1997 Welsh devolution referendum

1997 Welsh devolution referendum
MrPenguin20 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Country	Wales
Flag year	1959
Title	Creation of a National Assembly for Wales
Date	18 September 1997
Yes	559,419
No	552,698
Total	1,112,117
Electorate	2,225,401
Turnout	50.1%
Mapdivision	Preserved county

1997 Welsh devolution referendum. The 1997 Welsh devolution referendum was a pre-legislative referendum held on 18 September 1997 throughout Wales on whether to establish a devolved National Assembly for Wales. It was the second such referendum on the issue, following the failed 1979 Welsh devolution referendum. The result was a narrow majority in favour, leading to the creation of the Assembly under the Government of Wales Act 1998.

Background

The campaign for Welsh devolution had a long history, closely tied to the broader Celtic nationalism movement and the establishment of the Scottish Office in 1885. Political momentum grew significantly after the Welsh Church Act 1914 and the formation of Plaid Cymru in 1925. The report of the Kilbrandon Commission in 1973 recommended a devolved assembly, leading to the Wales Act 1978 and the subsequent failed referendum. Following the Labour Party's landslide victory under Tony Blair, the new government, with Ron Davies as Secretary of State for Wales, was committed to holding fresh referendums in Scotland and Wales as part of its devolution policy. The political context was shaped by the earlier 1997 Scottish devolution referendum, which had resulted in a decisive "Yes" vote.

The referendum

The referendum was conducted under the provisions of the Referendum Act and posed a single question: "I agree that there should be a Welsh Assembly" or "I do not agree that there should be a Welsh Assembly." The official "Yes" campaign, Yes for Wales, was a cross-party group supported by Labour, Plaid Cymru, and the Liberal Democrats, and was chaired by former Archdruid R. S. Thomas. The "No" campaign, Just Say No, was supported by the Conservative Party and some within Labour, notably led by Welsh Labour MP Neil Kinnock and former minister Lord Callaghan of Cardiff. The campaign was notably low-key compared to the concurrent Scottish campaign, with debates focusing on the potential cost of the new institution and the extent of its proposed powers, which were far more limited than those proposed for the Scottish Parliament.

Results

The result was exceptionally close, with a majority of just 6,721 votes. The final count was 559,419 votes (50.3%) in favour and 552,698 votes (49.7%) against, on a turnout of 50.1% of the electorate. The result showed a clear geographical divide, with the industrial south, including areas like Rhondda, Cardiff, and Swansea, voting strongly "Yes," while much of rural north and mid-Wales, along with Pembrokeshire and Monmouthshire, voted "No." The count was conducted by the preserved counties, with the last result declared in Carmarthenshire. The narrow margin led to immediate calls from opponents for a re-count, but the result was confirmed by the Electoral Commission.

Aftermath

The narrow "Yes" victory mandated the UK government to proceed with legislation. The Government of Wales Act 1998 was passed, establishing the National Assembly for Wales as a corporate body with secondary legislative powers, initially based at Crickhowell House in Cardiff Bay. The first elections were held in May 1999, resulting in a Labour administration led by First Minister Alun Michael, later succeeded by Rhodri Morgan. This referendum began a process of further constitutional change, leading to the Government of Wales Act 2006, which separated the executive and legislature, and the 2011 Welsh devolution referendum that granted the Assembly primary law-making powers. The institution was renamed the Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament in 2020.

Category:1997 referendums Category:History of Wales Category:Devolution in the United Kingdom