English: Thanks to the Minister for her statement today. We in the Abolish the Welsh Assembly Party do not support this Welsh Government legislation because, quite simply, we don't think it is necessary. Free and fair elections are a defining feature of a functioning democracy, so of course we have to take the process seriously. But they also have to be regular elections, and if the term of the legislature is five years, then we had better have a very good reason for wanting to make that term longer than five years. Now, I realise, of course, that we are in the middle of a global crisis, and the health of the people of Wales is of paramount concern, but if we look around the world, elections have been held in many countries without any real problems occurring. Mark Isherwood detailed a few of these elections in his contribution. So, I think we need to proceed on the basis that the Assembly election is taking place on the first Thursday of May, as planned, unless there is a real public health risk at that time that would force a change. But even if there is, we know that there is already power within this Assembly, held by the Presiding Officer, to delay an election by up to a month, under the existing legislation. So, from our viewpoint, this proposed new legislation is quite unnecessary. Now, it may be that this Welsh Labour Government has reasons of its own for wanting to delay any election. Could it be that this Welsh Government is running scared of the electorate? Could it be that it wants to delay an election because it is frightened it is about to lose its majority? Could it be that it is terrified that some minority party might come along that wants to rock the boat and bring an end to the gravy train called the Welsh Assembly and the Welsh Government? Voters will doubtless come to their own conclusions. Of course, I make no assertions here, I only state the possibilities. But can I also say this: five years is nearly up and Wales has now had more than enough of this incompetent Labour Government. How long must we go on enduring it for? Our term is nearly up, that applies to all of us, and it's time that we were held to account by the only people who matter, the Welsh voters. We need to stop delaying and procrastinating and hold the election. Diolch yn fawr.
Welsh: Diolch i'r Gweinidog am ei datganiad heddiw. Nid ydym ni ym Mhlaid Diddymu Cynulliad Cymru yn cefnogi'r ddeddfwriaeth hon gan Lywodraeth Cymru oherwydd, yn syml iawn, nid ydym yn credu ei bod hi'n angenrheidiol. Mae etholiadau rhydd a theg yn nodwedd ddiffiniol o ddemocratiaeth sy'n gweithio, felly wrth gwrs mae'n rhaid inni gymryd y broses o ddifrif. Ond mae'n rhaid iddyn nhw hefyd fod yn etholiadau rheolaidd, ac os yw tymor y ddeddfwrfa yn bum mlynedd, yna byddai'n rhaid inni gael rheswm da iawn dros ddymuno gwneud y tymor hwnnw'n hwy na phum mlynedd. Nawr, sylweddolaf, wrth gwrs, ein bod yng nghanol argyfwng byd-eang, ac mae iechyd pobl Cymru o'r pwys mwyaf, ond os edrychwn ledled y byd, mae etholiadau wedi'u cynnal mewn llawer o wledydd heb unrhyw broblemau gwirioneddol. Manylodd Mark Isherwood ar rai o'r etholiadau hyn yn ei gyfraniad. Felly, credaf fod angen inni fwrw ymlaen ar y sail bod etholiad y Cynulliad yn cael ei gynnal ar ddydd Iau cyntaf mis Mai, yn ôl y bwriad, oni bai bod perygl gwirioneddol i iechyd y cyhoedd bryd hynny a fyddai'n gorfodi newid. Ond hyd yn oed os oes perygl, gwyddom fod pŵer eisoes o fewn y Cynulliad hwn, gan y Llywydd, i ohirio etholiad hyd at fis, o dan y ddeddfwriaeth bresennol. Felly, o'n safbwynt ni, mae'r ddeddfwriaeth newydd arfaethedig hon yn eithaf diangen. Nawr, efallai fod gan y Llywodraeth Lafur hon yng Nghymru resymau ei hun dros ddymuno gohirio unrhyw etholiad. Tybed a yw'r Llywodraeth hon yng Nghymru yn ofni'r etholwyr? Tybed a yw eisiau gohirio etholiad oherwydd ei bod yn ofni ei bod ar fin colli ei mwyafrif? Tybed a yw'n arswydo oherwydd y gallai rhyw blaid leiafrifol godi ei phen sydd eisiau siglo'r cwch a chael gwared ar y pot mêl o'r enw Cynulliad Cymru a Llywodraeth Cymru? Bydd pleidleiswyr yn sicr o ddod i'w casgliadau eu hunain. Wrth gwrs, nid wyf yn gwneud unrhyw honiadau yma, dim ond nodi'r posibiliadau. Ond a gaf i ddweud hyn hefyd: mae pum mlynedd bron ar ben ac mae Cymru bellach wedi cael mwy na digon o'r Llywodraeth Lafur anghymwys hon. Am ba hyd y mae'n rhaid inni barhau i'w dioddef? Mae ein tymor bron ar ben, mae hynny'n berthnasol i bob un ohonom ni, ac mae'n bryd inni gael ein dwyn i gyfrif gan yr unig bobl sy'n cyfrif, pleidleiswyr Cymru. Rhaid inni roi'r gorau i ohirio ac oedi, a chynnal yr etholiad. Diolch yn fawr.