You might not like to hear what I've got to say, but I'm sure some of the people of Wales will.

Well, well, well. It's been almost a year to the day since I stood in this Chamber and I delivered a speech against, then, Labour, Plaid and the Lib Dems' calls for more powers to this Senedd. Now, we're back here again discussing having more politicians. No wonder people out there think politicians have lost touch with the public. So, don't even try to pretend that you are genuinely going back to your constituencies and are hearing a groundswell of support for this ridiculous proposal, that people are singing and dancing down the streets saying that the way to sort Wales's problems out is by getting more politicians. [Interruption.] No, not yet.

Over the last week, I've been around every corner of Brecon and Radnorshire, and I was overwhelmed with comments from my constituents who are outraged by these proposals and the huge cost associated with expanding this Senedd, when people in my constituency can't even access a dentist for 12 months. At a time of a cost-of-living crisis, when Ministers in here regularly berate everybody on this side of the Chamber for saying it's a choice between heating and eating, now you want to go and spend millions of taxpayer money that could be spent helping people on electing 36 more politicians, plus the extra money for support staff, plus the extra money for Commission staff, Members' expenses, structural changes to this Chamber and Tŷ Hywel, all because you and left-wing academics and think tanks think we don't have enough resources. Your excuses for political expansion just don't cut the mustard. 

You say that the people of Wales need more representation to get things done. Let's just see how much representation we're going to have in Wales: thirty-two paid Members of Parliament, 96 paid Members of the Senedd, 1,242 paid county councillors, one thing that the Labour Party has never been able to deal with. I'm sure that people on the streets outside here would rather see the Government of the day cracking on with the day job, fixing the crumbling NHS in Wales, helping build the economy and providing excellent education for our children; that's what the public pay for and that's what the public deserve.

Let's be very clear: I'm a very, very proud Welshman. I love my country and I love democracy; it is one thing that I do think unites us in this Chamber from time to time. I believe that the public should have a say on reforms in a referendum on the number of politicians in this place. Every major constitutional change to the Senedd and Wales has been done via a public vote, and the people have a right to have their say on these changes.

If you truly believe that you have the confidence of the Welsh public for these changes, let's have a referendum. This underhanded back-room deal struck between the First Minister and Adam Price goes against everything this socialist coalition claim they stand for. They say it's progressive; it's not—it locks out a field of wider political choice, like Jane Dodds has said. You say it's equal; it's not equal—it doesn't recognise everybody from every diversity. And you say it's fair; it's not fair—it makes Senedd Members here servants of political parties and unions and not the people, and that is fundamentally wrong.