Rhun ap Iorwerth told the annual conference on Friday that his government possesses a 'clear mandate' for devolving greater powers from Westminster in Wales. He formally requested that Andy Burnham deliver a “new deal” during the Plaid Cymru annual conference.
Specifically, Rhun ap Iorwerth asked the prime minister to ‘put Wales on equal footing with Scotland as bare minimum’. The request was detailed in a letter written to Burnham on Thursday, which sought “a new deal to redress the historic unfairness of our fiscal and constitutional settlement and to put Wales on an equal footing with Scotland as a bare minimum”.
This correspondence to Burnham argued for the transfer of authority over policing and justice, rail infrastructure, and the crown estate. Regarding future relations, Rhun ap Iorwerth stated his belief that the new prime minister and he both desire a constructive and positive relationship.
The UK government spokesperson affirmed that “This government is committed to building a stronger and fairer Wales in a stronger and fairer United Kingdom.” Plaid Cymru’s Welsh election win marked the end of a hundred-year period of Labour dominance within Wales.
Welsh Labour had governed in Wales since devolution commenced in 1999. Ap Iorwerth’s victory resulted in nationalist parties holding government positions simultaneously across Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland for the first time.
