Rhun ap Iorwerth tells Andy Burnham not to bypass Welsh Senedd

Rhun ap Iorwerth has called on Andy Burnham to empower and not "bypass" Wales' parliament ahead of his first meeting with a UK government minister on Friday.

Ahead of the British-Irish Council (BIC) summit in Guernsey, the first minister said Burnham's promised "wave" of devolution should not stop at Offa's Dyke.

Burnham, who is currently gathering nominations to take over as Labour party leader, has meanwhile written a new opinion piece pledging not to tell the Welsh government how to run its services.

He had been criticised after an earlier article suggested he would intervene in a host of areas controlled by the Welsh government.

With no challengers on the horizon, Burnham is expected to replace Sir Keir Starmer and become prime minister later this month.

Ministers from Ireland, Westminster, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man will gather in Guernsey on Friday for the BIC summit.

It is the first time ap Iorwerth has met a UK government minister. A proposed meeting with Sir Keir Starmer in June never took place.

Sir Keir is not expected to attend Friday's event.

Burnham has promised to devolve more power from Westminster to the nations and regions as part of his pitch to run the UK.

In an article on Nation.Cymru news website, the first minister said the UK in its current form was "a house built on sand".

He said better funding for Wales, powers over policing, justice, the Crown Estate and rail "should represent a natural next step for any prime minister who wants to demonstrate their commitment to the nations and regions".

"My sincere view is that having a staunch devolutionist in Number 10 offers hope for redesigning the UK, but this must mean not just driving power out of London into the English regions, but to the national parliaments too," he said.

He added that "our Senedd must be empowered, not bypassed".

Ap Iorwerth said he would be "taking this message to counterparts in all nations" at the BIC summit - the first that he is attending.

Burnham came under criticism earlier this week after WalesOnline revealed it had received an article from his team which was in parts identical to similar essays written for outlets in Scotland and London.

It set out the vision the Labour MP had in a range of areas, including some that are devolved including housing and education.

On Friday, WalesOnline published a fresh article from the Makerfield MP, who promised to work "constructively with the minority Plaid Cymru administration".

He said: "Not because we'll always agree, we won't, but because that's what respecting devolution means."

Burnham promised to visit the Senedd, and said: "Westminster also needs to learn the language of partnership. It still talks as though it runs everything. It doesn't."

Burnham repeated that he wanted to see devolution extended "deeper down" in Wales to councils.

But he said a UK government "shouldn't tell Wales how to run devolved services".

"My promise to Wales is straightforward, I'll respect the devolution settlement.

"I'll support its continued development where it strengthens both Wales and the wider United Kingdom, and I'll support opportunities to extend devolution within Wales."

Plaid Cymru's Westminster leader, Liz Saville Roberts, said: "It is encouraging to hear Andy Burnham acknowledge that Wales has its own mandate, parliament and government, and pledge to respect Welsh devolution following his earlier blunder."

The commentary comes as Plaid Cymru ministers and Labour negotiate over Plaid's plans for a mid-year budget.

BBC Wales understands that Welsh ministers have offered to spend an extra £80m on additional learning needs (ALN) - £40m now and £40m in next year's annual budget.

The Senedd will vote on the £294m supplementary budget next week, with Plaid in need of at least one opposition group to get it through the parliament.

Labour has turned the offer down with a letter written by Finance Minister Elin Jones stating the party was looking for "at least £100m".

A Plaid source said: "Labour will have to defend why they are denying significant new funding in this financial year or next to parents, pupils and teachers."

Welsh Labour interim leader Ken Skates said the offer fell short, while acknowledging "progress" had been made.

In a letter to the first minister, he wrote: "I recognise there has been progress and movement in recent days. In that same spirit, I would urge the government to continue that movement and make at least £100m available for investment in ALN so that we can then help deliver a positive supplementary budget for Wales."