‘Trojan horse’: Tory minister defends voting against Welsh devolution
A Tory minister has defended voting against Welsh devolution.
David TC Davies, a minister in the UK Government’s Wales Office, said he did so “on the grounds that it was a Trojan horse” that would be used by nationalists to achieve Welsh independence.
In an article for the Monmouthshire Beacon, the Monmouth MP hit out at the Welsh Government for its creation of an independent Constitutional Commission to consider Wales’ future.
The Commission is headed up by co-chairs Professor Laura McAllister, and Rowan Williams, a former Archbishop of Canterbury.
The Conservative politician claimed that the co-chairs are not “objective” and predicted that the report would call for the Senedd to receive a “vast range of extra powers”, and for the First Minister of Wales to be given the power to “block” non-devolved laws from Westminster.
He also suggested that if the UK Government did not accept this demand that there would be a “threat” that “independence will be the only option left for Wales.”
The Conservative MP said: “Back in 1997, I was one of those who voted against having a Welsh Assembly on the grounds that it was a Trojan horse which would be used by nationalists to achieve their dream of breaking Wales off from the Union.
“The means to independence would be to continually seek further powers until independence has been achieved. On 1 December, the Welsh Government announced that Labour and Plaid Cymru had signed a ‘co-operation agreement’ on how we are to be governed.
‘Former Plaid Cymru activist’
“An ‘independent’ commission, led by a former Plaid Cymru activist, has also been set up to look into constitutional reform and the current system of devolved powers. The former Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams is playing a leading role too. He describes himself as an ‘old lefty’ and recently questioned whether ‘a Union of Wales and England is where anybody wants to be’.
“I have nothing against either of these people. But asking them to lead an inquiry into whether the Welsh Parliament (Senedd Cymru) needs more powers, or Wales needs independence, is likely to be as objective as asking Nigel Farage to produce a report on the benefits of EU membership!
“Without a crystal ball on my desk, I can make the following prediction: Later this year, having spent much time and money travelling around Wales and meeting with various activist groups and enthusiastic nationalists, a glossy report will be produced.
“It will call for a vast range of extra powers for the Welsh Parliament, it will want First Minister Mark Drakeford to have the ability to block the UK Government from making laws on anything that is not devolved, and there will be a threat that unless the report is signed up to then full independence will be the only option left for Wales.”
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Glad he’s figured it out. There is only one question really. Should the Welsh Nation exercise self-government or not? We all know David Davies’ answer to that … and he is wrong.
What he can do though, is to stick his attempt at taking the moral high ground where the sun doesn’t shine. Muscular Unionism won’t work.
The last thing David Davies wants is us incompetent little Welsh people trying to have the right to govern ourselves. He opposes anything that gives the Welsh an identity. The sooner we are an independent nation the better.
Dic Sion Dafydd. The people of Cymru voted for devolution in a democratic election. The only time a Tory will accept the result, is if it goes in their favour. 20 years later and he is still bitter he lost and would overturn the result if he could.
Not in the least bit surprising that a UK Conservative government minister from the Welsh Office should make these ill founded statements. It is highly unfortunate that the current Welsh Office is pandering to the Tory anti devolution lobby and wholly failing to ensure the democratic choice of the people of Wales.
Mr Davies should be representing the view of the people of Wales. That he is not is a despicable act of betrayal.
Tories think once you have voted them in they can do exactly as they please, it’s all part of the problem with the FPTP mindset.
Surely he knows that he’s a nationalist?! His voting record and views show him to be a very unpleasant person. Wales, sadly, does seem to attract a lot of politicians who clearly despise us, this and the fact that people vote for them is our tragedy.
As opposed to his far right, superiority complex, anti democratic British nationalism.
Please don’t say ‘defends’ when you mean ‘attempts to defend’.
You could have said “Explains his position”.
Tojan horse eh? Well we know what happed to the toplesss towers of Ilium. The only people who really take much notice of this specimen are Welsh patriots fuming about his servile attitude. Perhaps that’s why he behaves like London’s whipped dog, to be relevant to someone, something or anything.
He was after all born in London and works for the rotting remnants of the Colonial Office. Would you expect self-awareness? Better chance with an amoeba.
Independence is necessary. If the process involves lots of screaming and bawling by the ‘never Wales’ brigade, all the better.
Oh dear David – another scrape another set of contradictions …..not sure where to start ! So i won’t 🙃
He might calm down now, as he has been awarded the QE2 diamond jubilee gong?
Well, maybe not. His Wicki entry has him as a mixed bag, but heavily in the negative.
If this one grew legs it would a snapping turtle…
The ironic thing is that this Tory Quisling will happily vote for further devolution and powers for the English regions whilst wanting to take the same things away from the country he grew up in. Shame on him and his fellow “Welsh Tories”!!
I suggest he looks at the melt down of Westminster. The uk government is simply not functioning. Johnson can’t even make a call to Putin on time.
Kick this idiot out of wales 🏴 kick all English party’s out of wales that’s the Tories Labour and all Brexit party’s it’s time for a new wales 🏴
“……. vast range of extra powers”, and for the First Minister of Wales to be given the power to “block” non-devolved laws from Westminster.
It’s called both democracy and subsidiarity, David Davies. We voted twice for it. Get used to it!
As regards his criticism of Rowan Williams, is he seriously questioning the integrity and objectivity of one of Wales leading, and highly respected, clergymen?
Especially when we all know who his own boss is!
David Davies has just left himself open to ridicule, again.
I remember a certain David Davies getting removed from an event in Chepstow for verbally bullying one of his kids in front of everyone.
Perhaps he was in his special constable mode that day ..?
It’s good that all these Tories are speaking out because they are speaking out in fear. Fear of the end of the Union fear of the loss of power. Westminster has been to complacent and neglectful regarding Wales, because of its feelings of superiority. It will lead to our independence.
“A Trojan horse that would be used by nationalists to achieve Welsh independence.”
By *nationalists*, presumably he means the Welsh electorate since the Welsh Government only exists at the will of the Welsh electorate and the members whom we choose to represent us.
He’s entitled to his view, but he must accept that he is completely out of sync with majority option in contemporary Wales.