Survey reveals overwhelming support for Welsh ownership of the Crown Estate
A survey has revealed an overwhelming majority of people are in support of Welsh ownership of the Crown Estate.
In a recent YouGov poll commissioned by YesCymru, Welsh residents were asked if they would support or oppose Welsh management of Crown Estate assets in Wales with all income accruing to Wales.
The poll surveyed 1049 people aged 16 and over between April 28 2023 and May 3.
The results showed that over 75% of those polled expressed a preference in favour of full Welsh control of these assets.
Even amongst Conservative supporters the majority supported the Crown Estate being devolved to Wales.
There was also a large majority of support from those who voted leave in the Brexit referendum.
The Crown Estate is an independent company which belongs to the monarch for the duration of their reign, though the revenue from its £16 billion property portfolio flows directly to the Treasury.
The Sovereign Grant, which pays for the King’s official duties as head of state, is currently set at 25% of the Crown Estate’s annual profits, including a 10% uplift to pay for the refurbishment of Buckingham Palace.
The estate’s holdings north of the border were devolved to Scotland in 2016, and its revenue now goes to the Scottish Government.
Control
Gwern Gwynfil, CEO of YesCymru, the campaign for an Independent Wales, said: “Let’s remember that it’s only last year that the then Secretary of State for Wales, Simon Hart, told the House of Commons that there was ‘no public appetite at all in Wales to devolve the Crown Estate’.
“How long must we allow Westminster to pull the wool over our eyes? How long must we tolerate the extraction of Welsh wealth whilst they tell us that we are too poor to go it alone?
“In an independent Wales all that is ours will be under our control – it is long past time for Wales to see through the lies and deception, the exploitation and abuse, the subservience of our place within this Union.
“I believe that anyone, whatever their background and whatever their politics, who considers the facts and the arguments with an open mind, will soon persuade themselves that Wales and the people who live here will be
better off when we become an Independent nation.”
Earlier this week, Plaid Cymru Mp, Liz Saville Roberts said devolving control over the Crown Estate’s properties in Wales could help end a “begging bowl” culture, and give Cardiff more say over financial decision-making.
She also suggested it could be used to provide better energy security and ease the rising cost of living in Wales.
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So Welsh ownership of the Crown Estate is the clear will of the people. Following precedent the Conservative Party now have no option but to enable this ownership change.
A delegation needs to go to London to demand what is our land.
It’s too bad we have to go to London to ask for our property back. You couldn’t make it up.
We could give a petition of 3million voices across Wales supporting this issue – and still be ignored by Westminster and the Crown. They don’t care what we think on numerous issues, such as HS2, not just this one. We must prepare for independence, it is the only way out of this injustice.
Come on Wales Wake UP Who in they’re right mind would not want billions of pounds that is created in Wales and handed to the Royal family and the English treasure and they are already robbing Us. Blind with the share of the billions of pounds that is being spent on that white elephant Rail road up in England They have already stolen all the wealth that Was we made in Wales from COAL SLATE IRON we should have been one of the richest countries in the world with sutch a small population and All that wealth that was made… Read more »
Wales only wakes up, when we play in the 6 Nations, RWC and football tournaments. The rest of the time, we can’t be bothered. It’s called “Being Welsh when it Suits”
When oil was discovered in the North Sea, this brought in large profits to Norway and the British Isles. Norway built a sovereign wealth fund from which improved the lives its people. Norway is one of the richest countries in Europe and the world. Norway IS an independent country which allowed them to do this. Scotland & Wales were occupied & England all run centrally by the UK. The UK has wasted this windfall and its people are one of the poorest. Oil is coming to an end. Norway is into renewable energy. Germany & Denmark owns the wind turbine… Read more »
We should be running our own affairs not our nextdoor neighbours. I run my own household not the people nextdoor. However, we do need a plan for independence for the Cymry to know how we would cope. Understandably it would be difficult for quite a while because we have to undo about 800 years of mismanagement. Talking about it won’t get us very far. We need to act and act now. We need genuine leaders who we can trust and know what they are doing.
While we are on Royal matters who watched the Piers Morgan and BBC interview and did it strike you as journalistic collusion and maybe illegal as the court case is on going…
The reason for handing over the Crown Estate to Wales is a moral one: the coast and land of Wales belongs to Wales!
If this was an independent poll I would take it more seriously!
Wales controlling the Crown Estate, what a “daft” idea, it’s only good enough for Scotland. A union of four nations, rubbish, Only when it suits.
So polls are only reliable when they are in your favour?
I bet if you were to conduct a similar poll in Scotland, Ireland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland etc asking if their country should have full country over its own resources you would get the exact same result. Why is Wales any different?
The sample size isn’t statistically relevant.