First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth has demanded a “new deal” for Wales from the UK government, putting the country on an equal footing with Scotland.
He has called for new powers over policing, justice, rail and the Crown Estate from the UK government.
In a speech at Plaid Cymru’s conference in Llandudno, the party’s leader said Prime Minister Andy Burnham has promised him he would not undermine Wales.
The UK government said it was “committed to building a stronger and fairer Wales in a stronger and fairer United Kingdom”.
Plaid Cymru is gathering in Llandudno’s Venue Cymru for the first time since it won a historic victory at the Senedd election in May.
In a wide-ranging speech, the first minister said the result amounted to a “new dawn” for Wales.
But he warned that the upcoming Welsh government budget process would be “tough”, and said he would have to “find savings where we can”.
Speaking to party activists, ap Iorwerth said: “I do believe the new prime minister and I both want to have a constructive and positive relationship.
“I’ve looked him in the eyes and said do not undermine Wales as a nation. Do not bypass our Senedd. And he looked me in the eyes and promised he would not. I will hold him to that.
“Wales will hold him to that.”
Scotland’s government and parliament has more control over the country’s own affairs than Wales, where policing and justice are controlled in Westminster, and not Cardiff, and where rail is largely devolved.
Ap Iorwerth said his proposed “new deal” would “redress the historic unfairness of our fiscal and constitutional settlement and put Wales on an equal footing with Scotland as a bare minimum”.
“It remains my hope that the prime minister will listen in a shared spirit, and that he’ll see that the respect agenda between the Welsh and UK governments must work both ways,” he said.
“If he fails, Wales will know again that our best interests will never be served by Westminster, and that it matters little whether who lives in Number 10 Downing Street is an Evertonian or an Old Etonian.”