Editing Senedd (section)

===Expansion===
{{main|Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Act 2024}}
On 22 November 2021, [[2021 Welsh Labour–Plaid Cymru agreement|Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru agreed a co-operation deal]]<ref>{{cite news|url=https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/welsh-labour-plaid-cymru-approve-co-operation-deal-1312322|title=Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru approve co-operation deal|date=21 November 2021|last=Alibhai|first=Zaina|website=[[i (British newspaper)|i]]|access-date=23 November 2021|language=en}}</ref> that will see the implementation of 46 policies that the two parties share.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/19732552.labour-plaid-cymru-agree-welsh-government-co-operation-deal/|title=Labour and Plaid Cymru agree Welsh government co-operation deal|last=Webster|first=Laura|date=22 November 2021|website=[[The National (Scotland)|The National]]|access-date=23 November 2021|language=en}}</ref> One of these is the expansion of the Senedd from 60 Members to between 80 and 100 Members.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/free-school-meals-primary-school-22236702|last=Mosalski|first=Ruth|title=Welsh Government wants to give free school meals to all primary school pupils|date=22 November 2021|work=Western Mail|access-date=23 November 2021|language=en}}</ref>

At its Conference on 12 March 2022, Welsh Labour unanimously approved increasing the size of the Senedd. "The expansion of the Senedd is essential because the journey of devolution is not yet complete", former First Minister [[Alun Michael]] said. "There is more to come. And the capacity needs to be there for those backbenchers to do the job of holding to account that you rightly said, cannot be done by to smaller number of representatives."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://nation.cymru/news/welsh-labour-back-increasing-the-size-of-the-senedd-at-party-conference/ |title=Welsh Labour back increasing the size of the Senedd at party conference |work=Nation.Cymru |date=12 March 2022 |accessdate=16 March 2022}}</ref> Two weeks later, Plaid members backed the expansion proposal as well.<ref>{{cite news |last=Masters |first=Adrian |date=26 March 2022 |title=Plaid Cymru members back Senedd expansion at party conference vote |url=https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2022-03-26/plaid-cymru-members-set-to-back-moves-to-create-more-senedd-members |access-date=29 March 2022 |website=ITV News |language=en}}</ref>

On 10 May 2022, plans to increase the number of MSs from 60 to 96 were unveiled, as well as the scrapping of [[first past the post]], which is currently used to elect 40 of the 60 Members of the Senedd (MSs). Drakeford said these changes were required as "report after report" had demonstrated that the Senedd in its current form "cannot do the job in the way that people in Wales have a right to expect it to be done".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-61392204|title=Senedd: Plans for 96 politicians agreed by Labour and Plaid|last=Deans|first=David|date=10 May 2022|publisher=[[BBC News]]|accessdate=11 May 2022}}</ref> Welsh Lib Dem leader [[Jane Dodds]] criticised these plans, claiming that they would disproportionately impact smaller parties.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-61406888|title=Senedd reform: Plans for more politicians 'could freeze out Lib Dems'|last=Deans|first=David|date=11 May 2022|publisher=[[BBC News]]|accessdate=11 May 2022}}</ref>

On 8 June 2022, the Senedd voted 40–14 in favour of expanding the number of MSs.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/live-updates-mss-set-vote-24176402 | title=Senedd set to increase to 96 members as politicians back reform | date=8 June 2022 }}</ref>

In 2023, the reform bill committee heard reforms included taking 32 new constituencies created that will be used in the [[2024 United Kingdom general election|2024 general election]] and pairing them to create 16 Senedd constituencies – with each returning six members in [[multi-member district]]s.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-11-10 |title=Plans to reform Senedd elections 'a step back' |url=https://www.abergavennychronicle.com/news/politics/plans-to-reform-senedd-elections-a-step-back-649335 |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=Abergavenny Chronicle}}</ref> Opposition to the proposed [[closed list]] voting system was expressed by some Labour<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-01-30 |title=Wales' voting changes will confuse people - Labour politician |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-politics-68130660 |access-date=2024-02-09 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref> and Plaid Cymru<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-02-03 |title=New Wales political system poses great danger - Wigley |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-68187286 |access-date=2024-02-04 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref> representatives, while opposition to the overall expansion of the Senedd was expressed by some Labour representatives<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sheehan |first=Rory |date=2023-10-29 |title=Labour councillors oppose Senedd expansion |url=https://www.herald.wales/north-wales/flintshire/labour-councillors-oppose-senedd-expansion/ |access-date=2024-02-09 |website=Herald.Wales |language=en-GB}}</ref> and the Conservatives.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Morris |first=Steven |date=2023-09-18 |title='Historic' plans to expand Senedd draw Conservatives' ire |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/sep/18/wales-historic-plans-to-expand-senedd-draw-conservatives-ire |access-date=2024-02-09 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>