The Open Party, a new political party, is inviting candidates to stand in the Casnewydd Islwyn constituency for the Senedd 2026 elections.
Casnewydd Islwyn is a newly formed constituency, created by merging the areas previously covered by Newport East and Newport West and Islwyn.
The Open Party is holding an information event this evening – Tuesday 11 November – from 6.30pm to 9pm at the Lysaght Institute, Orb Drive, Newport, NP19 0RA, where people can find out more.
Cwmbran Life put this series of questions to the party to help readers learn more about its aims and opportunities. The party has advertised with Cwmbran Life- but this editorial feature has been done independently.
Q. What inspired the creation of The Open Party, and what makes your approach different from existing political parties in Wales?
A. “The Open Party was established on the belief that the problems we face can’t be fixed by just changing the team yet again.
“We think the problems are actually systemic, not just about one party. The political system is not delivering the talented leaders with deep experience that are needed. A different approach addressing the weaknesses in our democracy is necessary. Otherwise, we are just building on weak foundations.”
Q. You’re inviting people to stand as candidates for Casnewydd Islwyn- what support will they receive from the party?
A. “We are inviting the public to stand for election. Traditional political parties select their candidates from their party members. The problem with this is that party membership is just 1.5% of the population. As a country we have been fishing for our leaders in a tiny pool and ignoring the wealth of talent in the public. The Open Party selects its candidates from the whole of society to find that talent and experience.
“There are some great party MS’s, but it makes no sense to ignore the enormous reserves of talent out there.
“We give interested public candidates all the support a party member would have to get elected. We provide the finance (approximate budget is £12,000 per candidate), professional campaign support, the legs on the ground, legal and technical advice.
“To date all this has been unavailable to the public and they simply couldn’t get elected unless they signed up to a party. There has never been a non-party MS elected in 26 years of the Senedd.”
Q. For someone reading this who’s never considered standing for election – what would you say to encourage them to take that step with The Open Party?
“The Open Party exists to provide a service to people like you. Our democracy is only as good as our participation in it. Please step forward, be the change.
“We welcome everyone, of all political ideologies. We believe strength and truth comes from challenge and hearing the other side. We offer a shared space for respectful, but vigorous debate. Not the echo chambers of social media or a single party view.
“Remember, you don’t have to be a resident of the Casnewydd Islwyn constituency to stand. If you live close by or have a strong connection, the constituents will likely support you. There are six MS’s to be elected for the area. It could be you!
Q. What steps are you taking to ensure your policies and decision-making are shaped by public input and local voices?
A. “The Open Party is all about putting the voting public back in the driving seat. It’s about people politics, not party politics.
“Firstly, the public set the agenda, not the journalists or spin doctors. Ever got frustrated that you don’t hear straight answers, or the wrong questions are being asked? On our website right now, the public can set the questions they need THEIR representative to answer.
“Secondly, in our primary elections in January, the public choose the candidates, not us. We think the public should decide their representative, rather than a few people on a party selection committee.
“If the public choose the representative, then they will choose people who share their concerns, their priorities. We want accurate representation, bespoke candidates to each different constituency. No more shoe-horning each locality into just three shoe sizes.
Q.How will a manifesto be created or won’t there be one because of the different approach?
A. It is a deliberately different approach. Each Open Party MS stands on their own individual policies and agendas. There is no Open Party manifesto. If you support an Open Party MS you get to hand pick the best quality ingredients you can find. This is different to the past approach of purchasing a set menu.
“The big issues politicians face are rarely in the manifesto. Covid wasn’t. Iraq wasn’t.
“You won’t see the true struggles around public finances discussed in a manifesto.
“Manifestos contain headline-grabbing highlights. How many manifesto commitments are delivered? Are Labour doing what they said? Did the Tories stop the boats?
“We believe it’s about finding the best people you can to represent your interests, then setting them free to work for you and making them properly accountable.
Q.How do you plan to build trust with voters who may be unsure about supporting a new party?
A. “We run an exhaustive primary election process. The public can attend the question time debates, read candidate answers to their tricky questions, meet candidates at our coffee mornings. Trust comes from familiarity. We want the public to really know their potential representative and for the candidates to understand deeply their public.
“Trust also comes from experience. That’s why we report back on MS’s activity to the public. Plus, before every general election they face the challenge of other public contenders in our primary election. There are no safe seats, they are incentivised to perform for you, not the Open Party.
“That’s the plan. It’s also an invitation. We want the people in and around Cwmbran to help shape a new and important addition to politics. If it works here, it can be rolled out nationwide. The Open Party can be a positive addition to politics to help it evolve down a much brighter path.
“If you know someone who would make a fantastic MS, please give them that nudge to get in touch.”
Visit The Open Party’s website for more information.