The Welsh Liberal Democrats are facing criticism for what the Conservatives describe as “mixed messages” regarding their stance on Senedd reform.

Back in May, the Senedd voted through changes that will see more politicians and a new voting system implemented from 2026.

There will be 96 members - up from 60 - who will all be elected using a proportional closed list system.

The changes were backed by 43 MSs from Labour, Plaid Cymru and the Liberal Democrats and opposed by 16 Conservatives.

A row on the issue reignited last week after Lib Dem MP for Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe, David Chadwick questioned whether the new way of electing Senedd Members could “undermine the spirit of democracy.”

The MP raised the issue during a Commons debate on the 185th anniversary of the Chartist uprising in Newport.

Mr Chadwick asked Newport East MP, Jessica Morden: “Is she not concerned that the proposed new system for elections in Wales, whereby one vote will return six Senedd Members, threatens to undermine the spirit of democracy as the Chartists understood it?”

Jane Dodds MS, leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, had voted in favor of the reforms back in May, calling it “vital legislation” that she was “happy to support".

She did however acknowledge concerns about the closed party list system and pushed for further reform to improve voter choice.

Ms Dodds told the Senedd the reform bill was "fundamentally flawed" as it stood, and advocated for the use of the single transferrable vote system.

"The introduction of closed party lists risks robbing voters of true choice, and there was absolutely no evidence presented to us that this would benefit the electorate in any way," she said.

Ms Dodds, who is the sole Welsh Lib Dem MS, did then vote in favour of the proposals - formally called the Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill.

Conservative MS for Brecon and Radnorshire, James Evans has now levelled criticism towards the Lib Dems, suggesting an inconsistency in the party's stance.

"The contradictions in the Liberal Democrats' position are clear for all to see," he said.

"While the leader of the Welsh Lib Dems Jane Dodds voted in favour of the Act, they are now questioning its impact on Welsh democracy.

"This inconsistency raises serious concerns about whether their stance is based on genuine principle or political convenience."

Mr Evans then took a swipe at Mr Chadwick.

"Welsh democracy deserves honest, transparent leadership, not mixed messages from a parachuted-in career politician from Gloucestershire lying to the people of our area,” said Mr Evans.

“If the Lib Dems truly believe in democratic integrity, they need to present a unified position and Jane Dodds must be held accountable for her voting record on this matter.”

"The people of Brecon and Radnorshire deserve better than this," he added.

The Brecon & Radnor Express approached the Welsh Lib Dems and asked for clarification on the party's position regarding the Act and its implications for democratic representation.

In their response, the Lib Dems reaffirmed their support for broader political reform.

“We think that our current political system is not fit for purpose," a Welsh Lib Dem spokesperson told the B&R.

"That’s why we have long campaigned to make our politics work better for everyone by fighting for the adoption of a fairer voting system, the lowering of the voting age to 16 and the creation of an elected House of Lords.

"Rest assured the Liberal Democrats will continue to fight for the changes we need, that is why we will not be seeking advice from a political party that has routinely undermined any efforts of reform and has instead chosen to protect the failed status quo."

The spokesperson labelled Mr Evans’ comments as “petty political games,” adding: “While the Welsh Conservatives play these games, we are working hard to fix the system so we can deliver a better deal for all of Wales.”

Locally, Conservative Powys County Councillor, Iain McIntosh weighed in on the debate, calling it "highly sinister" that Mr Chadwick would raise concerns about the Act, after his party's leader voted in favour of it.

"It is time the Lib Dems came clean with constituents rather than saying one thing in public after doing something different behind closed doors," he said.

He questioned what he sees as a disconnect between the Lib Dems' actions and principles, arguing that officials should not support “fundamentally flawed” legislation without seeking amendments.

The new law, which is formally called the Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill, changes three main areas; the size of the Senedd, the electoral system used to elect politicians and the constituency boundaries.

96 members will be elected using closed proportional lists

The 32 new UK Parliament constituencies will also be paired to create 16 Senedd constituencies.

This will come into play from the Senedd elections in 2026

The Senedd defines this as: "A form of electoral system where each party puts forward a list of their candidates for multi-member constituencies. Winning candidates are taken from the lists in order of their position and seats are allocated proportionally using a formula. In a closed list system parties put forward a fixed list in an order of their choosing. Voters don’t have a say in how the list is organised and the voter simply votes for a party’s list."