Boris Johnson ignoring Wales' parliament, Mark Drakeford says

Mark Drakeford has accused Boris Johnson's government of "aggressively" ignoring Wales' government and parliament.

The first minister has published a report on reforming the "fragile" union between the four UK nations.

It calls for a partnership between governments, but says relations have recently deteriorated.

UK ministers said focusing on constitutional issues was an "irresponsible" distraction from Covid.

Mr Drakeford said there was an urgent need for change because "the union has never been this fragile".

The report came as Welsh ministers were granted permission to appeal after their legal challenge to a post-Brexit UK trade law was blocked.

"If matters continue in their current vein the case for the break-up of the UK will only increase," the first minister said.

"Too often we see the UK government act in an aggressively unilateral way, claiming to act on behalf of the whole UK, but without regard for the status of the nations and the democratic mandates of their governments."

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The Labour first minister, an opponent of independence, wants more powers for the Welsh Parliament, including over the justice system.

His report says Westminster should allow Wales and Scotland to hold referendums on independence if their devolved parliaments want to, but adds "it would be unreasonable for such referendums to be held too frequently".

Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland should continue to be represented in the House of Commons, the report says, but the membership of the House of Lords should also reflect the make-up of the UK.

Funding for the devolved nations should be based on their needs, it says, and the UK government should get consent from Cardiff if it wants to pay for certain things in Wales.

It follows a row over replacing EU funding to Wales, with UK government ministers acquiring new powers to fund things that are normally controlled by the Welsh government.

In a statement, the UK government said people wanted both administrations to work together "and our full focus must remain on recovering from the challenges the pandemic has created".

"Choosing to prioritise constitutional issues in the middle of a pandemic is an irresponsible and unwanted distraction," it said.

Responding to accusations that UK-wide schemes such as the levelling-up fund undermined devolution, Welsh Secretary Simon Hart said: "What we're trying to do with more visibility and vigour - I'm very proud of the fact - is we are trying to get more money into Wales, more investment into Wales, more jobs into Wales."

On the subject of the union, Mr Hart added: "For most people it's the comforting knowledge that we are part of a big, historic combination of strengths, and that on balance that it's a force for good," pointing to the Covid vaccination programme as an example.

Plaid Cymru deputy leader Rhun ap Iorwerth said the UK was "failing utterly to deliver economic and social justice for the people of Wales".

"The only way of achieving this is by putting Wales's future in Wales's hands, free from Westminster's chaos and incompetence. It's why support for independence is at an all-time high, and growing," he said.