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Hain speech follows coalition row Hain 'no veto' pledge on powers
(about 1 hour later)
Peter Hain is addressing the Welsh assembly a day after a row appeared to threaten the Labour-Plaid Cymru assembly government coalition. Welsh Secretary Peter Hain has given a pledge he will not veto a request for a referendum on extra assembly powers.
The Welsh secretary's speech will be scrutinised for his views on the timing of a referendum on future powers. His assurance came a day after a row appeared to threaten the Labour-Plaid Cymru assembly government coalition.
The row between Labour and Plaid Cymru over the issue was described as a serious threat to their partnership. Mr Hain's scheduled address to the assembly chamber on the Queen's speech was overshadowed by the dispute.
But the parties later appeared to have settled their differences when their leaders issued a joint statement. But he also warned AMs not to be "straight-jacketed by a pre-determined referendum timetable that could trigger the disaster of a 'no' vote".
Mr Hain is on record as saying he does not believe a referendum should be held before May 2011. Mr Hain is previously on record as saying he does not believe a referendum should be held before May 2011, but refused to be drawn on that when asked if he still believed that when asked by Welsh Conservative leader Nick Bourne.
This runs contrary to the coalition agreement between Plaid Cymru and Labour. The global economic crisis, combined with the anger about expenses, has created a deeply anti-politics culture in Wales - hardly the best time to be rushing to ask for more powers for politicians Welsh Secretary Peter Hain
Helen Mary Jones AM, Plaid Cymru's deputy leader in the assembly, said the "serious disagreement" centred on the issue of a decision on the referendum being decided jointly by the parties and not by Labour alone. Refusing to hold a referendum before that date runs contrary to the coalition agreement between Plaid Cymru and Labour.
She said the coalition remained "strong and solid" after the first minister and the deputy first minister "were able to put it right very quickly". Mr Hain told AMs: "If I am the secretary of state in receipt of an assembly request to call a referendum, I would not veto that request.
"More than that, I would vote 'yes' for the powers I have long believed in and indeed legislated for in 2006 [in the section of the Government of Wales Act 2006 which sets out a procedure to trigger a referendum]."
Yet Mr Hain also warned of AMs of what he saw as the risks of holding a referendum earlier rather than later.
He said that "the global economic crisis, combined with the anger about expenses, has created a deeply anti-politics culture in Wales - hardly the best time to be rushing to ask for more powers for politicians."
He also said: "Meanwhile there is a general election to fight - the outcome of which will determine whether this assembly has the size of budget to deliver the services the people of Wales need."
"We must not be straight-jacketed by a pre-determined referendum timetable that could trigger the disaster of a 'No' vote.
I think the very fact that we can have such a serious disagreement... but that we were able to put it right very quickly and get back on track, is a testimony to the trust that has been built up, and that has now been restored Helen Mary Jones AM, Plaid CymruI think the very fact that we can have such a serious disagreement... but that we were able to put it right very quickly and get back on track, is a testimony to the trust that has been built up, and that has now been restored Helen Mary Jones AM, Plaid Cymru
"We must keep all options open, meanwhile patiently building the consensus across the parties and throughout civil society which we will need to deliver a clear 'yes' vote," Mr Hain added.
Speaking before Mr Hain's statement, Helen Mary Jones AM, Plaid Cymru's deputy leader in the assembly, said the "serious disagreement" the previous day centred on the issue of a decision on the referendum being decided jointly by the parties and not by Labour alone.
She said the coalition remained "strong and solid" after the first minister and the deputy first minister "were able to put it right very quickly".
'Serious disagreement'
She said: "I think the very fact that we can have such a serious disagreement - it was a serious disagreement, I don't think anybody is underplaying that - but that we were able to put it right very quickly and get back on track, is a testimony to the trust that has been built up, and that has now been restored."She said: "I think the very fact that we can have such a serious disagreement - it was a serious disagreement, I don't think anybody is underplaying that - but that we were able to put it right very quickly and get back on track, is a testimony to the trust that has been built up, and that has now been restored."
She added that the proposed referendum was "not about power for its own sake". Caerphilly Labour AM Jeff Cuthbert, a member of the Welsh party executive, said earlier there was "no question" of the party not considering the issues surrounding a referendum, but that had to been seen within the context of the impending general election.
She said: "It's about having the tools to do the job to look after the people of Wales, especially when we're facing a Conservative government in London that may have very different views from what our coalition wants to deliver here." "But let's not overstate this - we will fight the general election campaign hard but we are not ruling out the issues to do with the referendum, and that's clear in the [two parties' joint] statement."
Caerphilly Labour AM Jeff Cuthbert, a member of the Welsh party executive, said there was "no question" of the party not considering the issues surrounding a referendum, but that had to been seen within the context of the impending general election.
He said: "You can't help but drift into party politics here.
'Pubic opinion'
"Labour does not want to lose power in the UK and in Wales. Labour have got an awful lot at stake in terms of the general election. So no-one can say that we mustn't put the general election first.
"But let's not overstate this - we will fight the general election campaign hard but we are not ruling out the issues to do with the referendum, and that's clear in the [two parties' joint] statement.
Let's not overstate this - we will fight the general election campaign hard but we are not ruling out the issues to do with the referendum Jeff Cuthbert AM, Labour
He added: "While it's clear in that agreement, that there should be referendum either on or before the next assembly elections, it's also clear that both parties will assess the state of public opinion."
On Tuesday, senior Plaid sources had threatened an end to the coalition if the issue was not clarified.On Tuesday, senior Plaid sources had threatened an end to the coalition if the issue was not clarified.
It followed a Labour statement ruling out any progress before the UK general election on a referendum to give the assembly full law-making powers.It followed a Labour statement ruling out any progress before the UK general election on a referendum to give the assembly full law-making powers.
The statement was issued in the name of Mr Hain, Welsh Labour chair Garry Owen and First Minister and Welsh Labour leader Rhodri Morgan.
Sources had called the Labour news release the most serious threat to the coalition since its formation in 2007.Sources had called the Labour news release the most serious threat to the coalition since its formation in 2007.
Early referendum
The party described it as a "serious breach of trust" and "completely unacceptable".
Labour's statement was issued at midday on Tuesday as a joint response by the Welsh Labour leadership to a report by the All Wales Convention published last week.
The report was commissioned by the assembly government as a central part of the Labour-Plaid coalition, which was formed in 2007 after the last assembly election.
A joint statement later from the two party leaders reaffirmed the commitment to an early referendum.
This means Mr Hain, who will be talking about the implications for Wales of the recent Queen's speech, is likely to face searching questions from AMs about where he now stands.