More than a third of Labour members of the Welsh parliament have launched an extraordinary attack on Keir Starmer’s government, accusing it of rolling back devolution.
Eleven Labour Senedd members (MSs) wrote to the prime minister and Labour leader claiming his administration had been either “deeply insensitive” to Wales or guilty of “constitutional outrage”.
They expressed “increasing concern” about what they said was the UK government’s failure to devolve further functions to Wales, including justice, policing and the crown estate.
The move is being seen as further evidence of a dramatic decline of Labour in Wales.
Labour has dominated Welsh politics for a century but lost the Caerphilly byelection in October, coming third. The party is trailing behind Plaid Cymru and Reform UK in polls before next year’s Senedd elections.
The catalyst for the letter is the UK government’s Pride in Place scheme that allocates cash to councils – including in Wales – for town centre improvements such as fixing bus shelters and providing bins.
The letter highlighted that regeneration was a devolved matter and said the move by the UK government was “at best deeply insensitive, at worst a constitutional outrage”.
It said: “This is a UK government programme operating in a wholly devolved area that is being designed and delivered from Whitehall. Why is the UK government directly funding Welsh councils to fix bus shelters, reopen park toilets, and provide bins?”
The letter added: “If this was being done by a Tory government, we would be calling for a judicial review. This must never happen again. Wales needs and deserves to be treated as an equal part of the UK and the UK government has a responsibility to act to deliver this equality.”
The letter continued: “We have increasing concern about the failure to move forward with agreed steps to devolve further functions to Wales.
“In opposition we raised expectations of reform of the Barnett formula [the mechanism under which the UK Treasury allocates funds to Wales], devolution of rail infrastructure, policing and justice and of the crown estate. Not only is the [UK] government not progressing these but it is rolling back the existing devolution settlement.”
No members of the Welsh government signed the letter but it made it clear the first minister, Eluned Morgan, had spoken to Starmer about the issue.
The UK government did not appear to back down, with a spokesperson saying: “We’re working hand in hand with the Welsh government to deliver real change for communities across Wales in partnership. Providing well-targeted funding will help achieve this – with Pride in Place putting local people in the driving seat to decide their priorities, whether that’s their high street, local businesses, or community spaces.
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“It provides extra investment on top of the record funding we’ve already given to Wales, as we make sure communities get the support they deserve.”
Political opponents claimed the row showed Labour in Wales was in crisis. Describing the letter as “extraordinary”, Mabon ap Gwynfor, a Plaid Cymru MS, said: “Labour in Wales falling apart just months before a crucial election. It tells you everything you need to know about a party in complete disarray, with no influence whatsoever over their London colleagues.
“The cracks inside Labour are now clear for all to see. This is a party split and lacking confidence in its own leadership, while communities in Wales are left paying the price.”
Jane Dodds, the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, said: “If Labour’s representatives in Wales have lost faith in Labour’s MPs in London, it tells you everything about how little grip the party has on devolution.”
A Conservative party spokesperson said: “Labour are in chaos.”
