Abolish the Welsh Assembly Party

The Abolish the Welsh Assembly Party was formally registered with the Electoral Commission in July 2015{{cite web|url=http://search.electoralcommission.org.uk/api/pdf/Registrations/PP2802|title=Registration:Abolish the Welsh Assembly Party|publisher=Electoral Commission|accessdate=2 May 2016}} and was publicly launched in November 2015. Its sole stated aim is the abolition of the Senedd, formerly known as the National Assembly for Wales. The party nominated candidates for each of the regional lists in the 2016 Assembly elections, winning 4.4% of the regional vote and returned no seats.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/wales-constituencies|title=Wales Election 2016: Constituencies & Regions|work=BBC News|access-date=1 May 2016}} It did not contest any constituency seats.

Former UKIP leadership candidate Richard Suchorzewski stood in the 2019 Newport West by-election, the first time the party had nominated a candidate for a Westminster seat. Suchorzewski stated that his main aim was to raise awareness of the party's message.{{cite news|url=https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/17453959.party-dedicated-to-abolishing-the-welsh-assembly-will-run-in-newport-west-by-election/|title=Party dedicated to abolishing the Welsh Assembly will run in Newport West by-election|last=Craig|first=Ian|date=22 February 2019|website=South Wales Argus}} He campaigned on the single issue of the Welsh Assembly, claiming it was "a waste of money" and "an unnecessary tier of politics". He finished in 8th place out of 11 candidates, with 0.9% of the vote. Suchorzewski had previously stood for the Conservative Party and then for UKIP, standing for leadership of UKIP in 2006 and losing to Nigel Farage.

The deputy chair of the Welsh Conservatives, Lee Canning, defected to the party in November 2019, claiming that his former party were not doing enough to maintain the unity of the UK.{{cite news|url=https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2019-11-19/top-tory-quits-to-join-anti-assembly-party/|title=Top Tory Lee Canning quits to join anti-Assembly party|date=19 November 2019|first=Adrian|last=Masters|website=ITV News}} The party said it hoped Canning would stand "in a key target seat" in the 2021 Senedd election. In May 2020, Powys councillor Claire Mills quit the Welsh Conservatives and joined the party for similar reasons, becoming the party's first representative in Welsh local government.{{cite news |last= Masters |first= Adrian |date= 13 May 2020 |title= Conservative councillor defects to anti-devolution party |url= https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2020-05-13/claire-mills-powys-conservatives-abolish/ |work= ITV News |access-date= 6 June 2020}}

Richard Suchorzewski became the new leader of the party in June 2020. Later in the same month Gareth Bennett, the former leader of the UKIP Senedd group and Independent MS, joined the party along with former Brexit Party parliamentary candidates Cameron Edwards and Richard Taylor.{{Cite web|last=Masters|first=Adrian|date=2020-06-24|title=First Senedd Member for party which wants to abolish the Welsh Parliament|url=https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2020-06-24/senedd-abolish-assembly-gareth-bennett/|access-date=2020-07-22|website=ITV News|language=en}}{{cite web|url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/politics/gareth-bennett-abolish-assembly-ukip-18480954|title=A Member of the Senedd has joined the Abolish the Assembly party|date=24 June 2020|publisher=Wales Online|access-date=24 June 2020}}{{cite news|date=24 June 2020|title=Ex-UKIP Senedd leader Gareth Bennett joins anti-devolution party|work=BBC|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-politics-53163407|access-date=26 June 2020}}

In October 2020, a second member of the Senedd, Mark Reckless, joined the party. Reckless, who was previously the leader of the Brexit Party in Wales (and prior to that a member of UKIP, and before that a Conservative MP), stated, "we surveyed all the [Brexit] party's registered supporters to ask what they wanted for the future. Two thirds of them wanted Abolish and an end to devolution. So, I am joining the Abolish The Assembly Party to help give those opposed to devolution a proper voice in Welsh politics".{{cite news|last=Craig|first=Ian|date=19 October 2020|title=Mark Reckless joins the Abolish the Welsh Assembly Party|work=South Wales Argus|url=http://southwalesargus.co.uk/news/18804180.mark-reckless-joins-abolish-welsh-assembly-party/|access-date=7 November 2020}}

In November 2020, the Electoral Commission removed the party from the register of political parties. The party's former leader, David Bevan, had fallen out with the party and did not renew the party's registration.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-politics-54800139|title=Abolish Welsh Assembly party 'to be struck off electoral register'|date=3 November 2020|via=www.bbc.co.uk}} Instead, he submitted a rival Abolish the Welsh Assembly Party for registration with himself as the leader, claiming this party would be fielding candidates in the next Senedd election.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-55037125|title=Abolish Welsh Assembly ex-leader accused of bid to 'steal' the party|date=23 November 2020|via=www.bbc.co.uk}} A spokesman for the original party was quoted opposing the registration, warning Bevan against "stealing the party like a thief in the night." This was resolved when the Electoral Commission, in January 2021, rejected the registration of the second party saying, "We have rejected the second application on the basis that when a party is deregistered, its name is protected for a period of time by law. This means that during this time only the previously registered party can apply to use that name."{{Cite news|date=2021-01-06|title=Ex-Abolish the Assembly leader fails to keep party name|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-politics-55560971|access-date=2021-01-09}}

In January 2021, Abolish was reinstated on the Electoral Register by the Electoral Commission. Suchorzewski said he "[looked] forward to naming candidates to stand for Abolish in the Welsh Assembly/Senedd elections due on 6th May – or later if it's postponed due to the other parties running scared and delaying the election as far into the future as possible. We believe there are safe election solutions, however whenever the election is called we shall be ready."

On 7 March 2021, Abolish announced that it would be running candidates in all constituencies for the 2021 Senedd election. It also said that it would run candidates on the regional list.{{cite news |last1=Powell |first1=Leah |title=Abolish the Welsh Assembly Party – prospective candidates |url=https://www.barryanddistrictnews.co.uk/news/19139085.abolish-welsh-assembly-party---prospective-candidates/ |access-date=7 March 2021 |work=Barry & District News |date=5 March 2021}}

On 6 April, one month before election day, it was announced that 10 of the party's candidates had dropped out of the election. This included one of its two MSs, Gareth Bennett, who left to stand as an independent; the reasons for this decision were unspecified.{{Cite web|last=Mosalski|first=Ruth|date=2021-04-06|title=Gareth Bennett leaves Abolish the Welsh Assembly to stand as an Independent|url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/politics/former-ukip-member-senedd-gareth-20331386|access-date=2021-04-29|website=WalesOnline|language=en}} Richard Suchorzewski was asked during the 24 April 2021 edition of BBC Politics Wales on whether 'Wales was a country'. Appearing to struggle to answer the question, he stated, "I don't understand the premise behind that question…. quite frankly" but confirmed that Wales was a country. The interviewer, BBC journalist James Williams, then asked what other countries that don't have a parliament. Suchorzewski paused then explained that he didn't understand the point of the question. He went on to explain that Wales voted for an Assembly, not a Parliament.{{Cite web |date=2021-04-25 |title=Interviewer goes viral after stumping anti-Senedd leader with two simple questions |url=https://nation.cymru/news/interviewer-goes-viral-after-stumping-anti-senedd-leader-with-two-simple-questions/ |access-date=2022-06-28 |website=Nation.Cymru |language=en-GB}}

At the election, Abolish received 18,149 constituency votes and 41,399 regional votes (3.7% of the vote), a drop from its performance in 2016, and failed to win any seats.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/cqwn14k92zwt/welsh-parliament-election-2021|title=Welsh Parliament election 2021|website=BBC News|access-date=10 May 2021}}{{cite news|last=Masters|first=Adrian|date=8 May 2021|title=Disappointment as parties fail to challenge Labour's dominance in Wales|url=https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2021-05-08/soul-searching-and-disappointment-as-parties-fail-to-challenge-labours-dominance-in-wales|access-date=16 September 2021|website=ITV News|language=en}}

Dr Richard Wyn Jones, Professor of Welsh Politics at Cardiff University, commented on S4C election coverage that the party's failure to win seats "earmarked something important that it not only noted in the confidence of the Labour Party but also a vote of confidence in devolution....the people of Wales have declared their faith in devolution. There was a believable option to vote for abolishing the whole thing, that has died on its arse. That has left us. That will change the nature of the discussions. A few weeks ago, there was a real possibility that the Abolish the Assembly was going to do well. The Conservatives would then react by being more in favour in abolish. There was reasons for that. I think that this election and the results on who has won and who has been destroyed should be noted as an important moment in Welsh politics".{{Citation |title=Etholiad 2021 {{!}} Dydd Sadwrn |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pFHYpJSNLM |language=en |access-date=2022-06-21}}

At the 2022 Welsh local elections, only one candidate stood for Abolish,{{Cite web |title=Abolish The Welsh Assembly Party |url=https://whocanivotefor.co.uk/parties/party:12653/abolish-the-welsh-assembly-party |access-date=2022-06-28 |website=Who Can I Vote For? by Democracy Club |language=en}} Stuart Field in the Rhoose Ward of Vale of Glamorgan.{{Cite web |last=Suchorzewski |first=Richard |date=2022-05-04 |title=Final Day Campaigning for Stuart Field in Rhoose |url=https://www.abolishthewelshassembly.co.uk/final-day-campaigning-for-stuart-field-in-rhoose/ |access-date=2022-06-28 |website=Abolish The Welsh Assembly |language=en-GB}} He received 430 votes but was not elected.{{Cite web |last=Mosalski |first=Ruth |last2=Hayward |first2=Will |last3=Jones |first3=Branwen |date=2022-05-06 |title=Vale of Glamorgan local election results for 2022 |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/politics/vale-glamorgan-local-elections-2022-23845702 |access-date=2022-06-28 |website=WalesOnline |language=en}}

Abolish lost its only councillor, Claire Mills, who was re-elected as an independent in the 2022 Powys County Council election.{{cite news|url=https://nation.cymru/news/only-abolish-the-assembly-councillor-now-standing-as-an-independent/|title=Only Abolish the Assembly councillor now standing as an independent|date=6 April 2022|work=Nation.Cymru|access-date=6 April 2022}}

In the 2024 United Kingdom general election, the party stood three candidates. Stuart Field in the Vale of Glamorgan received 669 votes (1.5% of the vote).{{Cite news |title=Vale of Glamorgan - General election results 2024 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/election/2024/uk/constituencies/W07000110 |access-date=2024-07-11 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}} Paul Ashton in Wrexham received 480 votes (1.2% of the vote).{{Cite news |title=Wrexham - General election results 2024 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/election/2024/uk/constituencies/W07000111 |access-date=2024-07-11 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}} Jonathan Harrington contested the Brecon, Radnor, and Cwm Tawe constituency, securing 372 votes (0.8% of the vote).{{Cite news |title=Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe - General election results 2024 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/election/2024/uk/constituencies/W07000085 |access-date=2024-07-11 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}} All of them lost their deposit.

The party published its manifesto for the 2021 Senedd election in April 2021. The key points were:{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-politics-56772116|title=Welsh election: Abolish party plans to 'turn devolution tide'|date=16 April 2021|via=www.bbc.co.uk}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/politics/senedd-election-2021-policies-one-20396286|title=Abolish the Welsh Assembly Party publishes election manifesto|first=Ruth|last=Mosalski|date=16 April 2021|website=WalesOnline}}

• Abolish the devolved Welsh government, including the position of First Minister of Wales, handing over executive powers to the relevant departments within the UK government in London
• Abolish the devolved Senedd (Welsh parliament; {{Langx|cy|Senedd Cymru}}) and hand over legislative powers to the UK parliament, in which 32 of the 650 MPs represent constituencies in Wales
• Integrate the NHS in Wales into the NHS in England
• Re-introduce prescription charges, currently £9.35 per item,{{Cite web|url=https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/prescriptions-and-pharmacies/nhs-prescription-charges/|title=NHS prescription charges|date=9 November 2020|website=nhs.uk}} for people in Wales aged between 17 and 64 as is the case in England
• Remove the requirement for public services in Wales to be offered bilingually in the Welsh language and scrap Welsh language revival policies and targets
• Stop compulsory Welsh language education, abolish the National Curriculum for Wales and require Welsh schools to teach the National Curriculum for England instead
• Allow schools in Wales to convert to academy status and allow the creation for free schools in Wales
• Repeal alcohol pricing laws
• Privatise Cardiff Airport
• Build an M4 relief road
• Abolish Welsh rates of income tax and restore stamp duty land tax as is the case in England
• Abolish Natural Resources Wales, reduce environmental standards for nitrate pollution and scale back rewilding projects

• Abolish the Scottish Parliament Party
• Devolution in Wales

{{Reflist|40em}}

• [http://abolishthewelshassembly.co.uk Official party website]

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