TWO pro-independence parties in Wales have joined forces to grow the case for self-determination.
Plaid Cymru and the Wales Green Party have announced the creation of the Future Cymru Forum which will develop a “groundbreaking” body of work to build a "bridge of ideas to the future".
Both parties have said they will engage widely, working together to help build the economic, social and environmental case for an independent Wales.
It reflects a change seen in Scotland last year, when the SNP and Scottish Greens struck a power-sharing agreement at Holyrood in a bid to move the independence case forward.
Announcing the move at Plaid Cymru’s annual conference, leader Adam Price said it was further evidence of a “genuine agenda of reaching out to others, across the party divide, to join hands to find a shared route to independence".
He said: “The Future Cymru Forum will ensure that the case for Welsh independence continues to grow, both economically and environmentally.
"Both parties recognise the need to explore the key questions surrounding independence more deeply, including the central question of how a new Welsh economy would work. In tough times, working together can turn things around.
"If we are to win independence for Wales we need as broad an alliance of possible who share the vision of a nation that is fair, inclusive, diverse and green. The Future Wales Forum is another step towards realising that vision and ensuring that Cymru's Future is in Cymru's hands."
"I strongly believe in a genuine agenda of reaching out to others, across the party divide, to join hands to find a shared route to independence that will produce tangible benefits for all our people.”
The forum will focus on topics including:
- Setting a framework for debate and research on the economy in an independent Wales, taking note of new economy thinking, environmental value and wellbeing goals;
- Creating an economic plan for an independent Wales in different social and political scenarios, risks and opportunities.
- Modelling the macro-economic impact of an independent Wales for a range of different scenarios, including forecasting of social and environmental value and GDP growth over first fifteen years.
- Modelling the public expenditure, contributions to the foundation economy, deficit and debt over the first fifteen years, under different tax and expenditure scenarios.
- Considering how an independent Wales could encourage a richer mix of viable business models to create environmental and public value
- Creating ambitious new financial instruments to fund investment in a new energy future for Wales and to tackle climate change.
Anthony Slaughter, Wales Green Party leader, added: “I hope that the aims of Future Cymru Forum - to develop economic and environmental plans for an independent Wales - will convince, inspire and enthuse many people across our nation that vision can become reality.
“Working together, we can show positive and hopeful alternatives to the destructive agenda pursued by the Tories in Westminster that is damaging people and planet alike.
“As more and more people are persuaded by the idea of independence as a means of securing a fairer and greener future, The Wales Green Party looks forward to working with Plaid Cymru to undertake the important research required to ensure that the case for our nation to stand on its own two feet is more compelling than ever before.”
