Welsh Lib Dems criticised over refusal to rule out backing Reform First Minister
Emily Price
The Welsh Liberal Democrats have been criticised after the party’s leader refused to rule out supporting a Reform UK First Minister.
The Lib Dems launched their Senedd election manifesto in Cardiff today promising a “stronger Wales in a stronger UK”.
Party leader Jane Dodds pledged to deliver free childcare from nine months old as means to address child poverty and promised a hospital repair programme as well as a Royal College of Carers to help ease pressure on Wales’ social care system.
The Liberal Democrats are predicted to gain only 6% per cent of the vote at the May 7 Senedd election while Plaid Cymru and Reform UK are vying to be the largest party in Wales.
With the recent changes to Wales’ voting system, neither Plaid or Reform is expected to secure a majority, making some form of agreement with opposition parties necessary.
Dodds drew her party’s “red lines” in the sand today – appearing to rule out striking a deal with Plaid when she firmly stated that the Welsh Liberal Democrats would not support a party that “spends money on independence”.
Plaid’s leader Rhun ap Iorwerth has said he would not hold a referendum on independence if his party came into power in May – but would commission research into independence.
Dodds claimed the research would cost “more than a penny” of funding.
Pressed on whether the Lib Dems would allow Reform’s Wales leader Dan Thomas to become First Minister if Plaid refuses to drop the commission proposal, Dodds declined to give a direct answer.
She said: “It’s not up to us as a majority party to create a government, it is up to the majority party to go forward and to find partners if that’s what is needed in a future Welsh Government.
“We are making it really clear no right now not just with the political parties but with the Welsh public as well what are red lines are.”
Dodds’ refusal to rule out a deal with Reform appeared to be at odds with that of her party’s UK leader Sir Ed Davey.
Davey has previously categorically ruled out doing any kind of deal with Nigel Farage’s party.
Last year, Sir Ed established a national “Reform Watch” scrutiny board, bringing together local Lib Dem leaders in areas where Reform had taken control to take a coordinated approach to holding Farage’s party to account.
Speaking in May, Davey said: “A lot of people are rightly very worried about the threat Reform poses to our communities and the public services we all rely on.
“Nigel Farage has made it clear that Reform wants to do to our councils what Donald Trump and Elon Musk are doing to America.”
Last month, he launched the Lib Dems local elections campaign in England with a vow to stop Reform’s “Trump-style politics” taking root in the UK.
A press release issued by the Lib Dems at the time stated: “Reform-led councils elected last year have mimicked the White House in dodging media scrutiny, with an unprecedented ban on local journalists in Nottingham.
“In Durham, they have scrapped renewables projects that would’ve saved taxpayers tens of thousands.
“Across the country, their Musk inspired DOGE projects have failed to find savings, leading to Reform councils raising council tax despite promising to cut it.
Following Dodds comment at her party’s manifesto launch today, Plaid branded her “irrelevant” and “out of touch”.
A spokesperson said: “Despite criticising Reform UK for their plans to privatise the NHS, Jane Dodds has today refused to rule out supporting a Reform UK First Minister over a progressive Plaid Cymru one.
“The Lib Dems have again shown just how irrelevant and out of touch they are with the Welsh public who just want a government that is serious about renewing our NHS and standing up for Wales.
“Plaid Cymru is the only party that can stop Reform UK in Wales with plans to help our NHS, strengthen the economy and help families with the cost of living with our free childcare offer for all children aged 9 months to 4 years old.”
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Not much of a surprise, to be honest, seeing as her messaging on British Unionism wouldn’t be out of place in a Reform UK party political broadcast.
Of all the things the Lib Dems could have focussed on, going hardline British nationalist as the central thrust of their campaign is baffling.
Dodds is clearly trying to court the “Brecknock” Tory farmers and retirees to try and cling on to her seat.
This is a lie and is gutter journalism on the same level as the daily mail or the express. Absolutely fabricated headline, the lib Dems are obviously not going to work with reform and said so repeatedly
This is literally what she said. I can’t imagine Ed will be happy with her abject performance – not for the first time!
Dodds didnt deny it.
She was clearly asked by the journalist and said what she said. I watched it on the tv, she didn’t take the opportunity to rule it out.
If she’s since backtracked then it’s on her as to why she scored an own goal on national television.
A party that long ago discarded any principles they had. I didn’t think they could get any lower in my estimation, but here they are, they’ve done it again. You’d have to be a fool to vote Lib Dem in 2026.
Considering diehard Unionist Jane Dodds’s party went into coalition with the Conservatives in 2010, and then leader Jo Swinson refused to support Jeremy Corbyn as interim Prime Minister, leading to calamity and chaos with bumberling buffoon Boris Johnson and looney Liz Truss becoming Tory party leaders, it wouldn’t be surprising if Dodds, being a Liberal lone wolf, ended up propping up a Reform Welsh Government, given her past form. Thankfully this won’t happen as Paid Cymru will become the next Welsh Government in May.
I’ve heard from a Lib Dem insider that Ms Dodds would be advised to devote more time to being a member of the Senedd and spend less time on other paid work.
I can’t wait to see her face when Rhun points out to the electorate that her mission is to prevent Cymru ever being free from racist hatred and everlasting Empire control and would prefer our Parliament closed down and country abolished rather than it have the pride and freedom of self determination and Independence. This is not the first time i have seen and heard her become quite nasty when referring to the prospect of our country being free. It is the issue that angers her most so view as Deform and avoid.
It would be astonishing if the Dems refused to take part in a centre left rainbow coalition if the opportunity presented itself.
When you repeat something so many times, occasionally you forget to say it because you think its a given. I’ve lost track of how many times I have heard her say no deal with Reform but the one time she concatenates a reference to Plaid (see what happens) in a paragraph, with Reform, Journalists grab a gotcha moment. The real question here has to be, is ANOTHER Commission when Mcallister has still to be fully implemented and health boards are millions in debt a good use of public money or is it there as a compromise to be discarded in… Read more »
Issue here isn’t just whether she would do a deal with Reform, but also whether her refusal to work with the only other party likely to win enough seats to form a government, means she would not act to prevent a Reform-led government. She may have ruled out a deal, but she hasn’t ruled out letting them form a government while her party sits aside doing nothing to stop it.
So a vote for LDs is a vote for Deform.
Noted