Andrew Marr grills Mark Drakeford on Welsh independence
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Speaking to Matt Chorley on Times Radio, Prof Laura McAllister said a “route map” for Welsh independence could be laid out as part of a deal between Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru. The Cardiff University academic said the situation could arise if there is a hung parliament at the upcoming Senedd (Welsh Parliament) elections and Welsh Labour required Plaid’s support. But the professor warned that Welsh independence is “a way off” and that such a referendum would be “dangerous” for Plaid to attempt in the first term in power.
Prof McAllister was asked by host Matt Chorley if in the event of a hung parliament Welsh Labour would accept a demand for a referendum as “the price of the support of Plaid”.
The professor said: “Well I think that’s a way off to be perfectly honest.”
She added: “I think that if Plaid Cymru does better than many of us anticipate at this stage… then it’s quite possible that it can agitate for a movement towards a referendum.”
But she said this would likely be a “route map” and not a referendum itself.
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The academic explained further how it would be “dangerous’ for Plaid to push for a referendum within the first term of a coalition with Welsh Labour as it would be unlikely they would win.
She added: “For a party like Plaid Cymru that is a heck of a risk to take.”
Prof McAllister also mentioned for the Welsh nationalists to attempt a referendum within the time scale of a hypothetical first coalition would be a “strange strategic choice”.
She said: “I don’t think Labour would buy that for a moment.”
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But last weekend First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford told the Andrew Marr show “I believe in the United Kingdom”.
He added: “I think that Wales’s future is best secured through paritcipating in a successful United Kingdom and I think the United Kingdom is better for having Wales in it.”
He dismissed feelings for independence being down to the “experience” of coronavirus and the “Johnson government” which he argued has “undoubtedly” made many Welsh people consider an independent Wales.
Drakeford assured: “When you begin to ask them what do they mean by independence, then I think what they describe is what we describe in the Labour Party.”
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The First Minister of Wales’ comments come as one poll suggests 51% of Welsh Labour members are pro-independence.
Andrew Marr went on to raise this issue with Drakeford citing that three Welsh Labour candidates in the upcoming Welsh elections are pro-independence.
Marr asked whether as a result of polling figures and the presence of pro-independence candidates in Welsh Labour if the party was heading towards a pro-independence stance.
Drakeford replied: “The same poll you quoted at me earlier showed independence in Wales at 14% and I think that is a more genuine reflection of where actual independence is in the minds of the Welsh people.”
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