David Chadwick, the Welsh Liberal Democrat MP for Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe, has confirmed he is standing to become the party’s next leader in Wales.
He would take over from Jane Dodds, who announced last week that she was stepping down after nine years in charge.
Under the party’s constitution he is the only eligible candidate, so there will be no contest, the Welsh Liberal Democrats say.
He needs 50 nominations from party members, and is expected to be confirmed as leader on Monday 16 November, when nominations close.
Chadwick’s pitch: jobs, wages and young people staying in Wales
Chadwick, 35, was elected in 2024 and is already the Liberal Democrats’ Wales spokesperson at Westminster.
He says growing the Welsh economy is at the heart of his pitch, with better jobs and higher wages paying for stronger public services.
He said: “Economic growth and strong public services go hand in hand.”
He wants Wales to be one of the best places in Britain to start and grow a business, with more support for entrepreneurs and investment in transport and infrastructure, the party says.
Young people are a particular priority. He warns that too many feel they must leave Wales to find rewarding careers, decent wages or the standard of living previous generations enjoyed.
He said he wanted “a Wales where hard work is rewarded, where businesses have the confidence to invest and grow, and where young people can build successful lives without feeling they have to leave Wales to get ahead”.
Rebuilding the Welsh Lib Dems after one Senedd seat in May
The Welsh Lib Dems held on to a single seat in the Senedd election in May, Dodds’ own in Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd.
Chadwick accepts the scale of the challenge, but says the party must stop thinking and acting like a minor party if it is to become a significant force in Welsh politics again, according to the Welsh Lib Dems.
He said: “I want to rebuild the Welsh Liberal Democrats as a confident political force, rooted in our communities and capable of helping shape the future of Wales.”
He said he would set out more of his vision over the coming weeks, adding: “I believe that for Wales, and for the Welsh Liberal Democrats, our best days can still lie ahead.”
From Ystradgynlais hospital beds to Gwaun Cae Gurwen GPs
Closer to home, Chadwick and Dodds have led the campaign over beds at Ystradgynlais Community Hospital.
Earlier this month he called a critical inspection of the GP surgery in Gwaun Cae Gurwen “a vindication of the local residents” who had complained for years.
Dodds stays on as the Senedd Member for Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd.
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