YesCymru is urging the Welsh Government to be more assertive in demanding fair funding and control over Wales’ resources, following Andy Burnham’s calls for a new deal for the north of England.
As political and business leaders came together for the Convention of the North (of England), it is clear that leaders across the UK are making increasingly bold demands for a fairer distribution of resources - and the Welsh Government must do the same.
The UK Government continues to sideline Wales, denying it fair funding and decision-making powers. While Burnham fights for the north of England, Labour MPs - including those from Wales - recently voted against devolving the Crown Estate to Wales, directly opposing the position of the Labour-run Welsh Government.
The previous UK Government withheld the £4bn in consequential funding that Wales should have received from HS2 - money that could have transformed infrastructure and economic opportunities across the country - and the current UK Government has done nothing to reverse that decision.
The stakes could not be higher. With the next Senedd election in May 2026 fast approaching, the failure to demand fair funding and control over Welsh resources is not only damaging Wales’ economy - it is also shaping the political landscape in unpredictable ways.
YesCymru Chair, Phyl Griffiths, said:
Andy Burnham is showing how leaders can stand up for their communities and demand their fair share, even when that means challenging members of their own party in London. Eluned Morgan and the Welsh Government must be far more assertive in calling for fair funding and control over our natural resources. While the north of England and Scotland are being taken seriously, Wales continues to be ignored.
The ever-growing number of local authorities across Wales voting to support YesCymru’s call to transfer control of Crown Estate to Wales is becoming a deafening mandate of determination and a testament that asset-stripping will be tolerated no more.
We need strong leadership from the Welsh Government to fight for what is rightfully ours. When people feel abandoned and unheard, it creates an opening for the far right to exploit their frustrations – a serious threat to Welsh democracy.
Ultimately, only independence will guarantee Wales the power to protect its people, resources, and economy from Westminster’s neglect.