Presenter, journalist and newsreader Huw Edwards says despite a significant growth in calls for Welsh independence, there is still a "long way to go" and that we should treat it with an "order of caution". He makes the comments during a new BBC Wales documentary film, Wales: Who Do We Think We Are? In the hour-long film, which airs on Monday, October 17, he will look at how the country has changed in the last 10 years.
Attending an independence rally, the 61-year-old describes how it is "quite easy to get swept up with the applause and enthusiasm" for Welsh independence, but emphasises that there is currently no political majority for it. Despite this, he adds: "What I can say, after reporting for 35 years, is that when I started, the notion of independence in Wales was a joke. Whilst today, it is very much part of the mainstream political debate and that’s why this crowd is here today."
At the Wrexham march, Huw adds: “Since the Brexit vote, the number of people in Wales who identify as ‘strongly Welsh’ has risen sharply. The number of people who say they would back an independent Wales has risen sharply. It could be as high as 25 and 30%, so there’s a lot of energy in this debate.”
Read more: Huw Edwards' remarkable career, turbulent relationship with his father and mental health struggle
Later in the film, Huw, who recently announced the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, chats about Wales’ future with Bria de la Mare, a Labour activist who was in Wrexham to attend her first pro-independence rally. She tells him how her experiences of living near the border during the pandemic had changed her mind about an independent Wales.
Bria then describes how, during that time, she spoke with a lot of people who were thankful for the support of the Welsh Government. “I’ve even had friends that are jealous of the fact that Mark Drakeford and other MSs had our backs.” She concludes: “The only way to ensure a fairer life for people in Wales is through independence.”
Despite this, Huw comments on how the independence campaign hasn’t yet translated into an electoral breakthrough for Plaid Cymru. He describes how the Welsh Election Study has shown that almost half of all pro independence voters in Wales, supported Labour at the last Senedd election - a party that strongly backs the union.
Elsewhere in the film, Huw explores the tensions between the two governments in Wales – the UK and Welsh Governments – and looks at how they are both affecting the lives of people in Wales. He considers how a worldwide pandemic has thrown the complexities of devolution and local control into stark relief, how farming and agriculture policies have impacted the industry, and how governments should address the issue of second homes.
Wales: Who Do We Think We Are? With Huw Edwards airs on BBC One Wales at 9pm
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