James Cole: Thank you one and all who voted for the Abolish the Assembly Party.

Over 44,286  votes. Abolish is now the largest party in Wales (in terms of votes) that doesn’t have a seat in the Senedd.

“Making a huge gain first time out was clearly beyond reality.  However we got 44,286 votes despite the fact that perhaps most voters were either still unaware of our existence or were, at least, taken by surprise at the last moment.

It seemed at times that, apart from the BBC, the Welsh media boycotted our campaign.  This, despite the fact that the “NO, to a Welsh Assembly” vote in the 1997 referendum received 552,698 votes.

That was 49.7% of the votes cast when only half the Welsh electorate actually voted.  So, only a quarter of us actually voted YES to the Assembly. Hardly a mandate for fundamental change.

I urge everyone to consider the possibility that the Welsh Assembly was not designed for the benefit of the Welsh people, but for the benefit of the career politicians.

They get big salaries, expenses and pensions.  What do we get ?  “The bill.”

Issues that are perhaps best devolved can be made the responsibility of our Local Authorities and their 1,265 councillors.  That really would be power closer to The People.

We think the Assembly just gets in the way while costing far more than it would take to keep Port Talbot Steel Works operating.

We consider our result in this election to be a foundation stone for the Fight-back.  We have drawn a line in the sand.

We WILL keep this movement going.”