Nigel Farage has sparked controversy in Wales after criticising devolution during a BBC interview. The Reform UK leader said the Welsh Assembly had been a 'disaster' and called for its abolition, drawing sharp rebukes from Welsh politicians across the political spectrum.
During a heated exchange on BBC One Wales, Farage argued that devolution had led to poor governance and wasted public money. He claimed that Wales would be better served by direct rule from Westminster, a stance that has been widely condemned as 'out of touch' by Labour, Plaid Cymru, and the Welsh Conservatives.
First Minister Mark Drakeford accused Farage of 'ignoring the democratic will of the Welsh people', pointing out that devolution was supported in a 1997 referendum. Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price described Farage's comments as 'insulting' and said they showed a 'fundamental misunderstanding' of Welsh identity.
The backlash comes as Farage also faced criticism for his views on the Ukraine war, where he claimed the EU and Nato had 'provoked' Russia's invasion. He repeated this assertion during the Welsh debate, drawing further ire from politicians who accused him of peddling 'Kremlin propaganda'.
Farage defended his record, stating he was a 'fighter' and a 'campaigner' who stood up to 'out of touch bureaucracies'. However, his comments on devolution have reignited debate about the future of the Welsh Assembly, with opponents of devolution seizing on his remarks as validation of their own views.
