David Chadwick MP, speaking at the Welsh Liberal Democrat conference in Wrexham, accused the Conservatives of “disintegrating before our eyes” and abandoning their traditions of responsibility in favour of Reform UK‑style populism.
Chadwick attacks Conservatives over rule of law
In his keynote address, Chadwick pointed to Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch’s call for the UK to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights as proof that the Conservatives had “turned their backs on the rule of law and international cooperation.”
He also criticised talk of dismissing judges for supposed “activism”, describing it as “a government veering into anarchy while wearing a blue rosette.”
Pitch to business and entrepreneurs
Chadwick told delegates that as the Conservatives collapse, many moderate voters and entrepreneurs are searching for a political home that values both enterprise and fairness.
He argued that the Welsh Liberal Democrats are now the party of business and the economy, committed to free markets, free trade, and supporting small firms that drive local prosperity. The party, he said, would focus on cutting bureaucracy and post‑Brexit red tape, backing exporters, and creating conditions where innovation and investment can thrive alongside strong public services.
Call for ‘decent’ One‑Nation Conservatives to switch sides
Chadwick said the party would welcome anyone “who believes in decency, responsibility and a thriving private sector that serves communities, not just shareholders.”
“The Conservative Party that once stood for stability, enterprise and community no longer exists,” he said.
“It has been reduced to a hollow slogan machine, obsessed with culture wars, blind to community, and utterly lost on the economy.
“The Welsh Liberal Democrats are ready to take up that mantle. We are the new party of business; pro‑market, pro‑enterprise, pro‑community.
“To every decent, One‑Nation Conservative in Wales: You don’t have to choose between extremism and irrelevance. If you still believe in fairness, in community, in the rule of law and responsibility, in building a Wales with a thriving private sector, there is a home for you here.”
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