Widespread support in Wales for Senedd name, poll finds.

A plurality of people in Wales support re-naming the Assembly the ‘Senedd’ as the official name in both Welsh and English a poll has found.

A YouGov poll commissioned by Plaid Cymru shows that 45% of those who responded support ‘Senedd’ as the only name for the institution, compared to 28% who support “Welsh Parliament” as the official name in English.

Removing those who responded with ‘Don’t Know’, the figures indicate 56% to 35% in favour of ‘Senedd’.

The poll also found that ‘Senedd’ was the most popular choice for supporters from all main political parties in Wales. Excluding don’t knows, 84% of Plaid Cymru supporters and 59% of Labour supporters support the Senedd only name.”

Excluding ‘don’t knows’, 48% of Conservative supporters also backed the Welsh only name, despite the opposition to the name from the Conservative group in the National Assembly.

Plaid Cymru AM Rhun ap Iorwerth said the poll confirmed that the plurality of people of Wales wanted ‘Senedd’ as the only name for the Assembly.

Mr ap Iorwerth said the Conservative elected members were out of touch with the people of Wales and their supporters but that Labour could yet make up its mind and show that ‘they are in keeping with the people of Wales’.

The Plaid Cymru AM said that the issue went ‘beyond party politics’ and was about developing ‘a new kind of democracy in Wales’ and that the Welsh language belonged to all in Wales.

Plaid Cymru AM Rhun ap Iorwerth said,

“This poll confirms what we already knew: a plurality of people in Wales want Senedd – and only Senedd, as the name for their national political institution.

“What’s also revealing is that a majority of Labour and Tory supporters think it should be Senedd in both languages. Not only are Tory AMs out of touch with the people of Wales – they’re out of touch with their supporters as well.

“I was delighted that a number of Labour members have already signed up to support our amendment for a Senedd only name but the Labour Welsh Government holds the casting vote.

“Wales backs Senedd. Labour supporters back Senedd. Will the Labour Government show that they are in keeping with the people of Wales and also back Senedd?

“This goes beyond party politics. This is about showing that the Welsh language belongs to us all. This is about showing that we want to develop a new kind of democracy in Wales.

“Let’s be confident in ourselves, uniting the nation behind the name that belongs to everyone regardless of their language, reflecting both our heritage and the dawn of a new kind of democracy. This is our Senedd, a unique name for a unique Parliament.