4. 4. Plaid Cymru Debate: The Wales Bill and the Electoral System

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:20 pm on 29 June 2016.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Carwyn Jones Carwyn Jones Labour 3:20, 29 June 2016

(Translated)

I’d like to thank everyone for their contributions. First of all, of course, there is an amendment before the Assembly that would broaden the scope of the case that has been put already in the Chamber. The purpose of the debate, of course, is to concentrate on the fact that the National Assembly will have the power to change the electoral arrangements at a local level, but also at an Assembly level, ultimately. And, of course, I am extremely supportive of that, as are these benches. It’s very important that it’s this Assembly that controls the system and the means by which we elect Members to this Assembly in future.

Of course, it’s true to say that the Wales Bill itself doesn’t allow that only 51 per cent of the vote is required to change the system, and I think that’s quite right, because, with such a fundamental change, it’s very important that more than one party should support any change in the electoral arrangements. I wouldn’t argue against that. But, for me, the problem that we have at present is the fact that the debate, as set out in the motion, is too narrow, because, instead of arguing that the Assembly should have the power to change the electoral system, it argues that the Assembly should have the power to change this system, but only to one alternative model. So, it narrows the debate, rather than broadening it.

So, what the amendment seeks to do, therefore, is to ensure that, first of all—