René Kinzett calls for Welsh Conservative independence

René Kinzett is calling for a "sensible thoughtful debate"

A Swansea Tory councillor is calling for his party to become independent of the Conservatives in England.

Rene Kinzett says the Welsh Conservatives will never challenge Labour in Wales without change.

He wants Welsh Conservatives to lead a new centre-right political movement wholly based in Wales.

His comments come after the The Scottish Conservative Party approved a new constitution with its leader taking overall responsibility for performance.

Speaking to the BBC Wales political programme Sunday Supplement, Mr Kinzett said: "What I'm calling for is a sensible thoughtful debate about how we reach out across Wales to create a new centre right movement.

"How we create a party that is capable of making decisions in Wales for Welsh problems by the Welsh membership and accountable to the Welsh membership."

Mr Kinzett, group leader of the Conservatives on Swansea council, admitted his view was not shared by all party members in Wales.

But he added: "We are a unionist party but we are a party of Wales.

"We should be a party wholly and solely based in Wales.

'Articulate'

"The 2007 assembly elections was the only time we've come tantalisingly close to a non-Labour led government at the Senedd.

"When is the chance going to come again? It did not come this year and I don't see it coming in four years time unless the political spectrum shifts."

He said a Welsh based centre right party would appeal to some Plaid Cymru, Liberal Democrat and Labour voters who would not vote Conservative at present.

"I do not see at the moment they have a party that they can invest their vote in until there is a Welsh based political party who can articulate their views," he added.

"This is more serious than just a re-branding exercise - this is about trying to form a new political movement."