Alec Dauncey

I was a founder member of the Welsh Liberal Democrats. I joined the Liberal Party in 1976. I was sixteen, in Merseyside. We had just campaigned in the first European referendum. I was attracted to community politics, and internationalism.

I want to see our Welsh party effectively playing a role in the British party’s policy making, by representing Welsh members on the Federal Policy Committee.

I have a lot of experience in policy making,

• Served on the Federal Policy Committee before, in this role.
• Chair of the Welsh Policy Committee, manifesto writing.
• Forestry policy making in Whitehall
• Special Adviser to Welsh Liberal Democrat ministers.

I have a clear political aim in seeking the support of members of our party.

I want to see the party stating more clearly that it favours membership of the European Union. I want to offer that idea to the Welsh Party, and gain a mandate to argue for it in the FPC.

This is a sensible role for the Welsh representative to a committee which is so often dominated by devolved domestic policy for which we have our own committee.

We run the danger of becoming merely a moderate ‘centre party’ based on local and sometimes populistic campaigning. For a long time, our internationalism, and support for European Unity were distinctive higher aims, beyond the confines of the British nation state. We should raise the profile of these in our campaigning and offer to the voters.

This is:

• Morally right, as an idea for a general future for humanity, and for peace and security in Europe and beyond.
• Electorally practical, because opinion polls show a mass of people looking for representation and leadership in this.
• Politically wise as a distinctive strategic policy which distinguishes us from Labour and Conservatives.

If elected I will argue for principled distinctive policies for the UK and its role in the world.

The Liberal Democrats should speak up strongly for humanitarian law, including proportionality, by all sides, in conflicts like that in Israel and Gaza.

I would facilitate communication between Welsh and Federal parties, ensuring respect for devolution.

In policy making within the party I facilitated, as chair of the policy committee, the development of the 2017 Welsh General Election Manifesto.

In a wider sense, and in relation to my political objective in standing, I was the lead candidate for Wales in the 2014 European Parliament elections - making the case for membership of the European Union in TV appearances, interviews and hustings.