Why I got into politics

Recently I was asked why I got involved in politics. I am not a career politician, politics is not what defines me or pays my mortgage but it does affect me. I want to get involved because I cannot just accept the status quo. The issues that we face regarding the future of our economy are going to transcend the current generation. They will not be fixed after the end of the next parliament, nor will they go away if we ignore them. I want to be a part of the solution and I believe that how we prepare our children is the answer.

The under funding in Welsh education is an absolute travesty and it shocks me to my core that it isn’t an issue that is filling the papers. Under the Labour-Plaid coalition, the average Welsh student has £604 less invested in their education than their cousins across the border. Pupils in England are getting more money spent on them whilst Welsh teachers have more students to teach with less resources! The Welsh Conservative plans are even worse: cuts that have been proposed equate to nearly £130 million of the local education budget. This is a further £277 cut for each of our students! Our children in Wales are our future - they are going to grow the new economy and ensure that Wales is strong and stable for years to come. It is our sacred trust to ensure that they are well prepared for an increasing competitive and international jobs market. The Welsh Liberal Democrats want to introduce a Welsh pupil premium to follow our children from nursery to leaving school. This will target the most disadvantaged children to ensure that they have the right skills and are not left behind. I will proudly support the Welsh pupil premium and I hope you do too.

This is when I realised that my family are why I am involved in trying to change our society. I will not stand still whilst we seemingly accept second best for our future. Our children deserve the best start in life - this is the moral thing to do and more importantly it is the right thing to do. If we prepare our children for the future, they will create wealth, pay taxes and improve on the world that we leave them. This surely should be the mantra that all politicians follow and I am proud to say I will do my best to ensure people ask the challenging questions of the powers that be!