A prospective Labour parliamentary candidate for Dwyfor-Meirionnydd has called the decision of Gwynedd Council to spend time debating the prospect of Welsh independence “self-indulgent, ideological and neglectful of the real issues facing local people”.

At a Cabinet meeting in July, Gwynedd Council debated and decided to back a motion for the council to “call for independence for Wales”.

Forty-two councillors voted in favour of the motion, with four against and five abstaining.

During the debate four Plaid Cymru Cabinet members spoke in favour of the independence proposal, with a Liberal Democrat councillor speaking against it.

Two independent council members refused to support the motion, pointing out that there had been no opportunity to properly consult with constituents before the vote.

Welsh Labour’s Graham Hogg said of the decision to support independence: “Some of this arises from councillors’ nervousness about Boris Johnson taking the whole country off a No Deal cliff edge and I have real sympathy with that concern.

“But the answer can’t be to go and find another cliff edge for us all to jump off.

“At a time when many farmers are worried about crippling WTO tariffs and loss of subsidy, when those who rely on tourism are worried about a possible fall off in European visitors, and huge numbers are worried about job security and low income, these councillors need to get real, ditch the ideology and offer much needed support to our coastal and rural communities.”

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