“It would be unthinkable and unacceptable if MPs voted for substantial new powers for Scotland whilst also voting on a second rate bill for Wales. “If our devolution journey has taught us anything it is that piecemeal, incremental change in our settlement leads to unsatisfactory outcomes for the people of Wales. “The Wales Bill is already inadequate and it would be insulting for its inadequacy to be further highlighted by new arrangements for Scotland. “Plaid Cymru proposes amending the current Wales Bill in order to remove unnecessary caveats and to reverse the cherry-picking that has occurred since the publication of the Silk reports. “This would include removing the income tax ‘lock step’ and removing the requirement of a referendum on devolving income tax. “The second Wales Bill would then be a ‘balancing’ bill, ensuring Wales and Scotland move forward in tandem, rather than Wales trailing behind, trying to play catch-up. “In this coming period, it is not just the over-centralisation of the state that needs addressing, it is the imbalance of power too. “That means Wales must be treated as a nation and the powers it has must enable it to act as a nation. “Plaid Cymru therefore proposes that the Welsh constitution itself is devolved to the National Assembly for Wales. “If the other parties now sincerely acknowledge that the UK is a multinational state, then they should be able to support the principle that the peoples of the nations are sovereign. “I also hope that internal disagreement within the other parties does not, yet again, end in Wales being held back with piecemeal devolution. “All parties in our National Assembly can come together behind Plaid Cymru’s proposals and I look forward to working with them to win for Wales an outcome that will deliver for the people of the country.”
Posted on: Tue, 23 Sep 2014 16:21:54 +0000
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