Burnham ‘open to listening’ on further devolution, says Welsh FM

The First Minister said he believes Andy Burnham is “open to listening, perhaps in a way that Keir Starmer wasn’t”, ahead of an expected meeting of the two leaders on Thursday.

Rhun ap Iorwerth told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme he hoped to work constructively with the new Prime Minister to take devolution of powers in Wales to the “next level”.

It is understood the two leaders will have an introductory meeting on Thursday, following an initial phone call earlier this week.

A planned meeting between Mr ap Iorwerth and Sir Keir Starmer never materialised due to “chaos in Westminster”, the First Minister said previously.

Plaid Cymru entered government in Wales in May after a historic election result saw the party oust Welsh Labour from power after more than two decades – heaping further pressure on Sir Keir to resign as Prime Minister.

Speaking to the Today programme on Wednesday morning, Mr ap Iorwerth said: “I had a conversation with Andy Burnham yesterday, congratulated him on becoming Prime Minister, and we both made it clear to each other that we wanted to have a positive relationship, a constructive relationship.

“I know that he understands devolution for Manchester. I want to help him understand what devolution means in Wales and what tools we need to make it work better.

“I have a mandate to lead a government which stood on a platform of wanting powers over policing and justice to be devolved in Wales, rail powers and funding to be devolved to Wales, the right to be able to control our own natural resources.

“So there is a list, if you like, of things that we need to devolve now in order to move the story of Wales, the story of devolution, on to the next level.

“Now it’s clear that we have now a Prime Minister that is opening, open to listening, perhaps in a way that Keir Starmer wasn’t, and I’m eager to do everything that I can to make the case for Wales.”

His comments come a day after Mr Burnham told Mr ap Iorwerth, and the leaders of Scotland and Northern Ireland, he was “focused on practical measures, not constitutional changes like further referendums”.

Mr ap Iorwerth is in favour of Welsh independence but has previously said he does not plan to pursue a referendum in the first term of a Plaid Cymru government.