\u2018Radical federalism\u2019 is not a new idea. In fact, on this\nvery blog I wrote about then Shadow\nChancellor John McDonnell\u2019s proposals for \u2018radical federalism\u2019<\/a> across the\nUK. In that post, I argued that if federalism was to be introduced, then\nimportant questions needed to be answered about how it would work: how to\naccount for different sized parliaments across the UK, the possibility of a\nsecond chamber and how that would work, the role of current Welsh MPs in\nParliament and so on. In the period since McDonnell\u2019s pronouncements, a clear policy\nhas still not been delivered by the party.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Considering the current crisis, it would be understandable for\nStarmer to put these constitutional issues on the back burner for a moment.\nYet, he has continued to argue the case for a change in the constitution and\nhas recently announced plans for a \u2018devolution revolution\u2019 across the UK and\nthe establishment of a constitutional convention. Writing in the Daily\nHerald<\/a>, Starmer invoked the spirit of Labour founder Keir Hardie, insisting\nthat Hardie \u201cwas not a supporter of nationalism but of home rule for Scotland\nwithin the UK\u201d. Following in the footsteps of this tradition, Starmer promised\nthat as leader he would \u201cbuild a future on the principle of federalism\u201d. He\nwill hope that his intervention might go some way to convince Scottish voters\nwho may not be fully behind independence, but who would like to see increased\npowers for Scotland, to return to the Labour Party.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the time of writing, since becoming leader Starmer has\nyet to write a similar piece on the place of Wales within his plans. However,\nwe can glean some information from an article he wrote for Wales\nOnline<\/a> during the leadership campaign. In the piece, Starmer wrote of his\nplans in much the same way as he did in relation to Scotland. He conjured up\nthe spirit of Wales\u2019 radical past, while praising the work done by the Welsh\nLabour government since devolution. He also wrote of setting up a\nconstitutional convention with the aim of bringing power closer to the people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Wales, we do not see the same level of enthusiasm for\nconstitutional issues as we do in Scotland. Yet, the most recent St\nDavid\u2019s Day poll<\/a> results should be taken note of by Starmer and the Labour\nParty. 43% of people in Wales wanted more powers (including 59% of Labour\nvoters), while 11% wanted independence, indicating a majority of 54% of people\nwho wanted to see some form of constitutional change to Wales, not including\nthe 25% who are happy with the status quo. Although not as vibrant as the debate\nin Scotland, there does appear to be an appetite for further changes to Wales\u2019\ndevolution settlement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For now, precise details on Starmer\u2019s plans are thin. On the convention itself, there remain unanswered question on such issues as the relationship between this constitutional convention and previous conventions<\/a> mooted by the Labour Party. Will it include the same plans as detailed in Labour\u2019s 2019 manifesto<\/a> on a constitutional convention, for instance? It is perhaps too early to expect Starmer to release details, especially given the current crisis, but pro-devolution supporters of the Labour Party will be hoping that the leadership gives the issue serious thought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Starmer will also have to be wary of members of his own\nparty who are lukewarm towards the idea of further devolution. For example, in\na parliamentary debate on the Commission on Justice in Wales, Islwyn MP Chris\nEvans argued: \u201cFor me, this is not a constitutional debate. There is a problem\nright now and action has to be taken. The priority for Wales is not\nconstitutional change or more devolution; it is tackling the problem of the\nprison population and reoffending rates\u201d. Chris Bryant also questioned the idea\nof devolving justice to Wales. He said: \u201cMy question in relation to the\nproposal on the table is: does devolution solve any of those problems? I am\nafraid it does not\u201d. He expressed concern that the UK Government would simply\nbe devolving blame: \u201cIf anything, I am terrified that the Government might bite\noff the right hon. Lady\u2019s hand and say, \u2018Yes, devolve it,\u2019 because I know what\nhappens. They devolve the power and the responsibility so that they can devolve\nthe blame when the service is not delivered properly, because they do not\ndevolve the right amount of funding to go with it\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another example where there is disagreement within the Welsh Labour Party is on welfare. Former First Minister Carwyn Jones argued that Wales would \u2018lose out\u2019<\/a> if welfare was devolved, but very quickly into his term as First Minister, Mark Drakeford suggested that the devolution of the administration of welfare ought to be considered<\/a>. Getting consensus on these issues might prove tricky for the new Labour leader.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/en\/6\/64\/Hardie_elect.jpg\")