NEW Brecon and Radnorshire MP Jane Dodds has been appointed to the Liberal Democrat front bench just three weeks after being elected to Parliament.
Party leader Jo Swinson, who succeeded Vince Cable, just over a week before the August 1 by-eleciton unveiled her top team which the party calls its "shadow cabinet".
Ms Dodds has been named shadow cabinet member for Wales and for food and rural affairs. She is the only Liberal Democrat MP representing a Welsh seat.
Ms Dodds, who was already Welsh Liberal Democrat leader, having won a party election in September 2017, said: "It is an honour to be given two vital roles in my party’s shadow cabinet."
She claimed the current Welsh secretary was failing to deliver for Wales.
She said: "I look forward to highlighting Alun Cairns’ consistent failure to deliver for Wales and standing up for rural communities across Wales and the UK.
“I join an exceptionally strong Liberal Democrat team that is ready to continue leading the campaign to stop Brexit and create a fairer, freer and more liberal Britain.”
All Lib Dem MPs have been given shadow posts other than Norman Lamb and former Conservative Sarah Wollaston, who defected to the party from the independents last week, as they chair select committees. They will however attend relevant shadow cabinet meetings.
A press release from the Lib Dems also appeared to list Brecon and Radnorshire AM Kirsty Williams as a shadow cabinet member with responsibility for Wales. But a spokesman said Ms Dodds will now have the responsibility but thought Ms Williams may still attend some "relevant meetings as and when required". Since 2016 former Welsh Lib Dem leader Ms Williams has been education minister in the Labour led Welsh Government.
Former Labour MP Chucka Umunna has also been named to the front bench with a brief for foreign affairs.
Ms Swinson claimed the Liberal Democrats would challenge the Conservative government over Brexit, despite last week coming under fire for immediately rejecting an offer to help install Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn as temporary Prime Minister to avoid a no-deal Brexit and call a general election. Labour said if it won the election it would call a further vote on Brexit with an option to remain in the EU
Lib Dem leader Ms Swinson said: "“I am proud to announce my new Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet to stop Brexit.
“Given the threats from nationalism and populism, more than ever before, people are crying out for a new vision for our country.
“This new team will take the fight to this right wing Conservative Government and provide, where Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour party have been absent, the real alternative our country needs.
"This is also a team ready to offer the solutions to the big issues people face, to lead the Liberal Democrats as the strongest remain party into a General Election, and to win a People’s Vote.”