Letter: Devolution for the Islands

Sir: Simon Gazeley rightly asks what Liberal Democrats in Wales are doing about STV for the Welsh Assembly. The answer is, continuing to support it.

STV remains our preferred method for proportional representation in Wales. It was this method that we recommended to the Wales Labour Party's Policy Commission on the electoral methods to the Welsh Assembly. It was STV that was our preferred method of selection to our own proposals for a Welsh sennedd (parliament).

Although Wales Labour did not accept our proposals for STV for their own assembly they did make one vital concession to the Welsh Liberal Democrats. Ron Davies, Welsh Secretary, put in writing to Alex Carlile, our former leader, that if the Additional Member System did not turn out to be truly proportional then it would review the system.

RUSSELL DEACON

Senior Policy Adviser

Liberal Democrats Wales

Pontypridd, Mid Glamorgan