The Welsh government has launched a withering attack on Boris Johnson’s dismissal of devolution as “a disaster north of the border”, calling the prime minister’s remarks “shocking” and claiming the conduct of his administration is threatening the future of the United Kingdom.
While Johnson aimed his comments at Scotland, the Labour-led Welsh government argued they showed the UK government was not “remotely interested” in respecting devolution across the union.
Relationships between Cardiff and Westminster have becomex strained during the Covid crisis and Johnson’s remarks have clearly touched a nerve.
The Welsh counsel general and minister for European transition, Jeremy Miles, said: “The PM’s comments are shocking but sadly not surprising. It has been clear for some time that this Conservative government is not remotely interested in respecting the devolution settlements across the UK.
“The prime minister is also minister for the union – but the conduct of his government is actually the biggest threat to the future of the union.”
The Welsh first minister, Mark Drakeford, was also highly critical of the comments. He said: “Devolution comes under the sorts of pressures that it is now under when we have a Conservative government, and where you scratch the surface of the Conservative party and all its old hostility to devolution rises back to the surface.
“That’s what happened yesterday, when the prime minister thought that he could show off in front of a few Conservative MPs from the north of England.”
The Welsh government has become increasingly frustrated at the sporadic contact between the UK government and the devolved administrations during the coronavirus pandemic.
Like Scotland, Welsh ministers also angry at what it sees as a “power grab” from Westminster in the shape of the internal market bill and are worried about the way Wales will be funded after Brexit.
Miles added: “If they [the UK government] want to demonstrate that they are prepared to relent, and respect the will of the people in the devolved nations, they should immediately overhaul the internal market bill, with its assault on devolution, and finally commit to working with, not working around, the Welsh government when it comes to the shared prosperity fund [which is designed to replace EU funding] and future funding for Wales.”
During a Zoom call with about 60 northern Conservative MPs on Monday evening, the prime minister described devolution as “Tony Blair’s biggest mistake”. Downing Street later said the remarks referred to Scottish National party mismanagement.
In response to the remarks, which also included Johnson saying he could not “see a case” for handing down further powers, Scotland’s first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, said they backed the case for independence.
She tweeted: “Worth bookmarking these PM comments for the next time Tories say they’re not a threat to the powers of the Scottish Parliament – or, even more incredibly, that they support devolving more powers.
“The only way to protect and strengthen the Scottish Parliament is with independence.”
Both Douglas Ross, who leads the Conservatives in Scotland, and Paul Davies, who leads the Tories in the Welsh parliament, insisted that devolution had not been a disaster.
Johnson’s remarks were eagerly seized on by Welsh nationalists. Adam Price, the leader of Plaid Cymru, said the “biggest mistake” for Wales was that it had not left the union already.
Boris Johnson calling the devolved governments a disaster in the middle of this pandemic is a bit like Donald Trump accusing Joe Biden of being a danger to democracy. Our “biggest mistake” is not leaving the Union sooner so we’re saddled with you as PM - for now, but not for long pic.twitter.com/5jvUl3C627
— Adam Price (@Adamprice) November 16, 2020
Rhun ap Iorwerth, who speaks for Plaid on health, said: “Let’s not allow the desperate leaders of a failed UK state to dictate our future.”
For avoidance of doubt...
— Rhun ap Iorwerth (@RhunapIorwerth) November 16, 2020
Those who seek to undo devolution are also seeking to undo the existence of #Wales as a nation.
Let’s not allow the desperate leaders of a failed UK state to dictate our future. Our future can & should be in our hands - all of us who call Wales home.
🏴 https://t.co/oSgPREm5YG
The campaign group YesCymru, whose membership is growing, said: “People in Wales are waking up to the fact that the UK is about to end. The question for all in Wales – irrespective of politics – is what happens to Wales when Scotland leaves? Independence, or incorporation into England? Devolution won’t hold.”
The “United” Kingdom is dying.
— YesCymru 🏴 (@YesCymru) November 17, 2020
People in Wales are waking up to the fact that the UK is about to end.
The question for all in Wales - irrespective of politics - is what happens to Wales when Scotland leaves?
Independence, or incorporation into England?
Devolution won't hold. pic.twitter.com/lcqbc6nm6S
The prime minister’s spokesman said: “The PM has always fully supported devolution, and this government continues to put the union at the heart of all that we do. Now, more than ever, is the time for the United Kingdom to be pulling together to focus on defeating this virus.”
