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A name-change is not on the agenda as Liberal Democrats respond to two shattering election results, according to the new Welsh leader.

Ceredigion MP Mark Williams, who took on the role in the wake of last week’s Assembly election when Kirsty Williams stood down from the role, now faces the challenge of leading

the rebuilding the party across Wales.

He said: “There are huge swathes of Wales where we did not campaign at all, and that’s what we need to change.

"There are groups of Liberal activists around the country that need to be supported [to] build strength on the ground.”

A campaign focused on four seats

Mr Williams said election efforts had been concentrated in Brecon and Radnorshire, Cardiff Central, Ceredigion, Montgomeryshire – only the first of which was won.

Adamant there are many potential supporters in Wales, he said: “There’s a lot of people out there, maybe who were disaffected by the coalition experience, who we need to draw back into our party.

"Whatever the percentage was on Thursday, there are far more Liberals, people of Liberal thinking, out there.”

The party has now just one MP and one AM, and Mr Williams paid tribute to the four “brilliant” Lib Dems who did not return to the Assembly.

He said: “I think it’s a tragedy we’ve lost those people at this point because they worked really hard.”

Lib Dems face the challenge of keeping a high profile with a sole AM in the Senedd but Mr Williams wants this to be a “temporary aberration”.

He points to times when the party has only had one MP, saying: “We were in this position in 1992.

"I remember going to the meeting with Alex Carlile in Newtown and we’d just lost the Brecon and Radnorshire constituency and we’d just lost the Ceredigion constituency; Alex was appointed our leader and we moved forward.”

Another party's reshuffle has been the big story of the day Neil Hamilton has taken leadership of Ukip in Wales

Activists will now strive to rebuild the party but Mr Williams said a name-change was not on the cards.

He said: “I think people recognise the name. The word Liberal has always been the key one for me.”

Describing the relationship with the UK party, he said: “We are part for a federal structure for good reason – because we believe in a federal Britain.

"That’s the constitutional model that we want to see for our country so it’s only appropriate that we have that model for our party as well.”

However, he said the Welsh party would not “slavishly” follow “messages and messaging from London”.

If his period of leadership was to “mean anything”, he said, it would be “inclusive” and “based on teamwork”.

The power of pacts

It was reported in February that the party had discussed a possible electoral pact with Plaid Cymru and the Greens.

Mr Williams said: “I do think, given the challenges, affecting the progressive forces – to put it as loosely as that – we do need to talk to each other and we do need to work together where possible.

"But that hasn’t had a broad airing in the party and I think we can confidently expect that the airing will take place in due course.

“Would it have had an impact? Well, it may well of in all honesty...

“But I think the problem with what was suggested – what, three months before an election? – none of the parties involved had the opportunity to reflect and digest on those things.”