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by Tomos Livingstone, Western Mail |
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SUPPORT for a Scottish-style parliament in Wales has doubled in the 10 years since the country voted in favour of devolution, a new opinion poll will reveal tonight.The research, undertaken by the Institute of Welsh Politics at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, shows a dramatic decline in anti-devolution sentiment since the knife-edge referendum 10 years ago.The findings, to be shown on S4C documentary Datganoli tonight, come on the eve of the 10th anniversary of the referendum, which saw a tiny majority of just 6,721 – or 0.3% – voting to create the Assembly.Since 1997 the institute has carried out regular surveys of public attitudes towards devolution, always asking voters to state their preferred constitutional solution – independence, a Parliament, an Assembly or no devolution at all.Support for independence has hovered at the same level for a decade, 14% then and 12% now, while an Assembly had the support of 27% polled in 1997 and 28% today.But the big changes are in support for a legislative Parliament, similar to the one in Scotland – up from 20% in 1997 to 43% now – and the decline in the anti-devolution vote: 40% then and just 17% now. A further analysis of the date shows an age-divide, with the under-35s far more likely to support a deepening of devolution.More than 50% of 18-34-year- olds support a Scottish-style parliament, compared with 35% of those aged 65 and over.By contrast, only 14% of those aged between 18-34 are opposed to any form of devolution compared with 24% of over-65s.The data will delight supporters of a new referendum on whether to move from the current Assembly to a full Welsh parliament.The One Wales coalition document agreed by Labour and Plaid in the summer contains a commitment to hold such a poll before 2011 – subject to votes in favour in Cardiff and Westminster.The agreement also commits to an assessment of the likelihood of a “Yes” vote before a poll is triggered.Backers of a parliament will take heart from the Aberystwyth data, but several Labour MPs and many Conservatives will remain deeply sceptical about the merits of further change..A halfway-house system, whereby the Assembly can legislate with the permission of The Aberystwyth research also shows an increase in support for devolution amongst women, a reversal of the situation in 1997. Women were 5% more likely than men to be anti-devolution in 1997, but are now 5% less likely to answer the question in the same way.Dr Richard Wyn Jones, the director of the The first part of Datganoli is shown on S4C tonight at |
1 comment:
The good thing is that all these old anti-devolution gits are kicking the bucket in vast numbers. Trouble is they get replaced by all these retirees from Telford and points east.
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