Lib Dems criticised over English only campaign material

Emily Price 

The Liberal Democrats have been accused of not showing respect towards Welsh speakers after residents in Monmouthshire and Torfaen received English-only campaign material.

Sir Fynwy Torfaen Senedd election candidate Kevin Wilkins recently sent out leaflets to locals across the area he hopes to represent in Wales’ Parliament.

The campaign material highlighted his stance on a number of issues including Labour’s proposed mandatory ID cards and calls for emergency cuts to VAT for pubs and cafes.

The pamphlet was written entirely in English with no Welsh translation and the Monmouth and Torfaen Lib Dems web page is also not bilingual.

The leaflet claimed that the Liberal Democrats were the only party “taking on Reform UK and winning”.

It stated: “Voters are across Wales and the rest of the UK turning away from labour and the Conservatives in huge numbers.

“In elections up and down the country people are backing the Lib Dems or Reform UK.

“Areas that used to vote Conservative and Labour are seeing the collapse of both parties after decades of failure at Westminster and in Cardiff Bay.

“Many residents are relieved the Conservatives are out of power after 14 wasted years but are hugely disappointed by or angry at the first 18 months of the Labour government.

“Some voters back Nigel Farage and his support for Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, but many people are turning to the Liberal Democrats – the only party taking on Reform UK and winning.”

A December voting intention poll predicted that Plaid Cymru is set to be the largest party in Wales after the Senedd election, closely followed by Reform UK.

According to the YouGov poll, the Welsh Liberal Democrats are polling in sixth place with 6% of the vote, behind the Greens, Welsh Conservatives and Labour.

Welsh speaking Abergavenny resident Daniel Price was one of the constituents to receive the Lib Dem leaflet. He has accused the party of a “lack of care” towards Welsh speakers.

He said: “As a Welsh language speaker and writer, I felt quite put out to receive this ahead of possibly one of the most important Senedd elections we’ve ever faced.

“I felt simply, ‘Who is this aimed at and why isn’t it written bilingually?’ Even Reform have sent me Welsh correspondence in the past, so it’s a bit rich of them to go on the attack.

“I wholeheartedly agree with the action on rivers, and the EU customs union stances amongst others, but all I take from this are cheap attacks on Reform.

“The flyer should have been much more focused on the Senedd election, powers held by the Senedd, and the reasons why we should turn to the Lib Dems, not simply from Reform – have they got nothing else to say?

“Very disappointed in the lack of care paid to Welsh speakers in Monmouthshire and Torfaen, of whom they might be surprised to know there are many.”

While public bodies in Wales – such as the Electoral Commission and Transport for Wales – are bound by Welsh Language Standards to provide bilingual services, these statutory requirements do not apply to political parties.

Welsh Lib Dem leader Jane Dodds has previously voiced her support for a “truly bilingual Wales”.

Nation.Cymru asked the Liberal Democrats why they weren’t providing bilingual party political material to residents in Monmouthshire and Torfaen.

We did not receive a response.

A Plaid Cymru spokesperson said: “The attitude towards our language displayed by the Liberal Democrats’ is disappointing.

“How can the Lib Dems claim to represent the communities of Wales when they can’t even be bothered to use both of Wales’ languages on their leaflets?

“There’s only one party in Wales that gives the Welsh language the respect it deserves, and that’s Plaid Cymru.”

It comes after the Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens was branded a “dinosaur” by Plaid when she told one of her Cardiff constituents that she only used English on leaflets and social media in her role as a Labour MP because it was “spoken by almost every single constituent”.