Rhun ap Iorwerth, the first Senedd leader from a party other than Labour since devolution, calls on Andy Burnham to understand that Wales is a nation in its own right, not just an English region.
The Welsh First Minister did not mince words. Rhun ap Iorwerth demanded that Andy Burnham address the issue of devolution seriously, recognizing that Wales is a nation, "not a region of England."
While saying he was encouraged by the initial discussions with the new British Prime Minister, ap Iorwerth expressed a major reservation: he feared that Burnham might end up being absorbed by the prevailing consensus in Westminster, which is hostile to any further transfer of powers to Cardiff.
Rhun ap Iorwerth holds a historic position in the Senedd, the Welsh assembly: he is the first non-Labour leader since devolution. This particular political context lends additional weight to his statements, at a time when relations between the Welsh government and London are receiving renewed attention.
