Wales referendum, 1997 - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The 1979 referendum had been such a resounding defeat that it killed off any prospects of devolution

Devolution

Devolution is the statutory granting of powers from the central government of a sovereign state to government at a subnational level, such as a regional, local, or state level. Devolution can be mainly financial, e.g. giving areas a budget which was formerly administered by central government...

for Wales

Wales

Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...

for a generation. Although the Welsh Liberal Party and Plaid Cymru

Plaid Cymru

' is a political party in Wales. It advocates the establishment of an independent Welsh state within the European Union. was formed in 1925 and won its first seat in 1966...

became committed to a Welsh parliament (with full law making and tax raising powers) by 1983 it was not until 1992 that a Welsh Assembly with executive powers was put into the Labour Party

Labour Party (UK)

The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...

's manifesto. The Conservative Party

Welsh Conservative Party

The Welsh Conservatives & Unionists , informally the Welsh Conservatives or Welsh Tories, are the part of the Conservative Party which operates in Wales...

in Wales remained almost wholly pro-unionist and anti-devolution. As the Conservative government in Wales became more unpopular the Labour party in Wales shaped its policy of a Welsh Assembly under the guidance of Shadow Welsh Secretary Ron Davies

Ron Davies

Ronald Davies is a Welsh politician, former Secretary of State for Wales, former Member of Parliament and former member of the Welsh Assembly...

and Welsh Office spokesmen Win Griffith and Rhodri Morgan

Rhodri Morgan

Hywel Rhodri Morgan is a Welsh Labour politician who, as First Secretary for Wales, and subsequently First Minister, was leader of the Welsh Assembly Government from 2000 to 2009. A former leader of Welsh Labour, he was the Assembly Member for Cardiff West from 1999 to 2011...

.

The consultation process was undertaken solely within the Labour Party and its affiliated trade unions. There was no Constitutional Convention between the political parties to define devolution as there had been in Scotland. There was, however, a joint pact signed in March 1996 between Ron Davies

Ron Davies

Ronald Davies is a Welsh politician, former Secretary of State for Wales, former Member of Parliament and former member of the Welsh Assembly...

and the Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Alex Carlile which committed both parties to support a Yes vote in the event of a Labour victory at the forthcoming general election. Labour's initial proposals to elect the Welsh Assembly only be a system of first-past-the-post

First-past-the-post

First-past-the-post voting refers to an election won by the candidate with the most votes. The winning potato candidate does not necessarily receive an absolute majority of all votes cast.-Overview:...

constituency elections was reversed in late 1996 to allow the Additional Member System

Additional Member System

The Additional Member System is the term used in the United Kingdom for the mixed member proportional representation voting system used in Scotland, Wales and the London Assembly....

to be introduced as well. This change was vital in order to bring Plaid Cymru and the Welsh Liberal Democrats on-board for any referendum.

In 1996 the Labour leader Tony Blair

Tony Blair

Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...

instructed the Welsh Labour party to include the need for a referendum in order to implement the legislation needed for the introduction of a Welsh Assembly. The rationale behind this was to 'entrench' the Welsh Assembly so that an incoming Conservative government would not abolish it without a further referendum. The Welsh devolution referendum of 1997 was therefore a pre-legislative referendum

Referendum

A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...

to determine whether there was support for the creation of a assembly

Deliberative assembly

A deliberative assembly is an organization comprising members who use parliamentary procedure to make decisions. In a speech to the electorate at Bristol in 1774, Edmund Burke described the English Parliament as a "deliberative assembly," and the expression became the basic term for a body of...

for Wales with devolved powers. Unlike the referendum in Scotland, there was no proposal for the assembly to have tax-varying powers. The referendum was a Labour manifesto commitment and was held in their first term after the 1997 election

United Kingdom general election, 1997

The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...

One of the factors that made the referendum controversial was that Wales has a much greater immigrant and transient population than Scotland. A previous referendum on devolution held in 1979 had resulted in a majority against, whereas in Scotland the vote had been in favour. There was also the problem of a relatively small Welsh media. Therefore the closer you went to the English border where English media dominated the larger the no vote.

Factors that helped the Yes Campaign

Unlike in 1979 the Yes Campaign was helped by a number of factors that made the 1997 referendum different. These included:

A well planned and organised central Yes Campaign. The Yes for Wales campaign, chaired by Professor Kevin Morgan and organised by Leighton Andrews

Leighton Andrews

Leighton Andrews is a Welsh Labour politician, currently the National Assembly for Wales member for Rhondda since 2003...

and Daran Hill. It included representatives from the political parties and non political bodies that were in favour of devolution. 'Yes for Wales' operated a strategy or regional and sectional 'Yes' groups across Wales, which were then co-ordinated for the Yes campaign. The Labour Party in Wales, however, would not formally endorse the Yes Campaign and operate within it and instead set up their own separate campaign. Plaid Cymru

Plaid Cymru

' is a political party in Wales. It advocates the establishment of an independent Welsh state within the European Union. was formed in 1925 and won its first seat in 1966...

and the Welsh Liberal Democrats

Welsh Liberal Democrats

The Welsh Liberal Democrats are one of the three state parties of the federal Liberal Democrats and operate within Wales, the others being the Scottish Liberal Democrats and the Liberal Democrats in England....

subsequently did the same.

The unpopularity of the outgoing Conservative government. Just as an unpopular Labour government had helped the Conservatives and the No campaign in 1979, so an unpopular recently defeated Conservative government helped boost the Yes Campaign in Wales. The series of English based Conservative MPs that had been Welsh Secretaries since 1987 became more unpopular. They were seen to have no political mandate in Wales. John Redwood

John Redwood

John Alan Redwood is a British Conservative Party politician and Member of Parliament for Wokingham. He was formerly Secretary of State for Wales in Prime Minister John Major's Cabinet and was an unsuccessful challenger for the leadership of the Conservative Party in 1995...

's tenure as Welsh Secretary and his miming of the Welsh National Anthem at the Welsh Conservative Party conference only reinforced the view that the Welsh Office had become a symbol of quasi colonial government in Wales. The thought of a return to this form of government encouraged people to vote for a Welsh Assembly.

The relative lack of finance and organisation of the No campaign. Chaired by Professor Nick Bourne

Nick Bourne

Nicholas Henry Bourne is a Welsh Conservative politician. He served as the Leader of the Welsh Conservative Party and as a member of the National Assembly for Wales for the Mid and West Wales electoral region from August 1999 until May 2011...

, the campaign lacked the structure and finance of the Yes campaign. This meant that it was unable to match the larger resources of the Yes Campaign. The fact that there had been a Conservative political whipped out at the 1997 general election in Wales also left no Parliamentarians to lead the No campaign.

The introduction of unitary authorities in Wales by the Conservatives had removed one of the central problems of the 1979 referendum. The existence of too many layers of government. There would have been three tiers - Welsh Assembly - county councils-borough/city/district councils. The proposed abolition of either county or district councils in 1979 had alienated the councils from supporting the Yes campaign. With this process already completed the new unitary authorities and their councillors no longer felt such a strong reason to oppose the introduction of a new Assembly.

The endorsement of a still popular Prime Minister, Tony Blair

Tony Blair

, and the tight parliamentary whipping of Labour anti-devolutionary MPs ensured that the Labour Party was seen to be publicly behind the campaign. This enabled the Labour Party to transfer their considerable support behind the Yes vote.

Results

The referendum was held on 18 September 1997, a week after the referendum in Scotland. The referendum asked voters the question:

I agree that there should be a Welsh Assembly.
I do not agree that there should be a Welsh Assembly.

The overall count was declared in the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff. The proceeding officer was Professor Eric Sunderland. In the end the result was extremely close and everything hung on the result from Carmarthenshire

Carmarthenshire

Carmarthenshire is a unitary authority in the south west of Wales and one of thirteen historic counties. It is the 3rd largest in Wales. Its three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford...

, which carried the 'Yes' vote.

Agree : 559,419 (50.3%)			Disagree : 552,698 (49.7%)
▲

Turnout (%): 50.1

Results by unitary authority

Unitary authority	Yes vote (%)	No vote (%)
Anglesey Anglesey Anglesey , also known by its Welsh name Ynys Môn , is an island and, as Isle of Anglesey, a county off the north west coast of Wales...	50.9%	49.1%
Blaenau Gwent Blaenau Gwent Blaenau Gwent is a county borough in South Wales, sharing its name with a parliamentary constituency. It borders the unitary authority areas of Monmouthshire and Torfaen to the east, Caerphilly to the west and Powys to the north. Its main towns are Abertillery, Brynmawr, Ebbw Vale and...	56.1%	43.9%
Bridgend Bridgend Bridgend is a town in the Bridgend County Borough in Wales, west of the capital, Cardiff. The river crossed by the original bridge, which gave the town its name, is the River Ogmore but the River Ewenny also passes to the south of the town...	54.4%	45.6%
Caerphilly Caerphilly Caerphilly is a town in the county borough of Caerphilly, south Wales, located at the southern end of the Rhymney Valley, with a population of approximately 31,000. It is a commuter town of Cardiff and Newport, which are located some 7.5 miles and 12 miles away, respectively...	55.7%	44.3%
Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...	44.4%	55.6%
Carmarthenshire Carmarthenshire Carmarthenshire is a unitary authority in the south west of Wales and one of thirteen historic counties. It is the 3rd largest in Wales. Its three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford...	65.5%	34.5%
Ceredigion Ceredigion Ceredigion is a county and former kingdom in mid-west Wales. As Cardiganshire , it was created in 1282, and was reconstituted as a county under that name in 1996, reverting to Ceredigion a day later...	59.2%	40.8%
Conwy Conwy Conwy is a walled market town and community in Conwy County Borough on the north coast of Wales. The town, which faces Deganwy across the River Conwy, formerly lay in Gwynedd and prior to that in Caernarfonshire. Conwy has a population of 14,208...	40.9%	59.1%
Denbighshire Denbighshire Denbighshire is a county in north-east Wales. It is named after the historic county of Denbighshire, but has substantially different borders. Denbighshire has the distinction of being the oldest inhabited part of Wales. Pontnewydd Palaeolithic site has remains of Neanderthals from 225,000 years...	40.5%	59.5%
Flintshire Flintshire Flintshire is a county in north-east Wales. It borders Denbighshire, Wrexham and the English county of Cheshire. It is named after the historic county of Flintshire, which had notably different borders...	38.2%	62.8%
Gwynedd Gwynedd Gwynedd is a county in north-west Wales, named after the old Kingdom of Gwynedd. Although the second biggest in terms of geographical area, it is also one of the most sparsely populated...	64.1%	35.9%
Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of...	58.2%	41.8%
Monmouthshire Monmouthshire Monmouthshire is a county in south east Wales. The name derives from the historic county of Monmouthshire which covered a much larger area. The largest town is Abergavenny. There are many castles in Monmouthshire .-Historic county:...	32.1%	67.9%
Neath Port Talbot Neath Port Talbot Neath Port Talbot is a county borough and one of the unitary authority areas of Wales. Neath Port Talbot is the 8th most populous county in Wales and the third most populous county borough....	66.5%	33.5%
Newport Newport Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent...	37.5%	62.5%
Pembrokeshire Pembrokeshire Pembrokeshire is a county in the south west of Wales. It borders Carmarthenshire to the east and Ceredigion to the north east. The county town is Haverfordwest where Pembrokeshire County Council is headquartered....	42.8%	57.2%
Powys Powys Powys is a local-government county and preserved county in Wales.-Geography:Powys covers the historic counties of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, most of Brecknockshire , and a small part of Denbighshire — an area of 5,179 km², making it the largest county in Wales by land area.It is...	42.7%	57.3%
Rhondda Cynon Taff Rhondda Cynon Taff Rhondda Cynon Taf, or RCT, is a county borough in the South Wales Valleys of Wales. It consists of 3 valleys: the Rhondda Valley, Cynon Valley and Taff-Ely Valley...	58.5%	41.5%
Swansea Swansea Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...	53.0%	47.0%
Torfaen Torfaen Torfaen is a county borough in Wales within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. It was originally formed in 1974 as a district of the county of Gwent and in 1996 it was reconstituted as a unitary authority.-Education:...	49.8%	50.2%
Vale of Glamorgan Vale of Glamorgan The Vale of Glamorgan is a county borough in Wales; an exceptionally rich agricultural area, it lies in the southern part of Glamorgan, South Wales...	35.5%	64.5%
Wrexham Wrexham Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...	44.3%	55.7%

Aftermath and those involved

In response to a majority voting for the establishment of a Welsh Assembly, the government passed the Government of Wales Act 1998

Government of Wales Act 1998

This is about the Act that set up the Welsh Assembly. For the newer Government of Wales Act 2006, see that article.The Government of Wales Act 1998 This is about the Act that set up the Welsh Assembly. For the newer Government of Wales Act 2006, see that article.The Government of Wales Act 1998...

, creating the National Assembly of Wales. This led the establishment of a unicameral legislative chamber consisting of 60 elected Assembly Members (AMs) based in Cardiff Bay, Cardiff. The first elections for this were held in May 1999.
Those involved in the campaign

Many of those central to the Yes Campaign or even the No campaign became central figures in Welsh political life after result. These included: Leighton Andrews

Leighton Andrews

Leighton Andrews is a Welsh Labour politician, currently the National Assembly for Wales member for Rhondda since 2003...

, Alun Michael

Alun Michael

Alun Edward Michael is a British Labour Co-operative politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Cardiff South and Penarth since 1987. He was formerly First Minister of Wales and leader of the Welsh Labour Party from 1999 to 2000.-Education:Michael was born at Bryngwran Anglesey, son of...

, Ron Davies

Ron Davies

Ronald Davies is a Welsh politician, former Secretary of State for Wales, former Member of Parliament and former member of the Welsh Assembly...

, Rhodri Morgan

Rhodri Morgan

, Peter Hain

Peter Hain

Peter Gerald Hain is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for the Welsh constituency of Neath since 1991, and has served in the Cabinets of both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, firstly as Leader of the House of Commons under Blair and both Secretary of State for...

, Hywel Francis

Hywel Francis

Dr Hywel Francis is a Welsh Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Aberavon since 2001.-Background:...

, Edwina Hart

Edwina Hart

Edwina Hart, MBE, AM is a Welsh Labour politician who has represented the constituency of Gower since the National Assembly for Wales was established in 1999. Hart was appointed Minister for Health and Social Services in the Welsh Government in May 2007.-Background:Hart was born and raised in...

, Val Feld

Val Feld

Val Feld , was a Welsh Labour Party politician.-Background:Born in Bangor, Caernarvonshire, she was educated at the Abbey School in Malvern and in 1969 married John Feld, with whom she had two children. Worked as a journalist in London and in housing advice, working in Lancashire...

, Michael German, Jenny Randerson, Kirsty Williams

Kirsty Williams

Victoria Kirsty Williams is a British politician. She is the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats and the Member of the Welsh Assembly for Brecon and Radnorshire.-Early life:...

, Peter Black

Peter Black

Peter Black may refer to:*Peter Black *Peter Black...

, Dafydd Wigley

Dafydd Wigley

Dafydd Wigley, Baron Wigley is a Welsh politician. He served as Plaid Cymru Member of Parliament for Caernarfon from 1974 until 2001 and as an Assembly Member for Caernarfon from 1999 until 2003. He was leader of the Plaid Cymru party from 1991 to 2000...

, Cynog Dafis

Cynog Dafis

Cynog Glyndwr Dafis is a Welsh politician and member of the Plaid Cymru party. He was a school teacher and researcher before entering politics.-Education:...

, Leanne Wood

Leanne Wood

Leanne Wood AM , is a Welsh politician, born in the Rhondda, Wales, who has represented the South Wales Central region for Plaid Cymru as a Member of the National Assembly for Wales since 2003. Wood is known as a republican and socialist....

, Andrew Davies

Andrew Davies

Andrew Davies may refer to:*Andrew Davies *Andrew Davies , Welsh Labour politician*Andrew R. T. Davies, Welsh Conservative politician*Andrew Davies , Welsh darts player*Andrew Davies , English defender...

, Rob Humphreys, Professor Nick Bourne

Nick Bourne

, Professor Phil Williams

Phil Williams

Professor Philip James Stradling Williams was a Welsh politician for Plaid Cymru and scientist.-Background:...

, Professor David Egan

David Egan

Reuben David Egan is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist based in Lafayette, Louisiana, who composes, records, and performs rock, Cajun-rock, soul, and blues.- Selected discography :...

, Professor Kevin Morgan

Kevin Morgan

Kevin Andrew Morgan is a Welsh rugby union player who has won 48 caps for the Wales national rugby union team, mainly at full back but also on the wing.-Education:...

, Professor Russell Deacon

Russell Deacon

Professor Russell Deacon currently has a part time post in Modern Welsh Political History at the University of Wales, Trinity St David, in their Department of History. He was born in Newbury, Berkshire in 1966 to Garry Raymond Deacon and Margaret Jean Deacon . His father, Garry, was a serving...

, Professor Michael Woods

Factors that helped the Yes Campaign

Results

Results by unitary authority

Aftermath and those involved

See also