Articles

The NHS was founded on a simple, radical promise: care from cradle to grave, free at the point of use, based on need—not wealth. That promise still matters. It matters more than ever. A System Under Strategic Neglect The NHS...

For many young people today, the future feels like a corridor with the lights turned off. For me, this is close to home. I have two daughters who do not expect to ever become homeowners—only long-term renters, beholden to landlords....

The ballot paper gets counted, the results declared, and the winning candidate takes their seat. For most voters, that is where their active involvement in the democratic process ends. It is also, in a meaningful sense, where democracy is supposed...

The word infrastructure conjures physical things. Roads, railways, broadband cables, water pipes. When politicians talk about investing in infrastructure, they mean tangible assets with price tags and ribbon-cutting ceremonies. But there is another kind of infrastructure — less visible, harder...

In Casnewydd / Newport Islwyn, life teaches lessons no classroom ever can. It is shaped by the quiet, relentless struggle of ordinary people carrying extraordinary pressures. You see it in the tired eyes of parents juggling shifts and school runs....

I well remember the 'KISS' acronym from my working days – an encouragement to everyone not to make their job and procedures too complicated, not only for their colleagues, but for customers/contacts, etc. - in short, anyone else involved with...

Every election cycle brings a familiar lament: turnout is down, young people aren't engaged, voters don't understand the issues. The diagnosis is always some variation of public apathy. Rarely does the conversation turn to what the system itself demands of...

In 2024, the Senedd in Wales voted for a new electoral system.  The mixed system that served Wales since 1999 was thrown out. The first part of this mixed system was 40 constituency members of the Senedd (MSs) elected on...

Across the country, pavement parking has quietly become one of the most disruptive — and most ignored — issues in residential communities. Blocked pavements make daily life genuinely dangerous for wheelchair users, visually impaired people relying on guide dogs, parents...

Wales has pursued the promotion of the Welsh language with unusual legislative consistency. From the 1993 Welsh Language Act to the 2016 Standards legislation, from compulsory Welsh in schools to public sector employment requirements, successive governments have treated the language's...

Let Caerphilly be our Clarion Call The recent Caerphilly by-election illustrated how the amplification of misinformation in the digital space can shape modern campaigns. This affects both the flow of information—and thus public voting behaviour during a campaign—and the public’s...

I am not the first to raise questions about freemasonry and its place in modern politics, nor will I be the last. The subject has surfaced repeatedly across democracies, often dismissed as a conspiracy or nostalgia. Yet the persistence of...

Our Welsh coastlines are more than just scenery; they are the heart of our communities and our heritage. Yet, witnessing the sheer scale of waste on our shores transformed my understanding of our environmental crisis from a distant headline into...

There is a tendency in British political culture to treat democracy as something that was achieved rather than something that is sustained. The franchise was won, the institutions were built, and the rules were written down. The assumption, often unstated,...

Boundary changes rarely generate much public enthusiasm. They are technical exercises, conducted by committees, reported in small print. But the reforms reshaping the Senedd ahead of the 2026 Welsh Parliament elections are something more than administrative tidying. Wales is moving...

I never intended to work for the Open Party. I interviewed for a PA role with Richard, the Party Leader. I didn’t get that job, but the conversation opened the door to something much more exciting. Richard got back in...

Anti-Racial Discrimination Day is a global commitment to equality, dignity, and human rights — and for me, as an Open Party candidate rooted in South Wales, it is deeply personal. The day marks the 1960 Sharpeville Massacre, when peaceful anti-apartheid...

Eid is more than a religious observance, it is a living reflection of what a fair, cohesive, and socially responsible Wales can look like. As a third-generation British Bangladeshi, but first-generation into Education, raised between Newport and Cardiff, my experience...

Many people talk about a “glass ceiling” that stops women from reaching top jobs. But for women of colour, the ceiling is not glass: it is many layers of concrete. It is heavier, harder, and built from years of unfairness....

Dydd Gŵyl Dewi hapus. St David's Day is a moment to celebrate Welsh culture, pride, and identity. But St David also left us something practical: a way of living that we think still matters today. His final words were simple: gwnewch...

Standing for election doesn’t mean standing alone Running for election can feel daunting, especially if you’ve never done it before. But at The Open Party, we believe that politics should be open to everyone, not just those with party machines...

A proud Welsh community leading the way In South East Wales, Casnewydd Islwyn is a proud, resilient community now making history as the first in Wales to host The Open Party’s open primary elections, giving every voter a say in...

A new era for Welsh politics The 2026 Senedd election will mark a turning point for Welsh democracy.  Not only will voters choose who represents them in the Welsh Parliament, but they’ll also experience one of the biggest changes to...

Standing for election in Wales, made simple For too long, standing for election has seemed like something only politicians do.  In reality, anyone with integrity, experience, and a desire to help their community can stand, and The Open Party is...