First minister told Burnham 'do not undermine Wales'

The First Minister's direct appeal to Andy Burnham—"do not undermine Wales"—is more than a personal rebuke; it is a constitutional signal wrapped in party-political packaging. Delivered at Plaid Cymru's conference, the remark highlights how Welsh institutional interests increasingly intersect with English regional ambitions. Burnham, as Mayor of Greater Manchester, has become a prominent voice for English devolution, yet his influence and media profile can inadvertently overshadow or complicate Welsh positions on funding, rail infrastructure, and post-Brexit governance. There is a genuine tension here that deserves fair hearing from both sides. From the Welsh perspective, the concern is legitimate: when high-profile English leaders advocate for "levelling up" or regional empowerment, the risk is that Westminster and Whitehall attention—and crucially, Treasury funding—gets redirected toward English metros at the expense of the devolved nations. Wales has historically relied on the Barnett formula and direct UK government transfers; any reshaping of regional funding models must not come at Welsh cost. Yet the counterargument is equally compelling. Andy Burnham's advocacy for Greater Manchester is not inherently anti-Welsh; it is a push for equitable treatment within England's own highly centralised system. English regions lack the constitutional protections Wales enjoys, and their leaders are simply fighting for similar recognition. The challenge is ensuring that these parallel movements for regional empowerment do not become zero-sum competitions—where Welsh gains are perceived as English losses, or vice versa. What makes this moment significant is that it exposes the awkward reality of the UK's asymmetrical devolution settlement. Wales has a Senedd and legislative powers; Greater Manchester has a metro mayor and limited competencies. Neither model is wrong, but they operate on different tracks that occasionally collide. The First Minister's warning is a reminder that intergovernmental relations in the UK remain fragile, and that the choreography of devolution requires constant attention to avoid stepping on one another's toes. Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/c6gqw28kvd5ko?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss