“The UK Government should not deny political appetite and starve Wales of the powers it deserves”

Responding to the submissions of evidence from opposition parties to the second part of the Silk Commission, the Party of Wales has called for the leaders of three parties to unite to campaign for the delivery of the reserved powers model for Wales. The Party’s representative on the Consitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee Simon Thomas referred to the support for the reserved powers model in the Welsh Government and Liberal Democrats’ evidence submissions, as well as in Plaid Cymru’s submission of evidence, while the Conservative party and UK Government had rejected the model.

Mr Thomas AM said that there was cross party support for greater devolution and that recent opinion polls had confirmed that the Welsh public support more powers for the National Assembly. He said that it was ‘immoral’ of the UK Government to deny it in order to retain more power for itself.

The Party of Wales AM Simon Thomas said:

“Plaid Cymru has always called for a simpler devolution settlement that is more akin to the Scottish model, because we believe that this will offer the Welsh Government the responsibility, accountability and clarity it needs to govern effectively.

“What is indisputable is that there is greater appetite for devolution in Wales. It’s not a coincidence that the Welsh Government has repeatedly shifted its position to more closely match Plaid Cymru’s stance.

“The people of Wales value the benefits of having an Assembly in Cardiff which is accountable for some of the decisions that are taken on their behalf, and they acknowledge that this institution should be allowed more powers.

“This is the prevailing view in Wales, and it is gathering momentum. It is therefore immoral of the Conservatives to put the breaks on it by rejecting it in their submissions to Silk, and pursuing its own agenda to retain power for itself.

“It only shows how out of touch with the people of Wales the Tory party is, and how little influence the Welsh branch of the party has on the wider party.

“The UK Government should not deny the political appetite that exists and starve Wales of the powers it deserves.”