Abolish announces it will not field candidates at Senedd election
The Abolish the Welsh Assembly Party has confirmed it will not stand candidates in the forthcoming Senedd election, citing changes to the electoral system and the risk of splitting the anti-devolution vote.
In a statement, the party said the decision followed a “careful assessment” of the new closed-list D’Hondt electoral system and the wider political landscape in Wales.
Under the revised system, smaller parties are widely expected to face greater difficulty in securing representation. The party said it believed contesting the election could divide voters who question the direction of devolution, potentially benefiting parties that support further expanding the Senedd’s powers.
Party leader Richard Suchorzewski described the move as a strategic decision.
“Our priority has always been the Welsh taxpayer and effective governance,” he said.
“Standing in this election would be largely symbolic and risks splitting the anti-devolution vote, potentially strengthening those committed to further entrenching and expanding the Senedd.
“While we remain committed to the principle of abolition, we recognise that other parties now have a more realistic path to representation under the new system. We do not intend to stand in the way of that opportunity simply to maintain a presence on the ballot paper. This is a strategic decision based on electoral reality.”
The party has long campaigned for the abolition of the Senedd and opposed moves to expand its size.
It reiterated its opposition to the planned increase in the number of Members of the Senedd to 96 and said it would continue to focus on issues of cost, accountability and performance in Welsh governance.
At the 2021 election, the party received 18,149 constituency votes and 41,399 regional votes, equivalent to 3.7% of the vote, without securing representation.
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Seems like an opportune time to announce my intention to stand in the upcoming Senedd election as the ‘Abolish the Abolish the Welsh Assembly Party’ candidate. Vote for me!
Abolish appear to have already abolished themselves, I suppose it’s much easier for these types to vent their hatred with the Deformed racists.
I wondered when we would hear from this anti Welsh hate unit. Almost 6 years since WE abolished the ‘assembly’ and called it a parliament, he still has not caught up. By standing candidates, he would be irrelevant. By not standing any, irrelevant and non existent. Abolish ‘Abolish’ now!
And to think the BBC gave this rabble a platform as if they were a major player in the last election.
That decision will never cease to baffle me.
I recall him holding up a bilingual letter and saying that having Welsh on it should stop because it’s a waste of money. Eradicationist scumbag!
Might be explained by Johnson’s Muscular Unionism Unit.
They probably couldn’t afford all those lost deposits!!
Split the anti-devolution vote, lol. I think Richard Suchorzewski’s worried about losing his deposit. You’d think “Abolish the Welsh Assembly” would advocate splitting their vote — they’d have two party members then. 🤣
How are such blatant racists just allowed in our communities??
So the party that wants to abolish the Senedd is too scared to stand in the Senedd elections because it will be humiliated. Typical Far right cowards.
“risks splitting the anti-devolution vote”
Which other party is anti-devolution? Nigel previously said that “ship has sailed” and the party told the BBC in September “It is not party policy to abolish the Senedd. It will not be in our manifesto next year”. Meanwhile the Cons oppose expansion not abolition, because understandably they too don’t want too many Tories in the bay.
Have there been some shady backroom deals? Or is Suchorzewski about to defect from his own party?
What aren’t we being told?