London intervention on M4 wrong, says Tory MS
A WELSH Conservative MS has strongly criticised the suggestion that the UK Government should build an M4 relief road despite the project’s rejection by First Minister Mark Drakeford.
In an extract from a book he is writing published on Twitter, David Melding argues that any such move would amount to encroachment on the Welsh Government’s powers under the devolution settlement.
There has been speculation that Boris Johnson might use a new pot of money called the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), meant to replace EU aid money, to build the controversial relief road around Newport.
While it has the support of business groups like the CBI, the road is opposed by environmentalists.
Mr Melding, who will stand down as a regional MS for South Wales Central at next May’s Senedd election, wrote: “Encroachment is a danger in all federal and devolved forms of government. The Scottish Government seeking to prevent nuclear submarines using Faslane or the UK Government wanting to build an M4 relief road are classic examples of encroachment. Encroachment should not be confused with co-operation or shared governance on matters of mutual interest.
“Rather it is the attempt to alter, without consent, the territorial distribution of power. Even if the UK Government were to build the relief road at no cost, opportunity or actual, to the Welsh Government – a highly unlikely eventuality – it would still undermine political accountability and jeopardise the current devolution settlement.”
A spokesman for the Welsh Conservative group at the Senedd said: “A future Welsh Conservative Government would work with a UK Conservative Government to deliver an M4 relief road and level up Wales along with the rest of the UK – two governments actually working together for the benefit of the people of Wales instead of playing party politics.”
A spokeswoman for the UK Government said: “The UK Internal Market Bill . . . means the UK Government can invest funds in infrastructure such as the M4 relief road, but we will always look to collaborate and work alongside the Welsh Government.”