This week has been a landmark week in Welsh politics for two main reasons – we have had a change of First Minister and a change of Cabinet. In the context of these events we have also seen some encouraging signs for the case for primary lawmaking powers for the National Assembly.

During his last day as First Minister on Tuesday, Rhodri Morgan said he would be available to do“ anything that could boost the ‘Yes’ campaign” when a referendum on primary powers is called and a ‘Yes’ campaign is formed. As the results of October’s YouGov poll showed, Mr Morgan’s approval ratings are unprecedentedly high after ten years in office, and his support would be invaluable for the ‘Yes’ campaign whenever it is formed. During his farewell speech he also drew attention to the progress Wales has made in ten years since devolution, saying that “the time has come for us to be able to use the past 10 years to show that (the National Assembly is) a responsible body, and that we are growing in confidence…I believe that the Assembly has demonstrated that it is ready to take the next step”.

The results of another opinion poll on devolution were published on Wednesday, which added to the growing body of polls that suggest that the public attitude in Wales is in favour of the National Assembly being granted primary law-making powers.

The Denbigshire Free Press conducted the poll through fieldwork in North Wales and telephone polling across two days at the end of November, drawing on a combination of face-to-face questioning and calls to residents across Wrexham, Flintshire , Rural Denbighshire & Gwynedd, Coastal Denbighshire & Conwy as well as Newtown and Welshpool in a bid to ensure as representative a sample as possible. Respondents were asked the single question: “Do you support more law-making powers for the Welsh Assembly?”. 55% of those questioned said Yes, while 25.2% said No and 19.6% were undecided.

You can see the full results of the poll here.

During an interview on Friday, new First Minister Carwyn Jones said he thought that a referendum on primary law-making powers for the Assembly was “undoubtedly winnable”, adding that he was “committed to the One Wales agreement and we will be working now together (with Plaid Cymru) to examine the way forward in terms of ensuring that the referendum happens”.

The Assembly is now in recess until the new year, when we can expect to see a debate in the Senedd on the All Wales Convention’s report.