The Education Secretary and former Leader of the Welsh Lib Dems, Kirsty Williams, has been challenged to disown comments by the party’s UK leader – Vince Cable.
The MP appeared to dismiss Brexit voters as old and racist during a speech at the party’s Spring Conference on the weekend.
At the speech in Southport, Mr Cable attacked the 70% of over-65s who voted for Brexit during the referendum:
“Too many were driven by a nostalgia for a world where passports were blue, faces were white, and the map was coloured imperial pink,” he said. Their votes were “crushing the hopes and aspiration of the young for years to come”, he added.
Kirsty Williams is the Assembly Member for Brecon & Radnorshire, whose constituents voted firmly for the United Kingdom to leave the EU – by 53.7% to 46.3%.
Responding to the speech Aberconwy AM, Janet Finch-Saunders, said:
“These were shameful comments, designed to provoke anger amongst younger voters at the outcome of the referendum.
“It’s deeply offensive to the many people who voted in the referendum campaign – on both sides.
“As a government minister and former leader of the party in Wales, Kirsty Williams should disown them. After all, most of her constituents in Brecon & Radnorshire voted to leave.
“These voters were not old and racist – as implied in this speech – and if she truly considers herself a ‘democrat’ then Ms Williams will call Vince Cable out.
“What makes this speech so disappointing is the fact that we need to be pulling the country back together, not tearing it apart.
“The vote to leave the EU was not driven by casual racism and nostalgia – it was a positive campaign to build a new relationship with our neighbours. The sooner the Liberal Democrats accept that, the better for everyone.”
ENDS