Wales' new secretary of state has said that plans to expand the Senedd are "extraordinarily out of touch". Sir Robert Buckland, who was appointed by Boris Johnson earlier this month, has said the idea should be "put on the back shelf".
Speaking to journalists in his first briefing since taking over the role he was asked if agrees with the Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies that there should be no further devolution of powers to Wales and whether the Senedd should be expanded from the current 60 to 96 members.
Sir Robert said: "If the answer is more politicians then what on earth is the question and why on earth is it being asked? I mean I've never heard anybody either in Wales, England, or elsewhere to say: ‘The solution to our problems are for more politicians’. It's extraordinarily out of touch. My sage advice would be for the Welsh Government to put those ideas very much on the back shelf and get on with what matters to the people of Wales – the delivery of public services, economic opportunity, and how we can build on the levelling up agenda.
