First minister demands 'New Deal for Wales' in letter to PM ahead of Plaid conference

First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth has written to the prime minister demanding “A New Deal for Wales”, ahead of his first address to Plaid Cymru’s annual conference since the party’s historic Senedd election victory in May.

In a 2,000-word letter to Andy Burnham, the Plaid Cymru leader makes a detailed case for transferring powers over policing and justice, rail infrastructure, the Crown Estate and welfare to Wales, alongside “funding arrangements that are fair, needs-based and reflect Wales’ demographic and economic realities”.

“Wales should be able to benefit from the same constitutional and fiscal tools already available to Scotland,” he says, arguing that the Senedd election delivered “a clear mandate from the people of Wales for positive change that makes a tangible difference to their lives”.

He calls the case for devolving policing and justice “compelling and urgent”, pointing to the “recognised ‘jagged edge’” between devolved public services and the reserved justice system, which he says makes it harder to design and deliver “coherent, citizen-centred services”.

Ap Iorwerth will set out the proposals at the conference in Llandudno on Friday afternoon. The move follows Burnham ruling out a Welsh independence-referendum power while promising a “fair hearing” on further devolution; ap Iorwerth is expected to meet the prime minister with the Scottish and Northern Ireland first ministers at the end of the month.