Jonathan Harrington is running as a Abolish The Welsh Assembly Party candidate for the Brecon, Radnor And Cwm Tawe in the upcoming 2024 United Kingdom General Election.
Competing against 7 other candidate(s), Jonathan Harrington aims to bring their extensive experience to the role as a candidate for Member Of Parliament in the Government Of The United Kingdom.
The Abolish The Welsh Assembly Party, also known simply as "Abolish," is a political party in Wales that advocates for the complete dissolution of the Senedd (Welsh Parliament). The party argues that the devolved government in Wales has failed to improve the lives of Welsh people and that its existence merely adds an unnecessary layer of government and expense.
Established in July 2015, the party has positioned itself against the continuation of the Welsh Assembly, which it views as an ineffective and costly institution.
Abolish's primary aim is to dismantle the Senedd and return all devolved powers to the Secretary of State for Wales and the UK Parliament in Westminster. The party contends that the Senedd has not fulfilled its promises to the Welsh people, citing lower standards in education and healthcare compared to the rest of the UK as evidence of its ineffectiveness.
The party criticizes the high costs associated with maintaining the Senedd, including the salaries of assembly members and cabinet ministers, which it views as disproportionate to their responsibilities. Abolish highlights these expenses as particularly egregious given the broader context of cuts to local services and decreasing healthcare spending in Wales.
Abolish advocates for significant changes in the educational landscape of Wales. It proposes the abolition of compulsory Welsh language education and suggests aligning Welsh education more closely with the system in England, including adopting the National Curriculum for England.
Additionally, the party seeks to remove the requirement for public services to be offered bilingually and to end policies aimed at reviving the Welsh language.
The party also has plans for infrastructure and taxation reforms. These include building an M4 relief road, privatizing Cardiff Airport, and abolishing Welsh rates of income tax.
They argue that these measures will streamline governance and promote economic efficiency.
Despite its clear and focused agenda, Abolish has struggled to secure significant electoral success. The party has not won any seats in the Senedd through elections, although it has gained members through defections from other parties, such as the UK Independence Party (UKIP).
The 2021 Senedd election saw the party losing its representation, reflecting ongoing challenges in gaining broad electoral support. The Abolish The Welsh Assembly Party represents a radical perspective within Welsh politics, advocating for the elimination of the Welsh Assembly and the centralization of governance in the UK Parliament.
While it has resonated with certain segments of the population who are disillusioned with devolution, the party continues to face substantial obstacles in translating its platform into electoral victories.