Jane Dodds to Step Down as Welsh Liberal Democrats Leader
Dodds will continue as the party's sole Member of the Senedd, citing a desire for new leadership.
Jane Dodds has announced her intention to step down as the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats. She confirmed that she will remain the party's only Member of the Senedd (MS), but believes that a new generation should lead the effort to expand the party's presence in the Welsh parliament.
"Leading the Welsh Liberal Democrats has been the honour of my life," Dodds stated on Tuesday, adding that "now is the right time" to relinquish her leadership role. She has led the party for nearly nine years.
Nominations to succeed Dodds will open on October 23 and will close on November 16. According to the party, only David Chadwick, the Liberal Democrats' sole MP, is eligible to seek nomination to replace Dodds at this initial stage.
The Liberal Democrats have maintained a single representative in Cardiff Bay since 2016, first with former Welsh Lib Dem leader Kirsty Williams and then with Dodds since 2021. Dodds, who represents Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd in the Senedd, is a former social worker and became the Welsh leader of her party in November 2017.