Reform UK and unionist politicians criticise First Minister after he declines to give direct assurance over use of official name
RHUN AP IORWERTH has been accused of disrespecting the people of Northern Ireland after declining to give a direct assurance that Welsh Government ministers and officials would always use the country’s official name.
The dispute began after Reform UK Wales asked the First Minister to ensure that Northern Ireland was not referred to as “the north of Ireland” in official government business.
Mr ap Iorwerth did not provide the explicit commitment requested. Instead, he said the Welsh Government would ensure its terminology reflected the principle of “parity of esteem” contained in the Belfast Agreement.
In his response, the First Minister said: “Parity of esteem is a key principle of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, requires respect for, and just and equal treatment of, the identities, traditions and aspirations of both unionist and nationalist communities in Northern Ireland.
“The Welsh Government will ensure the terminology it uses accords with the principle of parity of esteem.”
The Belfast Agreement recognises the constitutional position of Northern Ireland within the United Kingdom while also protecting the British and Irish identities and aspirations of its communities. It does not prescribe alternative geographical terminology for use by other governments.
A Reform UK Wales spokesperson said the party was “appalled” by the First Minister’s response.
The spokesperson said: “Nowhere in the Belfast Agreement does it state that ‘the north of Ireland’ is an acceptable legal term for the province.
“Plaid Cymru may not want to upset their friends in Sinn Féin, but they must ensure the official name used across the Kingdom is the only term used in all official business.”
The criticism was echoed by unionist politicians in Northern Ireland.
Ulster Unionist Party leader Jon Burrows described the Welsh Government’s response as a “display of utter contempt” and argued that parity of esteem did not permit the constitutional position of Northern Ireland to be disregarded.
Mr Burrows said he would never refer to Wales as “the west of Britain” and called on the Welsh Government to show the same respect to the people of Northern Ireland.
TUV councillor Allister Kyle also questioned how ministers in Cardiff would react if Wales were described as “West England”.
He said the Belfast Agreement expressly recognised Northern Ireland’s constitutional position and provided that it could not be changed without the consent of a majority of its people.
The News Letter reported that the First Minister’s office declined to clarify whether the Welsh Government had a specific policy governing the terminology used by ministers and civil servants.
The Welsh Government’s published online style guide uses the name “Northern Ireland”. There is currently no publicly available evidence of a formal instruction ordering officials to replace it with “the north of Ireland”.
However, Mr ap Iorwerth has previously used the alternative phrase. A Welsh Government announcement published in September 2023 quoted him describing the legislatures of “Scotland and the north of Ireland” while discussing the expansion of the Senedd.
“North of Ireland” is commonly used by Irish nationalists and republicans, including Sinn Féin, while unionists generally view its use in official communications as refusing to recognise Northern Ireland’s constitutional and legal name.
The controversy comes after nationalist parties took control of the Welsh and Scottish devolved governments, while Sinn Féin continues to hold the office of First Minister in Northern Ireland. Reform UK is now the official opposition in the Senedd following May’s Welsh election.
