Wales voted for devolved government 20 years ago this week by a very narrow margin - just 50.3 to 49.7. We asked readers from Wales to consider what impact this decision had on the country and to share their hopes and concerns about the future post Brexit.
We have heard how the referendum affected communities, national identity and society as a whole. Here are some of their views.
‘Devolution has gendered a new confidence and sense of identity’ – Richard Bartley, 58, Denbighshire
I feel I have better representation at government level now compared to pre-devolution. My sense of Welsh identity has grown, as I am sure is the case with many other people in Wales since partial self-government was introduced back in 1997. We are maturing as a nation without any sense of superiority.
My only concern is that some people in Wales are only patriotic during the 80 minutes of a rugby match and lack sufficient political awareness to engage with the Senedd fully. Hopefully this situation is changing. No self-respecting nation should be without a modicum of self-governance, and the Welsh Assembly delivers this. Wales has unique problems and a distinct language and culture to preserve. Issues relating to Wales can only be addressed through it’s own government, not through total control from Westminster. Devolution has gendered a new confidence and sense of identity among many Welsh people that was sadly lacking before 1997. However, it needs more powers on parity with Scotland and Whitehall needs to educate itself a little more about our country and what it means to be Welsh.
I voted remain in the EU referendum but accept that a majority in Wales did not. However I am not sure how many Brexiters in Wales realise the UK government will use Brexit as a means to weaken devolution and centralise power in Westminster. Leaving the single market will badly affect the Welsh economy as we do so much trade with the EU. So when people in Wales complain about loss of jobs and a higher cost of living the UK government will inevitably blame the Welsh Assembly, accusing it of poor performance rather than being honest about the effects of Brexit.
I predict a growing trend in Wales for independence over the next generation but I would be happy to remain in the union as long as the Welsh Assembly has fully devolved powers.
‘Having achieved so much, I am fearful for the future for Wales’ – Nicki, 53, Cardiff
Devolution, which I still support, has made me feel more strongly Welsh. It has also been part of the reason for sending my children to Welsh medium schools and I feel proud to have policies that are groundbreaking and different to England – for example, Wales was the first to introduce charges for supermarket bags and to bring in an automatic organ donation with people having to opt out.
I feel it has made Wales as a nation much stronger. It has enabled Wales to bring in policies around encouraging the use of the Welsh language, we have made better decisions around health and social care, and we have forged our own identity. I wasn’t 100% sure of what would happen when I voted for devolution but I feel now that it has been positive for Wales and the Welsh people.
I think Brexit will have a devastating effect on Wales, and our ability to make decisions for ourselves, due to this government taking back decisions that are currently devolved. Having achieved so much, I am fearful for the future for Wales. Our trade with the EU is a huge percentage of the trade in Swansea and Cardiff and Brexit will devastate business and jobs and make Welsh people much poorer. I can only hope that somehow Wales will be able to retain its control over devolved areas but I feel that if Brexit goes ahead, it will mean the end of Wales as we know it.
‘I want England to be devolved as well, so that we can all then move forward as four equally devolved home nations’ – Leo Jones, Holyhead
I have felt pride in seeing Wales enter the modern democratic world of government. I watched the Queen open our assembly and it was a great feeling, the first truly Welsh democratic body ever.
The positives are that we elect the people who run our local services and they are local enough to be able to lobby. The negatives are that we have only elected Labour and they have been in power for 20 years and they are complacent. We have got relatively poorer, less well educated and less healthy. And Labour have been managing it all. This is made worse by the ignoring of the issues with our public services by the UK wide media, who we get most of our news from, as there is little Welsh media.
I think that Brexit will strengthen Wales. At the moment you complain to the Welsh Government about anything to do with farming, for example, and they reply “the EU makes the rules and we can’t change them.” After Brexit, those rules will be made more locally in the main, some in London. In both cases enough lobbying can change them. I have been put out however how our two currently biggest parties, Labour and Plaid, both support Remain in a nation where 52% of Welsh voters voted Leave. This has not prompted our political elite to reflect on why it is so at odds with the population, and so in-representative of it. I actually want England to be devolved as well, so that we can all then move forward as four equally devolved home nations in a federal UK state.
‘Many investments into deprived valley areas will be lost’ – Sam, Bridgend
I worked for a local authority that was disbanded in the mid 90s to make way for the new unitary authorities. This was because the government deemed that another tier of local government wasn’t required. Yet, the assembly was mooted and proposed as a third tier that was once again required. I voted no and would still do so. I do not see what added value it brings to the people of Wales, other than an over priced talking shop that costs us dearly in taxes.
The assembly can be seen as profligate. Money has been thrown at Cardiff airport, a huge white elephant that should’ve been left to market forces, and free prescriptions which just aren’t needed. Instead the NHS has been left to get worse, with weak promises from politicians and this is where real investment should be made. Not token gestures. Positives are the early 5p charge on plastic bags and the positive action on organ donation.
I hope for Wales to remain a strong, positive nation and to play a strong role in 21st century Britain, moving forwards not just as a minority backwater for the UK Government. I also hope for it to get the funding it deserves, reflecting what the DUP and Scottish parliament have been given.
‘Public sector bureaucracy has ballooned’ – Bianca, Cardiff
Devolution has enabled public sector bureaucracy in Wales to balloon, without creating much private sector balance. The very one-sided, but influential minority of Welsh language supporters has, at the same time, tightened language legislation which has squeezed a lot of monoglots out of public sector jobs (which are generally the best paid jobs in Wales).
In terms of positives, the policy lab aspects are good – taking the UK lead on smoking bans and organ donation, for example. The politicking between the Welsh and UK government however is tedious. Carwyn Jones talks at length about the details of the constitutional settlement in the press, especially at the moment, but what people really need is for his government to leverage good jobs and infrastructure in to Wales. He also neglects the Anglophone majority in Wales, which does lead to a lot of quiet resentment which cannot be articulated for fear of being branded an idiot or bigot.
I suspect Brexit will be a disaster. Europe has been very good to Wales and has paid for a lot of public sector jobs through its various programs. I foresee quite a few middle class government job losses. I hope to be able to continue living here and have the right not to speak Welsh but be in a good job. I also hope that the Welsh government stops squabbling with the UK and attracts investment for jobs.
