First Minister should stick to his instincts and back ‘Senedd’ renaming, says Rhun ap Iorwerth

Plaid Cymru state that indigenous Welsh name should be given to Wales’ National Parliament

Rather than teaming up with the Conservative Party to throw out a Welsh-only name, the Labour First Minister should back renaming the National Assembly for Wales to ‘Senedd’ to reflect the importance of the Welsh language according to Plaid Cymru.

The Labour Welsh Government wants to give the National Assembly for Wales a new bilingual name instead of a Welsh-only moniker, after former First Minister Carwyn Jones tabled an amendment to the bill, favouring a bilingual name which it is believed Welsh Government will support.

Plaid Cymru, however, is campaigning to rename the institution to ‘Senedd’ and in First Minister’s Questions Rhun ap Iorwerth made the case for using an indigenous Welsh name to mark an exciting new chapter in the institution’s history.

Mr ap Iorwerth said:

“It was clear that there was consensus to give this institution the name ‘Senedd’. Senedd has increasingly become a norm when people refer to this place.

“‘Welsh Parliament’ would be enshrined in new legislation as a descriptor, but an indigenous Welsh name would be given to this place to note a new chapter in its history.

“Yes, people call it the Welsh Assembly, the National Assembly, the Assembly – but more and more it is known as ‘Senedd’ in both languages that belong to all of us in Wales. Now we can take the small but significant step of adopting that name for the institution itself.”

Mr ap Iorwerth also pointed out that the Labour First Minister Mark Drakeford last year had outlined his preference also being for a Welsh-only renaming of the Assembly, and the Plaid Cymru AM criticised the idea of abandoning a Welsh-only name for the institution.

“In November the First Minister said ‘If I had to make a choice, I’d go with Senedd.’ Now Labour’s proposal is to go with Senedd / Welsh Parliament. How incapable does Welsh Government think the people of Wales are to deal with and embrace the word ‘Senedd’, much as the Dail is the norm in Ireland?

“The First Minister should back his own instincts on this, rather than teaming up with the Tories in throwing out the Welsh-only name.”