The Welsh Liberal Democrats have unveiled a major campaign promise to inject £300 million into social care, positioning themselves as potential power brokers in the upcoming Senedd elections. Party leader Jane Dodds made the announcement during the campaign launch in Swansea, predicting her party would secure a "wedge of MSs" in Cardiff Bay to influence the next government's direction.
Dodds, currently the sole Liberal Democrat member in the Senedd, emphasized that no single party is expected to achieve a majority under Wales' new, more proportional electoral system. The election on May 7 will see voters choose 96 representatives, an increase from the current 60.
"We want to be honest with the people of Wales," Dodds told BBC Wales. "That's why we're saying we will work with other parties as we have done in the past, but we have set out our red lines."
The social care funding pledge is framed as a measure to protect the National Health Service. Dodds argued that strengthening social care would alleviate pressure on hospitals and healthcare services across Wales.
Beyond the social care commitment, the Liberal Democrats outlined several other policy priorities:
- Implementation of universal 30 hours of free childcare covering 48 weeks per year for children aged nine months to four years
- Maintenance of existing business rate reliefs and review of recent business rate system changes
- Additional funding for environmental regulator Natural Resources Wales
- Ban on bonuses for water company executives until sewage discharges into rivers and seas cease
Dodds explicitly ruled out spending "not a penny" on Welsh independence initiatives, instead focusing on what she described as issues affecting people's "daily lives."
The party leader expressed confidence about winning seats in multiple constituencies, including Caerdydd Ffynon Taf, Gwyr Abertawe, Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd, Gwynedd Maldwyn, and Ceredigion Penfro.
"With the fragmentation and polarisation of political discourse, we know people are looking for that middle ground," Dodds said. "We have already seen Labour voters and Conservative voters coming to us, and hope they continue to do so on the 7th of May."
If successful, this election would mark the first time since 2011 that the Liberal Democrats form a Senedd group, potentially giving them significant influence in what is expected to be a closely divided parliament.