Sir Keir Starmer visits Cardiff and says he is a ‘big believer in devolution’

Sir Keir Starmer has hit back at criticism from several backbench Labour Members of the Senedd (MSs) by saying he’s a “big believer in devolution”.

On a visit to Ely in Cardiff on Friday, the prime minister denied claims made in a letter that he was rolling back devolution by bypassing ministers in the Senedd to make decisions for Wales.

In Wales to launch the UK government’s child poverty strategy, the Labour leader said: “I’m focussing on those people that we need to deliver for.

“For me that trumps everything,” he added.

The letter was signed earlier this month by senior Labour Senedd members and former Welsh government ministers, but not any current ministers.

It called the use of the Pride in Place scheme to give cash to councils for town centre improvements a “constitutional outrage” for bypassing the Welsh government, which normally governs and funds local government in Wales.

The letter has been strongly criticised by some in Labour’s Senedd group and some of the party’s Welsh MPs.

Sir Keir was joined on his visit by the First Minister of Wales, Eluned Morgan.

She said she had been “aware” of the letter but declined to say when she had found out about it.

Neither would she say if it had been written with her consent or sent behind her back.

Morgan said she had discussed the matter with the prime minister a week ago and that she would “continue to talk to him about it”.

“Our position remains as it has been for a significant amount of time,” she added.

“We believe that areas that are devolved should be respected and clearly that conversation will continue”.

Asked if she still had control of her backbenchers, she replied: “I absolutely do”.

The UK government’s record in Wales was also defended by Darren Jones, Sir Keir’s chief secretary.

He said Wales had enjoyed a “record breaking” funding deal and insisted the UK and Welsh Labour governments had a “very clear record of success” over the past 18 months “delivering for Wales”.

Jones was answering reporters’ questions at a news conference after a British-Irish Council summit, hosted by the Welsh government in Cardiff.

He said the last 18 months had shown the “power of two Labour governments working together for the people of Wales”.

Jones cited the announcement of new AI growth zones, the building of new small modular nuclear reactors at Wylfa, in Anglesey, and additional rail investment as examples of what could be achieved.

He said the UK government was “very proud of our Pride in Place support for local communities”.

Ms Morgan, seated alongside Jones at the news conference, said: “Our position as a government has always been very clear on this”.

“I raised the issue with the prime minister last week – we work together on these issues,” she said.

“We have a very good relationship and we continue to discuss,” she said, adding this was highlighted by the fact the child benefit poverty strategy was launched in Wales.

However, Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth said Welsh Labour was in “complete disarray, with Eluned Morgan’s own backbenchers calling out the so-called ‘partnership in power’ for failing to deliver for Wales”.

“The people of Wales are fed up of being taken for granted by these two Labour governments, who continuously put party before country,” he said.

Darren Millar, leader of the Welsh Conservatives, said: “One Labour government damaging Wales was bad enough, now we have two and things are twice as bad.

“After two damaging budgets, we now we have Welsh government ministers focused on infighting about Senedd powers instead of fixing the everyday problems people in Wales are facing.”

The British-Irish Council was created in 1999, under the Good Friday Agreement, and is made up of the governments of the UK, Northern Ireland and Ireland, Wales, Scotland, the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey.

Additional reporting by Teleri Glyn-Jones