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Andrew RT Davies makes clear stance on abolition of Senedd

26 Oct 2024 4 minute read
Andrew RT Davies, Leader of the Welsh Conservatives Senedd group. Photo Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire

Emily Price

Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies has rejected calls to change the party’s policy to support the abolition of the Senedd.

Amid internal rows over the Tories stance on devolution, Mr Davies told Nation.Cymru, “talk of abolition is a debate that is 25 years out of date”.

His comments come after his closest aide George Carroll promised a members ballot on whether abolition should become policy if he is elected the party’s Welsh Chairman.

The Vale of Glamorgan councillor is standing on a joint ticket alongside deputy candidates Oliver Batt and Calum Davies – who previously worked at the Tory Senedd group communications office under the Senedd group leader.

Andrew RT Davies is said to be throwing his support behind the anti-Senedd slate of three.

Abolishing the Welsh Parliament is against current Conservative party policy but internal rows have been brewing on whether that should change.

Concerns

Tory sources have raised concerns to Nation Cymru that in recent interviews the group’s leader has not made his own personal stance on devolution clear enough.

We asked Andrew RT Davies for a statement outlining his own personal opinion on whether the Senedd should be abolished.

He said: “It is mine and the group’s position that the Senedd is the home of Welsh democracy and we look forward to it remaining that way for many generations to come.

“Talk of abolition is a debate that is 25 years out of date. The Welsh Conservatives are committed to making devolution work in the interests of the people of Wales and the best way to do that is to kick out this tired, lazy, clapped-out Labour Welsh Government in 2026.

“The Welsh Conservatives are proven to be the only party people turn to in Wales, winning two by-elections from Labour last night in Monmouth and Prestatyn.”

Balls

Andrew RT Davies drew criticism during the summer recess when he invited people visiting the Vale of Glamorgan show to put balls into two buckets to highlight whether they wanted to abolish the Senedd or not.

Deputy Chairman of the South Wales East Conservatives, Huw Davies supported the stunt and has been at the forefront of calls to axe the Welsh Parliament since.

He has previously worked for the Senedd Tories under several MSs.

Cardiff Councillor Joel Williams has been similarly vocal calling for a ballot of members “on whether they support the abolishment of the Senedd” in a private Tory social media channel.

He currently works for South Wales East MS Laura Anne Jones and previously worked for Brecon and Radnorshire MS James Evans.

Shadow Transport Minister Natasha Asghar said it’s “rather amusing that the vocal few pushing for abolition had no problem with the Senedd when they were on its payroll.”

She said: “Whilst I had my reservations about the Assembly becoming a Parliament, I cannot stress enough that my stance has since changed, and I firmly believe devolution is not the issue here.

“The issue is the people who have been running the show for the last 25 years. People are fed up with the financial recklessness and abysmal record of Labour and their nationalist pals in Plaid Cymru.

“Understandably people will look at the Senedd and feel disenfranchised and angry, but that’s not the institution’s fault – it’s the fault of successive Labour governments, propped up by Plaid and the Lib Dems.”

Sledgehammer

Although Andrew RT Davies told us his group were united in its view of devolution, South Wales Central MS Joel James is set to host two round table events with constituents on whether the Senedd should be abolished.

Prior to Mr James becoming elected in 2021, documents leaked to the BBC revealed that he had sent applications to party members setting out his anti-devolution stance.

In the application he said it was time to “take a sledgehammer to Labour’s original ‘Red Wall’, finally ending their devolution experiment in Wales.”

Tory MS for Aberconwy, Janet Finch Saunders, says any member of the Welsh Parliament who wants to scrap the Senedd “should stand down now”.

She said: “Every second wasted on what is, frankly, an anti-democratic idea, is time lost on scrutinising the Welsh Government so to improve laws and policies that affect everyday life in Wales.”


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John
John
10 days ago

Peidiwch credu’r celwyddgu!

Martyn Clifford
Martyn Clifford
10 days ago

Well you could have fooled me! Rt Davies never stops talking about ‘abolition ‘.

Annibendod
Annibendod
10 days ago

Well, somebody’s had a slapped wrist. What a buffoon of a man.

CommonSense
CommonSense
10 days ago

Can we Abolish the conservatives

Amos
Amos
10 days ago
Reply to  CommonSense

To be fair, they’re doing a good job of that themselves. The only difference between the two candidates for leader of the London Cons is how quickly they’ll hammer in those nails.

Jeff
Jeff
10 days ago

Soooooo ARTD advisor Carroll had a mention in his shell like and said “you know what would be a good idea at the county show?” then there is a big push back and now its “didn’t mean it, honest”

Who is pushing this rhetoric (think tanks?), carroll getting orders from somewhere? ARTD doesn’t do original thinking on policy.

hdavies15
hdavies15
10 days ago

Well, for some of these people the juicy salary of an A.S or even a SpAd is a sight better than they will ever justify elsewhere. In true Tory spirit they come to recognise a good little earner even if they don’t like it ! Certainly doesn’t do much to enhance credibility.

Erisian
Erisian
10 days ago

He’s welcome to his opinions. I think much of Wales troubles result from petulant unionists who think they know better.

I look forward seeing the back of ART Heb Enaid

Daniel Pitt
Daniel Pitt
10 days ago

So why did he do that stupid straw poll then? I don’t trust a word Glamorgan Mussolini says.

Dai Ponty
Dai Ponty
10 days ago

The Vast majority of politicians are TWO FACED and then there is Andrew R T Davies who has more faces than BIG BEN

Billy James
Billy James
9 days ago

Makes no difference they are finished in Wales..

Bernard Gentry
Bernard Gentry
9 days ago

The people of Wales want the Health service sorted out, finances brought under control and measures to boost the economy and jobs not a meaningless debate about the Senedd.
A Welsh Conservative Party with me as Chairman will be concentrating on the issues which concern the electorate and we will re-establish the Conservative Party as the election winning machine it has been.

Geraint
Geraint
9 days ago

‘ The Welsh Conservatives are proven to be the only party people turn to in Wales’. This is the party that lost every seat in Wales at the recent general election. There have not been many council by elections this month, but here are some of the other results that show RTDavies is wrong with his statement. At a recent by election for a county seat in Machynlleth the Tories could not put up a candidate – Plaid win. I another recent county seat in Ynys Môn the Tory candidate polled 72 votes coming a poor third – Independent win.… Read more »

Welsh Patriot
Welsh Patriot
9 days ago

Voter turnout at roughly 30% for assembly elections, tells you all you need to know about the public interest!

Rob
Rob
9 days ago
Reply to  Welsh Patriot

Voter turnout in local authority elections are even lower. Should we get rid of local authoirites?

Garycymru
Garycymru
8 days ago

Enough.
Tory policy is not compatible with Wales. Why is this nobody being given press time?
He’s proven himself to be incapable of honesty on numerous occasions, dishonest crooks deserve no platform.

Rob
Rob
7 days ago

The Tories will talk pro-devolution, but if this motion gets backed by its membership then they will change their stance. Watch this space (sadly)

Ben Davies
Ben Davies
5 days ago

Heh Heh. What a shower. Tories humiliated across the country and the so-called UK. We’re still writing stories about these idiots and their Idiot-in-Chief? If so, we are doomed due to our own idiocy. Lest we forget. I am no fan of Labour. They have had decades of power in Wales and have done nothing. Absolute shambles. However, this is our democracy. We decide. I do not want all my decisions taken by a foreign government and a capricious Governor-General. When England votes, that’s the UK government folks. With our paltry number of MPs in San Steffan, we have no… Read more »

Last edited 5 days ago by Ben Davies

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