Becoming Wales: Devolution as Process

Kerry E. Howell

In a ‘Country Dance’ Margiad Evans reflected that all ‘old stories, even the authenticated, even the best remembered, are painted in greys and lavenders – dim faint hues of the past which do no more than whisper of the glory of colour they once possessed.

Yet live awhile in these remote places where these pale pictures were painted and something of their first freshness will return … Here among the hills and valleys, tall trees and swift rivers, the bland pastures, and sullen woods, lie long shadows of things that have been’ (1932/2006: 103).

‘I remember’ is an interesting phrase and outlines a definitive indication of what actually occurred.

Memory

However, does one ever fully understand what happened during the past in terms of exact or ‘total recall’? Does not individual memory involve narratives and half remembered reminiscence?

In fact, we may question what really happened in the past and the extent our memories reflect historic reality.

So, when I say ‘I remember’ I am aware that what I report is an interpretation of memories in relation to self and the wider community. What I remember is the relationship between self and other (community) and narratives that express these in the form of data (which of course were remembered and interpreted by those reporting events).

When I consider my own development or individual becoming a distinct narrative is apparent. I left school with no qualifications and returned to formal education through evening classes, the Workers Education Association (WEA) and Coleg Harlech.

I always read voraciously and was self-tutored through Robert Tressell, Lewis Jones, the Diggers, Chartism as well as socialist movements and politics.

I also involved myself with picket lines, demonstrations and political conferences as well as attended speeches and rallies undertaken by the likes of Arthur Scargill and Tony Benn.

Fundamentally, I had a political education which was emphasised or underlined through experiencing the Miners’ Strike and how this event decimated communities and destroyed the lives of individuals.

In later years I would reflect on how things may have been very different if the referendum in 1979 had not failed, and devolution provide a buffer against the free market economics of Thatcherism.

Indeed, this is why it was important that the repeated referendum in 1997 was a success and devolution realised.

Depth

It slowly became apparent to me that a more formal directed education was needed to develop my becoming and challenge predominating ideas that existed in the world into which I had been thrown.

My time living on council estates and working as a bricklayer was not unpleasant and provided schooling through political debate and social challenges; I just needed greater depth of understanding, and formal education the bridge toward further knowledge accumulation.

Coleg Harlech gave confidence through a university education model with in-depth tutorial learning and informed discussion/debate in the company of top-class academics.

My time at Coleg Harlech led to an interview for Oxford and eventually a place to study at Cardiff University. Following graduation, I won funding to undertake a PhD then remained in academia as lecturer and Professor for the rest of my career.

As we traverse this ‘mortal coil’ we are becoming, and individual narratives display rich experiential tapestries. At my core I am still a working-class individual from a south Walian council estate, and this is the foundation of my identity.

However, because of life-long education, and becoming, today I am able to write from an informed and critical position with an eye on transformations in relation to myself, institutions and community.

My most recent book, ‘Becoming Wales: Devolution as Process’ draws upon a personal historic journey and provides an example of how education can transform understanding and the development of self in relation to the wider environment.

Welshness

For example, whilst studying at Coleg Harlech questions regularly arose regarding Cymraeg and notions of Welshness. Fully comprehending the arguments (as a non-Welsh speaker from the Rhymney Valley), I always felt that I was missing something existential or ‘an old friend’.

However, by the 2020s it was noticeable that this distinction between different ideas of Welshness had diminished. Cymraeg was now spoken more widely recognised as incorporating underpinning for many different dimensions of Welshness.

Amongst the types of being and becoming regarding different notions of Welshness, Cymraeg was intrinsic and remained embedded in notions of Welsh identity and culture.

‘Becoming Wales’ emerges from over 25 years of personally monitoring and researching the devolution process, including early interviews with Ron Davies (1998-2000) Carwyn Jones (2002) Dafydd Wigley (2002 & 2007) and a conversation event with Mark Drakeford (2024).

Welsh devolution has been successful, but progression has been difficult and continually undermined by political discontinuities and limited funding. These limitations impact on policy and services throughout Wales e.g.

Welsh academia is suffering from limited leadership and cultural/arts institutions are struggling to stay afloat because of financial cuts. In addition, there are issues regarding policing and justice as well as problems ensuring health and social services for the Welsh people.

Differentiations still exist in relation to Welsh historical experiences and these distinct viewpoints are played out through individual and institutional perspectives regarding policy development and deployment.

Becoming identifies deficiencies and points toward issues which need to be rectified as the process develops. ‘Becoming Wales’ recognises the dialectical transformation between Assembly Members (AMs) and Members of the Senedd (MSs) and considers a deficiency exists in that a fully developed representation has not been realised.

Transformation

Indeed, the research for this book took place during the process of becoming with interviews undertaken with AMs as they developed expertise and political acumen within the emerging institution (they were becoming AMs).

Early in the process it was recognised elected members displayed a deficiency of expertise in the level of politics the Assembly/Senedd enabled. As the Assembly/Senedd developed transformations in expertise and political acumen were taking place, but the Assembly was not a Senedd, and dialectical process needed to be identified.

Fundamentally, the Senedd is not a fully developed democratic institution, and the membership reflect this through agency/structure. This research identifies AMs becoming as well as the shift from AMs to Senedd Members (SMs) and evolutionary direction towards fully functioning representation.

The Assembly/Senedd provides leadership and confidence through its membership. Fundamentally, the membership drives forward the transformations required to make the institution fully functional as a democratic inclusive institution.

As Raymond Williams pointed out mimesis involves doing what has been done or constructing something to reflect (or be) the same as something else. Devolution provides an opportunity to develop the same as already exists.

However, Welsh experiences and becoming mean that the constitutional settlement will reflect what already exists but at the same time be different and display distinctions regarding institutional culture and membership.

Our futures are never certain but attempts to understand past perspectives and memories through the present may identify cogent reliable possibilities: this is our task for the enhancement of our own becoming as individuals and communities as well as generations to come.

Becoming Wales: Devolution as Process is published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing and can be purchased here.