No, support for scrapping the Senedd isn't on the rise

You make a valid point; I'm 75 this year and one of the most disspiriting aspects of the last five years is the degree to which so many of my contemporaries who, like me, had our formation in the liberating 1960s seem to have morphed in older age into 21st century Alf Garnetts.

I'm guessing that your doorstep visits/conversations were carefully designed to whip up such responses - what's wrong with your lives, half truths and easy solution type of conversation!! Let's change the Welsh government - now that is a dynamic view with legs!

Couldn't agree more with all of that; it sums up the basic argument superbly. Let's hope the 'Post' prints it! Trouble is, print journals like readers' letters to be really brief; you might find that if it appears it's been carelessly condensed, losing some of your argument in the process ...

John, you're crediting the kind of people who would vote for the abolition of the Assembly, (and who probably equally rationally voted to leave the EU) with powers of logic. I think you're line of argument nails it, but I suspect that all those who grumble about the Assembly just want something to kick against. It doesn't matter to them if they abolish the Assembly and are then worse represented as this is irrelevant. They don't feel represented anyway, and are probably too idle, or lack faith in their own abilities to lobby their representatives in order to address the grievances or perceived concerns. Just as the anti EU vote wasn't really about the EU, as none of the major Leaver gripes were actually about EU laws or responsibilities, but about the 'failings' of UK government that the likes of Farage and the Tory press had told them the lie that the EU was responsible. With the Assembly of course, the problem is a perception that things were better under the Welsh Office, basically an unrepresentative colonial government, and also the fact that after 20 years of a Labour Welsh government, things aren't getting better, and some things are getting worse. However, this anti Assembly feeling could be seen as logical in a short sighted way as at least part of the gripe is about useless politicians, and there, it has to be said, they may have a point? Labour get away with being atrocious in government in Wales because they aren't anything like adequately held to account - indeed, the major opposition party remains virtually mute, seemingly bereft of any better ideas that would actually offer those sceptical about the Assembly a reason to vote for the opposition, but at the same time for the Assembly. And let's not forget that there are some vocal supporters of both Wales and independence who would back the abolition of the Assembly. At least here in Wales the national media can't be blamed! And perhaps this is also part of the problem, that there is no national media that both holds the Welsh government and the Assembly to account, but also informs on what the Welsh government and Assembly actually does, what powers it has and how to influence it. Let's face it, a large number of people still think the Welsh government and the National Assembly for Wales are one and the same thing. It also needs to be put into perspective what actually was offered to the Welsh people in 1997. Basically it was no different an offer than that which was offered back in 1979 - an all Wales talking shop. Things have progressed beyond that, but basically, for all intents, it remains an all Wales talking shop if not in reality, then in the minds of many people in Wales, many of them Welsh. Sadly the 'architect' of Welsh devolution, Ron Davies didn't get to be First Minister, and in his place we've been treated to variously insipid incumbents in that post, with the possible exception of Rhodri Morgan. Perhaps all the various political groups; pro Assembly political parties and also the various other national organisations, as well as the various indy groups could start to stress that the Welsh government, even as it's presently constituted, is OUR government, and whilst people can do the standard British thing and moan about everything, we, as Welsh people could start a new tradition and instead of just moaning about it, get together and challenge our local representatives about local and national issues, such as the abject failure of Welsh Labour's economic policy. I of course know that the lack of activity in engaging with politics isn't likely to be the case with readers of this news site, but that surely is also part of the problem - we too are part of that small bubble, (though the existence of NC has made the bubble a little bigger) that considers Welsh politics as discrete from those of the wider UK. We are perhaps atypical, and as people who believe in a) devolution and b) who mostly also probably believe in independence perhaps need to pressurise the political establishments of all parties in the Assembly of the urgent need to devolve powers over broadcasting and also to implement state funding for independent news media in Wales on a similar pattern to that of Norway.

If we scrap it we can be sure that the "tens of millions saved per year" will be spent on vanity projects like HS2 that have absolutely no benefit to Wales whatsoever.

Here's an idea James. In my post above I argue that Wales has virtually no representation in Westminster. And yet we are lumbered with 5% of the cost of running Westminster. So why don't we instead scrap our membership of that jumped up Community Council (because that's about the level of our representation in the place) and instead put all the money saved that way into our hospitals etc etc.

The abolition of this 'jumped up county council' at this stage of the devolution process would leave Wales nothing more than a jumped up county, ('jumped up' insofar as it would more accurately be viewed as an impoverished sub-district of the West of Britain). 'Wylit, Wylit, Lywelyn. Wylit gwaed pe gwelit hyn'

What would you replace it with? A secretary of state for Wales appointed by Westminster. Someone unelectable to the people of Wales & who may not agree with your spending ideas?

What would you put in its place, Pete -- sorry, 'James' -- to ensure that the Welsh people have a chance to elect a government that would act in Cymru's interests?

James my friend, I admit that I am not a fan of the Senedd the way it is right now. You mention funding for hospitals. We were told that lie during the 1979 devolution referendum campaign that if we voted No there would be more money for Hospitals and Schools etc. We voted No and for the next 18 years our Health Service, Education Services plus many other things were run into the ground. I don't know how old you are but remember John Redwood returning money to wasteminster that was meant for Wales.

How much money currently being spent on the renovation of the Palace of Westminster? Who scrapped electrification to Swansea? Who withdrew support for the Swansea lagoon? Shall I go on.

And that's the biggest problem of all. Labour voters who support abolition. Either they are unaware or conveniently forget that we have had over 20 years of uninterrupted rule by THEIR PARTY!!