The Liberal Democrats are proposing to cut the number of MPs from Wales by 30 per cent and abolish the role of Ceredigion’s Member of Parliament (MP). The Ceredigion Westminster seat would be incorporated into a larger Dyfed-based constituency with four elected Westminster representatives. The point is this - the Parliamentary and Assembly seats as well as local government give Ceredigion an unique and clear identity which serves it well. Creating the brand for tourism is already a challenge and losing one of the few identity banners would be a disaster. It seems the Lib Dems have forgotten about Wales, all the amendments laid before Parliament were by England based MP's ignorant of the nature of devolution. Reducing the number of MPs would have a knock-on effect on representation at the National Assembly because both operate with the same constituency boundaries. The Assembly is currently working with the bare minimum of AMs and would certainly not be able to operate should their numbers be reduced. It just shows that Lib Dems in Ceredigion have no influence on their London-based leaders who in turn have no understanding of devolution or the importance of various parts of Wales. People like Lord Geraint Howells of Ponterwyd fought hard to create an identity for Ceredigion and it’s a disgrace that the current Lib Dem MP for Ceredigion is willing to throw this identity away.
Turning the unthinkable into the inevitable
12 hours ago
2 comments:
It seems you have forgotten your own parties policy Penri!
Remember that you wish to set up an independent Wales, so there would not only be no Ceredigion MP, but there would be no Welsh MPs whatsoever.
Or are you forgetting the policy deliberately for electoral gain, much as Ieuan Wyn Jones does on the issue of nuclear power when he is in Ynys Mon?
Matt Smith - you miss the point totally. The Lib Dem proposals were put in place by English Lib Dem MPs without apparently consulting their Welsh colleagues. The identity of geographically isolated constituencies is important in the wider sense for it indirectly promotes economic development and investment. I have no problem with having no MPs at all and having decisions affecting Wales being made here in Wales by a proper Parliament rather than having decisions being imposed by London based parties with London based agendas. Unfortunately the current political process entails sending MPs to London to represent constituencies in Wales. So be it but lets have representatives who do a decent job on behalf of Wales rather than representatives that go up to London just to make up the numbers!
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