Yes for Wales

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Yes for Wales! was the cross-party pro-devolution group that was launched on February 10, 1997 to co-ordinate the campaign for a 'Yes' vote in the National Assembly for Wales referendum. It was supported by the Labour Party, Liberal Democrats and Plaid Cymru.

The organisation placed a great emphasis on grassroots involvement in the campaign and is establishing local branches throughout Wales. It also managed the difficult job of pulling together campaigners and politicians with very different perspectives who previously fought each other tooth and nail.

The pro-devolution campaign was fought against some fierce opposition from within both the Conservative Party and somewhat surprisingly the Labour Party. Although the Asssembly has gained increasing acceptance in both parties these tensions still exists. It was maybe more than a coincidence that a Welsh Labour Minister at the Ministry of Defence sent HMS Westminster (F237), to fire a joint 21 gun salute at the opening of the new Welsh Assembly building the Senedd.

The Yes for Wales! Campaigns was chaired by the academic Professor Kevin Morgan and the national organiser was Daran Hill.

The Just Say No campaign in Wales was established by Betty Bowen and Carys Pugh, members of the Rhondda Constituency Labour Party. This was the campaign group that was opposed to the Assembly referendum question. The Just Say No campaign ran on a tenacious anti-devolution platform.