Key facts
- Wales's First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth stated that Wales is a nation and "not a region in England".
- Ap Iorwerth expressed concern about institutional resistance to devolving policing and justice powers to Wales.
- He noted that Andy Burnham had more control over policing as the mayor of Manchester than he does as first minister of Wales.
- Plaid Cymru, ap Iorwerth's party, has 43 Senedd seats, making it the largest party in the 96-member chamber.
- Ap Iorwerth indicated Plaid Cymru would cooperate with Labour to block the "kind of politics" of Reform UK.
- Ap Iorwerth warned of a "very challenging" financial picture for Wales, with a real-terms decline in spending.
Wales's First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth has called on UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham to understand that Wales is a nation with distinct needs, not merely a region of England. Ap Iorwerth, the first non-Labour leader of the Senedd, expressed encouragement over initial discussions with Burnham but voiced concerns about potential resistance within Westminster to devolving further powers, particularly over policing and justice.
Ap Iorwerth highlighted that Wales is the only UK nation without control over its policing and justice systems, stating that Burnham, as former mayor of Greater Manchester, had more control in that area than he currently does as First Minister. He believes the arguments for devolving these powers are strong, citing numerous studies supporting the move. While ap Iorwerth trusts Burnham's assurances not to bypass devolution, he is wary of institutional inertia.
In a separate part of the interview, ap Iorwerth stated that his party, Plaid Cymru, would be willing to cooperate with Labour to prevent Reform UK from gaining power, citing a desire to block what he described as the "destructive politics" of Nigel Farage's party. Plaid Cymru, with 43 seats, is the largest party in the 96-member Senedd, while Reform UK holds 34 seats.
Ap Iorwerth also acknowledged a "challenging" financial outlook for Wales, with a real-terms decrease in spending. He aimed to avoid a "gloomy" approach, emphasizing the importance of upholding values even during difficult times. Looking ahead, ap Iorwerth is scheduled to meet with his counterparts from Scotland and Northern Ireland, John Swinney and Michelle O’Neill, respectively. He dismissed descriptions of this meeting as a "sinister cabal plotting nothing less than the end of the United Kingdom," stating his focus is on building up Wales and that he does not work towards breaking up the UK.