What was always set to be an interesting Welsh Labour conference this weekend quickly became one for the history books as Carwyn Jones used his conference speech to announce his intention to stand down as First Minister this Autumn.

It was a shock to many, with reports that barely anyone knew of his plans prior to the speech, but it was only minutes after his announcement that potential candidates for the leadership election were being pressed on whether they would stand.

At the time of writing, while there has been lots of discussion in the media and some refusals by front-runners to rule outstanding, no candidates have formally announced that they intend to run. This will be a drawn out process with the new Welsh Labour leader likely to be in place in December, leaving us with months of speculation yet on who will win the race.

Yet this leadership election should be less of a case of who runs and more of a case on how the candidates face up to some critical issues facing Wales.

Crucially, the leadership election offers a space to have a debate about how we improve the health of our democracy in Wales. I’m not just talking about the debate on how the leader is elected, which is likely to be the focus for many in the Labour party over the next few weeks and months, but how the next leader intends to resolve the disconnect between many people across Wales and what happens in Cardiff Bay every Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon.

Nearly twenty years after devolution, the democratic deficit in Wales still persists. We’ve had numerous polls showing a vast number of people across Wales don’t know who runs our health or education systems, turnout at local and Assembly elections remains disappointingly low and representation in local authorities across Wales is still dominated by white, middle-aged men with very little progress on improving diversity.

This has led to a Wales where most people are not engaged in decisions that affect their future, where people feel left behind and ignored. The first year for the new Labour leader will be one disproportionately focused on Brexit, and it is vital that any new First Minister properly engages people across Wales in this process. With Welsh democracy in the state it is in, that presents a real challenge.

To improve democracy the new leader must be prepared to engage properly with reform. I don’t think it’s unfair to say that Welsh Labour have been slightly reticent on reform to date. Take for example current efforts to change the way the National Assembly for Wales works and is elected.

An expert panel reported in December calling for votes at 16 to be introduced, a larger Assembly and a different voting system. All of these areas could be significant in creating an Assembly that’s working better for the people of Wales, yet the Labour party have so far only agreed to consult its members on the issue. Yes, it’s always a hard case to make to increase the number of politicians in any institution but it is desperately needed in Wales. What’s missing at present is any real leadership on this issue.

The next First Minister must be able to articulate the benefits of a better functioning Assembly for all citizens and begin to address the challenges facing Welsh democracy.

This is an opportunity for Wales to lead on democratic reform, to engage its citizens and give them a greater voice in the running of the country.

We need someone that can lead Welsh Government to engage in more meaningful ways with a wide range of communities on critical policy changes that will affect people’s lives, someone who can take radical action on politics’ failure to properly represent the diversity of people across this country, and someone who can make politically difficult decisions on democratic reform.

By addressing some of the uncomfortable truths around the health of our democracy, the next Welsh Labour Leader will be in a much stronger position to lead Wales to its true potential.

This article was originally published in the Western Mail on April 24, 2018. 

Open letter from former Welsh Assembly Members responding to the National Assembly for Wales’ Expert Panel on Electoral Reform. 

Wales needs an Assembly which has the resources to ensure that the financial, policy and legislative decisions taken by Welsh Government are robust.

As former AMs, we write to support the case for increasing the number of Members who serve in our National Assembly for the sake of our communities and the people of Wales.

The recently published report by the Expert Panel on Electoral Reform made the case for more Members both urgent and compelling.  It concludes that because of its current size, “it is only a matter of time before the Assembly is unable to fulfil its responsibilities to work for and represent the people of Wales effectively”.

Our Members need more time available to them to scrutinise Ministers properly, and to deal with the challenges and opportunities they face in this changing constitutional and political environment.

The need for more Members was first highlighted with the publication of the Richard Commission report in 2004.  Since then, over the last 13 years, our Assembly has become a parliament with greater areas of responsibility, including law-making and tax-varying powers.

Currently, most Members are expected to sit on so many committees that their time and ability to pursue matters with the depth and intensity required, is severely restricted.

Other avenues to increase capacity have not only been explored but have also been implemented – with the hours, the days and the weeks Assembly Members sit in session all extended.

When comparing the size of our National Assembly with other institutions in the UK and abroad, it is clear that our institution is unusually small, and that the people of Wales are far less well represented per head of population compared with equivalent legislatures across the world.  In fact, our national parliament has fewer elected representatives than many local authorities in Wales.

In Wales, we need an effective, dynamic and strong institution which delivers for our communities, and we cannot afford too much delay before addressing this matter.

We understand and appreciate the public’s reluctance to see an increase in the number of politicians. We believe however that the overwhelming case for an increase in the numbers of AMs should overcome any such reluctance when explained clearly and honestly

We therefore call on the National Assembly to consult widely with the people of Wales to explain why an increase to the size of the institution is necessary, and then to legislate to create a parliament that delivers effectively for the whole nation.

Edwina Hart
Former Labour AM for Gower and former Minister for Business, Enterprise and Technology and former Health Minister

Leighton Andrews
Former Labour AM for the Rhondda and former Minister for Education

Dame Rosemary Butler
Former Labour AM for Newport West and former Presiding Officer of the National Assembly for Wales

Andrew Davies
Former Labour AM for Swansea West, former Minister for Enterprise, and former Minister for Finance and Public Service Delivery

Jonathan Morgan
Former Conservative AM for Cardiff North and former Chair of the Assembly’s Health, Wellbeing and Local Government Committee

Lisa Francis

Former Conservative AM for Mid and West Wales and 2007 Dods Assembly Woman of the Year Award winner

William Graham
Former Conservative AM for South Wales East and former Chair of the Welsh Conservative Group in the National Assembly

Ieuan Wyn Jones
Former Plaid Cymru AM for Ynys Môn, former Plaid Cymru leader and former Deputy First Minister

The Right Honourable Lord Dafydd Wigley,
Former Plaid Cymru AM and MP for Caernarfon and former Leader of Plaid Cymru

Jocelyn Davies
Former Plaid Cymru AM for South Wales East and former Minister for Housing and Regeneration

Baroness Jenny Randerson
Former Liberal Democrat AM for Cardiff Central, former Minister for Culture, Welsh Language and Sport and former Minister of State for Wales

Aled Roberts
Former Liberal Democrat AM for North Wales and former Leader of Wrexham County Borough Council

In 20 years of its existence – through the growth in the Assembly’s responsibilities to the expansion of the Welsh Government and its powers, one thing has changed very little: the Senedd’s capacity to scrutinise, debate and hold Ministers to account. And it’s starting to feel the strain. 

This week, the Expert Panel on Assembly Reform – set up to assess how the Assembly needs to be changed and modernised amid the great changes we see today – released its final report.

The recommendations, if implemented, could be a game-changer for Welsh democracy.

They are calling for a more proportional voting system – the ERS’ preferred system of the Single Transferable Vote. Switching to the system used for Scottish local elections would give voters a stronger say over candidates, and would ensure seats always match votes in a more proportional Assembly.

The panel are also calling for votes at 16 – something Scotland introduced for all elections (except Westminster) last year – as well as improvements to ensure greater a better gender balance in politics. When it comes to votes at 16, we know that in Scotland, 16 and 17 year olds turn out in greater numbers than 18 to 24 year olds. For Wales, this could revitalise political engagement.

And the report proposes an extra 20-30 Assembly Members – which could be paid for by no longer having MEPs in Brussels.

MEPs currently cost £1.79 million each per year. Since each AM represents a fraction of that cost, Welsh citizens can have more bang for our buck in a stronger, more effective Senedd.

At the moment, there are already signs that legislation and scrutiny here in Wales are taking a hit as a result of being under-resourced.

But an increase in capacity would take Wales’ Senedd up to the size of Northern Ireland’s Stormont – a legislature which serves just over a million people compared to Wales’ three million.

And it could reap significant dividends to the taxpayer, by improving legislation, policy and decision-making.

This report is a key moment in the Assembly’s history, and the proposals will be vital in securing it’s the success of the Senedd in the future.

Votes at 16, a stronger, more effective assembly, and a more responsive voting system through the Single Transferrable Vote are all essential in revitalising Welsh democracy.

The case for change is clear: with new powers after Brexit and further devolution – but no extra resources to deal with them – the Assembly is facing a capacity time bomb. More powers means we need the Members to be able to scrutinise the big decisions that will affect our lives.

Now comes the tricky part. Parties in the Assembly must now take on board these recommendations and, with voters at the core, chart the next steps forward. It is vital that this report does not sit and gather dust.

Parties have to take action to ensure that these changes can be introduced for the next Assembly election, scheduled for 2021.

That means starting with energy in the new year so that Wales isn’t left short when powers return from Europe.

This is about creating a stronger Senedd – one that is fit to face the challenges that the next few years will bring.

It’s an exciting opportunity – now let’s embrace it.

Read the full report here