Programme for government 2026 to 2030: New ambition for Wales - Chapter 6: Standing up for Wales and demanding fairness from Westminster

“ We believe in our people and will take every step possible to unlock their potential and to build a fairer, stronger, more resilient Wales.”

As a government, we will not apologise for the ambitious vision that we have for Wales. This vision is explicit in every chapter of this Programme for Government. We believe in our people and will take every step possible to unlock their potential and to build a fairer, stronger, more resilient Wales.

We have taken early action to reset the relationship with the UK government, making the case for Wales to be treated with fairness and respect at every opportunity. We will also continue to work closely with our counterparts in the Scottish Government, in line with the commitments made in the Cardiff Agreement, and the Northern Ireland Executive on areas of common interest.

Too many decisions affecting the daily lives of our citizens are made by the UK government.

We will constantly examine the current constitutional settlement and challenge where it fails to meet our ambitions for Wales. We are committed to securing the powers, levers and financial settlements we need to govern effectively and coherently to improve people’s lives.

Fair funding

Too often in the past, the UK government has not delivered Wales’s fair share of funding and we will  use every possible opportunity to right this wrong.

We will:

• pursue fiscal reform, including fairness in the way Wales is funded, the operation of the Barnett Formula, greater fiscal flexibilities, fair funding of devolved powers, and further responsibilities for the Senedd over taxes in Wales.
• fight for the rail funding we are owed and that we need to invest in Welsh rail – including consequential funding from HS2 – and for rail to be devolved.
• deliver a national programme to secure and restore disused tips, ensuring every tip is properly monitored, maintained, and managed. We will continue to insist that the UK government funds this work properly and in full.
• establish a Wales‑wide strategy on remediating contaminated land to map, prioritise and progressively restore post‑industrial land so communities are no longer exposed to derelict sites, toxic soils, and polluted waterways. We will continue to press the UK government to fund this restoration.
• seek the devolution of air passenger duty.
• explore new and innovative forms of financing.

Powers for a purpose

Further devolution will improve the lives of the people of Wales, arming us with the fiscal and constitutional tools to take our nation forward. Greater control over areas such as transport, justice, policing, natural resources, energy and the Crown Estate will help Wales develop and deliver policies that better meet local needs and circumstances.

Securing additional powers will also allow Wales to take a more integrated approach to challenges that have an impact on people’s lives and their experience of public services. For example, decisions about policing, courts, probation and support services can have broader impacts, not only affecting community safety but also health and wellbeing, educational attainment and employment and economic opportunities.

Every citizen should have a voice in the debate on their nation’s future. Our central commitment rests on establishing a Commission to take this debate forward, and to make sure that we have the powers to allow Wales to make all the decisions that matter.

We will:

• establish a new National Commission for Wales to provide independent advice to the Welsh Government on Wales’s constitutional future, building on the work of the Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales.
• the commission will support an inclusive and informed national conversation, build the evidence base for debate and decision‑making, and provide advice on devolution priorities and wider constitutional reform.
• formally request the devolution of the right to decide on the timeline, question, and process for an independence referendum.
• pursue the full devolution of justice and policing to Wales with the urgency this deserves.
• formally request the full devolution of power over water in Wales.
• work to secure devolution of powers for the Senedd to legislate to establish a new economic regulator and planning body for Wales, so all decisions about water are made in Wales for Wales.
• prioritise securing the devolution of the Crown Estate.
• work towards the devolution of powers over broadcasting, including powers to regulate, supervise, and ensure accountability for broadcasting and communications in Wales.
• we will begin by establishing a Shadow Broadcasting and Communications Authority for Wales to protect and strengthen local and national public service media platforms.
• pursue the full devolution of welfare powers. Pursue the devolution of further powers on energy regulation and pricing.
• pursue full devolution of port regulation.

Culture, our creative industries, heritage, sports and Cymraeg shape who we are as a nation.

We recognise their unique power to unlock Wales’s economic potential, sustain vibrant and cohesive communities and promote the wellbeing of our people.

With a new strategic vision, the right investment, and strong leadership for Welsh culture and sports, we will strengthen Wales’s position as a cultural powerhouse, rooted in the diversity of our unique Welsh identity.

We will prioritise equality of access for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities and drive national outcomes including improved public health, economic growth and community cohesion. We will harness cultural and sporting opportunities to promote the daily use of the Welsh language.

We will build firm foundations through increased participation, improved grassroots facilities, strengthened national institutions and increased international impact as a creative and confident nation. We will strengthen our cultural and sporting infrastructure and support a skilled workforce, building a sustainable and diverse sector for the future.

We will:

• work with the sector including our creative industries to create and deliver a targeted Culture and Sport Strategy for a healthier, wealthier and more resilient Wales.
• prioritise equality of access to the arts, culture, heritage and sport for people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities, considering how our entry policies can support this.

With a rich heritage, thriving culture and huge untapped potential, we believe in Wales’s ability to assert its place in the world.

Our commitment to a Climate and Nature Plan demonstrates how seriously we take our global responsibilities and our commitment to building strong international relationships with countries that share our values.

This international outlook will be captured in all our commitments where we will look to learn from best practice throughout the world. A key strength in taking this forward will be the sheer number of Welsh people that are spread across the world.

We will:

• bring forward a European Strategy which will include our determination to align with world‑leading European standards in environmental protection, public health and food.
• evolve and progress a comprehensive bilateral cooperation framework with Ireland to strengthen cultural and trading ties.
• develop and implement a comprehensive Diaspora Strategy to promote Wales as a place for diaspora entrepreneurs to invest, and encourage and incentivise recent emigrants to return.

Hosting international events

Both domestically grown ones and opportunities to be part of global events – allows us to showcase Wales and what we have to offer.

We will:

• provide strategic and long‑term support to national governing bodies to attract and host international events in Wales.
• deliver a lasting legacy as hosts of the Tour de France 2027 and Euro 2028 men’s football events.

We will only be able to stand up for Wales and fulfil our international obligations if we are a strong and confident nation. We will support all of our communities to aspire and to create a framework in which all of our public agencies work together to meet common objectives.

To reflect the Well‑being of Future Generations Act, we are committed as a government to remove the boundaries between different policy areas which too often in the past have stopped us working seamlessly in the interests of Wales.

We will:

• build a coherent and effective Welsh public service that is open, cooperative, and focused on improving people’s lives.
• progress plans for a Welsh National School of Government.
• renew the relationship between the Welsh Government and local authorities, ensuring that they are full partners in the design and delivery of public services.
• establish a national approach to coordinate crime prevention and diversion across police forces, NHS Wales, local authorities, schools, and third‑sector partners – sharing best practice and addressing the root causes of crime.
• maintain Welsh Government support for Police Community Support Officers within the context of negotiations on devolution of policing.
• bring forward a Welsh Tribunals Bill early in the Senedd term, to create a clearer, more coherent and more independent tribunals system – with modernised procedures, stronger accountability, and a sharper focus on improving the experience of service users.
• review the Well‑being of Future Generations Act and collaborate with the Future Generations Commissioner to ensure it delivers measurable change.