Elections 2022: Liberal Democrats ready to offer alternative

Liberal Democrat leaders and officials have been learning from citizen scientists how to measure pollution in the River Wye

People have "had enough" of the Conservatives and Labour, according to the Welsh Liberal Democrat leader.

Jane Dodds made the comments at a campaigning event in Hay-on-Wye, near the English border in Powys, as the party makes its pitch for Wales' council elections.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats are fielding 284 candidates, which the party says is its highest since 2012.

Voters will elect more than 1,200 people in Wales' 22 councils on 5 May.

Ms Dodds said she was "not going to pretend" the past couple of years had not been "disappointing" for the party, but she hoped to make gains.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats is the fourth largest party at council level and will field candidates in 20 local authorities, with the exception of Merthyr Tydfil and Blaenau Gwent.

Jane Dodds is hoping her party can provide an alternative for Tory and Labour voters

It will be looking to improve on its council election results in 2017, when it lost councillors and won just over 60 seats.

They are centring their pitch around a "cleaner, greener, safer" Wales, according to Ms Dodds. 

"People have had enough of both the Conservatives and Labour, they want to see a difference," she said.

"The Welsh Liberal Democrats are looking to support local businesses to make sure that they have the skills that they need and support from the local communities and councils."

Tackling river pollution is another main focus, as well as creating "greener, cleaner and safer" councils.

Ms Dodds said: "We certainly have had many challenges. But where we are now is in a much better place.

"We've got people working hard knocking on the doors and what we're hearing is that people who answer those doors are really keen to talk with us."

The party is standing in 20 out of Wales' 22 council areas

Reflecting on by-election wins in North Shropshire and Chesham and Amersham, she said: "People are really fed up with Conservative and Labour politicians. People want something different."

UK Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey joined her on the campaign trail, meeting citizen scientists who monitor pollution in the River Wye.

Sir Ed believes "lifelong Conservative voters are pretty angry with Boris Johnson".

"The top issues people are really worried about are their heating bills, council tax being put up by a number of Conservative councils and, of course, the unfair taxes by a Conservative government," he said.

According to Sir Ed, the party is "cautiously optimistic" they can convert frustration with the conservative government into political gains in May.

"If you vote for a Liberal Democrat, you get a local champion, someone who's going to represent you, your community, your family and fight for a fair deal, whether that's on the cost of living or the NHS, these issues which are really worrying people," he added.

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