Welsh referendum: Your reaction

Another complete waste of money during what are supposed to be hard times. The gesture of this costly referendum is indicative of the double political dealing that is going on. That the outcome was obvious has to be an understatement. That the English payed most towards the costs is also just as obvious.

Great news for the Welsh. There is still a long way to go, but they have taken an important step to loosen the grip of the dead hand of the UK, with its antique electoral system, and its domination by money and big business.

"What is your reaction to the result?"

No much reaction really. It's no great surprise the Welsh would vote for it, as it's a little more independence.
Whether they will like all the subsequent decisions is another matter.. but at least they won't be able to blame the English.

If this does impact on everyday life in Wales. Crucially, will their Rugby get any better?

As long as we don't end up picking up the tab for everything they decide upon.

But decided upon a third of of the voters, so less because they won't all have voted yes? Oh well.

What about us in England? This will result in changes to the law in England. It must do as this gives Wales powers over things currently covered by the joint legal system of England and Wales. Why has England not had a vote on the division of the England and Wales legal system? Now, can we please remove UK Government funding on the areas that the Welsh will control, and reduce Welsh taxes accordingly on the areas of spending that are controlled by Wales so that that England no longer subsidises spending over which the UK government no longer controls. The shortfall could then be made up by the Welsh levying their own taxes to suit their needs. Surely this is fair?

Good on the Welsh, will watch with interest, first law needed on the statute book when the new legislative body sits is, "squatters rights", abolish them. Great opportunity to clean up.

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would love to comment but the 1st i heard about this story was today and i do read the paper every morning, and even the resports on the bbc site still dont explain how this will effect anything?

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Good for the Welsh! ... but I'm still waiting patiently for when the English get their own parliament without interference from the Welsh, Scottish and Irish.

What does this mean? The English will pay more and more for the Welsh who will speak more and more in a dying language only they understand.

Does that mean the English will no longer have to subsidise the Welsh then ? Or will it be like the Scots deal, i.e. even greater powers to spend Englisg tax payer's money ?

Well done Wales. The more power removed from Westminster the better.

We are getting to the stage that the worst off part of Britain will be England still being completely controlled by Cameron and Clegg.

I think the Welsh are completely right to vote YES to direct law making powers - They'll be better off.

And to think before Cameron and Clegg I was patriotic!!

It should mean Welsh ministers should have no say on laws that effect England in the British Parliament. In the same way Scottish and Northern Ireland ministers should have no say over England in the matters they have their own devolved powers for already. Ideally we should also have an English parliament ruling on matters that Scottish and Welsh people already have their own say over in their own countries. A British parliament could still exist for the few but very key powers that still are universal in the U.K.

When we have Scottish, welsh and Northern Irish M.P.s happy using one system to govern their country whilst using another to also govern the English it only leads to unjust decisions. Such as Wales recently getting rid of all prescription charges leaving England the only part of the U.K still having to pay, in fact that payment increased by 20p just today! It's unfair.

Well done Wales you deserve to make your own laws. The only country out of cinc is England. We desperately need an English parliament, not British. We are a third world country in comparison to the other three. Even today our subscription charges are going up, while there's do not have charges. We want our England back.

Good for them, The valley boys have a choice in how they run their country.

You're all just jealous because they get free prescriptions.

So when is England going to get a referendum allowing us to run our affairs without intervention from Welsh, Scottish and Irish MPs?

If these countries want to make their own laws let them split away completely - this half in, half out arrangement is ridiculous. And let them stand on their own feet financially.

Having lived in Wales for a number of years, the concept of self-government there by a Welsh assembly is most encouraging. The vast majority of residents, including the ex-patriate English, welcome the devolution of powers to Cardiff.

3. At 3:08pm on 04 Mar 2011, Khuli wrote:
"What is your reaction to the result?"

No much reaction really. It's no great surprise the Welsh would vote for it, as it's a little more independence.
Whether they will like all the subsequent decisions is another matter.. but at least they won't be able to blame the English.'

Wanna bet?

Hardly a surprise. My only question is - what took them so long?

With the turn out I do not understand how it can be a resounding success as less than 25% of those eligilble voted for it.

This is the Pandora's Box syndrome and now that it has been opened it cannot be closed again. The U.K. is fragmenting and it is high time that we had an ENGLISH government with only ENGLISH M.P's representing ENGLISH voters in ENGLISH constituencies. What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander - as the old saying goes.

If the Welsh & Scots want independence then let them have it all and break up Britain.

I know its doubtful they would be able to sustain their own economies but I don't agree with these half measures.

I don't mind being British or English but I think we are either united or we ar not.

Persoanlly I prefer the Welsh & Scots to be with us as one but its their choice.

It's not enough. We should be allowed to drift free in the Irish sea.

All for it if England can do the same, the Uk does not exist anymore, the English are getting taken for a ride, we will be the only ones paying for prescriptions and student fees, this is going to lead to big trouble,.
No Scottish or Welsh MP should be allowed to vote for anything affecting the English.

"6. At 3:14pm on 04 Mar 2011, jgmagb wrote:
What about us in England? This will result in changes to the law in England. It must do as this gives Wales powers over things currently covered by the joint legal system of England and Wales. Why has England not had a vote on the division of the England and Wales legal system?"

Look up devolution and understand the meaning.

Laws made in Wales would only applicable in Wales. Laws made in England for a matter that has been devolved to Wales would only be applicable to England.

Quite simple.

And your bit about taxation is irrelevant because the Assemly won't have tax varying powers but will be able to make laws relating to housing, local government, tourism, health, the Welsh Language and education. There are a few more areas, but I think you get the idea.

As a Welshman myself I voted yes I think this is the result I was looking for. Funny that back in 1979 Wales voted overwhelmingly against devolution, then in 90's Wales voted narrowly in favour of devolution and the Welsh Assembly was born, then today Wales voted overwhelmingly in favour of law making powers on the devolved sections that apply to Wales which now means Wales can make its own laws on things like Health , education and transport etc. Before today any legislation for Wales had to go through Westminster first which would take far longer and could be rejected by Westminster. But Wales have long rejected along with Scotland , the Conservatives with the exception of five or six Welsh constituencies so why should Wales who traditionally vote Labour have the Conservatives privatise our Welsh NHS like they are doing in England which is not what the Welsh have voted for. So I think many people in Wales who voted yes for law making powers today do so to protect the Welsh NHS from tory privatisation , because it's one thing we feel very strongly about is not privatisation of our beloved NHS. After all it was a Welshman and Labour who created the NHS - Nye Bevan.

Ideally they should build a big ditch along the border, tow themselves away from the rest of the UK and stop taking all our money.

Wow.

In only 12 comments we've had so far:

1. The Welsh are a joke.
2. The Welsh are leeches.
3. The Welsh live a life of luxury at England's expense.
4. Welsh is a dying language that nobody else understands.
5. England subsidises Wales, so give the money back.

That's fantastic. Neighbours really do become good friends.

And people say that the BBC is overly Anglo-centric, yet when a HYS about another part of the UK is published the usual suspects are free to make whatever disrespectful and off-topic remarks they want about the non-English regions. It's really hard to see where anyone could formulate that Anglo-centric point of view.

Democracy at work.
If that's what the majority of people in Wales want then that's what should happen.

... and Scottish MPs have voted to scrap NHS Prescription charges in Scotland, yet we English are told today that OUR Prescription charges are going to increase!
Surprise, surprise!
So, when are we English going to get the English Parliament that we deserve?

I hope this means that we 'that is the English' don't have to bank roll them anymore......

That goes for Scotland & Northern Ireland too let them run their own affairs so we can spend our taxes on England only.

LOL,
Guess it's time to move to Wales.
Always loved the Gower at this time of year, aah a crisp stroll on Oxwich Bay :)

How can a turnout of 35% be counted as a correct result. As far as I am concerned they can cut the Welsh off completely. But 35% is not democracy.

why not a referendum on what we should be debating,or is the beeb like the weaklings in westminster afraid of the ruperteers??as for wales,well it appears the british isles is to become a federation.maybe it is time for the north and the midlands to go after self goverment,decide what is best for the peope of the regions by the people of the regions. trade links within the country and the EU and commonwealth.it could help,maybe the future jarrow marches will not be north to south,it is worth thinking about.......

"17. At 3:56pm on 04 Mar 2011, Paul wrote:
Well done Wales you deserve to make your own laws. The only country out of cinc is England. We desperately need an English parliament, not British. We are a third world country in comparison to the other three. Even today our subscription charges are going up, while there's do not have charges. We want our England back."

When the programme of devolution was first started by New Labour it was supposed to include the English regions. The idea was to have relatively local control over things like transport, education, healthcare etc. split according to the geographical area.

Obviously London, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland were successfully devolved to one degree or another, but the referendum in the North East of England turned out not to be in favour. The rest of the roll out in England stalled because of this and Labour had other priorities later in their term in office.

It's always possible that the coalition could try and devolve powers in the name of localism. Ask Eric Pickles if he'll let you.

16. At 3:54pm on 04 Mar 2011, Luke wrote:
It should mean Welsh ministers should have no say on laws that effect England in the British Parliament. In the same way Scottish and Northern Ireland ministers should have no say over England in the matters they have their own devolved powers for already. Ideally we should also have an English parliament ruling on matters that Scottish and Welsh people already have their own say over in their own countries. A British parliament could still exist for the few but very key powers that still are universal in the U.K.

When we have Scottish, welsh and Northern Irish M.P.s happy using one system to govern their country whilst using another to also govern the English it only leads to unjust decisions. Such as Wales recently getting rid of all prescription charges leaving England the only part of the U.K still having to pay, in fact that payment increased by 20p just today! It's unfair.

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Those very reasons are why the SNP and Plaid Cymru MPs at Westminster voluntarily don't participate in any vote that exclusively affects just England. They don't think its fair either!

When do we English get are own parliament?.

Why should the Welsh and Scottish dictate to us when cannot to them?.

Cut ties with them and let them run off to EU,it will amusing when the Geramns and French dictate to them and they have actually pay for perscriptions.

Well done wales. Regarding the comments about the english subsidising the rest of the UK I presume that means the south of england as the north of england are always being accused of being subsidised also. Makes me wonder where all our scottish taxes go - maybe towards the London Olympics?

A resounding Yes?

Only 35% of voters bothered (probably as they think its a waste of time and the politicians do what they want anyway - like calling a referendum when they know they will get a yes vote, 2 months before Wales goes to the polls again to vote for the Assembly Ministers - nice to see an efficient administration) and of those, less than 2/3 said Yes. How is that resounding?

No doubt the first law will be to increase AMs pay and perks.

Still, at least they can't increase taxes on us hard working folk yet just so they can live in their Socialist dream state...

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

"20. At 4:06pm on 04 Mar 2011, chiptheduck wrote:
If these countries want to make their own laws let them split away completely - this half in, half out arrangement is ridiculous."

Tell that to the Federal Governments of Australia, Canada, Switzerland and the USA.

Each is a union of partially self-governing states with a central government for whole-nation governance of certain certain areas, like defence, foreign policy, trade, immigration etc.

Sounds like a pretty good system to me.

To make it work though, the English would need regional assemblies (or an English parliament) to govern the devolved powers like Scotland, Northern Ireland, London and Wales already have.

considering only 35% bothered to vote, apathy seems to be the winner. The punters have long ago realised that nothing these self serving politicians get up to will ever benefit the taxpayer in any way.

Its good news for the polititions of Wales. Will it be good news for the people of Wales?

The quality of spelling and grammar on this site is dreadful. Maybe the education system in Wales will now improve and the Welsh will be able to post grammatically correct comments. In response to comment no.17, Yes, England does resemble a third world country, run by power crazed school boys, so out of touch with reality it's worrying.
GOOD LUCK WALES. Hope the rugby improves!

Am I right in thinking that only around 20% actually voted yes?

25. At 4:10pm on 04 Mar 2011, Alfred Penderel Bright wrote:
This is the Pandora's Box syndrome and now that it has been opened it cannot be closed again. The U.K. is fragmenting and it is high time that we had an ENGLISH government with only ENGLISH M.P's representing ENGLISH voters in ENGLISH constituencies. What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander - as the old saying goes.

Good luck with that, haven't you heard of Blair's plan for multiculturalism. Run your eye down the list of MPs and look how many obviously non-indigenous names their are.

everyone in england should be prepared for another financial 'pinch'.weve had it from the scots and now its the welsh's turn

HaveIGotThatWrong wrote:
Does that mean the English will no longer have to subsidise the Welsh then ? Or will it be like the Scots deal, i.e. even greater powers to spend Englisg tax payer's money ?

We in Wales pay our taxes to the Westminster Government so it's not just English tax payers money besides how about projects in England some Welsh taxpayers money goes towards England also.

Fine, get their MP's out of the English only issues at Westminster, along with the Scots ones...they're all Labour anyway...

28. At 4:14pm on 04 Mar 2011, Patrizia wrote:
All for it if England can do the same, the Uk does not exist anymore, the English are getting taken for a ride, we will be the only ones paying for prescriptions and student fees, this is going to lead to big trouble,.
No Scottish or Welsh MP should be allowed to vote for anything affecting the English.

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The SNP and Welsh nationalists have abstained from any vote relating only to England since 2001.

So when do we get a referendum in England on having our own Parliament and on what its powers should be? You can be certain what we'll get out of this referendum: the bill.

For referendums on constitutional change, a minimum percentage turnout should be set in advance for the result to be binding on the Government. The turnout on this occasion, I believe, was far too low to count, especially when one recalls that in the original referendum to create the Welsh Assembly, only half the Welsh electorate bothered to vote, of which 50% said NO! Another reason why devolution appears to be so popular with the Celtic fringe is that it gives their administrations the power to spend money, a large slice of which is doled out to them by England, who clearly are the losers in all of this. What is now even more important is to bring into force regulations that deny the right of Westminster MPs from Scottish, Welsh and Ulster constituencies any say in Parliamentary matters unique to England. This matter has to be put right or else England too should be granted its own Parliament with fiscal and other powers the same as those granted to their Celtic neighbours. Finally, we are approaching the point where England's subsidy of the Scots, Welsh and Northern Irish must cease. Power cannot be handed over to them without financial responsibility!

The Welsh are asked if they want more power over their own affairs and they say YES. What is my reaction?

Another great headline from The Daily Obvious.

Wish I was Welsh.

The Lib Dems are despicable and should suffer for their betrayal of those who voted for them and for giving the Tories power to make ideological change when they have no mandate. It is undemocratic in this country now and fundamentally immoral whether it is legal or not. This was a predictable result though.

Independence from Westminster subsidy? I doubt it.

I have not heard anything from the Welsh about reducing their reliance on the English taxpayer.

Bleating on about "independence from Westminster" does not seem to extend to economic independence.

As Wales and Scotland separatists gain more independence I just hope we English are cutting back on our subsidies to them.

A good result for Wales. They've had two votes on the Welsh Assembly now.

But when will the English get asked how we want to be governed? Absolutely no consultation on re-establishing our English parliament.


And look what happens. Prescriptions: Wales FREE, Scotland FREE, Northern Ireland FREE... England £7.40 (up 20p). See also care for the elderly, tuition fees, hospital parking etc.

Wales - Welsh assembly working in the interests of the people of Wales.
Scotland - Scottish parliament working in the interests of the people of Scotland.
Northern Ireland - Northern Irish assembly working in the interests of the people of Northern Ireland.

England - no assembly. No parliament. Just the "UK" parliament working in the "UK" interest NOT the English interest.

What are we doing here in Wales? The assembly members already think it's got at it's disposal a bottom-less pit of cash!! (free prescriptions... no tuition fees..) It'll get worse from here on in.. In all honesty they don't know what there doing (I'm a Welsh speaker living in N.West Wales). I feel sorry for the English people - they must hate the fact that us in Wales get much more concessions than they do. Like I say I'm a Welshman, but to me the Welsh Assembly just wants it cake and to eat it too...

To EarlyBabyBoomer.
But 100% had the choice to say "no", and 75% didn't!

Well done folks. All the hard working, contributing members of Wales please join me on the bus out of here and leave this place to those narrow minded fantasists to run a country beset but a scrounging work shy brainwashed majority (of the minority due to poor turnout)

Oh I must have been asleep - just as the BBC Moderators here must be judging by the queue of comments awaiting their wisdom. Now what was the question again Barnsley? Got what they deserve.

No, oh I see Wales - where is that? Oh ok got it - my reaction? Great, fab, wonderful, hooray, yippee, marvellous, estatic I am, bordering on orgasmic, wow.

Now back to sleep - or ask me something interesting

Another complete waste of money; but the Welsh seemed determined to have it their way. And why not let them have it all, let them go it alone and pay their own way the world? They’ve been a drain on our resources for years; let’s see how they deal with issues like free prescriptions when they have to foot the bill themselves.

in response to BewilderedMark wrote about prescriptions
My theory was that its free in Wales and Scotland as the majority of people in those countries were either jobless, pensioners, or in fulltime education, where as in england the significant numbers are working people generating vast sums by paying such a fee. remember we are comparing 3 and 4 million populations to 40 or 50 in england so i think you need to do the maths matey.

Of the 35% that actually bothered to vote, how many actually voted 'Yes'?

Its not exactly demonstrating a compelling case that the total Welsh population were after this is it?

And guess who will pay for it? England!

Which is the only Country within the UK not to have its own devolved power, England!

Which country in the UK puts most money in the kitty? England!

As an Englishman, I am getting a bit fed up with this!

Enemies of Britain have finally destroyed Britain. They could not destroy her from the outside, so they have broken her from within. The British nation no longer exists. That nation that once forged the largest empire this planet has ever seen is now no more. Her enemies abroad infiltrated Westminster and they have destroyed her, breaking her into pieces that can be easily conquered. Now they even want to move May Day to St George's Day in England and st David's Day in wales - driving in the wedge between the English and the Welsh ever more deeply. Why don't we finish the job and build a border fence across the border and not let Welsh people cross without a visa? It is funny how a re-writing of Arthurian legends and the like can fool an entire nation into a romantic trap of 'independence' from the big bad English who have repressed them for so long! Arthur must be readying himself to charge back from Avalon, since his purpose was not to build Wales but to unite Britain, and what was united has now been broken. I used to see myself as British and when I went to Wales or Scotland I saw them as my own country, but now I have no desire to go to Wales - to a nation so apparently anti-English. I am no longer British, as Britain now only exists as a geographic region, but I am not English either. My family name is 'English' but actually comes from Norway and I was born in no-man's land. In addition to Viking blood I probably carry the blood of Saxon and Celt and maybe Roman and Pict - so what am I? Are you any different? Now I have no nation. By breaking Britain they have paved the way for EU takeover ('divide and conquer') so that the Global elite can assume control and reap ever-increasing profits from their multi-nationals. That's right - this has absolutely nothing to do with Welsh independence, per se, but the breaking of an independent Protestant nation so that it can be easily assimilated. I am not European and although I recognise their physical power I no longer acknowledge the authority of Westminster, nor of the EU, nor of any court. I am a solitary man who has no nation. I denounce Westminster as the House of Traitors it truly is. They have destroyed the British People and their identity, but they will not conquer us - for I stand against them alone if need be. I am a one-man nation, and why not? The land is far older than these fictitious national and political boundaries. The division of humanity into nations and tribes is an illusion that controls humanity. It is an illusion we should dispel not reinforce.

10. At 3:30pm on 04 Mar 2011, scotty1694 wrote:
Bring on an English parliment anyhow!

England doesnt need scotland or wales really there just leeches!
cut them off they will be beging us to take them back within 10 years, and we will dictate terms to THEM and make sure they only get back what they put in instead of us keeping them in a life of luxury while we suffer!
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“they only get back what they put in”

Scottish oil and welsh coal, I hope the English have a deep pocket

At present Parliament as it is, is far too removed from local needs, hence I fully support all efforts to bring democracy into the local area, and removing power from central government, this way the local people will start to have more say about what each community wants. I live in a semi-rural enviroment and have never seen my local MP in the community, if he visits he usualy does it via a high profile meeting with far too much razmataz, to my knowledge he has never held a surgery localy nearest is 25 miles away Yet am aware several others actualy have informal surgeries in local shopping centres.

So a massive majority of Welsh persons voted "couldn't care less" ie didn't bother voting. I think that sums it up.

Well done to Monmouthshire, a County which has always shown it's independence. It used to be "Wales and Monmouthshire", before we were absorbed into the horribly sounding Welsh "Gwent". Luckily, Gwent as a County disappeared in 1996 and a (sadly smaller) Monmouthshire becomes more English by the day.

I think that we in Monmouthshire should fly a black dragon and attach ourselves once again to England. We know on which side our bread is buttered and it certainly isn't the Welsh side. Teach children English & Welsh? Better to teach English & Mandarin, like all forward looking schools throughout the UK.

49. At 4:50pm on 04 Mar 2011, ruffled_feathers wrote:

Am I right in thinking that only around 20% actually voted yes?


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No wrong again

The bitterness aimed at the Welsh in some of these comments is shocking at best, and downright offensive at worst.

Is it such a bad thing for Wales to want some power to make it's own decisions, as opposed to hanging around for months waiting for a response from the clowns in Westminster?

48. At 4:50pm on 04 Mar 2011, fedupwithbritain wrote:
The quality of spelling and grammar on this site is dreadful. Maybe the education system in Wales will now improve and the Welsh will be able to post grammatically correct comments. In response to comment no.17, Yes, England does resemble a third world country, run by power crazed school boys, so out of touch with reality it's worrying.
GOOD LUCK WALES. Hope the rugby improves!

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As most of the comments are from the educational challenged English, I agree the standard of education in England is appalling

Provisional turnout 35%, 65% did not vote.

The Welsh people seem to have voted sensibly and I wish them well. It's debatable what we should have referenda about. They were never part of the UK system until 1975. However, we're all having a referendum about AV, which the Lib Dems (God rest their souls!) are keen on. But what we should perhaps also have a say on is the reduction in the number of MPs, which the Tories are keen on. Strange, isn't it? The vote for AV will probably be lost and the Tories will get their way on reducing the number of MPs and gerrymandering constituency boundaries. Well, let's face it, the ConDem coalition is more Con than Dem. I say, Don't cut the number of MPs and leave the May Day holiday alone.

@Scotty 1694: considering you didn't hear of this matter until this morning, you shouldn't go posting bilious, uninformed nonsense about it. However it seems this appears to be consistent with your previous posts on all manner of topics.

Back on topic: a great first step towards independence for the oldest still-colonized nation on the planet. To the English who wonder why we want it: read the abusive, defamatory and disparaging comments in this thread by your own kind.

I don't really care about what the Welsh want. I'm more interested in whether the English will be getting a referendum asking whether we want to drop the deadweights of Wales and Scotland?

Oh no, silly me, the English are just the fools who subsidise these sideshows.

I'm not surprised. Would that all areas of the UK were treated equally and had the same privileges.

Good call from my Welsh brothers and sisters, I'm proud of you. Cymru am Byth.

Reading these comments again, I'm astonished and concerned that the moderators have let some of them through. Welsh are a joke? (post 8,
thankfully now deleted) Welsh and Scottish are leeches? (post 10) I wonder if the BBC would have allowed the same to be said of any of the other communities - racial, ethnic, religious - living on this island?

60. At 5:12pm on 04 Mar 2011, Paul J Weighell wrote:
Independence from Westminster subsidy? I doubt it.

I have not heard anything from the Welsh about reducing their reliance on the English taxpayer.

Bleating on about "independence from Westminster" does not seem to extend to economic independence.

As Wales and Scotland separatists gain more independence I just hope we English are cutting back on our subsidies to them.


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You don’t subsidise the Welsh or the Scot’s, if anything its the other way round

Wales has said a resounding Yes in the referendum on direct law-making powers for the assembly. What is your reaction to the result?

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Excellent news

The sooner the Welsh and Scottish and N Irish release themeselves from bondage to the English the better for them, so they should now all press for total independence. Their future will be in their hands and not in the hands of English politicians whose only interests are keeping big business happy as if companies are the ones who put the crosses on ballot papers, and not people.

More power to people who control their own destinies the better, and the more democratic the voting systems the better, and the more accountable the politicians are to people insteaqd of big business the better. This just doesn't happen with the current democratic system in use in England.

Democracy is for people and not corporations. Politicians should manipulate corporations to serve people, and if they don't like it then make them serve people. They will do it because if they don't then other companies will step in to fill the gaps in the market as long as there is any money to be made - this is what we are told this is exactly what a free market does. However companies make record profits, pay low tax on the profits, or avoid it with smart tactics and loopholes, get big tax allowances (benefits) whilst people who do the voting and who the democracy is supposedly there for, are always told expenditure must be cut, tax must increase, more duties must be paid, must work longer hours and for more years. Fat lot of good voting in current system is, if the ones who sway politicians decisions are corporations and not local people.


Then the process should shift to a split of all English counties from the South East. Leave the South East to continue to rely on financial services alone, and the rest can move on to making a future for itself in whatever lines they choose. At least they will try to do it with a purpose.
The rest of England has no future when the South East controls everything that it can do - which over the last 35 years has become virtually nothing. No big manufacturing industries left, no primary industries left and financial services basing themselves mostly in the South East only. The SE will never give the rest a chance to reestablish themselves. They have been reduced to little but min wage workers mmade up of retail assistants and call centre workers. SE can follow its policies. The rest can put in effort to create something for itself, perhasps along the lines of waht happens in Germany, with value being placed on manufacturing. It will never happen when the major influence on politicians who can make the decisions that count are mostly coming from financial service industries based in one little corner of the country, and the people in the rest of the country are pretty much ignored and left to twiddle their thumbs.

Good luck to the Welsh -- it's about time we in England had more of a say with changes we would like to see. Of the United Kingdom -- England -Northern Ireland- Scotland and Wales arn't we the poor relations who are the only ones now paying for prescritions and hospital parking ? Arn't we the only ones fobbed off with 'If these things are not charged for, patient care would suffer ' -- if that's the case how are the others getting away with it ? Frankly I feel we are too passive.

Well said, BewilderedMark #32 !

The way some people carry on, you'd be forgiven for thinking we Welsh don't pay any taxes. We do - and there are no bleatings from certain Little Englanders about how unfair it is that some of it gets spent on stuff that only benefits England, like the 2012 Olympics.
Far from "bankrolling" us, recent studies have shown Wales is, in fact, under-funded by central government.
At least now, there's no likelihood of the Tryweryn atrocity ever being repeated

https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/4354256.stm

Maybe it's time for England to withdraw all funding to those territories and let them deal with their own problems?

14. At 3:47pm on 04 Mar 2011, Alba Al wrote:
"Well done Wales. The more power removed from Westminster the better.

We are all citizens/subjects of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, yet some citizens have more rights than others.
Yes, "Well done Wales", but do remember to say "Diolch yn fawr" to all those nice English voters, who'll be paying for your prescription charges and bi-lingual whimsy.

62. At 5:16pm on 04 Mar 2011, pi10 wrote:
What are we doing here in Wales? The assembly members already think it's got at it's disposal a bottom-less pit of cash!! (free prescriptions... no tuition fees..) It'll get worse from here on in.. In all honesty they don't know what there doing (I'm a Welsh speaker living in N.West Wales). I feel sorry for the English people - they must hate the fact that us in Wales get much more concessions than they do. Like I say I'm a Welshman, but to me the Welsh Assembly just wants it cake and to eat it too...
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A welsh Tory, this is how it is supposed to be, the government looking after the people

Does this mean the English will have to subsidise them even more?

The usual self interested comments from the english on HYS.

In regards the yes vote, notice how the areas with the most influx of english immigrants. Had the smallest majorities in favour of more powers.

So even voting in our own country, we don't get a level playing field.

I voted yes and would vote yes for complete independence.

"Wales has said a resounding Yes in the referendum on direct law-making powers for the assembly."

Looks more like resounding apathy when only a third of voters can be bothered to vote.

41. At 4:37pm on 04 Mar 2011, panchopablo wrote:
When do we English get are own parliament?.

Why should the Welsh and Scottish dictate to us when cannot to them?.

Cut ties with them and let them run off to EU,it will amusing when the Geramns and French dictate to them and they have actually pay for perscriptions.

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I hope you get your wish sooner rather than later. Not all countries "run off to the EU". People with a heart and will to do something, and have the ability to make decisions that affect them, can make positive changes to their lives. Bound to the English, people in other nations are completely subservient, and used only as resources when and if it pleases the English. When the English decide these resources aren't useful they are arbitrarily abandoned, just like the people in S and Mid Wales when the English chose to close down coal and steel industries for political reasons. People in other union countries, and also if outside the south-east, are treated like an asset to bank, use, bank, take out, reuse, bank and so on. Politicians have no interest in these people other than to make them as cheap to employ as possible for any coporations who happen to want to make a fast buck, and then exit having paid little tax.

In response to Scotty (post 10)
"England doesnt need scotland or wales really there just leeches!
cut them off they will be beging us to take them back within 10 years, and we will dictate terms to THEM and make sure they only get back what they put in instead of us keeping them in a life of luxury while we suffer"

He might like to remember that England rather went out of its way to conquer by force of arms the nations of Wales, Scotland and Ireland. We have all contributed greatly to English comfort over the years for extremely little in return and what little we have had has only been in the last 50 years or so.
Today Wales has provided itself at last with a degree of insulation against the policies of the English Conservative party and showed that the UK needs to adjust to its more federal nature. Although looking at comments from people like Scotty it is plain that a lot of education is needed in England to show them where their Imperial State came from!

79. At 5:44pm on 04 Mar 2011, Mrs Vee wrote:
I don't really care about what the Welsh want. I'm more interested in whether the English will be getting a referendum asking whether we want to drop the deadweights of Wales and Scotland?

Oh no, silly me, the English are just the fools who subsidise these sideshows.

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You don’t

25. At 4:10pm on 04 Mar 2011, Alfred Penderel Bright wrote:
This is the Pandora's Box syndrome and now that it has been opened it cannot be closed again. The U.K. is fragmenting and it is high time that we had an ENGLISH government with only ENGLISH M.P's representing ENGLISH voters in ENGLISH constituencies. What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander - as the old saying goes.

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Opening of the box is well overdue. Its about time it was opened, only you will find there is nothing nasty inside for anybody but the elite in their historic conspiracy with undemocratic politicians who pander to a very few, mostly businesses not entitled to any votes, and never represent the people who vote them in.
The english should also fragment as well, into those in the S E who are bound to financial services, and those outside who are bound to nothing as they have nothing. At least they can move forward for themselves, which will never happen whilst governed by a few FS companies under politicians masks.

Well done Wales. When do we in England get our chance?

As a Welshman living in Cardiff, all I can say is Wales must be the envy of the democratic world.

We have an Assembly that was established by a vote equivalent 26% of the voting population

The Assembly quickly changed its name to the Assembly Government

And now we have direct law making powers established by a vote equivalent of 23% of the voting population

No doubt next we will soon have the suggestion of a second house to debate / safe guard legislation, which strangely will time in quite well with the political careers of the political elite at Cardiff Bay.

Can we have less of the Well Done to the Yes Camp and some more serious and detailed questioning on why the Welsh Assembly Government has not lit up after 14 years the lives with the population to the same extent the political class in Cardiff thinks it has?

It is very worrying that the political class at the Welsh Assembly Government have dismissed so quickly the No vote and the didn’t vote and have even commented that the “Yes / No” question may have been too complicated for some of the welsh to understand.

England is now the poor relation. The West Lothian question is now critical to parliamentary democracy as the inequalities between England and the other nations becomes greater. Just consider what is happening to prescription charges and higher education fees in the UK.

Congratulations to Wales! Now how about a referendum in England? I would like to have a say in which MPs have, have the right to vote on decisions that affect the English. In other words an English only Parliament. We English are dictated to by the Europeans, the Scotch and other ethnic minorities, and we the indigenous people are sick to the back teeth. Take just one small example of prescriptions charges, we in England pay whilst the rest of the UK get theirs free of charge. Another bone of contention, car parking charges at Hospitals, in England we pay whilst the rest of the UK it is free. What great crime have the English committed, to receive such unjust measures. Oh yes, I just remember, we are mugs and everyones door mat.