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Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales, final report, 2024
A Welsh Government-established commission assessed enhanced devolution, federalism and independence without endorsing any option.
What happened
The Commission, co-chaired by Professor Laura McAllister and Dr Rowan Williams and comprising eleven members, presented its final report to the Welsh Government; it was published on 17–18 January 2024.[1][2][3]
The report assessed three models — enhanced devolution, a federal United Kingdom, and Welsh independence — describing the choice between them as one for political parties and individual citizens, and did not endorse any option.[4][5] On independence, it concluded the option would increase agency, accountability and subsidiarity for Wales, but carried the highest risks of the three, particularly around currency, borders and trade.[6]
Sources for this page
Each number marks a specific claim. Notes give the source, its locator and how it relates to the claim.
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1.
Claim: The Welsh Government established the Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales, co-chaired by Professor Laura McAllister and Dr Rowan Williams.
- Welsh Government, Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales (Welsh Government) link, About the Commission. Government perspective or primary official source Source record
- Institute for Government, The Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales (Institute for Government) link, summary of the Commission's establishment. Source record
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2.
Claim: The Commission comprised eleven members in total, including the two co-chairs.
- Institute for Government, The Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales (Institute for Government) link, summary of the Commission's membership. Source record
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3.
Claim: The Commission presented its final report to the Welsh Government, which was published on 17–18 January 2024.
- Welsh Government, Welsh Government's response to the final report of the Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales (Welsh Government, 2024) link, introduction. Government perspective or primary official source Source record
- Institute for Government, The Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales (Institute for Government) link, summary of the report's publication. Source record
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4.
Claim: The final report assessed three models for Wales's constitutional future without recommending one over the others: enhanced devolution, a federal United Kingdom, and Welsh independence. Attributed to Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales (2024), as summarised by the Institute for Government
- Institute for Government, The Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales (Institute for Government) link, summary of the three options. Source record
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5.
Claim: The Commission stated that the choice between the options was a decision for political parties and individual citizens, and it did not endorse any one option. Attributed to Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales (2024), as summarised by the Institute for Government
- Institute for Government, The Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales (Institute for Government) link, summary of the Commission's conclusion. Source record
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6.
Claim: On the independence option, the Commission concluded that it would increase agency, accountability and subsidiarity for Wales, but that it carried the highest risks of the three options, particularly around currency, borders and trade. Attributed to Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales (2024), as summarised by the Institute for Government
- Institute for Government, The Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales (Institute for Government) link, summary of the report's assessment of independence. Source record