PLAID Cymru's leader has rubbished suggestions that the devolved nations' economies are too weak to leave the Union.
Adam Price rejected claims the pandemic has proven Wales is better off as part of the UK.
Speaking on BBC Politics Live, he said the Covid crisis has shown in “graphic terms” that Wales will never be a priority for Westminster, adding: “The only solution to our problems lies in our own hands.”
However, presenter Jo Coburn argued that Wales wouldn’t have been able to fund the furlough scheme had it not been for the Union.
Asked to “accept the importance of the UK Government scheme”, Price replied: “Hang on, how did the UK Government fund the furlough scheme? They funded it by borrowing didn’t they? They funded it using the very same method that every country in the world has done.
“In an independent Wales we’ll do the same. Of course when you’re facing a once in a several generation event that’s what governments do. An independent Wales would have done that.”
READ MORE: Scottish independence 'inevitable' as new poll puts Yes in the lead
The Plaid Cymru leader pointed out that Wales would “have money to spare” because it wouldn’t be “wasting” hundreds of billions of pounds on Trident or the HS2 rail project. Coburn again raised questions, pointing to a study by the Institute for Fiscal Studies which found an independent Scotland’s budget deficit could be almost 28% of GDP, with the equivalent rate in Wales and Northern Ireland even higher.
WATCH: Yes supporters bust myths about Scottish independence
Price responded: “Hang on, I’ve given you two example there – Trident and HS2. Between them that’s £300bn, £100bn there or there about for the furlough … we’d have saved money because we wouldn’t have made the kind of spending decisions which actually don’t benefit Wales at all.
“We’re contributing £5-6bn to HS2 and unlike Scotland we don’t even get a Barnett consequential and the Government’s own reporters said that HS2 is going to harm the economy of Wales even though we’re funding it.”
A recent Savanta ComRes poll for ITV recorded record-breaking levels of support for Welsh independence, with 39% of respondents backing a Yes vote.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel