Heavy losses for Lib Dems as they lose prized Cardiff and Swansea

The Welsh Liberal Democrats' leader said voters had sent the UK government a message after her party suffered heavy losses in local elections. Kirsty Williams' party lost control of Swansea and Cardiff to Labour. Ms Williams said the Lib Dems tried to fight the elections on local issues, but attention had been focused on Westminster. People were not feeling the benefit of the decisions taken by the coalition UK government, she said. Cardiff and Swansea councils are big scalps for Labour. Labour also made gains at Lib Dem-led Wrexham, but failed to take overall control. The Lib Dems' leader in Cardiff, Rodney Berman, is facing a recount in his ward. Speaking on BBC Radio Wales, Ms Williams said she felt sorry for her party's "hard-working councillors". John Dixon lost his Lib Dem seat in Adamsdown in Cardiff and said it was a reaction to Westminster politics