Labour fails to defend devolution in Senedd vote
Plaid Cymru has blasted Labour for failing to stand up for Wales after they voted against calls to urge the UK Government to “not make spending decisions in Wales when they are opposed by the Welsh Government.”
The Senedd vote on Plaid Cymru’s motion follows the Prime Minister’s leaked memo in which he states his Cabinet members can go against wishes of the Senedd and Welsh Government.
Plaid Cymru’s Heledd Fychan MS has said that Labour’s claim to be the ‘party of devolution’ is now “hollow” as a result – with a rise in anti-devolution muscular unionism under Starmer’s leadership, undermining the Senedd.
During the debate, the party spokesperson for Finance, Culture and Welsh Language stated that the Senedd debate was an “opportunity to unite and stand up, not for ourselves, but for this democratic institution”, but that Labour’s response has failed to show the “strong leadership Wales needs.”
Speaking following the vote, Heledd Fychan MS said:
“Once again, Labour has failed to show the strong leadership Wales needs. By voting against Plaid Cymru’s calls on the UK Government not to bypass Wales’ democratic institutions – Labour have shown they’ll always put their party before country.
“For years, Labour have claimed to be the ‘party of devolution’ – how hollow those claims seem now, especially in the light of the Prime Minister’s leaked memo.
“Under Keir Starmer’s leadership, we have seen the further marginalisation of pro-devolution voices within the Labour Party - and the rise of a form of anti-devolution muscular unionism – undermining our Senedd and Wales’ voice.
“It is the arrogance of the Westminster knows best attitude, writ large and plain for all to see – and Labour in Wales isn’t even challenging them.
“For Plaid Cymru, standing up for Wales isn’t an empty slogan, to be discarded or downplayed when politically inconvenient – it is our purpose. Only a Plaid Cymru government will put the best interests of our communities first and stand up to Westminster.”
