The Welsh Liberal Democrats launched their General Election Campaign this week in Knighton with a visit from Liberal Democrat Leader Sir Ed Davey. The focus was on farming, with a promise to reverse the Conservatives’ “legacy of failure”.

Ed Davey cycled into Knighton, and spoke alongside Welsh Liberal Democrat and Senedd Member Jane Dodds and local candidate for Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe David Chadwick.

Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe is a key battleground seat for the Liberal Democrats, with the seat having been swapped between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats for the last 40 years. Under new boundaries, the Liberal Democrats would need a swing of just 8.7% to win the seat back.

The Liberal Democrats' plan to back British farming includes a £1 billion increase in funding for the agriculture budget, and pledging to re-negotiate overseas trade deals and address worker shortages blighting the sector. The £1 billion would trigger consequential funding for the Welsh Government to spend on agriculture.

Both Ed Davey and Jane Dodds stated that the Welsh Labour Government has let down rural areas with its controversial sustainable farming scheme, while the Conservatives have sold Welsh farmers down the river with ‘botched trade deals’ with Australia and New Zealand.

Commenting Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds MS said: “Up and down the country the message is clear: people want change, and on July 4 the Welsh public will have the opportunity to deliver that change by voting for the Welsh Liberal Democrats, especially in seats like Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe where we came a close second to the Conservatives last time.

“The Conservatives have consistently let down Wales, whether that’s with false promises of levelling up, selling Welsh lamb farmers down the river with broken trade deals, or allowing water companies to dump sewage in our world-class rivers. They have proven they won’t stand up for Wales or its interests.

“By contrast, the Welsh Liberal Democrats have a long and proud history of putting local communities first and we will be campaigning hard to protect our countryside, give greater support to our rural communities and farmers, and end the dentist drought across huge parts of the country.”

Sir Ed said: “This Conservative Government has left a legacy of failure from the NHS to British farming.

“In Wales, families and pensioners are bearing the brunt of a cost-of-living crisis and Conservative economic chaos in Westminster.

“British farmers are the best in the business, but Conservative neglect has left too many farmers on their knees. Rishi Sunak takes farmers for granted.

“This election gives Wales the opportunity of a lifetime to show the Conservatives the door, by voting for Liberal Democrats who will champion the best of Welsh farming.”