According to 'Golwg 360' Rhodri Morgan, as part of an interview where he discusses the success of the 'One Wales' government between Plaid Cymru and Labour states that a referendum on "Scottish Style Powers" will be called in 2011 - if it looks as if it could be won! So much for a level playing field.
In addition to the cynical way in which it would appear that the people of Wales will only have a say on the issue if they appear to be thinking in the same way as the Labour / Plaid administration his comments also includes a repeat of another untruth (lie?). Despite attempting to talk of Scottish Style Powers the Government of Wales Act 2006 allows for no such powers in a Welsh context. For a readable commentary on the act you can read this analysis by Nigel Johnson of which I will quote the most important point for my argument;
"It is noticeable that Wales in this respect is not to follow the Scottish model in which matters reserved to Westminster are specified and everything else is devolved. Instead the GWA 2006 adopts a 'defined functions' model where the devolved powers are listed"
I suspect that Rhodri Morgan knows this to be the case but from what I gather support for further powers for the Assembly increases substantially if the question is framed in the context of parity with Scotland. Thus we have a government in Cardiff Bay which will call a referendum only when it feels that it can win and will attempt to frame the discussion on the basis of a factual inaccuracy.
Guto Bebb
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