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Welsh FM, parties dissatisfied by draft bill devolving less powers than expected

Labour, Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru argue UK government proposal not enough for Welsh needs · UK government retains powers it had been advised to devolve by cross-party commission

Welsh National Assembly building.
Welsh National Assembly building. Author: Adrian Platt
Wales's Labour government, the Welsh Liberal Democrats and pro-independence Plaid Cymru have reacted to the Draft Welsh Bill introduced by Wales secretary of State Stephen Crabb by saying it does not meet Welsh self-government needs. According to the UK government's proposal, powers over energy, transport, local government and elections will be devolved to the Welsh government.

Crabb had in fact admitted days ago that the UK government (Conservative) and the Welsh government (Labour) are far away as regards the issue, the chances of striking a deal thus being meagre.

Devolution should have gone further than now offered by the Conservatives, had the cross-party Silk Commission recommendations been fully taken into account. In 2014, the Commission -made up of seven experts, four of them representing each one of the four main Welsh parties- said the UK government should devolve powers over policing and justice to Wales. But the Draft Wales Bill now says those will remain reserved powers of the UK government.

Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood said the bill "is an insult to our country" as it "enshrines Wales’ status as a second class nation in the UK," vested with less powers and authority than Scotland or Northern Ireland. Plaid Cymru argues the bill should at least foresee the devolution of policing, justice and natural resources, besides creating a "Welsh legal jurisdiction."

Meanwhile, Welsh first minister Carwyn Jones focused criticism on what he believes to be the introduction of an "English veto on Welsh laws." Jones regretted that the Draft Welsh Bill envisages the need to receive consent of UK government ministers to pass certain laws in Wales: "You get the impression from the bill that the Whitehall bureaucracy is obsessed with petty controls and petty rules that they want to impose on way," Jones said.

Similarly, Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Kirsty Williams said the bill "cannot be acceptable" given the fact that "the democratically elected members of this chamber, on behalf of the people of Wales, will have their actions thwarted by a UK government who may or may not decide they like what we are doing."

The three parties opposing the bill have three-quarters of all Wales National Assembly's members. But the bill will be voted by the UK Parliament, where the Conservatives have an absolute majority. In any case, negotiations between both governments will go on until next year, and amendments to the text may be introduced.

Keywords: autonomy, Wales