Pro-independence group YesCymru has held a national weekend of action as part of a campaign calling for Wales to take back control of the Crown Estate.
YesCymru: the royals must give Wales its land back
YesCymru Chair, Phyl Griffiths, says the case for devolving control of the assets to the Senedd is “overwhelming”, adding that the current system of ownership is “unjust” and that the huge profits they generate should benefit Welsh communities.
Members from all across Wales took part, including the YesMerthur branch, in Merthyr Tydfil, which took its protest to the Chartist Bridge in Blackood:
The YesCymru Aberystwyth branch which held a protest on the town’s prom:
Other branches involved included Denbigh group YesDinbych, which held a protest on Mynydd y Gaer, hill fort in Llanefydd:
And the YesCymru Abertawe branch which held a protest on Swansea Beach:
The Crown Estate is a corporation responsible for managing the monarchy’s substantial property interests, the profits of which go to the UK Treasury.
A substantial portion of those profits are passed on to the royal family through the Sovereign grant.
The Crown Estate owns vast swathes of Wales, including 65% of the Welsh foreshore and riverbed and more than 50,000 acres of land.
In recent years its income from assets in Wales has increased substantially because of the growth of offshore windfarms. They pay the Crown Estate to lease the sea bed.
The value of its holdings in Wales increased from £96m to over £853m between 2020 and 2023.
Profits to communities, not the royals
YesCymru Chair Phyl Griffiths said:
YesCymru is campaigning for the Crown Estate to be put in the hands of the Welsh people so that all its profits go to benefit our communities and contribute towards running our public services.
That is what the national weekend of action was all about, which saw local YesCymru groups from across the country send a clear message about where Wales stands on this issue.
The current system of ownership when it comes to Wales’ assets is feudalistic, wrongheaded and completely unjust.
The Westminster establishment continues to refuse to devolve control of the Crown Estate in the Senedd despite there being an overwhelming case to do so.
The majority of people in Wales support this position as does a large majority in the Senedd.
On top of that, a report by the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales called for the devolution of the Crown Estate.
The Crown Estate’s Scottish assets were devolved to Scotland back in 2016 and there is no reason for something similar not to happen in Wales.
These assets are already worth a considerable amount and it’s clear that over the coming decades, their value is likely to grow even more.
Gaining control of them is essential for us to put a strong and secure foundation in place for building the fair, prosperous, and forward-thinking independent Wales we want to see.
Featured image and additional images via YesCymru
