First Minister urges UK Government to respect devolution during call with Jo Stevens
Mark Mansfield
Wales’ new First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth has urged the UK Government to respect devolution during his first official call with Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens.
The conversation follows Plaid Cymru’s historic Senedd election victory earlier this month, which saw Labour lose power in Cardiff Bay for the first time since devolution began in 1999.
According to a Welsh Government readout of the call, Mr ap Iorwerth told the minister he wanted a “constructive relationship” with the UK Government but stressed the need to ensure that “devolution is respected”.
The First Minister also reiterated a request previously made to Prime Minister Keir Starmer that Welsh Government Cabinet ministers should engage directly with UK Government counterparts, while acknowledging an ongoing coordinating role for the Wales Office.
Ms Stevens congratulated Plaid Cymru’s leader on his election victory and said she looked forward to working with him.
The two governments discussed a range of shared priorities including the cost of living crisis, steelmaking in Port Talbot, defence, infrastructure, energy and cross-border cooperation.
The Welsh Secretary later issued her own statement emphasising the importance of collaboration between Cardiff Bay and Westminster on economic growth, public services and clean energy infrastructure.
Earlier this year former Welsh Labour minister Lee Waters described Stevens as “probably the most anti-devolution Labour Welsh Secretary we’ve had since George Thomas”.
Speaking on the Senedd Sources podcast in January, the Llanelli MS accused Stevens of representing a strand of Labour unionism which did not truly believe in devolution.
“There has been mounting anger within the ruling Labour Senedd group over the Labour UK government’s perceived hostility towards devolution,” he said.
That frustration was reflected after 11 Labour Senedd backbenchers wrote to Starmer accusing his government of a “constitutional outrage” for bypassing the Welsh Government by funding town centre improvement schemes directly from Whitehall.
UK Internal Market Act
The row centred on the use of powers contained within Boris Johnson’s controversial UK Internal Market Act, legislation previously challenged by the Welsh Government in court.
Mr Ap Iorwerth had already raised broader constitutional questions during a separate call with Starmer last week, where he pressed for further powers over rail infrastructure, funding, borrowing and other devolved responsibilities.
Plaid Cymru won 43 seats in the expanded 96-member Senedd at the recent election, ending Labour’s 27-year dominance of Welsh politics.
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Lee Waters described Stevens as “probably the most anti-devolution Labour Welsh Secretary we’ve had since George Thomas”. Since George Thomas ! What a God awful legacy to have.
Judging by what Andy Burnham has said about his thoughts on devolution, if he becomes PM not only will Jo Stephens lose her job, the Welsh Plaid Government (isn’t it lovely just saying that) will soon be getting substantial extra powers.
The compelling argument for Andy replacing Keir is that he has been on the receiving end of a central government out of control and should be well motivated to fundamentally reform and modernise UK governance. The biggest problem with Keir is not his boring managerial style but his innate belief that everything will be fine when it’s all just tidied up a bit.
The role of Colonial Governor is not relevant anymore.
In Ireland De Valera managed to change the role of Governor General to a purely formal appointment with no status and powers other than an officer with a bureau. The appointment of a Fianna Fail supporter into the role by the Irish Government ensured that the role eventually became an anchronism. Ironically the suggestion for this change had come from Lord Birkenhead one of the English signatories to the Treaty.
The role is needed but should be reversed so they are selected by the devolved governments to represent their interests in central government.
That is what De Valera achieved in Ireland but made sure the appointment did not represent a threat to the working of the Free state, as it was at that time.