The Welsh Liberal Democrats have just announced former Senedd Member William Powell as their candidate for Monmouth at the  upcoming General Election.

As a farmer's son, born and bred in the Black Mountains, Talgarth councillor William says is delighted to contest the Monmouth constituency. He is committed to creating a Fairer, Greener, and more Caring society across the region he calls home.

A strong champion for the environment, farming and the wider rural economy, William is a Member of the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority and chairs its Audit and Risk Committee. A longstanding Powys County Councillor for Talgarth in the northern Black Mountains, William's family has farmed in the area for many generations, and, as a Welsh Liberal Democrat Senedd Member between 2011 - 2016, he served as Shadow Minister for the Environment, Rural Affairs and Planning, as well as Chair of the Petitions Committee.

Active in his community for decades, William has consistently promoted community and sporting events and regeneration initiatives. He was also delighted when his own team, Talgarth Town FC recently topped the Gwent Central League Division 2.

Monmouthshire - and especially Abergavenny - has a unique place in William's heart, as he spent six weeks in Nevill Hall Hospital, including three weeks in ICU, during the first Covid Lockdown. 'I owe my survival to the outstanding care of clinicians and nurses of the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, as well as to the follow up care of my wife Ria, who is also an NHS Nurse practitioner. Now it's time to repay my thanks with hard work and public service.'

William gained a Scholarship to study French and German at Pembroke College, Oxford in the 1980s and taught in schools in Herefordshire and Gloucestershire for almost two decades.

As a former Chair of the Welsh European Movement, William believes that Brexit has proved disastrous for our region and for the whole of Wales. If elected MP for Monmouth, he would fight to make membership of the EU Single Market an objective of policy. This would benefit our farmers and all Monmouthshire businesses. At the same time rejoining the Erasmus Programme and developing a youth mobility scheme across the EU would be his alternative to the Conservatives' controversial 'National Service' proposals. William passionately believes that renewables can help make Wales self-sufficient in energy, thus delivering lower costs, easing the burden of rising prices and the cost of living crisis on hardworking families.

When not working for his community, William enjoys a regular early morning 5K round local sports fields, as well as hill walking. He also volunteers for the DPJ Foundation, the leading Welsh mental health charity for the farming community.

Commenting on his selection, William Powell said: "People locally are looking for a genuine Liberal voice, that resonates with their deeply held, common sense Welsh values. I want to be that voice, in Parliament and in the constituency. I also commit myself to nurturing community initiatives to enhance the quality of life across Monmouthshire.'

'If elected as MP on July 4th, I pledge to work tirelessly for local residents and to engage closely with Monmouthshire County Council, Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority, as well as the Senedd and Westminster - especially to tackle the twin crises of river pollution and the inadequate affordable housing stock.  'This is the only way to deliver genuine change across the vast and beautiful constituency of Monmouth.'