PLAID Cymru’s leader Adam Price has spoken of a “momentum of change” as he promised a referendum on independence within the next five years if his party wins the Welsh Parliament elections in May.

Recent polls suggest support for independence has been rising. A YouGov survey in August found it was at 32 per cent excluding respondents who said they either ‘would not vote’ or ‘did not know’. That was the highest figure ever recorded by YouGov.

But those polling figures – and the views of a sample of voters on Friday – suggest Mr Price still has a long way to go to persuade a majority of the benefits of going it alone.

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Michael Trott, a 20-year-old waiter from Barry, said: “I don’t really see the point of Wales becoming independent because I don’t think Boris Johnson is doing a bad job,

“People overcriticise him, like they do with every politician in power.

“I think Boris, alongside (first minister) Mark Drakeford have done the best they can to help Wales especially during these uncertain times.

“Why should we cause headache and waste time and money trying to change things, when they are fine as they are?

“It’s a nice idea for Wales to be independent but I’m just not sure it’s a necessary one.”

Freddie White, 17, a sixth-form student who actively campaigns for independence, said: “Wales should be independent for a number of reasons.

“Firstly, we have our own language and culture which is different from the rest of the UK. So, we have a cultural difference, as well as a political difference – Wales has consistently voted for Labour in every election since the end of World War Two.

“I also think Wales has been exploited. Our water and coal have been taken from us and we have received very little in return.

“Welsh independence doesn’t mean we are anti-English, but I just think we should have a border there.

“By becoming independent, we can re-join the EU if we wanted to, regulate the sale of Welsh water, revive the language and form better relationships with other countries.”

Unlike in Scotland, independence is not a dominant theme in Welsh politics.

In the Welsh devolution referendum in 1997, the yes campaign only won by the narrowest of margins – 50.3 per cent voted yes and 49.7 per cent voted no.

But the way the pandemic has been dealt with in Wales might boost the independence cause.

Tia Meddick, a 21-year-old student and professional netball player from Cardiff, said: “I wasn’t that set on Wales being independent at first but throughout this pandemic, I think Wales have handled it a lot better than England when they have had the power to.

“We shut businesses earlier and have been stricter about lockdown.

“It made me realise that the Welsh Parliament can be more sensible than central government, which is meant to be superior to us.

“I’ve seen the way the UK has handled – and is still trying to handle – Brexit.

“I think Welsh independence will be beneficial, but the process would be a long drawn out affair and people will complain, like they do with leaving the EU.”