Stephen Kinnock Opens Talks on Policing Powers for Wales 2026

Key Points

• Stephern Kinnock, the Secretary for Wales, revealed that the British Government will talk about the future of devolution in Wales.
• This statement was made as Plaid Cymru began its lobbying efforts for transferring policing and justice powers to Wales.
• Liz Saville Roberts, the Plaid Cymru Westminster Leader, asked why the mayor of Greater Manchester had more say in matters of policing than the Senedd.
• Rhun ap Iorwerth, the First Minister of Wales, expressed hope that the Prime Minister of Great Britain, Andy Burnham, will see the need for devolving policing power.
• Currently, the policing powers in Wales lie with the Home Office of the UK, unlike in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
• Some regional mayors in England, like the mayor of Greater Manchester, have powers over policing budgets and priorities.
• According to Mr. Kinnock, the focus of the Government would continue to be on reducing crime and protecting citizens in Wales.
• Mr ap Iorwerth has made an appeal to the Prime Minister that Wales generates over half of its policing money independently and therefore needs control over policing and justice.
• The Prime Minister has promised to hand over power from Westminster and devolve powers to different parts of England.

Wales (Wales Times) September 02, 2026 — Police devolution has moved closer to formal discussions after Welsh Secretary Stephen Kinnock told the House of Commons that the Labour Government would engage on proposals to deepen devolved powers, including the possibility of giving Wales greater control over policing.

Mr Kinnock’s comments followed a challenge from Plaid Cymru Westminster leader Liz Saville Roberts, who asked why the mayor of Greater Manchester appeared to have greater influence over policing in his area than elected representatives in the Senedd.

The exchange took place as Plaid Cymru leaders intensified their campaign for responsibility for policing and justice to be transferred from Westminster to uk/local/cardiff/">Cardiff Bay. The party argues that Wales should have a similar level of control to Scotland and Northern Ireland, where policing decisions are made by devolved institutions.

According to The Standard’s report, Mr Kinnock said the Government would “engage on the future of devolution, including deepening devolution into communities across all corners of Wales”. He stressed, however, that the Government’s immediate focus would remain cutting crime and ensuring the safety and security of people across the country.

Why is Plaid Cymru calling for policing powers to be devolved?

Plaid Cymru’s campaign is based on the argument that Wales should not have less control over policing than parts of England. Ms Saville Roberts told the Commons that a political union should not treat people differently according to where they live.

As reported by The Standard, Ms Saville Roberts asked Mr Kinnock whether he believed Greater Manchester should have more powers over policing and community safety than the Parliament of Wales.

She said: “A union that treats people differently depending on where they live must change.”

The comparison with Greater Manchester is central to the argument. The mayor of Greater Manchester can appoint the area’s chief constable and determine the police force’s budget and strategic priorities. Andy Burnham held that role for more than nine years before becoming Prime Minister.

By contrast, the four police forces covering Wales remain under the responsibility of the UK-wide Home Office. Decisions affecting policing in Wales are therefore not controlled by the Senedd or the Welsh Government in the same way that policing is governed in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Plaid Cymru believes this creates a democratic and constitutional imbalance. The party maintains that Wales should have responsibility for policing because Welsh voters and Welsh institutions are directly affected by decisions involving crime prevention, public protection, police resources and justice policy.

What did Stephen Kinnock say about Welsh devolution?

Mr Kinnock did not commit the Government to transferring policing powers to Wales. He did, however, indicate that ministers were willing to discuss the future of devolution.

Responding to Ms Saville Roberts, he said that ideas involving the transfer of power across the United Kingdom were “very exciting”. He referred to the possibility of devolving authority beyond existing arrangements in Cardiff Bay and Holyrood.

On policing, Mr Kinnock said the Prime Minister and the Government had been clear that they would engage with the future of devolution. He said this could include “deepening devolution into communities across all corners of Wales”.

The minister also placed emphasis on outcomes rather than constitutional structures. He said the Government’s focus “has and always will continue to be on cutting crime” and that its priority would be protecting the safety and security of people in Wales.

Mr Kinnock concluded his response by saying: “What matters is what works.”

His remarks leave open the possibility of further discussions while stopping short of confirming a timetable, legislative plan or formal transfer of policing responsibility.

What does Rhun ap Iorwerth want the Government to do?

Welsh First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth said he was hopeful that discussions with Andy Burnham could help establish a stronger case for devolving policing.

Speaking to reporters during a visit to Cardiff and Vale College, Mr ap Iorwerth said he wanted to empower communities in Wales. He argued that this required a strong Senedd and a strong Welsh Government.

The Plaid Cymru leader said he had raised the issue directly with the Prime Minister. According to The Standard, Mr ap Iorwerth said Mr Burnham understood the argument that Wales should have greater control over policing.

He said Mr Burnham had enjoyed more influence over policing as mayor of Greater Manchester than he did as First Minister of Wales.

Mr ap Iorwerth also pointed to the way policing is funded in Wales. He said Wales raised more than half of its policing funding directly within Wales rather than through the Home Office.

He argued that the present arrangement should now change and called for the devolution of both policing and justice.

“We raised more than half of funding for policing in Wales directly here in Wales, not through the Home Office,”

Mr ap Iorwerth said, according to the report.

“It is time now to move forward with a devolution of policing and justice.”

He later acknowledged that the issue had faced resistance within the Labour Party. He said there had been successive attempts to block the transfer of policing powers.

Despite that history, Mr ap Iorwerth said he was positive about his conversations with Mr Burnham. He expressed hope that the Prime Minister could be guided towards recognising the need for policing devolution in Wales.

How is policing controlled across the UK?

The constitutional arrangements for policing differ across the United Kingdom.

Scotland’s Parliament at Holyrood and Northern Ireland’s Assembly at Stormont are responsible for decisions affecting policing in their respective nations. Wales, however, does not currently have the same level of devolved responsibility.

The Home Office remains responsible for the four police forces operating in Wales. This means policing is treated as a reserved matter rather than one controlled by the Senedd and Welsh ministers.

England has a different system again. In some parts of England, elected regional mayors have significant policing responsibilities. Greater Manchester provides the most prominent example in the debate because its mayor can appoint the chief constable and set the force’s budget and priorities.

The differing arrangements have created a political dispute over whether Wales is being treated fairly within the United Kingdom. Plaid Cymru says the Welsh Government should have powers that are already available to other administrations and English regional authorities.

Supporters of devolution argue that decisions should be made as close as possible to the communities affected by them. Opponents or sceptics may instead focus on whether transferring powers would improve public safety, reduce crime and provide effective accountability.

Mr Kinnock’s statement that the Government will focus on “what works” suggests that any future proposal could be assessed against practical policing outcomes as well as constitutional principles.

What role could Andy Burnham play in the debate?

Andy Burnham’s political position is significant because he has experience of exercising devolved policing powers as mayor of Greater Manchester. His time in that role gives him direct knowledge of how local and regional authorities can influence police leadership, spending and priorities.

Since becoming Prime Minister in July, Mr Burnham has promised to move power away from Westminster. In his first Commons speech, he praised the elected-mayor model for giving major city regions the ability to set new ambitions for themselves.

He also said he had instructed the No 10 North operation, based in Manchester, to establish a devolution deal for Cornwall, whether or not the county chose to have an elected mayor.

Mr Burnham said the offer would be extended to all parts of England without devolved power. His comments indicate that the Government is considering a broader programme of constitutional and regional reform.

The Prime Minister’s position on Wales remains less definite. During a visit to Port Talbot the previous week, he said he had arranged a meeting of the National Economic Council for October, with devolution included on the agenda.

Mr Burnham suggested that deeper devolution could involve giving more power to cities and regions in Wales. He referred to possible cooperation between north Wales and the north-west of England, as well as links between mid-Wales and the West Midlands.

He said he was open to discussions with the Plaid Cymru-led Senedd Government. However, the comments reported by The Standard concerned wider regional devolution and did not amount to a commitment to transfer control of policing and justice.

What happens next for Welsh policing devolution?

The immediate next step is likely to be political discussions rather than an instant change in responsibility. Mr Kinnock’s statement signals ministerial engagement, but the Government has not announced a detailed proposal for legislation or a specific timetable.

Any transfer of policing powers would involve questions about governance, funding, police accountability and the relationship between the Welsh Government, the Senedd, chief constables and local authorities.

The four Welsh police forces would also need clarity over who would set strategic priorities and approve budgets. Any new arrangement would need to define how policing performance would be scrutinised and how national standards would be maintained.

Plaid Cymru is likely to continue pressing the Government to move from general discussions about devolution to a specific commitment on policing and justice. The party’s argument is that constitutional responsibility should match the needs and democratic preferences of people in Wales.

The Labour Government, meanwhile, may seek to link any further devolution to its wider regional agenda. Mr Burnham’s public statements show support for transferring selected powers, particularly to cities and regions, but the scope and structure of that programme have yet to be established.

Background: how did the dispute develop?

The disagreement reflects long-standing differences in the devolution settlements of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Although the Senedd and Welsh Government control a range of domestic policy areas, policing remains reserved to Westminster.

The issue has become more prominent because of the growth of mayoral powers in England. Greater Manchester’s policing arrangements provide a direct comparison with Wales, particularly because Andy Burnham previously held responsibility for the force’s leadership, budget and priorities.

Plaid Cymru has used that comparison to argue that Wales should not have fewer policing powers than an English city region. Rhun ap Iorwerth has also linked the issue to Welsh funding, saying that more than half of policing funding is raised directly in Wales.

The Labour Government’s wider commitment to regional devolution has created a new political opening for the debate. Mr Burnham’s promise to take power out of Westminster, alongside his interest in regional deals, has encouraged Plaid Cymru to seek progress on policing and justice.

Stephen Kinnock’s Commons statement is therefore important because it confirms that the Government is prepared to discuss deeper devolution. It does not yet confirm that policing will be devolved, but it places the issue within the wider conversation about the future distribution of power across the United Kingdom.

Prediction: what could policing devolution mean for people in Wales?

If policing powers were devolved, people in Wales could see policing priorities set more directly by Welsh institutions and representatives. Supporters would expect this to improve democratic accountability by allowing decisions to be debated in the Senedd and scrutinised by Welsh voters.

The change could also lead to greater emphasis on issues that Welsh politicians believe require a distinct national or regional response. These might include rural policing, community safety, cross-border crime and cooperation between Welsh forces and neighbouring English regions.

The practical effect on residents would depend on the funding settlement and the powers transferred. Devolution alone would not automatically reduce crime or increase police numbers. Its success would depend on whether Welsh institutions received sufficient resources and whether new responsibilities were matched by clear accountability.

For police officers and forces, a new system could alter reporting arrangements, budget-setting processes and strategic priorities. For communities, it could make it easier to identify which elected body is responsible for policing decisions.

The most immediate prediction is that the issue will remain part of negotiations over the future of devolution rather than produce an immediate structural change. Plaid Cymru is likely to maintain pressure, while the UK Government is expected to examine whether further powers would deliver better public safety outcomes.