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Thursday 10 February 2011

Why Flintshire should vote YES on March 3rd

Our referendum in Wales on further law making powers will be happening on March 3rd. At the moment, the Welsh Assembly has responsibility for running 20 different departments such as housing, the environment, education and health. Although these departments are 'devolved' to the Welsh Assembly, at present when it comes down to making laws concerning those issues, the Assembly has to go to London and ask permission to pass them. First of all it has to be passed by the House of Commons, then the unelected House of Lords, the Secretary of State for Wales and finally it has to be passed by the Queen.

So why don't we already have powers to make laws in these areas if they are already devolved to Wales? In Scotland and Northern Ireland, these powers were handed over as part of the devolution process. That didn't happen in Wales, therefore we are now having a referendum to correct that situation.

Carrie Harper, a Flintshire says Yes campaigner, said: "The present system means that our Assembly Members have to ask permission from London to implement legislation which only affects Wales. Our politicians here spend vast amounts of time scrutinising legislation but are then made to wait around until London decides whether or not they can go ahead."

"To give just one example of how this process works on a practical level for Welsh people, our Assembly Members were made to wait three years before they could implement a policy to improve treatment for people with mental health problems. All Assembly Members from different political parties wanted to make these changes to benefit people here but they were prevented from implementing those changes quickly due to hold ups, delays and bureaucracy over in London."

"Voting YES in the referendum will mean an end to these delays. This can only be of benefit to the people of Wales, both in terms of efficient decision making and also in terms of cost, a lot of money will be saved if we don't have jump through so many hoops. If Scotland, England and Northern Ireland are capable enough to make their own decisions, why shouldn't Wales? If we don't get a yes vote, our voices here in Wales will be weakened. Basically the people who we vote for in the Welsh Assembly will not be able to make laws and decisions on our behalf, instead those decisions will be made by people in London who we haven't voted for and who are not accountable to us. "

Welsh rugby star Shane Williams also supports a Yes vote in the referendum. He states: "We've come a long way as a country in the last decade. By leading the way on free bus passes and tackling climate change the Assembly has shown it's up to the job. But it hasn't got all the tools it needs. Instead of having to ask permission every time we want to do something different from England, A YES vote will let the Assembly get on with the job."

" This vote is not about independence or even giving AM's extra power. It's about making what we've got work better. We've got to show we've got confidence in ourselves".

A Yes vote is supported by all the main political parties in Wales as well as trade unionists, community groups and voluntary organisations throughout Wales.

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