6. Statement by the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution: Interim Report of the Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:55 pm on 31 January 2023.

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Photo of Tom Giffard Tom Giffard Conservative 4:55, 31 January 2023

Minister, I've heard a number of definitive statements from you today in terms of this interim report and the commission, in terms of what it means for the people of Wales. But, actually, I think this commission has been set up and the report has been based on, unfortunately, a skewed range of opinions. We know that 55 per cent of the people that responded to the survey supported independence, but from the last St David's Day poll, just 14 per cent of the people in Wales supported it. It's a very small number, but it's actually less than the number of people who vote for Plaid Cymru, so if Plaid can't even convince their own voters to support independence, how on earth they'll convince the rest of Wales, I'll never understand.

But, nevertheless, what this consultation exercise has shown is that it failed to properly engage with communities right across Wales. You called it a genuinely national conversation, but, in fact, it's actually a projection of Wales and the Wales that this commission wished existed, rather than the Wales that actually does exist today. It skews the entire consultation exercise. You said it set out the variety of opinions. Well, we know that the same number of people that want independence in Wales, according to polls, also want to abolish this place entirely, which is not something given consideration to at all by this commission. So, do you agree with me, Minister, that if this consultation cannot be done reliably, it should not be done at all?