Welsh first minister confirms he discussed independence with Starmer

Wales' first minister has confirmed he discussed Welsh independence from the United Kingdom with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in a call last week.

In his first appearance in the Senedd since he was sworn in to lead the Welsh government, Rhun ap Iorwerth said he wants to lead a "national conversation" in the country's ability to go it alone.

He used his first statement to the Welsh Parliament to press the case for more powers and funding for Wales' institutions, and set out his priorities including cutting waiting lists and tackling child poverty.

But Reform's Welsh leader Dan Thomas accused ap Iorwerth of being "distracted by constitutional issues".

Plaid Cymru has ruled trying to hold a referendum on independence in the first term of a government, but has said it will set up a national commission that would look at building the case for Wales as a separate nation state.

Ap Iorwerth spoke to Sir Keir days after his victory in the Senedd election, where the once-dominant Welsh Labour party were decimated from holding half of the seats to less than 10%.

After the call, the Welsh government claimed the prime minister had been "open to a conversation" about giving the Senedd more powers.

But others familiar with the conversation had expressed surprise that ap Iorwerth had brought independence up.

Questioned about the matter by Reform's Thomas, ap Iorwerth told the Senedd he had brought up the topic.

"I have a level of ambition for my nation, where I said that I want to lead a national conversation creating that confidence in our ability, undoubtedly, to be an independent nation like so many countries like ours," he said.

"But, I said to the prime minister, as I have said throughout my time in politics and will continue to do so, we deal with the issues that we deal with now, and we set a journey that the people of Wales will ultimately have to decide on the trajectory and the pace of."