Mark Drakeford warns Boris Johnson's 'confrontational approach' can lead to UK 'sleepwalking' into break up

Boris Johnson includes a "confrontational approach" to devolved administrations, according to Wales' First Minister.

The House of Lords constitution committee is undertaking an investigation in to the future governance of the UK and Mr Drakeford gave evidence to the committee this morning.

Mr Drakeford said the state of the union is underneath the "greatest pressure in my political lifetime".

Find out more: Just about all Wales' coronavirus restrictions to be eased

Mr Drakeford said: "With the current UK Government we face the very first time in the good reputation for devolution, a Government that's instinctively hostile to devolution. The best Minister told Conservative backbenchers that devolution was the best mistake from the Blair government he was telling us something which I believe we are sensible for attending and also the actions of his administration all too often bear the hallmark of this. The confrontational approach, or muscular unionism, aggressively unilateral in the way he goes about things and that is different to any previous government we've worked with.

"We've had differences of view with various governments of more than one persuasion, but we've never worked with a government where our experience is that they are instinctively hostile to the notions of devolution and the way devolved governments go about our responsibilities.

"It certainly doesn't need to be like this."

In his evidence, he explained there have been "some" positives between the two Governments.

Since the turn of the year we've had a regular and reliable pattern of meetings between your First Ministers of Scotland, Wales and northern Ireland and Michael Gove. I believe those meetings happen to be very valuable".

However, he explained: "We are sleepwalking, as not careful, in to the end of the union as you may know it," he explained.

The very first Minister has made numerous public comments about the way the 2 governments interact. He explained that the UK Government is too aggressive and the way forward for a united UK is "fragile".

, Mr Drakeford criticised the Prime Minister because of not pointing out that the changes he announced about coronavirus restrictions were only in relation to England.

In the Lords committee, Sir Peter Hennessey, a former journalist asserted if his editor has asked him to create an account of Mr Drakeford he'd make reference to him like a "care worker from the union".

"Not because of what you've said inside your opening remarks however the way you've conducted yourself in Covid and so forth," he explained.

"Surely that they like the probation officer you were in the past, you tried very hard to deal with the difficult teenager in Number 10 who won't return calls or respond to messages, you attempt to help where you can with the family north of the border and involved in this endless row."

In response to Mr Drakeford's comments, the Prime Minister's spokesman said: "The Prime Minister has always fully supported dealing with devolved administrations. As Minister of the Union he consistently helps make the case for a strong UK and sets at that we're at our best when we work towards a typical goal as we have in the pandemic and with the vaccine unveil."

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