Welsh independence: More people in favour, Plaid say

Plaid leader says demand for independence has risen, but Lord Elis-Thomas urges caution

The level of support for independence in Wales is similar to that in Scotland's a decade ago, Plaid Cymru's leader has claimed.

Adam Price told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show "more and more" people were supporting the idea because of the state of the economy and the level of inequality in Welsh society.

Mr Price said independence would put Wales "on a better path".

But Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas said a referendum now would not be "wise".

Mr Price said: "We are not going to be able to put Wales on a better path, on a better trajectory, without independence.

"The level of support for independence now in Wales is where it was in Scotland 10 years ago.

"A few short years after that, Scotland came within touching distance of voting yes in the independence referendum."

Discussion on devolution

With the prospect of Scotland holding another independence referendum "in the near future" and "Northern Ireland cooperating more with the Republic", Wales' Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism Lord Elis-Thomas said he did not think it would be "wise" to hold a referendum in Wales "at the moment".

But he added there was a "great need" to "strengthen" devolution in Wales.

Speaking on BBC Radio Cymru's Dewi Llwyd ar Fore Sul, Lord Elis-Thomas said the pandemic had made it obvious that "the United Kingdom is a country of four nations" and there was a need to "intensify" those arrangements.

"I don't know if it is wise to hold a referendum on independence here in Wales at the moment but it's obvious that the discussion on devolution for Wales is not going to subside," he said.

"Co-dependency, co-operation and self-governance, those are the things that are important to me".