Monday 25 September 2017

Booklet launch: ‘Towards Federalism and Beyond…’

Lord David Owen, Gwynoro Jones, Lord Elystan Morgan & Glyndwr Cennydd Jones share thoughts on the UK Union and need for a Constitutional Convention.

Prepared during summer 2017 in the wake of the EU Referendum and General Election of the past year, this booklet shares the views of Lord David Owen, Gwynoro Jones, Lord Elystan Morgan and Glyndwr Cennydd Jones on the future of the UK Union generally and Wales’s status within it specifically, including a preface written by Martin Shipton.


Considering that the four nations are intrinsically linked culturally and historically in modern times through shared industrial, political and international experiences, the UK constitutional question prompts a range of responses depending on where one places an emphasis on the economic to social measuring scale.

An alternative way of posing the problem might be to ask how we could better set about empowering the people of these isles from Lands End to Cardiff to John o’ Groats, and Londonderry to Caernarfon to Newcastle, in improving standards of living and personal fulfilment through a political system and ensuing policies which promote economic success regionally, nationally and globally whilst maintaining internal and external security. 


Drawing on the significant experiences of the authors, these individual essays highlight the need for a Constitutional Convention to explore the various alternative models to devolution, encompassing shifts towards federalism and beyond…

‘The suggestions to be found in this series of essays by a new, self-styled ‘Gang of Four’ are motivated by the desire to see greater fairness in the way we are governed.’

‘In this respect, they form part of a long and honourable tradition, and deserve to be taken seriously.’

Martin Shipton: Political author and Chief reporter for Media Wales