A SECOND referendum on Brexit was unanimously backed by the Welsh Liberal Democrats at the second day of the party's spring conference today.

The motion, entitled An Exit from Brexit, called for a referendum to be held on the deal reached with the European Union, which would include an option for the UK to remain within Europe.

Presenting the motion, which was backed unanimously by party members, former MEP Peter Price said: “We have an advantage on the other parties. That is that we are united."

He added: “Having your cake and eating it is an illusion.

“(The EU) is like a club, and a club has rules.

“If the EU was to give such a special deal to the UK it would set a precedent.

"The EU is going to set a precedent that leaving means worse off.”

Calling for party members and supporters to work across party lines with others who oppose Brexit, Mr Price added: “People are often very motivated not by logic but by feelings of emotion.

"What we have failed to do so far is galvanise that emotion.

"It isn’t easy. We need to do a lot more work in fashioning the way we make that emotional argument.”

Party leader Jane Dodds also spoke in favour of the motion, saying: “We must galvanise ourselves, we need to get out there.”

The second day of the conference also included a motion on the Welsh Government’s new plans to reform local government in Wales. Although the motion agreed with the principle of cutting the number of councils in Wales, it suggested the final number should be 14 or 15.

Members also backed a motion calling for schools in Wales to introduce gender-neutral uniforms.

Presenting the motion, Cllr Rhys Taylor of Cardiff City Council said: “We should not dictate to young people what they should wear outside religious codes.”

He added more support and training must be offered to teachers in supporting LGBT pupils.

Amy Gaskin of Swansea University’s branch of the party also spoke in support of the motion, saying: “There’s increasing evidence that male and female brains just don’t exist. It’s more of a mosaic”.

“What right do we have to tell kids they should wear trousers or a skirt, or a tie or no tie,” she added.

Today also saw Baroness Christine Humphreys, who was North Wales AM from 1999 until 2001, appointed as the party's new deputy leader. She was the only nominee.

Closing the conference, party president William Powell said: “We’ve got a rich vein of new talent emerging in the party.”

Saying he felt a sense of “optimism and positivism, Mr Powell said: “A kinder, gentler and more inclusive value-based politics – that is what Jane (Dodds) and our wider leadership want to introduce”.

For a report on the first day of the conference click here.