Propel Leader Neil McEvoy called on the Welsh Government to support writing a Welsh Constitution and a bill of Rights. The Member of the Senedd for South Wales Central asked a topical question in the Senedd about community cohesion in light of the murder of George Floyd in the US. 

Neil McEvoy, the first Welsh-born MS elected to the Senedd described the common experiences of racism for many people in Wales,including violent attacks, wrongful arrest, racial slurs and negative stereotyping. He also highlighted the few numbers of professional staff of colour in the Senedd itself.  

Neil McEvoy said,

“Progress though is being made. But maybe we should look back to go into the future. 

Propel believes that Wales should have a constitution, with a bill of rights, where we can all sign up to being Welsh, defining what unites us. We can all choose to be Welsh. 

Our foremothers and fathers in Tiger Bay, where my mother grew up, led the way in showing how we can all live together in harmony. Will you support defining in law what it is to be Welsh through a constitution? “

Neil McEvoy described the murder of George Floyd as horrific and hoped that his legacy would be social change throughout the world. 

The full text of Neil McEvoy’s contribution is below.

Question: In light of the events in the USA, across the world and protests in Wales following the death of George Floyd, will the Welsh Government outline its policies on community cohesion?

Neil McEvoy

“ I sit here today as the first Welsh-born person of colour to be elected to our National Parliament. My life experience has been the same as a lot of people with brown or black skin in Wales: violent attacks, wrongful arrest, racial slurs and negative stereotyping, with the really clever middle-class racism we encounter. Only last week I had to correct a published article to tell them that I existed and that Wales’ first-ever then AM of colour existed; Dr Altaf Hussain. BBC Wales did it again yesterday ignoring 2 MS’ of colour. 

We have made progress, but have we really come as far as we would like to think?

In terms of class and race, the professional staff side of the Senedd needs to be more representative of the Wales we live in. In our Parliament, it is rare to see people of colour who are not in security, catering or cleaning, Why is this?

Maybe we should look back to go into the future.

The Welsh National Party believes that Wales should have a constitution, with a bill of rights, where we can all sign up to being Welsh, defining what unites us. We can all choose to be Welsh.

 Our forefathers and mothers in Tiger Bay, where my mother grew up, led the way in showing how we can all live together in harmony. Will you support defining in law what it is to be Welsh through a constitution?

 The murder of George Floyd was horrific. May he rest in peace and may his legacy be social change across the world."