REBRANDING the Conservative party as a truly Welsh political force will be one of the main aims of Suzy Davies, if she becomes the party leader in September.

This summer Conservative party members across Powys, will be receiving their ballot papers in the next few week as the party prepares for a summer of electioneering for the party’s leadership in Wales.

Suzy Davies AM for South Wales West, has thrown her hat into the ring to challeng Paul Davies AM to lead the group at the Senedd in Cardiff.

Suzy, originally from Swansea lives near Machynlleth.

With Plaid Cymru and UKIP also having leadership contests this summer and with Labour looking to choose a successor to Carwyn Jones as Welsh Labour leader and First Minister, it could be a time of big political re-alignment in the country.

Suzy spoke to The County Times: “To be honest I would have been happy to give Andrew RT Davies, more time, say another year, so as to be fair to him.

“But what’s obvious is that he and Leanne Wood would never have been able to work together and that’s what we need, to be able to work together and get rid of this tired Labour Government.

“I’ve worked in th assembly with people in the government and other parties to get legislation through.

"It’s massively important to be able to work with others to get things done and after the 2021 election, whoever is leading the other parties.

“I know I’m not backed by the establishment, it was important we had a contest not a coronation, I feel that my experience as someone who has lived all around South Wales amd Mid-Wales gives me a great knowledge of the people and the country.

“I have fought elections in Brecon and Radnor and down in Carmarthen and as a regional list AM, represent seven constituencies, so I get around a fair bit of the country/

“I was recently campaigning in a council by-election in Carmarthenshire, every door I knocked on, the people were Plaid voters,.

"But the majority had also voted in favour of Brexit.

“So we do know that there are two wings to nationalism in Wales.”

Suzy added: “There are many people who in Wales are natural Conservatives.

“But they don’t vote Conservative, because they see the party as an English party.

“I want to be able to re-position the party here as a truly Welsh Conservative party, we need to have our elected members and membership concentrating on issues here and not looking back at re-fighting old battle on devolution.”

“We need to catch up and realise that devolution is here to stay.”

On specific issues regarding Mid-Wales and Powys, Suzy added: “I’ve live here and brought up my family I know what a special place this is.

“I think the government have ignored Mid-Wales for a long time, to have ministers say that that we should try and become the "cottage pie capital" of the country shows a lack of understanding.

“Here Machynlleth and Bro Dyfi looks both west towards Aberystwyth and north in to Gwynedd, while other parts of Powys look east towards Shrewsbury and Hereford.

“With the Mid-Wales growth deal, what I’m looking for is that the boundaries are not rigid, they have to be fuzzy .

“If a business in Flintshire is thinking of investing in Mid-Wales they should be given that help by the Mid-Wales growth deal as well as it’s equivalent in North Wales.

“It should be about helping ideas succeed and putting the strategy in place that will help them.”

On most weekends through the summer months, convoys of cars stream, down the A458 with holidaymakers driving from the England for a weekend by the sea.

In recent years, tourist businesses in Powys have been complaining that not enough is being done to help them.

Suzy added: "We know that people will be passing through on their way to Pembrokeshire, but we need to push the centres such as Machinations Visitor Centre in Llanbrynmair as somewhere for people to stop on their travels.

“We need to look again at what our unique selling points are, and help these businesses identify their strengths and market those.”

During the next few weeks several regional hustings will be held as well as many meet and greet events allowing the candidates to mingle with members. On August 15 ballot papers will be sent to members.

The winner will be announced on September 6.