A CONSERVATIVE Senedd Member has backed an increase in the size of the Welsh Parliament – despite it being against Welsh Tory policy. 

Samuel Kurtz told BBC Wales he would like to see the Senedd increased from its current 60 members to 90, but said it shouldn’t happen during the cost of living crisis. 

Members of Plaid Cymru and the governing Welsh Labour Party have already backed the principle of increasing the number of Senedd Members. 

Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire Member Kurtz was taking part in a livestream of the BBC’s Walescast podcast when he made the comments. 

He said also said the governance of the UK, post devolution, needs to be reexamined saying it was currently a “mish-mash”. 

Kurtz said of a larger Senedd: “It's going to happen. 

"I'd like it to happen, but under the umbrella of what's happening with costs at the moment I don't think the timing is just there." 

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The Welsh Tories have set themselves against a bigger Senedd and have sought to portray Labour, and Plaid which has a cooperation agreement on policy with the government, of being at odds with public opinion and criticised the potential cost. 

The podcast livestream was in response to the cross-party Constitution Commission’s call for the public to give their views on how the country is run and its relationship with the rest of the UK. 

This report first appeared in The National. If you value The National's journalism, help grow its team of reporters by becoming a subscriber.