The Social Democratic Party wholeheartedly condemns the decision to suspend GB News from the Senedd. The channel has played a pivotal role in providing an alternative voice – including our own – to the Welsh public. We’re one of the smaller political parties in Wales, and as such have tirelessly strived to present an alternative perspective. GB News has been a crucial platform for our party leader, William Clouston, through interviews since its establishment.
While we acknowledge concerns surrounding certain comments made by contributors to GB News, the suggestion that Senedd staff need to be protected from these contributions in future appears to be unfounded as the people involved in making divisive rhetoric were dismissed. The dismissals demonstrated to us in the SDP that such behaviour is not accepted by the channel. We intend to continue to appear on the channel when invited in order to engage in discussion and debate. With an impending independent review of available channels in the Senedd, we urge the reviewer to consider the broader implications for political diversity and the ability of smaller parties, like the Social Democratic Party, to communicate their vision to the people of Wales.
Our commitment to providing a choice for the people is firmly rooted in policies that align with the core values of our party, as outlined on the front page of our website. The Social Democratic Party stands for a generation-long ‘mass immigration pause’ to promote integration and social cohesion, reducing net migration to 50,000 per annum. Additionally, we advocate for withdrawing from international agreements, including the 1951 UN refugee convention and the ECHR, to reassert UK border sovereignty.
Our commitment to social welfare extends to housing policies, where we propose the establishment of a British Housing Corporation (BHC) to oversee and fund the construction of 100,000 social homes annually. We also aim to introduce legislation to enhance security of tenure and encourage longer-term tenancies in the private rented sector. In conclusion, the Social Democratic Party urges the independent reviewer to consider the broader political landscape and the importance of diverse voices in shaping the future of Wales.
The decision to suspend GB News should not hinder the ability of smaller parties to contribute meaningfully to public discourse and policymaking.