WELSH LIB DEMS SELECT COMMUNITY CAMPAIGNER AS LEAD CANDIDATE FOR PONTYPRIDD CYNON MERTHYR CONSTITUENCY

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have announced that community campaigner Neil Feist will head their party’s list for the Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr constituency at the 2026 Senedd election following a party selection process in the constituency.

Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr is one of the new constituencies for the 2026 Welsh Parliament elections, covering the Westminster constituencies of Pontypridd and Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare.

The Liberal Democrats secured over 3.5 million votes at last year’s general election, becoming the largest third party in the UK since 1923 with 72 MPs. The Party built a brand for itself on tackling sewage pollution in local rivers and seas, proposing plans to prioritise social care to fix the NHS and supporting small and medium-sized businesses. 

In recent months, the Party has been holding the new Labour Government to account on the sky-high NHS waiting lists in Wales, campaigning against Labour’s rise in national insurance and calling on Labour to cancel tax breaks for the big banks instead of targeting small businesses and family farms.

The 2026 elections will be conducted under a proportional representation system, with 6 Members of the Senedd per constituency. This means that multiple political parties will be represented in each area and candidates for smaller parties have a good chance of getting elected.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats are heading into the Senedd elections with a focus on campaigning for improved access to childcare provision, support for small businesses and investing in social care to tackle the crisis in the Welsh NHS. 

Neil Feist is a Community Councillor and campaigner who has lived in Llanharan since 2006. He has a background in outdoor education and business, and is known for his campaigns on woodland access and the Llanharan bypass. Speaking following his selection, Neil said:

“It’s a great privilege to be selected at the top of the Welsh Lib Dem list and to have the opportunity to build on my long experience of community campaigning. The Welsh Lib Dems have a great chance to win a seat locally under the new proportional representation system, and I look forward to promoting my priorities of improving the local economy, creating jobs, protecting our public services, and repairing the NHS through investment in social care.”    

~ENDS~