Tory AM Nick Ramsay rejects leader's 'parliament' call

A Welsh Conservative has challenged his group leader's call for the Welsh assembly to be renamed the Welsh Parliament.

Monmouth AM Nick Ramsay, chair of the Tory assembly group, said there had not been much discussion among colleagues about it.

Andrew RT Davies said a name change would recognise the assembly's new primary law-making powers.

Mr Ramsay said this was not the group's position.

Speaking on Radio Wales' Sunday Supplement programme, he said: "I see eye-to-eye with Andrew on many issues - this isn't one of them.

"This wouldn't make things less confusing.

"At the moment, people think there is the UK parliament legislating in London and there's the Welsh assembly in Cardiff. I'm happy with that and my constituents are.

"This isn't a group decision. It's not a devolved issue."

Mr Ramsay, who challenged Mr Davies for the leadership post, added: "The decision lies with the [Wales] Office and the UK parliament. They've made clear that there is no time for legislating in this area at the moment.

"Andrew is the leader of the [Welsh Conservative] group. It's his prerogative to take these sort of decisions if he wants but it's not my view and I think it's important that people realise that this is not a Conservative group position."

Mr Davies has said the assembly's name should be changes in recognition of the primary law making powers it was granted in a 2011 referendum.

He said his suggestion had nothing to do with any greater separation between Wales and the rest of the UK.

He said the move, which he claims would require only a small amendment in existing legislation to be in place by 2016, would be "a statement about the institution which now legislates for our great nation".

The Welsh word used for the assembly building is Senedd, which translates into English as "parliament".

But the Wales Office indicated that the move was "not a priority".