Plaid Cymru promises independence plan, but not in first term

Plaid Cymru has pledged to publish a plan for Welsh independence; but this is not in the first term of the Plaid-led government.

At the party conference, members approved leader Rhun ap Iorwerth’s proposal to establish a “standing commission” to talk to the public about the future of the country.

Members backed the commission’s plans to produce a white paper on Welsh independence, but AP Iorwerth told members it was not “for the next government”.

He did not give a date for when that would happen, but it suggests Plaid Cymru could pursue the idea if it wins both the 2026 and 2030 Senedd elections.

Ap Iorwerth used the conference in Swansea to introduce his party as a government-in-waiting and said the party was ready to replace Welsh Labor at the next vote in May.

The party has already withdrawn from its previous commitment to hold an independence referendum within five years. Held in the last election in 2021 under former leader Adam Price.

Ap Iorwerth rejects referendum in first term of Plaid-led government back in may.

But in his conference speech on Friday he said the party would “start the national debate on independence”.

Plaid’s annual conference on Saturday passed a motion saying Wales “is on a journey to independence and increased devolution can be part of that journey”.

Previously supported by the Welsh government Independent commission on the future of Wales The party’s motion became “a model for people’s participation” on constitutional issues, with the motion stating that a permanent commission should be established to review the recommendations of the government commission.

The government commission called, among other things, for justice and policing powers to be handed over to the Welsh government and for rail services to be fully devolved; Both decisions would have to be made by the UK government.

The commission said independence was a viable option for Wales’ future, but did not publicly support it or any other option, warning that independence meant “difficult choices in the short to medium term”.

The conference motion said the standing committee would “engage citizens in an ongoing dialogue on constitutional issues” and investigate “issues relating to the constitutional future of Wales”.

It will also produce “a white paper on Welsh independence”. The proposal also stated that the authority to hold a referendum should be transferred.

A white paper is a document detailing a government’s plans or proposals. SNP published a report white paper on independence plans Second term of government, before the Scottish referendum in 2014.

BBC Wales has been told the standing committee could start gathering evidence for a white paper in Plaid’s first term.

Ap Iorwerth, who proposed the motion to the conference on Saturday, said: “The motion looks to the future… and ultimately the need for a white paper that will set out the official pathway for asking the people of Wales questions in a referendum.

“We make it clear that when the time is right, we must be the ones to hold the referendum.

“But this is not true now or for the next government.

“Our work now is to take forward the debate on the next steps of Wales’ constitutional journey.”