Liz Truss still hasn't made contact with Wales' First Minister Mark Drakeford despite being Prime Minister for over two weeks. The three previous Prime Ministers — Theresa May, Boris Johnson and David Cameron — all rang the First Minister of Wales on the day they became Prime Minister. It's understood King Charles also made the call, despite his mother having died in the previous 24 hours and the enormous scale of the operation that followed.
Liz Truss became Prime Minister on September 6 but is yet to pick up the phone to the leader of Wales. Speaking in Plenary on Tuesday, September 21, Mark Drakeford said that he "hoped that it will be possible to conduct relationships between the UK Government and the other nations of the United Kingdom in that spirit of mutual respect" but that "there has been no opportunity as yet to test the appetite of the new Prime Minister for such an approach."
He added: "On the day that he was appointed the then Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, telephoned me and telephoned the First Minister of Scotland, and the same thing happened on the first day that Theresa May was appointed and the day that David Cameron was appointed. Now, I understand that the new Prime Minister has not had the first week that she would have expected and that business as usual has not been characteristic of recent days, and now the Prime Minister has left the country. But, I hope that it will not long be delayed before she does find an opportunity to speak with the elected leaders of other Parliaments in the United Kingdom."
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This is not the first time in recent years a Conservative Prime Minister has gone an extended period without talking to the elected leader of the Welsh Government. During the height of the pandemic in the summer of 2020, Boris Johnson went several months without contacting Mr Drakeford despite repeated calls from the First Minister for him to make contact and the UK having to navigate its way through the largest crisis since the Second World War.
The Conservative Government in Westminster has in recent years adopted a policy of "muscular unionism". This has involved an increase in the use of Union Jacks in broadcasts and on public buildings as well as attempts to undermine the current devolved settlements with measures like the Internal Markets Act. During Mrs Truss's leadership campaign she said that the best policy for dealing with Nicola Sturgeon and her call for Scottish independence was to "ignore her".
A senior Welsh Government source told WalesOnline: "Look at the difference between how the new King treats Wales compared to the Prime Minister. There are so many important things to discuss with the new PM including the cost of living crisis."
Mrs Truss and Mr Drakeford did meet very briefly at Llandaff Cathedral on the day King Charles made his first visit to Wales but there was no meaningful exchange, understood to be no more than a nod. The UK Government has been approached for comment.
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