Former Labour leader Neil Kinnock has never been a fan of giving Wales more power. The son of a Tredegar coal miner, Kinnock believes in unity over national identity. In the late ’70s, he pushed the “Labour No Assembly” campaign, arguing Wales didn’t need a political chamber to prove its pride.
Fast forward to the present, Kinnock says devolution has only fuelled nationalism. He thinks splitting Scotland and Wales into regional assemblies, rather than national ones, could have curbed this trend. Kinnock argues that devolution created a built-in conflict between Westminster and the devolved governments. He believes that nationalist parties, like the SNP, thrive off this tension, while the Tories, despite upholding the union, seem unfazed by the potential breakup.
Kinnock laments that devolution wasn’t rolled out uniformly across the UK. He suggests that if regions like the West Midlands or Avon had similar powers, things might be different. Wales has its own list of desired devolved powers, from justice to railway funding, but there’s no movement in Westminster to grant them.
He also observes Plaid Cymru’s shift away from pushing independence as a key campaign point, something he predicted. Kinnock feels this is a strategic move, recognising the limitations and potential isolation that full independence might bring.
In summary, Kinnock paints a picture of a nation where power could have been more regionally balanced, arguing for practical devolution focused on proximity and efficiency. While he sees the merit in devolved powers like the Crown Estate and policing, he stresses a need for parity across regions to ensure true devolution, not just token gestures.