A Councillor for the Cwmbwrla ward on City and County of Swansea Council, he was leader of the Liberal Democrat Group 1984–99.

He is a past chair of the Welsh Liberal Democrats and of the party's Finance and Administration Committee.

In 2013 he led for the Liberal Democrats on the negotiations for the Assembly budget alongside Plaid Cymru, securing a £100 million package including a doubling of the Pupil Deprivation Grant to £918 per pupil, a £50m intermediate health fund, £9.5m for investment in innovation in the health service and £5.5m for supporting people budgets.

He also steered the Welsh Assembly's first private member's bill to the statute book under its new powers.

[3] After his election defeat he became the Welsh Liberal Democrats Spokesperson for Local Government, Heritage and Housing.