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Future Labour UK Gov could ‘possibly’ give more powers to Wales, says Starmer

24 Sep 2021 2 minute read
Keir Starmer on ITV Cymru Wales

A future Labour UK Government could “possibly” give more power to Wales, according to Keir Starmer.

Labour’s leader in Westminster said he wasn’t “precious” about devolving more power to the Senedd, but added that he wanted a “much more dynamic conversation”.

He made the comments in an interview with ITV Cymru Wales ahead of Labour’s UK conference in Brighton.

When pushed on what sort of powers, such as control over policing or control of the welfare system, by political editor Adrian Masters, he said: “I’m interested in that – I’m more interested in the question of how people of Wales, in their towns and their villages and their communities, have more power over the decisions that affect them every day.

“Their schools, their public services, the housing that’s built in their area. If there is council housing or social housing, what it looks like what it feels like.

“So, yes, a debate about the formal powers: do they reside in Westminster, Do they reside in Wales, but I’m interested in much more dynamic conversation than that which is: how do communities in Wales have more control about what happens in their own community?”

There is a pressing need to do this he said, because “there are great strains in the union [of the United Kingdom] and I think it’s one of the reasons that we need to address the future of the Union. I don’t want to see the United Kingdom broken up, I do accept that there’s got to be change.”


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Grayham Jones
3 years ago

The only way for more power in wales is up to The Welsh people not the Labour Party it’s time for a new wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Geoff Horton-Jones
Geoff Horton-Jones
3 years ago

The future of Wales belongs to the people of Wales
Boris and Keith will be soon be long gone and we will still be here but in our own country not their colony

Owain Morgan
Owain Morgan
3 years ago

Who’s Keith? 🤔

Barry Pandy
Barry Pandy
3 years ago
Reply to  Owain Morgan

I’m assuming he means Keir, but I think Keith suits him better. I shall call him Keith Starmer from now on.

j humphrys
j humphrys
3 years ago

“Possibly” like the damned Devil offering Jesus.

Y Cymro
Y Cymro
3 years ago

Love how Keir Starmer says: He’s not precious about devolving more powers to the Senedd, but could “possibly” give Wales more powers, but he’s more interested in giving our towns, villages & communities more of a say, which coincidentally is a Tory policy to demote devolution so bypassing our Senedd in favour of dealing directly with our local authorities as done with our once EU structural funding. Doesn’t it make you feel all warm & cosy inside. Not. Note: Starmer did not mention the return of Wales powers taken by the Tory government i.e our EU powers etc… Very ominous.… Read more »

Last edited 3 years ago by Y Cymro
Quornby
Quornby
3 years ago

“possibly”……. that time has gone you idiot.

Owain Morgan
Owain Morgan
3 years ago

I want to like Keir Starmer. He’s clearly a viable Labour leader for Middle Britain to vote for, but every time he opens his mouth he doesn’t just sound sound Tory lite, he’s ignorant on Welsh politics because his English advisers do not provide with briefings on Wales. I used to be a Federalist, now I’m a Nationalist because of crap like this.

Last edited 3 years ago by Owain Morgan
Richard
Richard
3 years ago
Reply to  Owain Morgan

I think Owain is one of many Devo max / federalists who are re thinking their positions currently …..

Steve Duggan
Steve Duggan
3 years ago

We don’t want more powers given to us by Westminster we want full independence and the ability to create our own powers without interference.

Rob
Rob
3 years ago

Once Labour are returned to power whenever that may be their appetite for further devolution will evaporate. They are only advocating it now because they don’t like the fact that the Tories are in government. I remember the strong opposition Labour MPs had towards the Labour-Plaid coalition in the late 2000s, solely because it would lead to less Welsh MPs in Westminster, which ironically is happening now. Further devolution for Wales means that the likes of Stephen Kinnock and Chris Bryant would become more focused on England only matters rather than matters that affect their own constituents and they will… Read more »

Shan Morgain
Shan Morgain
3 years ago

Starmer speaks with a forked tongue. He talks of local councils and communities which sounds so cutely democratic. The Tories recently played the same game, ignoring Drakeford and the Senedd,, paying grant money direct to local councils and projects. Firstly this undercuts OUR Welsh government. Secondly theway it was done was competitive, setting councils and projects against each other in a stressed, tight timeframe. Not supportive of our communities at all. to Not our Welsh way, which is cooperative.//// …… But anyway Starmer is toast. He’s done nothing since he came to leadership but fight a civil war in his… Read more »

Barry Pandy
Barry Pandy
3 years ago
Reply to  Shan Morgain

Agreed, when I hear him say “I’m more interested in the question of how people of Wales, in their towns and their villages and their communities, have more power over the decisions that affect them every day.” I hear EXACTLY the same rhetoric that Semen Fart comes out with to justify undercutting and bypassing devolution. If this is allowed to carry on it will only end in one way: devolution will be undermined to the point where it really does become irrelevant and then that will be used as an excuse to abolish it altogether. I can only conclude that… Read more »

Welsh_Sion
Welsh_Sion
3 years ago
Reply to  Barry Pandy

Johnson and Starmer – two cheeks of the same erse as my Scottish friends have it …

John Davies
John Davies
3 years ago

You can’t believe a word Starmer says. He conned his way into the leadership with his “ten pledges” which he promptly ditched once they had served their purpose, talked about “unity” then launched a hyper-factional internal party war.

Anyway, what does a phrase like “much more dynamic conversation” mean, for heaven’s sake? This is language used not to convey meaning but to obscure it. It is waffle-speak used as a smokescreen. Given Starmer’s record, the reality, if he ever becomes PM will be appallingly authoritarian. But also given his record, he is most unlikely to be PM.

Huw Davies
Huw Davies
3 years ago

‘Future Labour government…’. Wales has one, of sorts, but there are two chances of an UK Labour Government happening, slim and none. Remember there will only be 8 Welsh MPs fewer and an extra 10 English MPs after the next election.

Welsh_Sion
Welsh_Sion
3 years ago
Reply to  Huw Davies

Not to mention that Scotland could well be gone and Ireland reunited by then.

These things can happen very quickly. Witness the implosion of the USSR.

Mark
Mark
3 years ago

more fantasy island BS, unless Labour do something about gaining votes in Scotland & stop the purge of left wing members (not going to happen) they do not stand a snowball in hells chance of forming a government for at least the next 2 general elections, Sir Keith QC, tory establishment shill

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