Mick Antoniw AM and David Melding AM talk to Jess Blair about the future of the UK and whether a federal arrangement is the way forward.
As part of the IWA constitutional convention we are asking ‘What is the future of the UK?’
Jess Blair is joined by Mick Antoniw, AM for Pontypridd, and David Melding, AM for South Wales Central, to discuss the future of the UK and whether a federal arrangement is the way forward.
Listen below to Mick Antoniw AM talk about decentralisation of power, a proper UK constitutional convention and how politics in England has lagged very far behind Wales and Scotland in terms on thinking about devolution.
Listen below to David Melding AM discuss federal mechanisms; the need for a written constitution, an English legislative process and that these changes are happening in the very British way of reform rather than a federal revolution.
Join the discussion and share your thoughts at IWAconvention.co.uk
Surely the Welsh should have learned by now that it is unreasonable to expect the English to arrange their affairs for the convenience of the Welsh. Expecting England to federalise when there is no public appetite for it is hopeless. And what problem does it solve for us? The UK has already shown it is compatible with as high a degree of Welsh autonomy as we demand. The limitations on devolution come from this side of the border, not the other. So long as the Union exists the key decisions on shared functions like defence will be made by the English. That is true whether they have their own Parliament or not or have their own regions or not. It is true by virtue of their sheer size and share of resources. Stop fretting about things that can’t be otherwise and tend our own garden.