The last week of Senedd business before the summer break has been a turbulent one. We have seen mass resignations from the Welsh Government cabinet, the First Minister Vaughan Gething resigning his post, and a reshuffle of the top team in the Welsh Government.
It is clear by now that, for all the weeks where the scandals surrounding the First Minister have dominated Welsh politics, the focus of the Welsh Government has been dismayingly distracted from the urgent task of governing.
It has also been disheartening to see the Welsh Government roll-back on their previously clear support for the devolution of justice and policing, the proceeds of the Crown Estate, and the billions we are owed from HS2.
In Westminster, Keir Starmer’s Cabinet has made clear that Wales will not be a priority for them, with some key figures openly referring to the principle of devolving further powers as “tinkering” with processes. In recent years, commission after commission (independent of government interference) has recommended the devolution of these further powers, to ensure that the Welsh Government has the tools necessary to make improvements to people’s lives, and invest urgently in our economy. It is regrettable indeed that the level of ambition which Labour is showing for Wales, at both ends of the M4, has become so muted.
Last week, the King’s Speech in Westminster represented a missed opportunity to take these greatly-needed steps. There was no pledge for Wales to have powers over the Crown Estate (which sets us apart, quite starkly, from Scotland, which has had those powers since 2017). If Wales had control over these sources of energy, we could ensure that profits from renewable projects would be ploughed directly into Welsh communities. Instead, at present, the proceeds from these projects flow directly to the Treasury, and a portion goes to the UK monarchy. It is a historical anomaly that must be put right. With this, as with so many other issues, my Plaid Cymru colleagues and I will be fighting in both parliaments to ensure that Wales’ interests are listened to, and that the ambition shown for our future is not tamed.