Welsh devolution
Welsh devolution is the transfer of legislative powers for self-governance to Wales by the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The current system of devolution began following the enactment of the Government of Wales Act 1998, with the responsibility of various devolved powers granted to the Welsh Government rather than being the responsibility of the Government of the United Kingdom.
Wales was conquered by England during the 13th century, with the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542 applying English law to Wales and incorporating it into England, and later into Great Britain and the United Kingdom. A rise in Welsh nationalism and political movements advocating for Welsh autonomy became more prominent in the late nineteenth century. The devolution of some administrative responsibilities began in the early twentieth century, as well as the passing of laws specific to Wales. Since World War II, various movements and proposals have advocated different models of Welsh devolution.
A 1979 referendum on devolution failed by 79%, while a 1997 referendum narrowly won. Laws were subsequently passed to establish the National Assembly for Wales and grant it secondary legislative powers over areas such as agriculture, education and housing. The third referendum, in 2011, saw voters support full primary law-making powers for the national assembly over specified areas of governance. In 2020, the assembly was renamed to Senedd Cymru/Welsh Parliament, to better reflect its expanded legislative powers.
The Welsh Labour Party advocates for further devolution and sometimes federalism, whilst the Welsh nationalist party, Plaid Cymru, has described devolution as a stepping stone towards full Welsh independence.
Incorporation of Wales into England
Wales was conquered by England during the 13th century and the last native prince of Wales, Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, was killed in an ambush by an English soldier in 1282. The 1284 Statute of Rhuddlan caused Wales to lose its de facto independence and formed the constitutional basis for it as a principality in the Realm of England.Owain Glyndŵr briefly restored Welsh independence in a national uprising that began in 1400. He convened Wales's first Senedd in Machynlleth in 1404, but the Welsh were defeated by the English by 1412. The penal laws against the Welsh of 1401-02 passed by the English parliament made the Welsh second-class citizens. With hopes of independence ended, there were no further wars or rebellions against English rule and the laws remained on the statute books until 1624.
The English parliament's Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542 applied English law to Wales and united the Principality and the Marches of Wales, effectively abolishing both regions and incorporating Wales into England. The Wales and Berwick Act 1746 defined "England" to include Wales.
History
Home rule movement
Disestablishment of the Anglican church
The Sunday Closing Act 1881 was the first legislation to acknowledge that Wales had a separate politico-legal character from the rest of the English state. At the time, a majority of people in Wales belonged to noncomformists chapels despite members of the Church of England having legal and social privileges. The Sunday Closing Act was therefore celebrated in Wales as a significant step towards establishing equal status for the noncomformist chapels and disestablishing the Anglican church in Wales. Historian and former BBC Wales producer John Trefor suggests that the act "was a victory, not only for the chapels and the temperance leagues, but for Welsh identity. He goes on to say, "There was a sense that things could be done differently here. Wales-only Education and cemetery acts came soon after, and in many respects it established the principle on which devolution and the National Assembly are based."David Lloyd George, MP for Caernarfon at the time, was devoted to Welsh devolution early in his career, starting with the Church in Wales. He said in 1890; "I am deeply impressed with the fact that Wales has wants and inspirations of her own which have too long been ignored, but which must no longer be neglected. First and foremost amongst these stands the cause of religious liberty and equality in Wales. If returned to Parliament by you, it shall be my earnest endeavour to labour for the triumph of this great cause. I believe in a liberal extension of the principle of decentralisation." In 1895, in a Church in Wales Bill which was ultimately unsuccessful, Lloyd George added an amendment in a discreet attempt at forming a sort of Welsh home rule, a national council for appointment of the Welsh Church commissioners. The Welsh Church Act 1914 was passed giving the Church in Wales the freedom to govern its own affairs. After being suspended for the duration of the First World War, the Act came into effect from 1920.
Home rule
In response to the Irish demand for "home rule", Liberal prime minister of the UK, William Gladstone proposed two bills on home rule for Ireland in 1886 and 1893, which both failed. Although the idea of "home rule all round" had been around since the 1830s the idea became more popular in 1910 during the constitutional conference and on the brink of an Irish war during 1913–14.Political movements supporting Welsh self-rule began in the late nineteenth century alongside a rise in Welsh nationalism. In the same year as the first bill for Ireland was proposed, the Cymru Fydd movement was founded to further the home rule cause for Wales. Lloyd George was one of the main leaders of Cymru Fydd which was an organisation created with the aim of establishing a Welsh Government and a "stronger Welsh identity". As such Lloyd George was seen as a radical figure in British politics and was associated with the reawakening of Welsh nationalism and identity. Historian Emyr Price has referred to him as "the first architect of Welsh devolution and its most famous advocate’" as well as "the pioneering advocate of a powerful parliament for the Welsh people". The first Cymru Fydd societies were set up in Liverpool and London in 1887 and in the winter of 1886–7, the North and South Wales liberal federations were founded. Lloyd George was also particularly active in attempting to set up a separate Welsh National Party which was based on Charles Stewart Parnell's Irish Parliamentary Party and also worked to unite the North and South Wales Liberal Federations with Cymru Fydd to form a Welsh National Liberal Federation. The Cymru Fydd movement collapsed in 1896 amid personal rivalries and rifts between Liberal representatives such as David Alfred Thomas. In 1898 however, David Lloyd George managed to form the Welsh National Liberal Council, a loose umbrella organisation covering the two federations.
Support for home rule for Wales and Scotland amongst most political parties was strongest in 1918 following the independence of other European countries after the First World War, and the Easter Rising in Ireland, wrote Dr Davies. Although Cymru Fydd had collapsed, home rule was still on the agenda, with liberal Joseph Chamberlain proposing "Home Rule All Round" for all nations of the United Kingdom, in part to meet Irish demands but maintain the superiority of the imperial parliament of Westminster. This idea which eventually fell out of favour after "southern Ireland" left the UK and became a dominion in 1921 and the Irish free state was established in 1922. Home rule all round became official labour party policy, by the 1920s, but the Liberals lost interest because if a Welsh Parliament was formed they would not control it.
Welsh institutions form
The late 19th century saw the formation of a number of national institutions; a national and annual cultural event, the National Eisteddfod of Wales in 1861, the Football Association of Wales in 1876, the Welsh Rugby Union in 1881 and the University of Wales in 1893.In 1896, Education in Wales began to become distinct with the formation of the Central Welsh Board which inspected grammar schools in Wales and The Welsh Intermediate Education Act 1889 was brought about to "make further provision for the intermediate and technical education of the inhabitants of Wales and the county of Monmouth.", making the board responsible for inspection of secondary schools. In 1907, the Welsh department of the Board of Education was formed and in the same year, a Welsh Inspectorate was established for inspection of primary and secondary schools in Wales.
The early 20th century also saw the continued formation of a number of Welsh national institutions; the National Library of Wales in 1911, the Welsh Guards in 1915 and the Welsh Board of Health in 1919. The Church in Wales came into existence in 1920 following the disestablishment of the Church of England via the Welsh Church Act 1914.
File:Parch Lewis Valentine yn ifanc.jpg|thumb|253x253px|Lewis Valentine, first president of Plaid Cymru.
There had been discussions about the need for a "Welsh party" since the 19th century. With the generation or so before 1922 there "had been a marked growth in the constitutional recognition of the Welsh nation", wrote historian Dr John Davies. By 1924 there were people in Wales "eager to make their nationality the focus of Welsh politics". In 1925 Plaid Genedlaethol Cymru was founded; it was renamed Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales in 1945. The party's principles defined in 1970 were self government for Wales, to safeguard the culture, traditions, language and economic position of Wales and to secure membership for a self-governing Welsh state in the United Nations.
Early members of the Independent Labour Party attempted to establish a South Wales Federation towards the end of the 19th century but the South Wales Regional Council of Labour was not established until 1937. The UK Labour government elected in 1945 was strongly centrist, but in the same year, there were 15 UK Government departments established in Wales. By 1947, a unified Welsh Regional Council of Labour became responsible for all Wales. In 1959 the Labour council title was changed from "Welsh Regional council" to "Welsh council", and the Labour body was renamed Labour Party Wales in 1975.