Postwar Germany’s lesson in devolution

SADLY David Salt’s letter (July 4) highlights that he doesn’t understand devolution. Devolution, is about being given opportunities, hope, accepting responsibility. The Parliament of Wales, or Senedd, voted for by the people of Wales to do their best for the people of Wales, has given Wales an exciting opportunity to raise our game and strive to be world-beaters not self-haters, to selffinance rather than beg Westminster for handouts. Without devolution we will forever be pleading for more from Westminster, like all the English regions outside of the South-East are always doing.

Successful politics needs more than a centralised, failed institution like Westminster to bring success to a whole country. After WWII when the German constitution was set up, they didn’t copy the UK and centralise all serious political power in Berlin. Instead they set up strong regional parliaments devolved from the German parliament then in Bonn and now in Berlin.

From basically a pile of rubble, devolved Germany has risen to huge international success with one of the strongest economies in the world. Compared to Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and all the English regions outside the South-East, all of the German regions are successful. And if devolution is good enough for Germany, then it’s good enough for the UK.

Compare that to the UK, where we had it all and all is now gone. We’ve now even got an international border within the UK running down the Irish Sea separating Northern Ireland from Great Britain. Westminster is a disastrous system of government. Frank Jenkins Sketty, Swansea