Welsh first minister tells Aberystwyth rally Wales is on independence path with "no turning back"

Thousands of people poured through the streets of Aberystwyth on Saturday for a pro-independence march that drew the most senior political figure in Welsh government to its cause for the first time. Rhun ap Iorwerth, Wales' first minister, joined campaigners in the Ceredigion town and afterwards told a rally in Castle Gardens that Wales is on a constitutional journey from which there is "no turning back".

Organisers from Yes Cymru said they estimated between 8,000 and 9,000 people took part in the march, with photographs showing dense crowds carrying the party's distinctive red and yellow branding alongside the green, white and red flag of Wales. One banner carried a message pointing to a target of a referendum in 2032.

Addressing supporters through a microphone backed by Yes Cymru branding, ap Iorwerth said the "next step" for Wales had to be "equality with Scotland, as a minimum" — a phrase that signals an ambition for a wide-ranging transfer of powers well beyond the current devolved settlement. The first minister, whose constituency is Bangor Conwy Môn, framed the campaign as a continuation of a journey rather than a single event: "Wales is on a journey, and there's no turning back."

The appearance broke new ground. Although independence marches have drawn large crowds in Wales since 2019 — with rallies held in Cardiff, Swansea, Wrexham, Merthyr Tydfil, Rhyl and Barry among others — Saturday was the first time a serving first minister had walked in a Yes Cymru event. It was also the first such demonstration since Plaid Cymru entered government following the Senedd elections in May.

In his speech, ap Iorwerth sought to reconcile the independence message with the party's governing record, arguing that the Welsh Government is already fighting for more resources and powers in order to improve everyday services. "We are standing up for Wales, pursuing the investment and greater powers we need from Westminster now, so we can make a real difference to people's lives as the next step in our constitutional journey."

That last theme was sharpened by comments from Prime Minister Andy Burnham a day earlier, who ruled out handing powers to the Welsh Government that would allow it to hold a referendum on independence. The first minister used the moment to criticise the attitude of the UK Government, saying that the "right to self-determination is not a right that the UK government is willing to acknowledge" — a direct rebuke to the refusal described in Westminster's decision.

The tension inside the Senedd was on display at the same event. Earlier in the week, chamber narrowly rejected a Reform Cymru motion declaring that Wales should remain part of the United Kingdom. The vote was initially tied, with 45 members backing the proposal and 45 opposing it, before the Presiding Officer, Huw Irranca-Davies, cast the deciding vote against the motion in line with parliamentary convention — leaving the question of Wales's constitutional status formally unresolved but effectively deferred.

Reform MS Joe Martin, who was among those voting to keep Wales inside the UK, said he found the first minister's presence "disappointing to see, especially so early in the term", pointing out that Plaid Cymru had campaigned on a platform where independence was not on the table for the Senedd term. Speaking to BBC Cymru's Politics Wales, Martin said the march was "not where their priorities and their attention should be".

Martin went further on the state of public opinion, arguing that the case for a referendum is weak because the numbers are not there. "If there was a clear and overwhelming majority of people in Wales who wanted independence then obviously that would change things, but there isn't, there's a clear and overwhelming majority of people who don't want independence." His comments underline the central obstacle facing campaigners: opinion polls have consistently shown support for independence well short of the level needed to force the issue.

Welsh Conservative MS Andrew RT Davies escalated the criticism to the first minister's record in office, arguing that voters would rather see him dealing with everyday problems. He noted that NHS waiting times have risen and pointed to Pisa results showing Wales has fallen further behind other parts of the United Kingdom in literacy and numeracy. Davies said that instead of marching in Aberystwyth, the first minister "would be better off behind his desk in Cathays sorting the problems that he said he would sort out" — a reference to the Welsh Government's offices in Cardiff.

Welsh Labour declined to comment on the first minister's attendance. Meanwhile, other pro-independence figures at the rally included Yes Cymru chairman Rob Hughes and Elwyn Vaughan, the Plaid Cymru MS for Gwynedd Maldwyn, who also addressed the crowd.

Responding to criticism that the party is prioritising constitutional symbolism over governance, a Plaid Cymru spokesperson said the government is focused on what it considers the pressing issues for Welsh households: cutting NHS waiting times, improving literacy and numeracy, backing jobs and businesses, and helping with the cost of living. The party's argument is that those commitments, and the campaign for additional powers and investment from Westminster, are the practical steps towards the "next step" ap Iorwerth described.

Whether Saturday's numbers mark the beginning of a larger phase of campaigning or a symbolic moment is the question hanging over the movement. What is clear is that the political alignment in Wales has shifted: a first minister who once spoke at rallies on the margins of the constitutional debate now leads a government that marched in its ranks, while opponents on both the right and left of the chamber question whether the timing is right. The absence of any sign from the UK Government that a referendum mechanism is forthcoming suggests the campaign will continue to build pressure from outside the Senedd, regardless of the divisions inside it.