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First Minister Carwyn Jones: Time to rebuild the UK after Scotland’s no vote

News | | Published: 09:31, Monday September 22nd, 2014.

First Minister Carwyn Jones will tell Labour Party members gathered for its conference in Manchester that Scotland’s no vote for independence offers a chance to rebuild the UK.

Mr Jones will warn that a constitutional convention must not just be a conversation between Westminster and Scotland.

He will tell party delegates: “I campaigned alongside many of you here today to keep our four nations together, and now – together – we must make good our promise, and rebuild the United Kingdom.

“That cannot be done through a bilateral conversation between Westminster and Scotland. After all, David Cameron tried that and was so badly out-witted by Alex Salmond that he almost lost the union.

“We must honour our promise to refound the UK in a way that ensures the strong identities of our nations are recognised within a common bond of solidarity.”

In a written statement following last Thursday’s result, the First Minister said: “The result of the independence referendum has been formally confirmed, and the people of Scotland will remain in the United Kingdom and I welcome their decision. I am pleased that the outcome is one of continued Union which I believe to be in the best interests of Wales and the other parts of the UK.

We are now entering a new phase in the governance of the UK, one which presents real challenges and opportunities. Scotland’s affirmation of its membership of the UK provides a positive platform for the UK as a whole to put its constitutional arrangements on a principled long term footing.

“I call on the United Kingdom Government to act on this opportunity in a comprehensive and inclusive manner. The starting point must be to establish in our formal constitutional structures a relationship of mutual respect between the four legislatures and governments that make up the governance of the UK. It is time to recognise that devolution is an established part of our constitution and needs to be guaranteed, as Gordon Brown said.

“Today’s result is an opportunity to focus on this wider context and clarify the fundamental principles of the new UK Constitution which will emerge from Scotland’s decision. Over the next days and weeks I will be pressing the case for Wales to play its full part in this process.”

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