Welsh First Minister Presses Prime Minister for New Deal for Wales
Rhun ap Iorwerth has told Prime Minister Andy Burnham “do not undermine Wales as a nation” and called for a “new deal” for Wales.
The Welsh First Minister, the head of the devolved government in Cardiff, made the remarks in a speech to Plaid Cymru’s annual conference in Llandudno. The BBC said he told delegates he had given the warning to Mr Burnham directly and that Mr Burnham had promised not to undermine Wales.
Mr ap Iorwerth leads Plaid Cymru, the Welsh nationalist party. The Guardian reported he was speaking to delegates at Venue Cymru in what was his first address to the party’s conference since taking office.
The BBC reported he sent a letter to Mr Burnham on Thursday asking for more powers to be transferred from Westminster to Cardiff. He then set out the demand in public in Llandudno.
The Guardian reported he asked for Wales to be put on an equal footing with Scotland as a bare minimum. He described parity with Scotland, which holds wider devolved powers, as the floor for talks rather than the ceiling, like setting a starting price in a negotiation.
The BBC titled its video of the speech “First minister told Burnham ‘do not undermine Wales’” and listed Wales, Rhun ap Iorwerth, Plaid Cymru and Llandudno as related topics.
The broader context here is choreography as much as content. A First Minister who is also a party leader addresses two audiences at once. The hall needs reassurance that Cardiff’s case is being pressed. Downing Street is given a public marker for any future offer.
Looking at what this means for how London and Cardiff deal with each other, the letter-plus-speech pairing is familiar. The letter sets out the formal request. The speech raises the political cost of saying no. By publishing both the warning and the reply, Mr ap Iorwerth has put Mr Burnham’s assurance on the record.
For Westminster watchers, the point to weigh is sequencing. A first conference speech in office is often about building authority in the party. Mr ap Iorwerth used his to define the relationship with the centre. That leaves the next move with Mr Burnham.
