Welsh first minister calls for expanded powers and a new UK partnership

Rhun ap Iorwerth, Wales' first minister, formally requested the British prime minister to transfer additional powers to the Welsh government, covering policing, the justice system, rail infrastructure and natural resources. He described the existing union as lacking equality and called for a new deal to correct historic unfairness. Plaid Cymru, his centre-left nationalist party, assumed office in May, ending over a century of Labour dominance.

Four months into his tenure, he signed a declaration with Scotland and Northern Ireland asserting their right to self-determination and warning that the UK Parliament's authority may wane. While he frames the initiative as a step toward greater Welsh self-governance, he stopped short of proposing a referendum. The move aims to reshape the relationship between Wales and the United Kingdom without dismantling the union.