Plaid-Welsh Government cooperation agreement ‘risks break up of the UK’ says former Welsh Secretary Simon Hart
The cooperation agreement between Plaid Cymru and the Welsh Government is “risking the break-up of the United Kingdom” according to the former Welsh Secretary Simon Hart.
The Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire MP, who was Welsh Secretary before resigning last month, made the claim in an article backing Rishi Sunak for the Conservative party leadership.
The article is co-signed by Welsh Conservative MPs Craig Williams, Fay Jones, Jamie Wallis, Stephen Crabb, Alun Cairns, and Simon Baynes, as well as Senedd Members Sam Rowlands, Peter Fox, Natasha Asghar, Darren Millar, Gareth Davies and Russell George.
The article promises that a Rishi Sunak-led UK Government would be ” the most active UK government in Wales in the history of devolution” and that the “legacy of devolve and forget cannot continue”.
Simon Hart’s comments in the Telegraph point to a Rishi Sunak leadership that would be happy to intervene on devolved issues, and follow an article by Rishi Sunak himself yesterday in which he made the same case.
“With the Welsh Labour Government and Plaid Cymru’s Co-Operation Agreement risking the break-up of the United Kingdom and constitutional chaos, we need strong leadership and a Conservative majority government to take Wales forward,” the article by Simon Hart said.
“Rishi’s government would be the most active UK government in Wales in the history of devolution, and unlike the Welsh Labour Government, will level-up towns and communities throughout Wales. The simple truth is that someone in Aberystwyth or Abersoch should have the same opportunities as someone in London, Leeds or Bristol. The legacy of devolve and forget cannot continue.”
He added: “Rishi wants to drive Wales forward as part of a thriving United Kingdom. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Rishi saw first-hand how the Welsh Government was keen to diverge from the UK Government where they could. ]
“It’s no secret that direct Welsh Government policies saw more Covid-19 deaths per head of population than in any other part of the UK.”
‘Together’
Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss will face questions from Welsh Conservative members in a hustings in Cardiff later today.
The article in the Telegraph follows one in the Western Mail newspaper yesterday by Rishi Sunak himself in which he said that he had an “unrivalled” vision for Wales.
“Division is something that Plaid Cymru has tried to feed off in Wales, and we know that they excel at provoking splits between neighbours, friends and communities,” he said.
“It’s the job of whoever is the next Prime Minister to tackle this head on, and to bring everyone back together.”
He added that “we had to change our approach to Wales, and as Prime Minister I will build on that”.
“We cannot operate a ‘devolve and forget’ mentality, operating as a funding mechanism for the Welsh Government and hoping they will fix issues on their own,” he said. “Wales deserves better.”
Welsh Labour’s Jo Stevens commented ahead of the Tory leadership hustings in Cardiff: “I’d like to welcome the Tory leadership hopefuls to Cardiff. Neither Liz Truss nor Rishi Sunak has had anything to say about Wales during this campaign, but their record of 12 years of Tory neglect tells us all we need to know: a high-tax, low-growth economy and the biggest drop in living standards since records began.
“Wales doesn’t need another Boris Johnson continuity prime minister. With u-turn after u-turn in their campaigns, it’s clear neither candidate is any more trustworthy than the outgoing PM.
“Only a UK Labour government led by Keir Starmer working with our Welsh Labour government led by Mark Drakeford can get the economy firing on all cylinders and deliver the fresh start we need.”
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If only it was that simple ! Still, one thing for sure is that you can count on this guy to crack an empty comment to keep the columns on NC going. Is someone paying him ?
Cooperation and democracy are things that Conservatives hate…. which is why I will never, ever vote for English Labour whilst people like Kier Starmer are within it. Kier Stamer has BROKEN EVERY SINGLE PROMISE he made during his campaign to be elected leader of English Labour and then enacted a PURGE of people who have similar political views to Mark Drakeford from….and his values at best, are those of a traditional Conservative. The union is at risk because of Boris Johnson, the poisonous media and people like Kier Starmer. Kier Starmer is part of The English Establishment System and he… Read more »
Thanks Cathy…. You saved my writing finger. Well said.
We don’t need more devolution. What we need is Welsh independence, which is the only way to stop the Tories from interfering in the business of our democratically elected government. The Westminster Government has become the enemy of democracy in Wales. There is only one way to stop that threat!! #indywales
dim ond twpsyn fyddai’n meddwl mai Starmer yw’r ateb i Sunak neu Truss
Cywir. Yr ateb yw annibyniaeth.
The message from the Tory party is simple, vote for us or not, we will tell you what policies you will get , and not those you voted for. With this type of democracy, where we are ignored, we are like the Russian or Chinese system, we must obey every command from London, and like it. It is so clear where our future must be, and that is not within this dictatorship, because that is what the union is, where a party not voted for by Cymru dictate what we get, overruling our democratic gov.
“Plaid-Welsh Government cooperation agreement ‘risks break up of the UK’ ” Good!!
Perhaps the new PM can start by giving us back the money they stole for HS2
Good. Bring it on! In truth the Tories are what is “risking” freedom for the senior nations.
Translation: Ignore the two referenda and interfere in Wales’ affair.
Just sounds like more condescending, colonial-mentality.
The Tories have started the smear campaign against Plaid and Labour then. Expect a new Tory Master Plan for Wales and more efforts to make us disappear whoever takes over
The Tories lost the 2019 election in Wales, they lost the Senedd election in 2021, and they resoundingly lost the Local Government elections in 2022 – at what point will they realise just how much we are rejecting their party and their policies. We don’t want colonial rule!
They haven’t won a national election in Wales since 1856 when the franchise was granted to working men i.e. in the history of democratic elections. We have never once given them a mandate to govern Wales. And yet here we are. How Welsh Labour can tolerate this I’ll never understand.
Someone needs to have a word in the ear of these Tories. If anyone is doing more than they to break up the UK I’d like to shake their hand. They have no electoral mandate to govern Wales but do so on the basis of a shonky constitution that they and their morally bankrupt Prime Minister have mangled for their own ideological ends. As for division, this is the party that brought us populism, culture wars, wedge issues and Brexit. No party has done more to stoke up division than these hypocrites, spivs and shysters. The sooner Wales governs itself,… Read more »
How nice of Simon Hart’s co-signatories to identify themselves to us, if these people represent you, then do Wales a favour and get rid of them at the next opportunity…
Simon Hart and his co-signatories – traitors one and all.
There was some point in reporting what this muppet said when he was secretary of state for telling the welsh what they should do. Now there isn’t.
Banish him to the outer darkness. Spare us his ‘thoughts’
Yes, spot on. It is ntersting to see that the Tories now recognise that a United Wales poses a threat to their Divide and Rule approach to the Union. No wonder they are attacking the Labour-Plaid agreement.
Devolve and forget? We weren’t remembered/considered before devolution either mate
Tories having the nerve to accuse anyone of causing chaos! After the debacle of Johnson! Good heavens above.
Conservatives work on the assumption that everyone is thick and gullible. Tell them scary stories and they’ll come under our wing for protection. It has been a successful strategy but, at long last, more and more people are seeing through it.
I wonder what Mr Harts opinion is on the corruption of the met police, preventing any conviction on Daniel Morgan’s murder?
*wrong story*
Janet Finch-Saunders didn’t sign it? Surely some mistake!!??
They say a candle 🕯 burns brightest just before it goes out Simon ……this last hurray without any evidence or much sensible thought 💭 will be soon 🔜 forgotten I guess….
….as will I guess be your ministerial role once General Truss takes over 🤔
Don’t expect cooperation or consideration from Westminster for Wales – I’M is one country and that country is England.
Typed UK is one country but inexplicably emerged as ‘I’m is one country’!