THE first-ever Welsh independence summit is taking place to bring people from across the movement together to discuss key issues such as strategy.
The sold-out event will see political representatives from the Greens, Plaid Cymru and Labour as well as campaign groups gather in Swansea today, with topics on the agenda including finance, the economy, environment and the nature of democracy.
Speakers include Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price, Wales Green Party leader Anthony Slaughter and Councillor Rachel Garrick of Welsh Labour for Independence.
Others who will address the summit include Amanda Burgauer, head of Scottish indy think-tank Common Weal, and representatives from Welsh independence campaign groups Undod and YesCymru as well as Welsh-language pressure group, Cymdeithas yr Iaith.
Harriet Protheroe-Soltani, a member of the national committee of think-tank Melin Drafod which is organising the event, told The National: "In comparison to Scotland, our movement is a lot more in its infancy.
“A lot of the conversations that you have had [in Scotland] we haven't had yet.
“So this is the first summit of its kind where we're trying to bring people from all across the movement into one room to kind of thrash out some of those difficult discussions, to learn from one another.
“It is also to see the diversity of the movement in terms of different people in different parties having different tactics - but we're all on the same broader journey towards independence.”
Independence marches which took place in Wrexham and Cardiff last year attracted thousands of Welsh campaigners and the most recent polls have put support for leaving the UK as high as 30%.
Another demonstration for May this year has been announced by All Under One Banner Cymru and YesCymru in Swansea.
Protheroe-Soltani said large demonstrations were a major tactic of the movement, but it was important to have “difficult conversations” around key issues such as the economy, strategy and transforming politics in an independent Wales.
She said Wales differed to Scotland in having more parties involved in the independence debate.
“Even though Welsh Labour isn't pro-independence in and of itself, there are a lot of Welsh Labour members who are, so there needs to be a kind of home for that discussion within the Labour Party,” she said.
“I think it's important for the movement to recognise people from across the political spectrum can support independence and do support independence.”
Protheroe-Soltani said the recent use of the Section 35 order by the UK Government to block gender reform legislation in Scotland had sparked discussion in Wales.
“It's really obvious that undermining the devolved parliament wishes, especially when so much scrutiny had gone into that particular piece of legislation in Scotland, just seems absolutely ridiculous,” she added.
