In the Middle Ages Welsh devolution would have seemed impossible. Wales was barely recognised as a separate country after its conquest by the English Kings in the Middle Ages.
A movement for Welsh devolution developed in the 19th century but in the 20th century Welsh devolution was largely pulled along by the pressure for Scottish devolution.
In the 1979 referendum, Welsh voters overwhelmingly rejected a proposal for a Welsh Assembly.
The 1997 Labour Government offered a referendum to Wales as well as Scotland. By now there was more support for the idea within the Labour Party, as well as from Plaid Cymru.
Even so the Yes vote was only 0.6% more than the No vote.
Rural Wales, where Welsh is still spoken and Plaid Cymru are strong, and the Swansea and Welsh valley areas just outvoted the rest of South Wales and the areas of SW and NE Wales where little Welsh is spoken.
