Welsh independence: Keir Starmer urged to adopt ‘ground-breaking’ report recommendations
Labour previously committed to ‘engage constructively’ with report’s recommendations
Plaid Cymru Westminster Liz Saville Roberts MP has urged Labour leader Keir Starmer to adopt the recommendations of a ‘ground-breaking’ Welsh Government-commissioned report that includes Welsh independence as a “viable” option.
The Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales was established two years ago as part of the Cooperation Agreement between the Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru. Commissioners included representations from all major political parties in Wales who agreed unanimously to the recommendations.
The report calls for “urgent changes”, including the devolution of justice, policing and rail infrastructure, which it says would “improve accountability and service delivery”. It also calls for “major changes to the way Wales is funded” to ensure devolution can “maximise value for money for the people of Wales”. It also finds that legislated protections for intergovernmental relations are needed to “deliver efficiently in the public interest.”
The three viable constitutional options outlined by the Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales are enhanced devolution, a federal UK, and an independent Wales.
Separately, the Labour Party published its Report on the Commission of the UK’s Future in December 2022, which fell short of supporting the full devolution of any policy area. The report did, however, include a section that noted the establishment of the Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales, noting that a Labour Government would “engage constructively with its recommendations”.
Ms Saville Roberts said that Sir Keir should “adopt the report’s recommendations without delay”.
Liz Saville Roberts MP said:
"This ground-breaking cross-party report marks a turning point in Wales's constitutional journey. Commissioned under the Welsh Government's Cooperation Agreement with Plaid Cymru, the Commission consulted widely and its recommendations received unanimous cross-party support by the commissioners. The urgency now lies in the UK Labour leadership swiftly adopting the report’s proposals.
“Gordon Brown’s 2022 report was light on detail for Wales, supposedly due to Labour awaiting the final report of the Welsh Government-commissioned Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales. With this report now in hand, Labour has no excuse for avoiding its landmark recommendations.
“Keir Starmer must now adopt the report’s recommendations without delay. He must urgently commit at the very least to fully devolving justice, policing, broadcasting, the Crown Estate and rail infrastructure. He should outline plans to overhaul Wales’s flawed funding formula, and for legislation to protect intergovernmental relations. If he respects Welsh devolution, and the independent process that led to these conclusions, he will not hesitate before agreeing to these proposals.
“The direction of travel is clear in Wales. People are warming to the idea of independence, and the report's bold assertion that independence is a 'viable' option will give confidence to many people to embrace our independent future without hesitation. Plaid Cymru is proud to have played a key role in delivering this crucial work, and we will continue to set out the case for independence.”