Drakeford cites Matthew Rhys at massive Aberystwyth independence rally
Mark Drakeford and Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth rally 8,000 supporters in Aberystwyth, invoking actor Matthew Rhys to champion Wales’s self‑determination.
Mark Drakeford addressed a sea‑of‑flags crowd in Aberystwyth on Saturday, invoking actor Matthew Rhys to underline the growing confidence behind Welsh independence.
Organised jointly by All Under One Banner Cymru and Yes Cymru, the rally drew an estimated 8,000 demonstrators marching through the seaside town, many clad in Yes Cymru T‑shirts and waving large banners.
Drakeford quoted the Emmy‑winning actor, who recently described Wales as a “small but mighty nation” after his double win, before adding his own rallying call.
“Wales is showing a new sense of confidence like never, ever before.” I will use and quote the words of Matthew Rhys, too – our small and mighty nation, he called it.
Rhun ap Iorwerth, Plaid Cymru leader, also spoke, urging the audience to view Wales’s constitutional journey as distinct from the rest of the United Kingdom.
“We are distinct nations, we have our own stories to tell, we have our own constitutional journeys to follow.”
He warned that Westminster had yet to acknowledge the right to self‑determination, a stance he said only sharpened Wales’s resolve.
“That right to self‑determination is not a right that the UK Government or the Prime Minister is willing to acknowledge and give us.”
Ap Iorwerth added a note of optimism, insisting the independence drive was now an irreversible journey.
The rally followed a historic meeting in Cardiff earlier this month, where the leaders of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – John Swinney, Mark Drakeford and Michelle O’Neill – signed a memorandum of understanding pledging mutual support for independence aspirations.
That gathering, held in their capacities as party leaders rather than government officials, underscored a shared belief that Westminster’s era is drawing to a close.
Drakeford, speaking later in the Aberystwyth gathering, described the Senedd election of 7 May as a “seismic” shift that altered Wales’s political landscape forever.
The seismic (Senedd election) results on the 7th of May changed Wales forever. We now have, for the first time, a Welsh Government led by a political party that unequivocally believes that it is our unalienable right as a nation to decide on our own future.
We have, for the very first time, a First Minister for Wales who believes that it is only as an international, interdependent, independent state that we will be able to fulfil our potential as a nation. Everybody here knows how much work we have to do, everybody here knows how much persuading we have to do.
While Drakeford reaffirmed his intention to seek powers for an independence referendum, he ruled out holding a vote within the current Senedd term, citing the need for a robust legal framework.
Supporters at the rally cheered the prospect of a future referendum, waving banners that read “Yes to a Welsh Republic” and “Our Future, Our Choice”.
Opposition parties, however, warned that the push for independence could deepen divisions within the UK, urging dialogue over unilateral moves.
As the crowd dispersed along Aberystwyth’s promenade, the message was clear: the call for a sovereign Wales is no longer a fringe idea but a mainstream political force, buoyed by cultural icons and a renewed sense of national purpose.