Labour overhaul would give Wales extra powers
BUT PLAID SAYS‘ TIMID’ REPORT REGARDS NATION AS ‘LESS DESERVING’ THAN SCOTLAND
UK Labour has announced plans to reform devolved powers in Westminster, including additional powers for Wales.
Leader Sir Keir Starmer described the reforms as the “biggest transfer of power from Westminster” if the party wins the next General Election.
The recommendations came from a report by former prime minister Gordon Brown. According to Mr Brown, a Labour government would abandon “centuries of centralisation” of power.
In a conference in Leeds on Monday, Sir Keir set out a few of the reforms, which included shifting 50,000 civil servants out of London as well as replacing the House of Lords with an elected second chamber.
In the report, Mr Brown said the second chamber in Westminster would play an important role in “ensuring power cannot be clawed back to the centre by future governments”.
He also proposed the second chamber in Westminster would aim to strengthen the Sewel Convention for Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, which prevents the UK Government from interfering in devolved areas.
This convention was broken when all three devolved legislatures withheld consent for the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020.
The report stated that UK Labour was “mindful” the Welsh Government had set up its own Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales but proposed to “strengthen selfgovernment for a new era”.
The report specified Welsh devolution should be “constitutionally protected” by strengthening the Sewel Convention through the second chamber.
It would support the enhanced role for Members of the Senedd so they could “enjoy the same privileges and protections as MPs in relation to statements made in their proceedings”.
The report also noted that a Labour government would make “new powers” available to the Senedd and the Welsh Government including “embarking upon new powers over youth justice and probation service”. They would also enhance access to economic resources for Wales with the British Regional Investment Bank “[maximising] support for innovation and investment in Wales”, which would be “in conjunction with the Welsh Development Bank and the European Investment Bank”.
The report suggests radical change is needed to bring “political power closer to the people whom it serves... rebuilding trust in our political system; and ensuring every part of the country can have the same economic opportunities”.
But Plaid Cymru Westminster leader Liz Saville Roberts MP criticised Mr Brown for a “timid” report which she described as “damp squib for Wales”.
In a statement, she said: “By offering more powers to Scotland than to Wales, Labour is once again showing how much they are in awe of SNP-run Scotland while taking Labour-run Wales for granted.
“Scotland is rewarded while Labour is content for Wales to make-do and mend with piecemeal powers.
“It also backtracks on previous Labour promises, the 2017 manifesto having promised devolution of policing to Wales. The Labour Welsh Government’s Thomas Commission recommended justice be wholly devolved.
“This timid report only offers piecemeal powers over youth justice and probation, showing the level of disdain the central Labour Party holds towards the only government it currently runs.
“The Welsh Labour Government have supported Plaid Cymru’s policy of devolving powers over the Crown Estate. This report fails to even mention those powers, again treating Wales as less deserving than Scotland.
“This report does nothing to change the fundamental inequalities of the UK. Despite vague promises of giving Senedd and Scottish Parliament members the same status as MPs, the report also recommits to the principle of Parliamentary Supremacy.
“For as long as that fundamental principle remains, the Senedd will always be subservient to Westminster.
“Despite Labour claiming this is the biggest transfer of power away from Westminster, it is clearly not to the people of Wales.”
Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies, also criticised the report. Following its publication, he wrote on Twitter: “The big lie in Labour’s report out today is that places like Wales have not seen growth because of the Conservatives.
“Labour are in charge in Wales. They have been for 25 years. That’s why Wales has the lightest pay packets in Britain. To see the cost of Labour, look to Wales.”
During the conference, Sir Keir said he would now “refine and test” the suggestions made by the former prime minister with the aim to implement them as policies in the first term of Labour government.