Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:35 pm on 1 March 2023.
This debate has made me think of a recent conversation I had at an event, and a subsequent e-mail I received from a constituent. I was at an event and we got into a discussion about what it is to be Welsh. I said that, in my opinion—and it is only my humble opinion—if you call Wales your home and you feel Welsh, then as far as I'm concerned, you're Welsh. This is the e-mail I received and it was titled, 'A personal thank you':
'I just wanted to offer a personal thank you for a conversation we had at a recent event. I mentioned that Brexit had taken away my European identity, and although I've lived all my adult life in Wales and that my family are here, having been born in London I felt one couldn't become Welsh because there was no legal mechanism for doing so. You kindly said that there was no concern at all about self-identifying as Welsh. Last week, whilst filling in paperwork for a house move, I had my first chance to declare that I am Welsh on a formal document. Thank you kindly for your encouragement'.
Minister, I'd like to know how we can encourage more people to feel confident and self-identify as Welsh, regardless of where they're born. Diolch yn fawr.