Plaid Cymru's Rhun ap Iorwerth Calls for 'New Deal' for Wales in Letter to PM Ahead of Conference Speech

Welsh First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth has formally requested a "new deal for Wales" from the UK prime minister, intensifying pressure for greater devolution just days before his inaugural party conference address since taking office. In a letter sent to Andy Burnham on Thursday and obtained by BBC Wales, the Plaid Cymru leader argues that Wales requires additional powers transferred from Westminster to Cardiff to effectively govern and improve public services.

The timing of the letter is significant, arriving on the eve of ap Iorwerth's first speech to party members at the Plaid Cymru conference in Llandudno. The address, scheduled for Friday, comes five months after the party achieved what has been described as a historic breakthrough at May's Senedd election, a result that ended Labour's 27-year dominance in Welsh government since devolution was established in 1999.

Despite that electoral success, ap Iorwerth governs without a majority in Cardiff Bay. His administration operates as a minority government, requiring cooperation with opposition Members of the Senedd to pass legislation and approve budgets. This precarious parliamentary position was underscored in July when the government suffered a defeat on a key vote concerning its spending plans, highlighting the practical challenges of governing without a guaranteed majority.

In his forthcoming conference speech, the first minister is expected to characterize the election outcome as a decisive endorsement of his party's agenda. He will state that the vote "delivered a clear mandate from the people of Wales for positive change that makes a tangible difference to their lives," according to advance excerpts of his remarks.

Central to ap Iorwerth's argument is the contention that this mandate extends to constitutional reform. He will tell party members that the mandate "includes extending devolution to enable the Senedd and the Welsh government to have the necessary tools - powers, funding and financial flexibilities - to drive the maximum improvement in outcomes for the people of Wales by integrating and improving public services and growing the economy." This framing positions devolution not merely as a constitutional aspiration but as a practical mechanism for delivering better governance and economic results.

The first minister will further articulate a principle of constitutional parity within the United Kingdom, stating that "as an underpinning principle to support these reforms, Wales should be able to benefit from the same constitutional and fiscal tools already available in Scotland." This comparison with Scotland's devolution settlement has long been a rallying point for Welsh nationalists, who argue that Wales has been disadvantaged by a more limited transfer of powers since the advent of devolution.

The letter to Burnham, which runs to approximately 2,000 words, sets out a detailed and specific list of powers that ap Iorwerth believes should be devolved to Wales. These include control over policing and justice, rail infrastructure, and the Crown Estate. Each of these areas represents a significant expansion of the Senedd's current remit and would bring Wales closer to the devolved settlement enjoyed by Scotland, where policing, justice, and rail infrastructure are already matters for the Scottish government.

In addition to specific powers, the first minister is pressing for changes to Wales' funding arrangements. He calls for "funding arrangements that are fair, needs-based and reflect Wales' demographic and economic realities." This argument touches on longstanding concerns that the Barnett formula and other funding mechanisms do not adequately account for Wales' particular circumstances, including an ageing population and areas of significant economic deprivation.

Ap Iorwerth concludes his constitutional argument by asserting that "Wales' constitutional settlement should continue to evolve to improve democratic accountability, boost growth, strengthen public services and deliver better outcomes for our communities." This evolutionary approach to devolution contrasts with more radical calls for independence, though the first minister has not ruled out that possibility in the longer term.

The prime minister, Andy Burnham, has previously indicated a willingness to engage with the Welsh government's proposals. He stated that he would "give a fair hearing to anything that is put to me" by the Welsh first minister and has separately expressed openness to the idea of transferring control over policing to Wales. These comments suggest that while not all of ap Iorwerth's requests may be granted, there is at least a basis for substantive discussion rather than outright rejection.

The political context of ap Iorwerth's demands adds another dimension to the story. Last month, he hosted the nationalist first ministers of Scotland and Northern Ireland in Cardiff, where the three leaders issued a joint declaration that "Westminster's time is coming to an end." This unprecedented gathering of nationalist leaders from across the UK's devolved nations signals a coordinated push for a fundamental redistribution of power away from London.

The first minister is expected to meet Burnham, alongside the first ministers of Scotland and Northern Ireland, at the end of the month. This meeting will be a critical test of whether the prime minister's stated willingness to listen translates into concrete commitments on devolving further powers to Wales.

For Plaid Cymru, the conference in Llandudno represents both a celebration of recent electoral gains and a moment to define the party's governing agenda. Having won power for the first time, the party now faces the challenge of translating its long-standing constitutional aspirations into tangible improvements in public services and economic performance. The minority government's ability to deliver on these fronts will likely shape its electoral prospects in the years ahead.

The broader implications of this constitutional conversation extend beyond Wales. The UK's devolution settlement has evolved asymmetrically since 1999, with Scotland and Northern Ireland gaining substantially more powers than Wales in key areas. Ap Iorwerth's demands touch on this imbalance, raising fundamental questions about the nature of the Union and how power should be distributed across its constituent nations. How the prime minister responds will be closely watched not only in Cardiff and London but also in Edinburgh and Belfast.