Welsh independence: Thousands march through Cardiff

Thousands of people have been taking part in a march and rally in Cardiff calling for Welsh independence.

The event was organised by All Under One Banner Cymru, which held its first march in Cardiff in 2019.

Organisers estimated about 10,000 at the march, with the last in Wrexham attracting about 8,000 people in July.

On Friday, a Plaid Cymru-commissioned report claimed to "debunk" sentiment that Wales was "too small and too poor to thrive as an independent nation".

But it was dismissed by the Welsh Conservatives, with the party's leader in the Senedd, Andrew RT Davies, claiming it was "nothing but back of the envelope fantasy figures to justify Plaid's obsession".

Former Plaid Cymru leader Lord Dafydd Wigley, who attended Saturday's march, said it was "our duty to spell out in detail what we mean by independence".

"Independence can work for everyone in Wales. We need independence and we need it now," he said.

Trefor Jones, from Cardiff, who took part in the march, said: "I believe firmly in independence for Wales.

"I believe that being part of the UK has not done us any good, probably over the centuries.

"And we are definitely strong enough to be able to fund ourselves going forward.

"It's proven that the 10 richest countries in the world have a population on average of around four-and-a-half million. Now we're about three-and-a-half million. And we are, I think, probably the 28th richest country in the world. We can be independent. There's no question."

Mr Jones said the pro-independence movement faced several challenges.

"There is a mountain to climb because there's been an awful lot of disinformation around about whether Wales is big enough to support itself," he said.

"The budget deficit for Wales is actually 3.4% which is on a par with the G7 countries, so there's so much misinformation.

"Unfortunately, how we get over that, I don't know. It needs a very strong voice to do it. Where we'll find them, I don't know, but we must find them. We cannot stay in the union as it is at the moment with a crazy Westminster government."

Organisers said a minute's silence was held in memory of rugby commentator, broadcaster and supporter of independence, Eddie Butler, who died last month.

"It was a privilege to have Ed's wife and children on the march," they said.

March spokeswoman Harriet Protheroe-Soltani said: "Given the recent UK government's tax cuts for the rich and continual erosion of workers' rights, it's important - now more than ever - that people come along and demonstrate that we do not trust Westminster to look after the interests of Wales."