The Member of the Welsh Parliament for Aberconwy, Janet Finch-Saunders, has called for the people of Wales to be given the right to vote on Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru’s proposed changes to the electoral system in Wales. A move which would see an additional 36 Members of the Senedd and is expected to cost the taxpayer roughly £100 million over the next five years.
This system would scrap the first past the post system used for generations and replace it with 16 constituencies elected 6 Members from a “closed list system”, utilising “zipping” for candidate selection.
Therefore, voters would be required for vote for a party and not a candidate, denying them the opportunity to reject a particular individual. Whilst political parties would need to field lists of equal numbers of male and female candidates, with candidate lists alternative between men and women.
Commenting on the matter Janet said:
“The people of Aberconwy have seen the failings of the devolved Welsh Labour Government in delivering public services, with record NHS waiting times, the Welsh school system continuing to rank behind their counterparts in other parts of the UK and a north south divide that continues to grow.
“Given these failings and the cost-of-living crisis that our society faces, increasing the size of the Welsh Parliament and re-writing the electoral system is not what Wales or its people needs.
“Therefore, it is imperative that the people are given the opportunity make their voice heard on this issue before Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru proceed with these costly and complex measures.
“I would also encourage residents to complete my online survey on this matter and accessible on my website.”
ENDS/
Photo: Janet Finch-Saunders MS/AS
Mae Janet Finch-Saunders, yr Aelod o'r Senedd dros Aberconwy, wedi galw ar i bobl Cymru gael yr hawl i bleidleisio ar newidiadau arfaethedig Llafur Cymru a Phlaid Cymru i'r system etholiadol yng Nghymru. Cam a fyddai'n gweld 36 Aelod o'r Senedd ychwanegol, ar gost ddisgwyliedig o tua £100 miliwn i'r trethdalwr dros y pum mlynedd nesaf.
Byddai'r system yn cael gwared ar y system y cyntaf i'r felin sydd wedi ei defnyddio ers cenedlaethau ac yn ei disodli gydag 16 o etholaethau gyda 6 Aelod wedi'u hethol o "system rhestr gaeedig", gan ddefnyddio rhestrau "am yn ail" ar gyfer dewis ymgeiswyr.
Felly, byddai'n ofynnol i bleidleiswyr bleidleisio dros blaid ac nid ymgeisydd, gan wadu'r cyfle iddynt wrthod unigolyn penodol. A byddai angen i’r pleidiau gwleidyddol lunio rhestrau cyfartal eu nifer o ymgeiswyr gwrywaidd a benywaidd, gyda rhestrau ymgeiswyr yn newid rhwng dynion a menywod.
Gan gyfeirio at y mater, dywedodd Janet:
“Mae pobl Aberconwy wedi gweld methiannau Llywodraeth Lafur ddatganoledig Cymru ym maes darparu gwasanaethau cyhoeddus, gyda’r amseroedd aros uchaf erioed yn y GIG, system ysgolion Cymru sy'n parhau i berfformio'n waeth nag ysgolion cyfatebol mewn rhannau eraill o'r DU a rhaniad rhwng y gogledd a'r de sy'n parhau i dyfu.
“O ystyried y methiannau hyn a'r argyfwng costau byw sy'n wynebu ein cymdeithas, dyw cynyddu maint Senedd Cymru ac ailysgrifennu'r system etholiadol ddim yr hyn sydd ei angen ar Gymru na'i phobl.
“Felly, mae'n hanfodol bod y bobl yn cael y cyfle i leisio eu barn ar y mater hwn cyn i Lafur Cymru a Phlaid Cymru fwrw ymlaen â'r mesurau costus a chymhleth hyn.
“Byddwn yn annog trigolion hefyd i gwblhau fy arolwg ar-lein ar y mater hwn sydd ar gael ar fy ngwefan.”
DIWEDD/
Ffotograff: Janet Finch-Saunders AS
