the above statistics, we start from a low base. We have a lot of

:08:00. > :08:05.catching up to do. One in three people in Wales is paid out of the

:08:06. > :08:10.public purse. This percentage is incredibly high and is unsustainable

:08:11. > :08:16.in the long-term, as we look for greater devolution in Wales, we have

:08:17. > :08:20.to change this balance, so that there are more people earning in the

:08:21. > :08:27.private sector in wealth generation and less dependent on the public

:08:28. > :08:32.purse. So we need to promote the growth in our private sector, the

:08:33. > :08:43.wealth generators, start-ups helping expanding businesses and innovators.

:08:44. > :08:49.BC from time to time the Welsh government condemned for making bad

:08:50. > :08:53.decisions, but we have to accept that if we are investing in the

:08:54. > :08:58.private sector, some are just not going to work. And if more than half

:08:59. > :09:03.work, perhaps we can set a benchmark on that, then that is fine. But

:09:04. > :09:09.would also going to get failures or was with grant aid to the private

:09:10. > :09:13.sector. But the fear of getting it wrong has meant that our process of

:09:14. > :09:18.giving grant aid and other support to the private sector has got more

:09:19. > :09:27.complex, more bureaucratic, to the point where I have been talking to a

:09:28. > :09:31.fairly major food processor, who has been waiting 16 months Wednesday

:09:32. > :09:36.decision as to whether he can proceed or not without grant that

:09:37. > :09:42.would generate over 30 jobs. This is hopeless. In those 16 months, we've

:09:43. > :09:45.voted to leave the EU, his whole world has changed, his export market

:09:46. > :09:50.is now in danger, the cost of its raw materials has gone up. The world

:09:51. > :09:55.has changed in the time he put that in. This is replicated many times

:09:56. > :10:02.over, so that we need to see that our grant aid, help for businesses,

:10:03. > :10:13.is simple, is fast and is consistent, which it isn't now. We,

:10:14. > :10:18.in Wales, have places like Swansea, like Cardiff, where economic growth

:10:19. > :10:22.is good, and there are places like where I come from, from Merthyr

:10:23. > :10:26.Tydfil, where economic growth is very slow, and despite a lot of

:10:27. > :10:32.projects, hasn't really taken off. We have another problem with the

:10:33. > :10:39.heads of the valleys areas, in that many people live in social housing.

:10:40. > :10:44.This might seem a long way from economic growth, but the truth is,

:10:45. > :10:48.if you do social housing, it's very difficult to move. If work is

:10:49. > :10:53.available outside of the commute area, you don't do it, you cannot

:10:54. > :10:57.move easily, if you're in social housing. So part of my brief to do

:10:58. > :11:02.with infrastructure is also looking at ways in which we can help people

:11:03. > :11:09.in economic blackspots, like the heads of the valleys area, be able

:11:10. > :11:15.to get themselves to places like Cardiff and Swansea, to be able to

:11:16. > :11:20.work. The projects would like to see include the electrification of the

:11:21. > :11:26.valleys lines, proper integrated transport structures, a whole host

:11:27. > :11:32.of things we want to see in terms of infrastructure. And things that will

:11:33. > :11:42.inspire and pick Wales on the map, in terms of our very local Swansea

:11:43. > :11:48.Bay generation scheme. And there is a great range of economic growth

:11:49. > :11:53.structures that we could do. Any minute now, the former leader of the

:11:54. > :11:58.Welsh Liberal Democrats, Kirsty Williams, will be addressing

:11:59. > :12:02.conference. We've topped about it already. I suspect she will be

:12:03. > :12:08.talking about her work as a government minister, especially in

:12:09. > :12:13.terms of the concessions she has had from the Labour government and some

:12:14. > :12:16.education policies. Yes, and she's in the fortunate position at the

:12:17. > :12:21.moment as someone who is still in the first year in the job, of not

:12:22. > :12:28.having to defend what she has inherited from the previous

:12:29. > :12:31.government. The poor at Pisa figures happened on her watch, but she can

:12:32. > :12:37.say, I'm already changing things, you will see the fruits of my work

:12:38. > :12:43.in a few years' time. In terms of her record on education, I do the

:12:44. > :12:46.tour have any problem. She can pledge that it will delivered on

:12:47. > :12:56.time. But she does face a difficult problem. She is by far and away the

:12:57. > :13:01.best public six speaker -- the best public speaker the Lib Dems cracks

:13:02. > :13:10.of court. Tim Fallon 's not here because it's his wife's birthday.

:13:11. > :13:15.She has to do more than just talk about her time in government. There

:13:16. > :13:22.are also the Donaldson reforms. She could be out of office before the

:13:23. > :13:25.fruits of our Labour become evident. That's a problem for everyone.

:13:26. > :13:29.People will sensibly our education system is going. People deal with

:13:30. > :13:34.the education system on a daily basis, so they have a perception of

:13:35. > :13:39.how their children's schools are doing and I think people will be

:13:40. > :13:49.able to judge her effectiveness, even if we haven't yet reached the

:13:50. > :13:54.next Pisa results. We can sense the direction things moving in. The Lib

:13:55. > :13:59.Dems were hammered for going into coalition with the Conservatives in

:14:00. > :14:04.Manchester. This is not a formal coalition in Wales. How is it

:14:05. > :14:07.different? Many ways, her hand was forced on this, because if she

:14:08. > :14:13.wanted a profile, there was no one else convertible. That's the first

:14:14. > :14:17.point, but the other point is, I would query the assertion that they

:14:18. > :14:20.were hammered for going into coalition. I do think that's

:14:21. > :14:24.necessarily the case. I think what they were hammered for was for

:14:25. > :14:29.abandoning some key commitments wasted on. It was the sort of

:14:30. > :14:33.coalition they went into which appeared far, far too friendly, far

:14:34. > :14:39.too close with the Conservatives, that they were punished for. If they

:14:40. > :14:44.had taken a more pragmatic, defending seated stands, had

:14:45. > :14:48.insisted more on questions around student finance, for instance, we

:14:49. > :14:50.know David Cameron would have given them or if they had asked for more,

:14:51. > :14:56.then they might not have been hammered in the same way. In public,

:14:57. > :15:00.we haven't seen any tension between Kirsty Williams and the Welsh

:15:01. > :15:06.government on the policy front. We did see one, on the Brexit vote. She

:15:07. > :15:11.was allowed to vote that way. But it did raise eyebrows. Carwyn Jones, at

:15:12. > :15:16.the start of this agreement, said Kirsty Williams would have to accept

:15:17. > :15:21.Cabinet collective responsibility. There haven't really been issues

:15:22. > :15:25.that have arisen yet that would cause an embarrassment, apart from

:15:26. > :15:30.that Brexit one, and on that, she was given a pass. There will be

:15:31. > :15:36.issues. I have no doubt, where she finds herself in a difficult

:15:37. > :15:38.position, where she has to support government positions that are

:15:39. > :15:42.opposed to her own opinions and official party policy. People talk

:15:43. > :15:49.about the influence she has in government. That might be apparent

:15:50. > :15:54.with the Welsh government getting ?200 million extra as Barnett

:15:55. > :15:59.consequential. To what extent she can persuade the Welsh government to

:16:00. > :16:07.spend that in her area. We will see where that money goes. What we could

:16:08. > :16:11.see is the personal relationship between Carwyn Jones and Kirsty

:16:12. > :16:17.Williams is good. I think that because the personal relationship is

:16:18. > :16:21.good, she actually has slightly more influence than you might expect,

:16:22. > :16:26.just from being one single member of the Cabinet. But when it comes to

:16:27. > :16:28.everyone pushing for more money, we know there will be pushing for more

:16:29. > :16:33.spending on social care, for instance, she will face a difficult

:16:34. > :16:37.fight, because it's not really that much money. I think they are giving

:16:38. > :16:42.her the big wide but the moment. Let's cross over to the conference

:16:43. > :16:50.floor. Issues, Kirsty Williams herself, waiting their turn. Let's

:16:51. > :16:55.tune into what is being said. Welcome, Kirsty, and we look forward

:16:56. > :17:07.to hearing from you. APPLAUSE

:17:08. > :17:13.Thank you to everybody for your warm welcome. It's great to be back here

:17:14. > :17:20.in Swansea. Peter Black always used to tell me that I grew up on the

:17:21. > :17:30.wrong side, but actually, I have very strong family roots here in

:17:31. > :17:34.Swansea. That ugly, lovely town, crawling, sprawling by the side of

:17:35. > :17:40.the long and splendid curving shore. The sea town was Dylan Thomas's

:17:41. > :17:47.worlds, and it was mine. My mother was born on Gorse Avenue and as a

:17:48. > :17:51.family, we wouldn't Swansea every weekend. I learned to ride my two

:17:52. > :17:58.wheeler bike in the park around the corner, I ate my ice cream at

:17:59. > :18:05.Joel's, and when I was a little bit older, I might occasionally have

:18:06. > :18:12.ventured along the Mumbles My old. Of course, political parties are a

:18:13. > :18:17.lot like families. The Addams family, in the case of Ukip. The

:18:18. > :18:22.Welsh Liberal Democrats are also a family. In fact, here in Swansea, it

:18:23. > :18:26.is very much a family affair. So much so that my uncle Phil, his

:18:27. > :18:32.son-in-law John and my little brother Ben, a role Welsh Liberal

:18:33. > :18:43.Democrat candidates this month of May, regularly Swansea. APPLAUSE

:18:44. > :18:47.So yes, maybe we do take being like a family just a little bit too

:18:48. > :18:56.seriously at times. Conference, it has been said that nothing remains

:18:57. > :19:01.the same, and that has never been truer. Since last spring conference,

:19:02. > :19:06.our world has completely changed. In Wales, we have seen you can spread

:19:07. > :19:09.the toxic division to the National Assembly. In London, we have a

:19:10. > :19:14.government refusing to say that EU nationals have a right to stay and

:19:15. > :19:20.call our country home. And in America, we have seen a man

:19:21. > :19:24.unapologetic in his sexism and racism take the most powerful office

:19:25. > :19:32.in the world. These are worrying times. But worrying times when

:19:33. > :19:35.movements are built. Boiling times when people realise that there are

:19:36. > :19:43.things they hold dear that we must all fight for. Leonard Cohen sang,

:19:44. > :19:52.or at least he spoke deeply, that there are cracks in everything, and

:19:53. > :19:56.that is how the light gets in. The grey clouds of division continued to

:19:57. > :20:01.lead all the rows, and I don't know about you, but I can see the rays of

:20:02. > :20:04.light shining through. People across Britain have found something not

:20:05. > :20:11.just a fight against, but to fight for. To fight for tolerance,

:20:12. > :20:15.community and fairness. The people of Britain need an opposition party

:20:16. > :20:20.that both fight with these values, and that party is ours, the Liberal

:20:21. > :20:29.Democrats, and our party will take the lead. APPLAUSE

:20:30. > :20:33.And let us be clear, that fightback has begun. We have more members than

:20:34. > :20:37.at any time in our party's yesterday. We are winning council

:20:38. > :20:44.by-elections across the country, and then I see it, even the polls are

:20:45. > :20:51.beginning to look up a bit. People are feeling ignored, marginalised,

:20:52. > :20:56.forgotten. But we are listening. And we now that it is dealing with the

:20:57. > :21:01.present and shining a light into the future, rejecting a false, nostalgic

:21:02. > :21:07.nationalism, it is that that will make a real difference to people's

:21:08. > :21:12.lives. Conference, it has been tough for us since last spring, but now is

:21:13. > :21:19.the time to stand up, now is the time to lead and now is the time to

:21:20. > :21:27.promote the Welsh Liberal Democrats. APPLAUSE

:21:28. > :21:34.We know that division and fear always rise up when people feel

:21:35. > :21:40.helpless. To fight this, we as liberals, believe that education is

:21:41. > :21:45.the key to empowering people. Education, as Carol said, is at the

:21:46. > :21:48.heart of what we stand for. In the last Assembly, which party

:21:49. > :21:53.prioritised education in negotiations with the Welsh

:21:54. > :22:00.government? Was it Plaid Cymru? In those five years, did the Tories do

:22:01. > :22:06.it? Not once. It was only the Welsh Liberal Democrats every single year.

:22:07. > :22:11.Because of this determination, we secured over ?300 million additional

:22:12. > :22:20.funding for our schools. Not bad for a party of just 5ams. And now in

:22:21. > :22:26.government, we, and mean me, still prioritise education every single

:22:27. > :22:29.day. Conference, we are still achieving more than the other

:22:30. > :22:35.parties put together and we're still very much the party of education.

:22:36. > :22:39.Raising standards, reducing the attainment gap in delivering an

:22:40. > :22:45.education service that is a source of national pride and national

:22:46. > :22:54.confidence. International mission. Our mission. Conference, we will

:22:55. > :23:02.show the way as Liberal Democrats. But we also know that it is not

:23:03. > :23:08.going to be easy. The Pisa results show was that there is much to do,

:23:09. > :23:17.and hard work ahead. Wales needs strong leaders, eight national

:23:18. > :23:25.mission needs strong leaders. You will know that I recently invited

:23:26. > :23:30.international experts to provide progress on how we are doing. The

:23:31. > :23:33.report was positive. The live a long way to go, but the reforms we have

:23:34. > :23:40.put in place have their backing. However, they share my strong view

:23:41. > :23:45.that Wales has not done enough to support and develop our leaders. The

:23:46. > :23:50.Welsh Liberal Democrats made this point time and time again in the

:23:51. > :23:54.last Assembly, and that is why we promised in our manifesto the

:23:55. > :23:57.establishment of a leadership Academy, something I have

:23:58. > :24:02.prioritised since being in government. I can issue you that

:24:03. > :24:06.leadership development will be a prime driver of our reforms. No more

:24:07. > :24:10.than ever, wales needs strong leaders who adopt that the

:24:11. > :24:14.challenge, and our academy will focus on the needs of the next

:24:15. > :24:21.generation of teachers. It will develop career routes for those who

:24:22. > :24:23.want to be headteachers it will make sure that our leaders are

:24:24. > :24:27.well-prepared for the job we ask of them. Wales needs strong leadership.

:24:28. > :24:32.Conference, Wales has been crying out for an Academy like this for

:24:33. > :24:50.decades. So you can be proud that it is because of us that we are making

:24:51. > :24:58.it a reality here in Wales. APPLAUSE I spoke earlier of the need to

:24:59. > :25:01.listen to what people tell us. Since becoming Cabinet Secretary, it

:25:02. > :25:04.has been a privilege to visit schools, meeting teachers, pupils

:25:05. > :25:10.and parents right across the country. They are all spell out a

:25:11. > :25:17.clear message to me. We must reduce class sizes. While the Welsh Lib

:25:18. > :25:23.Dems have listened to that message. The Tories and Plaid Cymru continue

:25:24. > :25:27.to fight back. Briefing parents and teachers are wrong and that class

:25:28. > :25:30.sizes don't matter, and that we should sit back and accept growing

:25:31. > :25:37.numbers in our classrooms year on year. Well, we want. We have listen

:25:38. > :25:44.to concerns that that the international evidence. Just down

:25:45. > :25:50.the road at the last primary School, I announced ?56 million investment

:25:51. > :25:55.to reduce infant class sizes. Evidence shows that this investment,

:25:56. > :25:58.links to our other reforms, book improve attainment and to have a

:25:59. > :26:05.significant impact on blood of pupils and will support teachers to

:26:06. > :26:13.be more eminent of all stop -- will support teachers to be more

:26:14. > :26:17.innovative. Conference, we have elections coming up. Tell everyone

:26:18. > :26:21.about this policy on the doorstep. Tell everyone we have listened and

:26:22. > :26:35.tell them we're delivering it in government. The Welsh Lib Dems are

:26:36. > :26:39.raising standards for all. APPLAUSE A year ago, in the Assembly in

:26:40. > :26:45.opposition, I hosted a debate in the chamber in title, The Importance Of

:26:46. > :26:51.Rural Schools, How Schools Are The Lifeblood Of The Rural Community.

:26:52. > :26:58.Not the catchiest of titles, I know, but based on a simple truth. Without

:26:59. > :27:02.schools, how can communities flourish? Young families need

:27:03. > :27:08.schools near them or they will move away. Communities will simply

:27:09. > :27:13.decline. Never did I imagine that so soon after that debate, I would

:27:14. > :27:20.actually be able to do something about it. Too often we hear about

:27:21. > :27:26.how people across Wales feel left behind and that devolution has

:27:27. > :27:31.become a Project limited to Cardiff. That is why was proud earlier this

:27:32. > :27:36.month when the government unveiled plans for the North Wales metro, are

:27:37. > :27:40.planned that will be transformative. I was proud to introduce Wales's

:27:41. > :27:47.first ever rural and small schools strategy. For the first time, Wales

:27:48. > :27:54.will have a definition of the rural school. We will also introduce rules

:27:55. > :27:58.presuming against the closure of rural schools. It's not simply about

:27:59. > :28:02.keeping schools open, it's also about making sure all schools get a

:28:03. > :28:07.fair hearing when their future is considered. This is about the Welsh

:28:08. > :28:11.Lib Dems raising standards in all of our schools, no matter where they

:28:12. > :28:17.are based. You may ask, what about the funding? I have guaranteed ?10

:28:18. > :28:22.million additional investment to support this policy, because I know

:28:23. > :28:26.that warm words are simply not enough. We recognise that children

:28:27. > :28:32.in small and rural schools deserve the same opportunities as children

:28:33. > :28:45.across Wales. The Welsh Lib Dems will always be on the side of our

:28:46. > :28:45.rural communities. APPLAUSE But

:28:46. > :28:59.let us think. Let us reflect. Is there anything

:29:00. > :29:05.more heartbreaking than knowing that the pool family, the less likely it

:29:06. > :29:12.is that the child will be able to reach their full potential?

:29:13. > :29:15.Regardless of their talent, regardless of that ability,

:29:16. > :29:20.regardless of their intellect. Too often in our society, poverty means

:29:21. > :29:27.it shall's life chances are stolen away from them. This injustice is

:29:28. > :29:32.what drives all of us, each and every one of us in this room. And

:29:33. > :29:39.that is why I am so proud that we established the Welsh pupil premium

:29:40. > :29:44.in the last Assembly. Together, we secured this extra funding for our

:29:45. > :29:48.schools. And in government, I took the decision to double this

:29:49. > :29:52.investment again for our youngest pupils. As we all know, it is the

:29:53. > :29:59.early years that really matter the most. One-to-one tuition, extra

:30:00. > :30:05.staff, outreach programmes, all supporting our most disadvantaged

:30:06. > :30:10.pupils. This is meant over ?25 million extra investment in

:30:11. > :30:14.Swansea's schools alone. Conference, being in no doubt, that the decision

:30:15. > :30:19.to back the Welsh government's budget to support our poorest pupils

:30:20. > :30:23.was the right one. And it is making a difference. You know my proudest

:30:24. > :30:29.moment as Cabinet Secretary was welcoming this year's GCSE results,

:30:30. > :30:33.that showed that the attainment gap closed between the Buddhist pupils

:30:34. > :30:39.and their peers, and that is in large thanks to our pupil premium.

:30:40. > :30:47.Conference, I can guarantee to you here today that this investment will

:30:48. > :30:51.continue, it will continue until once and for all, a child's life

:30:52. > :31:03.chances are based on their ability and never, ever on their background.

:31:04. > :31:14.Of course, our national mission reaches further than schools. No one

:31:15. > :31:17.can accuse us of having a quiet year in government. Reforms have been

:31:18. > :31:21.wide-ranging and will lead a long-lasting, progressive legacy

:31:22. > :31:25.that we can be proud of. I have announced that we will establish a

:31:26. > :31:30.new strategic authority to oversee skills and higher education and

:31:31. > :31:33.further education. It is clear to me at the various sectors are regulated

:31:34. > :31:37.and funded in different ways by different bodies, and that has

:31:38. > :31:42.resulted in counter productive competition, as well as gaps and

:31:43. > :31:46.confusion for learners. My focus is on making sure there are high

:31:47. > :31:55.quality options and outcomes for all other citizens. In our working

:31:56. > :31:58.lives, they are no longer the dues rapidly. We need a system that makes

:31:59. > :31:59.it easier for people to learn and acquire skills throughout their

:32:00. > :32:03.careers. Across-the-board in England, they think the answer is

:32:04. > :32:07.more marketisation and privatisation, and I reject this.

:32:08. > :32:13.Drawing on international best practice, we will go forward with a

:32:14. > :32:18.sector that is coordinated, coherent and places learners at its heart.

:32:19. > :32:25.This is a radical, radical change, but one that is truly necessary. The

:32:26. > :32:29.Welsh Liberal Democrats, we take difficult decisions, but also the

:32:30. > :32:32.right ones. Topping of difficult decisions, I have also announced

:32:33. > :32:37.changes to higher education and student finance. But the truth is,

:32:38. > :32:42.we're the party had already taken this difficult decision. We've

:32:43. > :32:46.learned the lessons from the past, and this time, we went into the

:32:47. > :32:50.election with the clear but achievable policy. Beware the first

:32:51. > :32:55.party in Wales show leadership on this. Heading into the election, we

:32:56. > :33:00.were the only parted to be brave enough to be upfront and revealer

:33:01. > :33:04.hand. We knew and we said so, that the current system was

:33:05. > :33:10.unsustainable. What importantly, we were the only party that recognised

:33:11. > :33:15.it was living costs, not fees, that deterred poorer people from going to

:33:16. > :33:19.university in the first place. That in government, we're putting our

:33:20. > :33:23.principles into practice, securing stable and sustainable funding for

:33:24. > :33:30.higher education in Wales, and I the fact that NUS in Wales have

:33:31. > :33:34.supported these proposals. Because of the Welsh Lib Dems, students will

:33:35. > :33:39.receive the equivalent of the national living wage while they

:33:40. > :33:44.study. Because of the Welsh Democrats, we are introducing a

:33:45. > :33:48.system that is fair and consistent, for full-time, for part-time and for

:33:49. > :33:51.postgraduate students. Because of the Welsh Lib Dems, Wales will have

:33:52. > :33:58.the most generous and progressive system anywhere in the UK and

:33:59. > :34:01.indeed, it will be unique in Europe. Tough decisions, yes, but

:34:02. > :34:14.conference, decisions that we can be proud of. APPLAUSE

:34:15. > :34:23.My experience over the last ten months, alongside international

:34:24. > :34:28.evidence, has told me that effective leadership is the key that unlocks a

:34:29. > :34:33.better future for any education system.

:34:34. > :34:37.But now one leader can raise standards, transform lives and build

:34:38. > :34:45.better communities on the lawn. No single teacher, headteacher or

:34:46. > :34:54.school, not even a single cabinet secretary. But if we had a party, as

:34:55. > :34:59.candidates, as councillors, if we commit to listening and leading,

:35:00. > :35:04.then we will deliver a Wales that is open, tolerant and United. So,

:35:05. > :35:08.conference, let's be leaders in our communities and in our councils

:35:09. > :35:13.across our country. Let's have the courage and the confidence to make

:35:14. > :35:18.the case that tomorrow can and will be better. The Welsh Liberal

:35:19. > :35:29.Democrats meeting in all parts of Wales, leading for all people in

:35:30. > :35:35.Wales. Kirsty Williams with more than one reference in her speech to

:35:36. > :35:41.listening to the electorate. Quite a bit about her record since she

:35:42. > :35:44.joined the Welsh government. Yes, it was interesting that she

:35:45. > :35:51.concentrated so much on education. Almost as if she felt she had to

:35:52. > :35:55.justify that decision to go into government, saying that the Liberal

:35:56. > :35:58.Democrats have always been a party of education. Maybe under the

:35:59. > :36:04.surface there is a little bit more disquiet than we are picking up on.

:36:05. > :36:05.The fact that Kirsty Williams had to really put a strong defence of

:36:06. > :36:16.adorable in government. Is there a danger they could be seen

:36:17. > :36:22.as a one topic party? That is a danger but what else can you do? You

:36:23. > :36:28.can't be a minister that everything. Education isn't a bad subject to be

:36:29. > :36:33.associated with. More difficult if she had accepted the health

:36:34. > :36:37.portfolio. Health is an issue where there are always problems. However

:36:38. > :36:42.much money you have, there will always be difficult is somewhere

:36:43. > :36:49.within the health service. Education throws up less curveballs in terms

:36:50. > :37:02.of unexpected surprises, unexpected bad news. I think she would be on a

:37:03. > :37:07.sticky wicket if she had taken the health process. She was referring to

:37:08. > :37:11.listening to people and made a reference to people on Brexit. To

:37:12. > :37:17.what extent are the party listening to the majority of people in Wales

:37:18. > :37:22.who voted to leave the -- leave the European Union? The truth is they

:37:23. > :37:28.are not. They believe in the European Union. To be fair to them,

:37:29. > :37:35.will we have expected Ukip members to become supporters of Europe at

:37:36. > :37:40.the vote on the other way? Why should a party which has

:37:41. > :37:54.pro-Europeanism as part of its foundational values abandon that? It

:37:55. > :38:01.is more of a calculation. Plaid Cymru didn't give up after the 1979

:38:02. > :38:05.devolution referendum. They carried on pushing and another referendum

:38:06. > :38:11.came along. The party is saying they respect the result and the verdict

:38:12. > :38:22.of the people that that doesn't mean our values or our commitment to

:38:23. > :38:27.Europe has changed. That is a perfect standpoint to take. What you

:38:28. > :38:31.get into more difficulties as people sense you are trying to prevent the

:38:32. > :38:36.will of the people from being fulfilled. It is a difficult balance

:38:37. > :38:41.and people would respect them for sticking to their values but would

:38:42. > :38:45.resent them if they thought they were using Parliamentary tactics to

:38:46. > :38:50.draw out the process or prevent the process. We will hopefully hear from

:38:51. > :38:55.Kirsty Williams who hopefully will be joining me live in no time at

:38:56. > :39:01.all. In the meantime, let's hear from a former member. We have heard

:39:02. > :39:09.from a few of them already on the programme. Lynette Parrott has been

:39:10. > :39:14.talking and taking apart -- taking part in localism. We pride ourselves

:39:15. > :39:19.on our long term commitment to localism. Some of my earliest

:39:20. > :39:25.members are running away from dogs on housing estates with focus

:39:26. > :39:31.leaflets in my hand or folding them in front of the file with my family.

:39:32. > :39:34.At the core of today's motion is the reason why that is crucial in

:39:35. > :39:43.today's politics more than ever before. The conference notes section

:39:44. > :39:47.talks about the disconnect we have between communities and Government

:39:48. > :39:52.at all levels here in this country. The dangers of that should be

:39:53. > :39:55.obvious to all of us. We have seen a frightening slide towards the right

:39:56. > :39:59.in our country over the last few years and people who are desperately

:40:00. > :40:04.searching for ancestor the problem is that they feel and the

:40:05. > :40:07.disconnection may feel from decision-making have been throwing

:40:08. > :40:13.themselves into the arms of people who may offer those easy ounces but

:40:14. > :40:18.they offer no solutions and they won't attack the needs of those

:40:19. > :40:23.communities in the long term. We must be an alternative that is

:40:24. > :40:31.credible and viable. We must be that bridge between our communities and

:40:32. > :40:34.Government at all levels. Whether we are in a local community council

:40:35. > :40:41.serving our local commutes or whether we are in the House of

:40:42. > :40:48.Lords. That connection is crucial. We must be so careful to ensure that

:40:49. > :40:54.our iteration of localism is consistent with our values, our

:40:55. > :41:06.aspirations and a recognition of what strategic priorities should be.

:41:07. > :41:13.Localism must never sink to -- into parochialism. We have to do what is

:41:14. > :41:21.right for everyone. We can recognise the need for housing, how's our

:41:22. > :41:30.young families and the homeless. And oppose every planning application.

:41:31. > :41:33.We have to make brave choices that are consistent with the long-term

:41:34. > :41:46.needs we have. We must be brave enough and honest enough to

:41:47. > :41:52.sometimes say no to the community. That is honest localism and it will

:41:53. > :41:59.protect our values and needs for the future as a party but part of our

:42:00. > :42:05.local communities to. We need to be brave to reject those campaigns that

:42:06. > :42:08.may seem expedient now that undermine our belief in fairness and

:42:09. > :42:19.opportunity for everybody in the long-term. Who else would be that

:42:20. > :42:28.honest and that brave? Who could fill that gap. If there was no Lib

:42:29. > :42:35.Dem party, there would be a need to invent because there is nobody else

:42:36. > :42:41.who will be honest enough to do so. Don't just vote for this motion, go

:42:42. > :42:47.back and live this motion. Now it is needed more than it ever was. People

:42:48. > :42:53.need somebody to turn to. Go and give them a reason for it to be you.

:42:54. > :42:59.Applause macro -- APPLAUSE .

:43:00. > :43:08.Tim Farron is missing from this conference. He has some family

:43:09. > :43:14.commitments. It is his wife's birthday, apparently. It is not a

:43:15. > :43:28.snub. We don't always see the Prime Minister at a Welsh Conservative

:43:29. > :43:36.conference. I do think Tim Farron is the asset to the party that Nick

:43:37. > :43:42.Clegg was. Nick Clegg had a very good relationship. He was a very

:43:43. > :43:48.prominent public figure. Back in the days, the Lib Dems used to get a lot

:43:49. > :43:54.of their time. The leader of the Lib Dems was someone that people knew. I

:43:55. > :43:57.am not many -- I am not sure how many people know Tim Farron. He's

:43:58. > :44:03.having to fight to establish his profile at the moment. He isn't yet

:44:04. > :44:07.a major asset that the party can deploy because an awful lot of

:44:08. > :44:13.people have no idea who he is. He's not going to be the one who will be

:44:14. > :44:22.winning votes for the Lib Dems in May? Not at this stage. It would be

:44:23. > :44:27.the focus leaflets. Winning elections is what the Liberal

:44:28. > :44:30.Democrats are good at in terms of targeting of rewards in terms of

:44:31. > :44:38.campaigning tactics and that is what they will be depending on. We are

:44:39. > :44:51.joined life by Kirsty Williams, the sole Welsh Liberal Democrat. Good

:44:52. > :45:03.afternoon. Good afternoon. 75 councillors down from 115. One Welsh

:45:04. > :45:08.MPs, no MEP's. Is it a back to basics campaign? It has been a tough

:45:09. > :45:15.time for the party but what we have seen in recent months is a huge

:45:16. > :45:18.swelling of our membership figures and a new-found sense of

:45:19. > :45:23.self-confidence to get out there and campaign. We have seen electoral

:45:24. > :45:28.successes in council by-elections across the UK. A fabulous

:45:29. > :45:35.Westminster constituency one and we share that sense of optimism and the

:45:36. > :45:39.need to get out there, working communities and be the community

:45:40. > :45:45.champions and fight those local elections with optimism, enthusiasm

:45:46. > :45:49.and a sense of determination. This is your first Welsh conference since

:45:50. > :45:53.becoming part of the Welsh Government. Have you had any

:45:54. > :46:02.conversations with anyone within your party who was unhappy about

:46:03. > :46:07.that move? The party endorsed my move to be part of the Government.

:46:08. > :46:11.The world's developed -- the Welsh Democrats have a clear mechanism. I

:46:12. > :46:15.couldn't have done it unless they Welsh Democrats had endorsed that.

:46:16. > :46:20.They did that last May and we have been able to demonstrate the value

:46:21. > :46:23.of having a Welsh Liberal Democrat in the Government. In terms of

:46:24. > :46:29.education, something that the party is traditionally campaigning on a

:46:30. > :46:33.main previous assemblies it was our priority that prioritised spending

:46:34. > :46:37.and education. I have a national mission to raise standards, close

:46:38. > :46:43.the attainment grabbed and ensure our education system is a source of

:46:44. > :46:50.national pride and conference. Our influence goes beyond education. We

:46:51. > :46:55.will increase the number of nurses working in that community, sport our

:46:56. > :46:59.rural communities. We have ensured a better deal for local Government. We

:47:00. > :47:07.will build more affordable homes. It is not just education. It allows us

:47:08. > :47:12.to make a real difference in our communities. It sounds like you are

:47:13. > :47:15.enjoying life with Labour. Hardly a day goes by when we don't see

:47:16. > :47:24.another expose on Wales' public services. Wales has become the

:47:25. > :47:29.weakest link. If that still your view? The differences I recognise

:47:30. > :47:32.there is a job of work to do to improve public services in Wales. My

:47:33. > :47:40.Cabinet colleagues would say the same. I haven't changed my tune. I

:47:41. > :47:45.believe it now as Cabinet Secretary. The crucial difference is I now have

:47:46. > :47:50.the opportunity and the powers to do something about it. Talk is one

:47:51. > :47:56.thing. Criticism is one thing. The ability to hold the Government to

:47:57. > :47:58.account is another. I have an opportunity to change our education

:47:59. > :48:04.system, put in place the investment and leadership in class sizes,

:48:05. > :48:06.teacher's professional learning that will make a difference for our

:48:07. > :48:13.children and the teaching profession. You might change your on

:48:14. > :48:20.public services but have you changed your view on labour who you have

:48:21. > :48:27.described as Wales' weakest link? Is that still your view? No one Lib Dem

:48:28. > :48:35.Cabinet member can single-handedly reverse any decline in public

:48:36. > :48:39.services, surely? What the cabinet can do is work with politicians in

:48:40. > :48:48.other parties to make a difference. With the best will in the world,

:48:49. > :48:51.having been good at Prime Minister's Questions, it was a valuable thing

:48:52. > :48:56.to do but it didn't make a difference. Working with the

:48:57. > :48:59.Government by agreeing a budget deal that saw additional resources

:49:00. > :49:05.invested, to support the education of our poorest children, we saw the

:49:06. > :49:09.gap at GCSE levels between our poorest children and their richer

:49:10. > :49:13.counterparts close. I got into politics to do things and I am

:49:14. > :49:18.willing to do it because what is important to me is the policy of

:49:19. > :49:23.public services. It is important to the Government as a whole. I am to

:49:24. > :49:27.bring ideas, commitment enthusiast and to make a difference to

:49:28. > :49:34.communities. You mentioned a people premium. This is what an independent

:49:35. > :49:43.report said about the people premium. There is some ambiguity

:49:44. > :49:51.about how the pupil death probation --... It predates his introduction.

:49:52. > :50:03.This is your flagship policy which has a lot of questions around it. I

:50:04. > :50:06.was recently in a school in one of our most challenging communities.

:50:07. > :50:09.The chairman of governors, the headteacher, they are using that

:50:10. > :50:12.money to invest in additional staff to give the children the additional

:50:13. > :50:21.help and attention they need. Last year we saw they closing of our GCSE

:50:22. > :50:23.results. We are seeing at the end of primary school that our primary

:50:24. > :50:27.schools are able to use that resource to ensure their poorer

:50:28. > :50:32.children are going into secondary School on the same basis as they're

:50:33. > :50:36.better off counterparts. If you listen to teachers, school

:50:37. > :50:39.governors, the parents of that that -- those children, the pupil premium

:50:40. > :50:45.is giving opportunities to children that would not be there without it.

:50:46. > :50:48.The message I get is please keep on spending this money, keep on

:50:49. > :50:53.investing and keep on closing the attainment gap. Can we rattle

:50:54. > :50:59.through some of the topics. You said you are listening. How are you

:51:00. > :51:06.listening to the majority of the Welsh people on Brexit to fated

:51:07. > :51:11.believe -- voted to leave? My party has accepted the fact that the Welsh

:51:12. > :51:14.party and the UK have made a decision to leave the European

:51:15. > :51:20.Union. That doesn't mean we should abandon our beliefs. It is about

:51:21. > :51:26.working to go other and we will move our country forward. My party is

:51:27. > :51:33.saying that they hope and aspiration for a number of people wanting to

:51:34. > :51:39.stay in the European Union. They need to be listen to. From a Welsh

:51:40. > :51:43.context, we need to ensure the Tory Government in Westminster to do news

:51:44. > :51:48.to negotiate a deal that gives us unfettered access to the single

:51:49. > :51:52.market. Not to do that, to have a hard Brexit which is where the

:51:53. > :51:56.Tories seem to be willing to take us, will be disastrous for the Welsh

:51:57. > :52:00.economy and disastrous for the economy will mean bad news for our

:52:01. > :52:07.public services because you won't have the wealth to win best. One of

:52:08. > :52:11.the first speakers was Peter Black. He says it is disappointing haven't

:52:12. > :52:19.got people here who should be here. Did he have Tim Farron in mind? Tim

:52:20. > :52:23.has a family engagement this weekend. Politicians are people also

:52:24. > :52:27.and there been times in the past when leaders haven't been able to

:52:28. > :52:37.come to conferences for a whole variety of reasons. I Welsh leader,

:52:38. > :52:44.Mark Williams, it is that commitment to his community that saw him return

:52:45. > :52:48.so successfully. He is here and our counsel candidates are here. We are

:52:49. > :52:52.determined to use the opportunity of this we can to share ideas, share

:52:53. > :52:56.good practice and let communities now that it would be this party that

:52:57. > :53:03.is willing to listen to them and willing to be their community

:53:04. > :53:06.Champion in County halls across the country. On a similar conference

:53:07. > :53:17.programme, we discussed your project. Project 32 or project 35. I

:53:18. > :53:20.am kindly said it was now Project 3.2. Wheel in a school Assembly Hall

:53:21. > :53:25.today. Would you conceive that is probably the only Assembly hall that

:53:26. > :53:35.you are likely to dominate the quite a while? We know as a small party we

:53:36. > :53:38.always punch above our weight in the National Assembly and in Westminster

:53:39. > :53:43.we are the only party come despite our small size, that is holding the

:53:44. > :53:48.Tory Government to account for the disastrous policies it is pursuing.

:53:49. > :53:52.It has been a difficult time for this party. Membership is up,

:53:53. > :53:56.council candidates are up. We are determined to be the community

:53:57. > :54:04.champions the Welsh people need. Thank you very much for your time.

:54:05. > :54:12.What did you make of that? The Liberal Democrats are keen that

:54:13. > :54:17.recycling. Kirsty Williams was sure-footed as ever. The party has

:54:18. > :54:23.no option but put his hands up and say it is in a bad place. They have

:54:24. > :54:27.to start rebuilding somewhere if they are not going to disappear

:54:28. > :54:34.entirely. I think Kirsty Williams' job is to hold the fort and hope it

:54:35. > :54:39.goes well. One thing that is interesting is there was hardly any

:54:40. > :54:45.apology from Kirsty Williams on the stance on Brexit. Quite obvious

:54:46. > :54:49.which side of the argument they are now representing. They don't have

:54:50. > :54:56.the problem Labour has of having two distinct constituencies and they

:54:57. > :55:00.leave constituency. The SNP showed you can turn a minority in a

:55:01. > :55:08.referendum into a majority of first past the post election. If the Lib

:55:09. > :55:12.Dems could get off the Remainers, half the people who voted to remain,

:55:13. > :55:17.they will be doing three times better than they are now. That is

:55:18. > :55:22.what they are aiming for. Would a good night in May give them a

:55:23. > :55:28.springboard, put the foundations in place looking had to the next Welsh

:55:29. > :55:37.Assembly elections? They have always had a decent amount of Assembly

:55:38. > :55:40.members. If you look at it, the correlation between how people lived

:55:41. > :55:43.in local elections and Assembly elections is closer than it is

:55:44. > :55:50.between local elections and Assembly elections. If you do well in a

:55:51. > :55:58.sufficient number in a region, it should deliver you a regional seat.

:55:59. > :56:02.It is a long time. It is four years away to the next Assembly election.

:56:03. > :56:05.These local elections will have been forgotten. What it does is

:56:06. > :56:11.councillors give you organisation. It gives you feet on the ground,

:56:12. > :56:15.leaflets to doorsteps and that is rarely what equips you to get those

:56:16. > :56:22.regional seats in. On her record since she took office, quite a

:56:23. > :56:31.robust defence around the things she has been doing, deprived pupils so

:56:32. > :56:35.one. You would expect that sort of defence. Time will tell on some of

:56:36. > :56:41.these issues. She said in her speech that there was evidence that

:56:42. > :56:46.reducing class sizes was beneficial for pupils. The OECD say not. They

:56:47. > :56:55.say there are more important things than you can do class sizes. We will

:56:56. > :57:01.know whether she succeeds or not. We can pop over quickly for some more

:57:02. > :57:07.reaction from the conference. We will get some reaction on Christine

:57:08. > :57:12.Humphreys. Former President of the Welsh Liberal Democrats. Kirsty

:57:13. > :57:18.Williams has spoken. What did you make of what she had to say? It was

:57:19. > :57:24.a marvellous speech and I like the fact she started with the fact that

:57:25. > :57:28.we're a family. When you come to Welsh Lib Dem conferences, it is

:57:29. > :57:31.like meeting of the family again and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves as

:57:32. > :57:38.well as getting involved in policy. All the things that Kirsty has

:57:39. > :57:43.delivered as the Cabinet Secretary fair education, they are really

:57:44. > :57:48.putting Lib Dem policies into action and that makes us proud that she has

:57:49. > :57:54.been able to do the things that we have decided in conferences in the

:57:55. > :58:00.past. For Lib Dems, it is the conferences that set policies. She

:58:01. > :58:06.has been enacting what we want to do. There is no tension with the

:58:07. > :58:11.fact that she is in the Cabinet? We would like her to have a team around

:58:12. > :58:15.her again but no tensions at all. Thank you for joining us. It is

:58:16. > :58:21.lunchtime here and everyone has gone off for their lunch. I will do the

:58:22. > :58:31.same. 75 councillors, 168 back in 2008.

:58:32. > :58:37.How much of that can be bridged? The first key is how many candidates

:58:38. > :58:40.they managed to find. We will find that out pretty soon. Realistically

:58:41. > :58:48.they need to get back into three figures. Over 100. They will get

:58:49. > :58:54.back up to 160. If you are drawing a target, I would guess they would be

:58:55. > :59:01.hoping for somewhere around 120 seats. Thank you very much. We'll

:59:02. > :59:03.back at S4 C at 2:30pm. Thanks for watching and goodbye.