Saturday, 5 March 2011

Lib Dems warn of political elite

Kirsty WilliamsKirsty Williams said there was 'widespread dissatisfaction' with the assembly government
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Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Kirsty Williams has warned that the assembly is beginning to resemble Westminster with power "hoarded by a political elite".

She addressed her party spring conference, a day after the Yes vote on direct law-making powers.

Ms Williams said the referendum result meant there must be "a new era of devolution" with "no more excuses".

She said those behind devolution were "not listening enough".

With the assembly election in May, Ms Williams also accused the Labour-Plaid Cymru administration of turning "waste and incompetence into an art form".

The Brecon and Radnorshire AM told party members in Cardiff that the referendum showed people "wanted to endorse and strengthen devolution" but that they "also want it to work better".

She said voters were right to show "widespread dissatisfaction" with the assembly government's performance.

Devolution was meant to give more people the chance to get involved in running Wales, and it wasn't "just about moving from London to Cardiff Bay," she said.

"Too much power in Wales is hoarded by a political elite," she told supporters.

"Devolution has had its successes, but it is becoming a little bit too much like Westminster: not enough listening and too much control over our communities."

“The Labour-Plaid government are the ones not delivering the outcomes that our young people need and deserve”

Kirsty Williams AM Welsh Lib Dem leader

The Lib Dems are the fourth largest party in the assembly, with six out of 60 seats, and in her speech Ms Williams made no predictions about how the party would perform at the May election.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg spoke at the conference on Friday night, and Ms Williams told delegates that they "don't need to be defensive" about the record of the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition government in Westminster.

She concentrated her fire on the assembly government, and criticised First Minister Carwyn Jones for taking part in the trade union-led protest march against cuts in Cardiff on Saturday.

"In Wales we have a first minister who is happier to be out on the picket lines protesting than rolling up his sleeves delivering for Wales," she said.

Ms Williams said her party would "give education the priority it deserves" and attacked the £600-plus funding gap between pupils in Wales and England.

She criticised Education Minister Leighton Andrews for saying that "schools in Wales are not delivering the outcomes that our young people need and deserve".

"Well, that's one way of putting it, isn't it Leighton? I'd say that the Labour-Plaid government are the ones not delivering the outcomes that our young people need and deserve."

She pledged that Lib Dems would:

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