9. Statement by the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution: Update on the Constitutional Commission

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 6:01 pm on 16 November 2021.

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Photo of Rhys ab Owen Rhys ab Owen Plaid Cymru 6:01, 16 November 2021

There is no doubt that devolution in Wales has been a journey; it's been a long one. If you think of it for a moment, with our environmental hats on, as a rail journey from London—and the Llywydd will be pleased with this—to Aberystwyth. Now, there are very few who want us to stay in Paddington. There are even fewer who want direct rule from a viceroy-type John Redwood in a Whitehall office, while there are a few over there on the Conservative benches who want to go back to the age of steam and roll devolution back. The majority of us here, and in Wales, want to go full steam ahead, full speed ahead on the devolution journey—hopefully, Llywydd, on to Aberystwyth in an electric train, through the Welsh countryside, avoiding the constituencies of some anti-Senedd Tory MPs in Shropshire on the way.

Unlike Darren Millar, I welcome the appointment of the commissioners. As the Counsel General said, we can't include everyone, and we all know who'd be the first to complain if there were too many commissioners appointed.