Plaid Cymru MP warns of England-Wales ‘imbalance’

AN ENGLAND-WALES entity created in the event of Scotland and Northern Ireland leaving the UK would be one of the most “imbalanced” nations in the world, MPs have been told.

Plaid Cymru’s Westminster leader Liz Saville-Roberts suggested that with increasing talk of Scottish independence and Irish reunification, an inequitable UK state could be left over.

And the MP for Dwyfor Meirionnydd said that people across the UK nations are no longer willing to accept being seen as a “colourful, cultural indulgence”.

“This is the first St David’s Day since our departure from the EU, which makes flying the flag for Wales the world over more important than ever,” said Ms Saville-Roberts.

“Leaving the EU demands a discussion about what the future holds for Wales. We owe it to the people of Wales to set out a positive vision for the future.

“In Ireland and in Scotland we have seen a radical realignment of identity and politics.

“People are no longer willing to accept the old notion that the Celtic fringes are a colourful, cultural indulgence.

“Humoured at best and otherwise tolerated, with the meaningful powers, and I say this please with an element of sarcasm, shored up where they’ve always been, in south-east England.

“With both Irish reunification and Scottish independence now discussed more widely, it is important for Welsh politicians of all colours to be under no illusion about what the future holds for Wales.”

Ms Saville-Roberts continued: “The default setting in the event of the reunification of Ireland and an independent Scotland will be the emergence of an England and Wales entity which would surely be the most imbalanced, inequitable, so-called union in the world.”