Kirsty Williams AM

First Minister risks dividing the Yes campaign before it gets off the ground - Kirsty Williams

The Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, Kirsty Williams, has warned the First Minister that he is "in danger of dividing the Yes campaign before it even gets off the ground."

Carwyn Jones recently used a speech at the Eisteddfod, purporting to support a Yes vote, to link the referendum on law making powers with the need to review the Barnett funding formula.

Kirsty Williams has today written to the First Minister, warning him that a strong cross party campaign will be needed in order to win the referendum in 2011 and seeking his assurance that he will avoid hijacking the referendum issue for party political advantage in future.

Kirsty Williams AM, the Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats said:

""I am dismayed that Carwyn Jones has used his position as First Minister to introduce an inaccurate and partisan claim into what should be a united campaign. In making such statements, without discussing them with the leaders of other parties who support a Yes vote, Carwyn Jones is danger of dividing the Yes campaign before it even gets off the ground.

"The 'Barnett formula' system of funding is widely discredited and delivers a poor deal for Wales. But it is Labour's formula - invented by Labour and sustained by successive Labour governments.

"The issue of Barnett review is separate to the debate on strengthening law making powers for Wales.

"The UK Government has acted swiftly to ensure a referendum on law making powers takes place as early as possible. The Liberal Democrats in Government at Westminster are now delivering on our 100 year old commitment to devolve real power from Westminster to the Welsh people and we want to work constructively with progressives in all parties to secure a yes vote.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

The full text of Kirsty Williams' letter to the First Minister is below:

Carwyn Jones

First Minister, Welsh Assembly Government

10 August 2010

Dear Carwyn,

The need for a cross party cooperation to secure a Yes vote

I am writing to express my concern about your recent pronouncements on the referendum for law making powers for the Welsh Assembly and to urge you to work with me and leaders of other parties in order to ensure we secure a Yes vote in the forthcoming referendum.

The UK Government has acted swiftly to ensure a referendum on law making powers takes place as early as possible. It has also pledged to review the funding formula and it makes sense to do so with clarity about Wales' powers, without it being a precondition.

But in your speech at the Eisteddfod, you chose to link the referendum on law making powers with the need to review the Barnett formula system of funding.

Of course, I agree with you that the 'Barnett formula' system of funding is widely discredited and delivers a poor deal for Wales. I am sure you would acknowledge this formula was one invented by your party and sustained by successive Labour governments, in both Wales and Westminster, even during periods of economic growth. The people of Wales will have noticed that you are now approaching the need to reform Barnett with an urgency that was not there when your own party had the power, but not the will, to implement this reform.

However, whilst I agree that we need to reform Barnett and will continue to push for this to happen as soon as is practicable, the issue of Barnett review is separate to the debate on strengthening law making powers for Wales.

The Liberal Democrats in Government at a UK level are now delivering on our 100 year old commitment to devolve real power from Westminster to the Welsh people. We now want to work constructively with progressives in all parties to secure a Yes vote. The history of devolution shows us that it is essential that this happens. In the 1970s, the failure to build such a consensus resulted in a no vote that put the cause of Welsh devolution back a generation. In 1997, a more cross party approach was taken to the Yes campaign, with the result that we won the vote to establish the Welsh Assembly. In 2011, we will need a strong cross party campaign in order to win the referendum.

I would like your assurance that you will avoid hijacking the referendum issue in this way for party political advantage as we move towards the referendum next year.

I hope that we can put this unfortunate episode behind us and unite behind a single Yes campaign that can deliver the change that the people of Wales so badly need.

Yours sincerely,