'No turning back' in independence journey, says first minister at rally

Wales' first minister has said there is "no turning back" on the journey to independence for the country, as he attended a rally on Saturday.

In a speech addressing the crowd gathered in Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, Rhun ap Iorwerth said the "next step" for Wales had to be "equality with Scotland, as a minimum".

Thousands were in attendance, with the event organisers, campaign group Yes Cymru, saying it estimated the march attracted between 8,000 and 9,000 people.

"[Wales is] on a journey, and there's no turning back," ap Iorwerth said.

Since 2019, thousands have taken part in independence marches across Wales, including in Cardiff, Swansea, Wrexham, Merthyr Tydfil, Rhyl and Barry.

But this was the first time the first minister of Wales had attended a Yes Cymru march.

A Reform Cymru Member of the Senedd (MS) said he was "disappointed" by the first minister's decision to attend, while a Welsh Conservative MS said it would be "better for him to be behind his desk in Cathays sorting the problems he said he would sort out".

Following the march, a rally in Castle Gardens featured speeches, including from the first minister, as well as Yes Cymru's chairman Rob Hughes and Elwyn Vaughan, Plaid Cymru MS for Gwynedd Maldwyn.

It was the first march since the pro-independence party Plaid Cymru came into government in Wales following the Senedd elections in May.

Ap Iorwerth said: "We are standing up for Wales, pursuing the investment and greater powers we need from Westminster now, so we can make a real difference to people's lives as the next step in our constitutional journey."

In his speech, the Plaid Cymru MS for Bangor Conwy Môn referenced Prime Minister Andy Burnham's comments yesterday, ruling out the handing of powers to hold a referendum on independence to the Welsh government.

"The right to self-determination is not a right that the UK government is willing to acknowledge," ap Iorwerth said.

This week, the Senedd narrowly rejected a Reform motion declaring Wales should remain part of the United Kingdom.

The vote was initially tied, with 45 members backing the motion and 45 opposed, requiring Presiding Officer Huw Irranca-Davies to cast the deciding vote against the proposal in line with parliamentary convention.

Reform MS Joe Martin said the first minister's attendance at the event was "disappointing to see, especially so early in the term, given that Plaid Cymru campaigned on a platform where independence wasn't on the table for the Senedd term".

"It's not where their priorities and their attention should be," he told Politics Wales.

"If there was a clear and overwhelming majority of people in Wales who wanted independence then obviously that would change things, but there isn't, there's a clear and overwhelming majority of people who don't want independence."

Andrew RT Davies MS from the Welsh Conservatives added that "waiting times have gone up, and we've had the Pisa results that shows we've fallen further behind other parts of the United Kingdom".

He continued: "So instead of marching in Aberystwyth, [the first minister would] better off behind his desk in Cathays sorting the problems that he said he would sort out."

Welsh Labour declined to comment.

Responding to the opposition parties' criticism, a spokesperson for Plaid Cymru said: "We are getting on with the priorities facing Wales right now - reducing NHS waiting times, improving literacy and numeracy, supporting jobs and businesses, and tackling the cost of living - while also standing up for Wales and being ambitious for our nation's future."